Hampshire, Oberlin, Kalamazoo???

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Okay, so I pretty much have my final list of apply-to colleges.</p>

<p>Brown (reach)
Middlebury (reach)
Reed (match)
Wesleyan (match)
Bard (match? low match?)
Oberlin (match?)
Kalamazoo (low match? safety?)
Lewis and Clark (safety)
Hampshire (safety)
UMD College Park (Pretty much a shoo-in for statistical reasons and other reasons that I won't get into. Forced to apply.) </p>

<p>Anyways, I have to get rid of ONE, and I'm having difficulty choosing between Hampshire, Oberlin and Kalamazoo.</p>

<p>Hampshire: I've visited, and I really like its location (near amazing town of Northampton) and felt absolutely comfortable on campus. And it's in a consortium, which is a plus. But it has a crazy low attrition rate. Also, there's a fairly good chance I'll end up applying to grad school in the long run, and I've heard that a lot of grad schools don't really accept the alternative divisional thing Hampshire has going on. Anthropology dept???</p>

<p>Oberlin: Been on my list for awhile due to being a liberal kinda hippy-ish school and somewhere with a student body I can see myself feeling comfortable with. Also, it's cool that they have an awesome music conservatory, because people who are good at music are really nice to have handy. And the radio station rocks (yes, I streamed the radio stations of various colleges I was considering online, because music tastes are a good indicator of PERSONALITY). BUT: The location isn't that great, and I'm concerned that the anthropology department may not be as strong as at, say, Middlebury or another LAC.</p>

<p>Kalamazoo: Only recently began considering it, so I don't know too much. From what I've read, I like the K-Plan, and the fact that 80% of the student body goes abroad is great! Also, Kalamazoo? Probably the best name for a college ever. A LOT of Kalamazoo graduates go on to grad school, which I like, and crazy numbers also go on to the Peace Corps, which says a lot about the student body (in a good way). But I'm worried it might be kind of college-of-the-month. I tend to decide schools are perfect, obsess over them, and then, after a month or two, begin to notice flaws. Last year I thought I really wanted to go to NYU. Now? No way. Same with Sarah Lawrence, which came next, and Bennington after that.</p>

<p>I know I can always change my mind later, but I'd just really like to have that final list, just to have it. So if anybody has any idea which two I should choose, or has any info about any of those three, or thinks I should get rid of some other school on my list, or has a suggestion for another school to maybe add, I would be very grateful.</p>

<p>On a completely unrelated note, I'm eating a bowl of frosted mini wheats for the first time since I was 8... They're really good. I highly recommend them.</p>

2

<p>Sounds like you like all of them. Ten schools isn't an outrageous amount (I did eleven and didn't even spend THAT much time on them). If, somewhere down the line, you want to drop one, fine, but for now, you might as well keep them on your list as you learn more information about each one.</p>

3

<p>Your list is wonderful! I think you should keep them all on your list, and add Grinnell and Carleton as well.</p>

4

<p>bigp9998: I do like all of them. Problem is paying all the application fees. Parents said I could do eight, and I bargained my way up to 9 by arguing that UMD shouldn't really count. So must get rid of one.</p>

<p>Hindoo: Thanks. I like my list too. I'll look at Grinnell and Carleton. :D</p>

5

<p>My D had several of these same schools on her list. She applied EA to Hampshire and Lewis & Clark and was accepted at both in early Dec. Once she had those 2 acceptances, she re-looked at her list and eliminated a few using a thought process comparing X college to L&C or Hampshire, and that if she got accepted at X she would choose L&C over it anyway.</p>

<p>So you might look at which ones have the EA option and get at least one early acceptance. It might really help you re-evaluate your list in early December. Also look at how many use the Common App. and how burdensome the additional application requirements are. Wesleyan is Common App. only with no additional requirements so might as well apply since it's no extra work, just the $50 app. fee.</p>

6

<p>Do any of the schools on your list waive the application fee if you use Common App? If so, you could apply to more than 9. I know that Grinnell waived their fee when my daughter applied online (last year).</p>

7

<p>Lewis and Clark is free when applying online.</p>

8

<p>oh oh oh keep Oberlin! It's a wonderful school with amazing students. It's kind-of in the middle of nowhere but it's relatively close to Cleveland and the campus is great anyway...and Obies are the most amazing people ever!!! One of my siblings goes there and the students/faculty/administration are the greatest ever!</p>

9

<p>Yes I remember now that Lewis&Clark is free if you apply on-line, and they have non-binding early action, and they give great merit aid, especially with your stats. You should be in serious consideration for at least 1/2 tuition merit aid (they give lots of them). It would be great to have that in your back pocket in early December.</p>

<p>Have you visited many of these schools? Some early fall visits might help take a couple off your list.</p>

10

<p>A great list. You have some sort of duplicate choices but you can't count on getting into any of the schools toward the top of your list though hopefully you will get into some of them.</p>

<p>Bard and Hampshire both have EA programs so you could try them both and know in December. If you get into one or both then drop off other schools that rank lower on your list.</p>

<p>You could also do Brown or another choice ED.</p>

11

<p>Seeing as you want to go to grad school, if you absolutely must get rid of one of those three schools I would reccommend crossing off Hampshire. Not because Hampshire doesn't place students in grad school, but because kzoo and oberlin are both very very good at getting students ready for grad school. especially kalamazoo with the "k-plan" that can get you internships, study abroad, ect.</p>

12

<p>romanigypsyeyes (exciting username): Really??? Thanks for telling me! My parents won't have a problem with one more school if they don't have to pay for it...</p>

<p>mochamaven: I keep wondering if I should get rid of Oberlin, and then people keep telling me how great it is. I really want to visit it to get a feel for myself... If only it wasn't in the middle of Ohio... </p>

<p>runningmom: Yeah, I plan on applying EA to as many as I can (meaning Hampshire, Bard, Kalamazoo, and Lewis & Clark). I've only visited Hampshire (it's not too far from my gparents house), but I'm visiting L&C and Reed in the fall... I'm doing summer visits to Wesleyan, Bard, Hampshire (again), and Brown. I'll probably end up visiting any that I'm seriously considering in the spring.</p>

<p>ctParent: Ha. I'm not nearly decisive enough for ED. I wish I were. I don't have a top choice. I LIKE Brown, but it has its positives and negatives just like all the others... I'll definitely apply EA, though... I suppose at some point I'm going to have to decide where I REALLY want to go, but I honestly think I'd be happy at any of these.</p>

<p>2legit2quit: Yeah, I think I would have made that decision in the end too... Now that I know about L&C not having an application fee for online applicants, I don't need to choose, but I'm kind of wondering if I should get rid of Hampshire anyways... I like the feel of the campus, but someone recently told me of a friend of theirs who transferred out in the first year cause they didn't feel like they were learning and someone my parents know who works for graduate admissions said Hampshire is viewed kind of skeptically by grad schools... In other words, major doubts...</p>

13

<p>If you love Middlebury then great. But based on the other schools you picked, I'd encourage you to think about Haverford, Carleton, or Grinnell as your LAC reach, which to me seem more consisient with the style/feel of the others on your list. Don't get me wrong I think mibblebury is a fine college, but b/c it is so mainstream it stands out on this list....</p>

14

<p>Middlebury is mostly on there due to having strong social sciences and because I'd heard the opposite-- that the student body tended to be kinda non-mainstream. Maybe that's wrong... As to Carleton and Grinnell... I feel bad saying it, but I just don't think I could do Minnesota or Iowa... Ohio and Michigan scare me enough as it is. I don't know why, but being in interior states always gives me this bizarre feeling of claustrophobia. Haverford... My mom went there. I looked at it briefly and wasn't too into it. I'm not sure why.</p>

<p>Anyways, thanks for the suggestions!</p>

15

<p>I've heard awful things about Hampshire. Have you considered Vassar or swarthmore?</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
We welcome the Common Application.
We accept only the Common Application. You can apply online (fee waived) or on paper ($50 application fee). We require a supplement to the Common Application; see our Common Application instructions page for the online and paper versions of our supplement.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's from the Lewis and Clark website. </p>

<p>And thanks, I didn't know my username was exciting :p lol.</p>

17

<p>
[quote]
The Carleton application is the Common Application with a Supplement. The application is available online; we will waive the $30 application fee for those applying online. This is a popular application method, with more than 80 percent of applicants now using online submission.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Grinnell:

[quote]
$30 application fee (this fee is automatically waived if the student applies online)

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Here are two more freebies, if you apply on-line!</p>

18

<p>The geography troubles you by looking at a map, but Oberlin really needs a visit, probably Kalamazoo too. Both are interior states. Those who love Oberlin say it doesn't matter where it is because so much happens right on campus, it's a large LAC (2800 students), there is a steady stream of visiting scholars, artists and especially musicians of national and international stature. Because it's in small-town Ohio, although near Cleveland, all students stay on campus every weekend. They generate so much cultural activity it feels like its own college-age culture city. It could be anywhere at that point, like Bridgadoon. </p>

<p>Day for day, you can say make a case that Middlebury is just as isolated as Kalamazoo or Oberlin.</p>

<p>I"d recommend you visit some schools in the Midwest, just to see if you continue to feel the same way after you've actually been there. I know that living on a state that touches the ocean, you tend to relate up and down that coast as your network. It's a different feeling but worth investigating.</p>

<p>This could put more schools on your list (oh noes!) such as: Grinnell, Carleton, Kenyon, Earlham...</p>

<p>Good luck in your search.</p>

19

<p>joe047: Thanks for the suggestions. Visited both. Vassar I immediately disliked. My parents had to force me out of the car. I felt like I was in a nunnery in the middle of Poughkeepsie. Swarthmore was okay, but kinda eh.</p>

<p>RGE/Hindoo: Three for free! I would apply to all of them if I didn't think it would look kind of bad to have a bajillion schools on my list. And also make it more difficult </p>

<p>paying3tuitions: I wish I could, but it's too expensive... I'm basically allowed one far-off college visit, and I'm doing Reed and Lewis & Clark. And yeah, I had noticed Middlebury was a bit isolated. Unfortunately that's another one I probably won't get to visit unless I get in and am seriously considering it. Anyways, I'll check those out. It might just be that I've never actually BEEN to an interior state. I've been all up and down the east and west coast, but not really anywhere in between...</p>

20

<p>Oberlin's location just isn't really something to be afraid of. All of my friends here admit that they were freaked out at the thought of going to a school in the middle of Ohio for four years, but fell in love once they got here. </p>

<p>Plus, we have Michael Pollan, Newt Gingrich, Stephen Sondheim, and Frank Rich coming this year! Whoa!</p>