Hi! My D (class of 2024) is considering these 3 right now as her top choices. She’s been waitlisted at Macalester and RPI and she’s waiting on a few others (Bryn Mawr, WPI, Kenyon).
We are coming from SoCal and she likes cities. We have visited all of these places (and then some!). Portland and Baltimore are appealing. Appleton, WI is pretty small. My D is a creative writer, reader, aerialist, dancer, who also has interests in French, Hebrew, Japanese, Arabic, computer science, neuroscience, and genetics. She makes anime fan AMVs (animated music videos) for fun so she’s been teaching herself film editing. She had strong SATs but not always amazing grades. She’s also a bit of an introvert on the spectrum, but can bloom socially when she’s around “her people.” She’s coming from a large, urban, diverse high school performing arts magnet.
She will not have a car.
Goucher seems isolated by a freeway and a large mall. Does anyone know if there’s a main street shopping area students can walk to easily? We liked how Goucher students can take courses at partnering institutions (Johns Hopkins, MICA) and Baltimore has very creative energy, plus we have family in nearby major East coast cities. We also like their winter “J-term” opportunities, dance program, and emphasis on global studies. They had beautiful modern dorms with large sparkling kitchens (my D likes to bake and cook). Goucher has more students of color than the others (a plus). We’re concerned that it’s a slightly lower tier place, but not sure if that really matters once you’re out in the real world, especially if she graduates as a CS major.
L & C’s financial offer was slightly less generous than LU’s and Goucher’s. Their dorms were pretty meh and it’s a bit isolated, though the free 30-minute shuttle to downtown Portland makes the city accessible.
LU’s campus and town were not super charming, in our view, but the students were great and the class she sat in on was compelling. It’s more of a pain to get to since she’d have to fly to Chicago or Milwaukee and then take a bus or another flight to Appleton. Dorms were very dumpy.
I would love feedback from anyone on these specific choices! I don’t think any of these are a “bad” choice and the price differences are somewhat negligible. Here’s hoping that colleges are open in the fall!
Even if she gets into Macalester, we’re not optimistic it will be affordable, but that would likely be her top choice if it were. It’s in a city and has some amazing aerial studios nearby. We haven’t visited yet, and now with the coronavirus closures, she may not get to.
