Earlham Visit

<p>My youngest daughter and I just returned from a visit to Earlham. I am happy to report that my daughter loved just about everything about the school. She loved what she learned about the Biology program. She loved the study aborad opportunities. She loved the strong volunteer opportunities. She loved her interviewer, her tour guide, the buildings, the dorm rooms and the slightly disheveled look of the student body. She loved the Quaker-ness of the school. The lunch was deemed to be borderline disgusting, but that was not significant. I was inclined to like Earlham before we got there - based on what I had heard from others, and from what I read in Colleges that Changed Lives - and I was not disappointed. I think it's a terrific fit for my daughter. Is anyone else considering Earlham?</p>

<p>My daughter is a first year at Earlham. We visited in the fall of her senior year and were also quite taken with the Bio department. Did you check out the Joseph Moore Museum of Natural History? Very cool Pleistocene skeletons, pretty fair sampling of stuffed Indiana wildlife, and in the basement, the mummy, and the alligator snapping turtle. The Bio dept is very strong in field biology and my daughter routinely picks up various life forms (cicadas, spiders, etc.) and quizzes the faculty with identification questions.</p>

<p>We think Earlham has a very comfortable atmosphere. The Quaker values of respect for all, the lack of honorifics (everyone is on a first name basis), the seeking of knowledge, the sense of community are quite genuine. My daughter is very happy at Earlham and we think it has been an excellent fit.</p>

<p>I have two daughters at Earlham. They are both very happy there.</p>

<p>My S is also considering Earlham. He's been accepted and would major in Biology. He has a strong interest in field biology and conservation biology. We know two other students at Earlham and they both love it. However, he did not receive any financial aid there and has several other attractive options.</p>

<p>My junior D is interested in looking at Earlham, and is interested in both biology and studio art. Can any of you speak to the art program, specifically ceramics? We will probably visit in the fall.</p>

<p>When you set up your visit in the fall, ask the Admissions office to let your daughter attend one of the studio art classes and/or set up an appointment with an art prof. My daughter hasn't taken an art class yet, but will be staying on campus for May term in order to take Drawing 101. Earlham is supposed to be pretty good in textiles and ceramics. Art facilities are cramped, given the interest in the subject and the college is planning to expand the space in a few years.</p>

<p>I hope no one minds if I share my daughter's thoughts and experiences with Earlham's art program. </p>

<p>Earlham was one of my daughter's favorite colleges (and mine too). She attended Earlham's explore-a-college program (which I would highly recommend for anyone - great program!) and took an art course (metalsmithing). During the program, she had ample opportunity to talk with several of Earlham's art faculty members about the department. She also was able to talk with multiple Earlham students who were either art majors or who had taken several courses in the art department. She also got a first-hand look at and experience with Earlham's art facilities.</p>

<p>Sadly, after the explore-a-college program, she decided Earlham's art program was not going to be a fit for her interests and needs. As beltrami notes, Earlham's art department is heavily crafts-focused (metalsmithing, weaving, ceramics). My daughter felt that opportunities to really go into depth in other studio art areas (drawing/graphic design/painting, etc.) were going to be somewhat limited at Earlham. She really wanted a more broad-based art department, and, although she enjoyed the metalsmithing class and loved the professors she encountered during the program, she felt that she would ultimately feel unhappy with such a crafts-focused and somewhat small art program. She was also was not impressed with the art facilities - I believe that Earlham has just three studio art classrooms, including a single ceramics studio (do check on that), and my daughter felt they were not attractive studio spaces (just her opinion). Comments made by Earlham students majoring she met, and looking at the Earlham course schedule over a few semesters, also made her think that course availability would be somewhat limited. Since she wanted to be able to take art courses easily right from the start, this was a major concern for her.</p>

<p>We were both very sad when she decided that Earlham's art program wasn't a fit for her because we both truly loved Earlham. If your daughter is interested specifically in ceramics, Earlham's art program may be a better fit, however. As Beltrami suggests, do make sure she speaks to a ceramics professor, and asks specific questions about both the depth and availability of ceramics courses. She should also take a close look at the facilities, and the other opportunities in the department.</p>

<p>Again, I love Earlham and still kind of feel a twinge of sadness that my daughter didn't end up there, but the art department is, in my opinion, probably one of Earlham's few weaknesses. The exception might be for a student who is interested in more crafts-focused media, but do double check on difficulty in getting into art classes, as well as the depth of courses available in different media.</p>

<p>Regardless of the above information, son's initial impressions of biology at Earlham proved in the end to be the overriding factor causing him to send them his deposit today. It seemd to him to be the biology department most likely to lead him in the directions that are enjoyable for him. EC edged out Kalamazoo, an impressive place. It seemed to be a come from behind victory.</p>

<p>Son is very strong in studio art, so he may be a good source of opinion regarding art at Earlham in a year or so. Stay tuned. I think he made a sound choice, and I thank those of you who commented on Earlham and other places in this forum-- it helped us navigate.</p>

<p>Cool!</p>

<p>I'm on my way out the door to move my kiddos out of the dorms at Earlham and back to NY for the summer. But I did want to mention that my daughter just finished ceramics 1 at Earlham. She loved it. The professor was wonderful and she hopes to take ceramics 2 next semester. If not next semester than perhaps next year (she can't do it in the spring because she's spending the spring semester in London). She was worried she'd be closed out of art classes, but got into ceramics her freshman year, so it fine. </p>

<p>Good luck to your son. I hope he enjoys Earlham!</p>

<p>amy</p>

<p>Thanks again, amy obesmom. I'm sure he will. We're looking forward to August.<br>
Thanks also to Beltrami for the info.</p>

<p>2 months in, biology is as advertised, which is to say, great.<br>
son has ceramics with a visiting professor. we met her last weekend, and were well impressed. more significantly, son thinks highly of her-- he's known more art instructors than we have. haven't heard of scheduling problems in art or anything else. chem and bio majors need to be careful to schedule properly to save their study abroad options. son's advisor is helpful with these issues. Earlham's a nice place with an accessible faculty.</p>

<p>Hey Bigpicdad!</p>

<p>I happened to see your post and am glad things are going well for your S. Thought of you last month as I was eating curry delights at Saffron with S...lol. Also, we just found an excellent Sushi/Asian fusion place and an authentic Greek joint as well. S and I are on a mission to try out all the ethnic spots in Kzoo. The Greek place has become his regular Sunday morning breakfast hangout with his friends...says the gyro/feta cheese omelettes are to die for...lol...</p>