<p>So far, I have a full tuition scholarship at Pitt (have to apply for a competitive full ride), $25k (have to apply for competitive full tuition; they have a 5-yr Masters in Literature with 1/3 tuition for the 5th yr) at Tulane, a full ride (highly likely) at Rutgers, and $30K/yr from Ursinus. I've got a decent shot at full tuition from UDel; and maybe from Goucher. I really want to go to Swarthmore (first choice so far) or Hopkins or Princeton or Amherst, which I know are reaches for anybody (but I think I've got a good shot at Hopkins and Swat), but our EFC is close to cost of attendence, which is causing my parents anxiety. Also my brother accepted a full tuition offer from a top LAC, so it might cause some strain on relationships if I go to a high EFC college. I'd prefer a smaller to mid-sized suburban/town, green campus. Knowing that I won't be high-earning and might want to go on for a MFA, where should I focus on overnight visits and the competitive scholarship essays? If I get into one of the reaches, is it going to increase my opportunities while I'm there and after I graduate?</p>
<p>Find out who teaches fiction writing at each of these schools (at Amherst you have the 5 college consortium which will mean a lot of choices). Read their work-- what appeals to you, seems to be in line with what you hope for yourself. Check Rate my Professor to see if they are good teachers as well as good writers. Once you have it narrowed a bit, try overnights at these schools and do whatever you can to sit in on a class. This is a case where a couple of teachers can make or break your college experience. </p>
<p>That said-- a wonderful liberal arts education is one of the best foundations a writer can have-- the more Shakespeare you’ve read, the more you understand about history and science and …everything…the stronger the platform you stand on as a writer. So Swarthmore might be your best bet…as opposed to a 5 year masters at Pitt. An MFA can come later, and with luck, can come with a full ride. (I believe all MFAs at UMich are fully grant supported, for instance…and many others have great funding.) And that MFA can come at one of the best MFA programs-- Iowa, Michigan, Stanford, etc. PM me if you like.</p>
<p>No to NMSF. Just missed high cut-off. Re USC, I didn’t especially want to travel that far (Philly area) but if the merit money and program are worth it I might.</p>
<p>Have you applied to Bennington? It really is a great program for writing.</p>
<p>As a fiction writer, you want to focus on smaller schools and you want to find out who is teaching there. I like Swat for you, too… Emerson has a really great program, too…</p>
<p>Grinnel in Iowa, Reed, Willamette.</p>
<p>Personally, if all things are equal, schools like this are really great for a writer.</p>
<p>And, of course, you know Iowa for your MFA. </p>
<p>Knox College has a nationally-recognized creative writing program. Knox is one of very few undergraduate schools in the country that list creative writing among their most popular majors.</p>
<p>Not a parent, but I definitely agree about Knox. I’ve also found them to be generous with merit scholarships - you can probably get the Lincoln Scholarship, which is their highest one, with your stats, plus whatever aid you’d receive for need.</p>
<p>I second Bennington. Knox is also good with writing. Both small towns. Benington is so picturesque and modern. Knox is a little on the old school look. If you are a writer you should make an application to Iowa. It the most respectful college for writing IMHO.</p>
<p>It sounds like you’ve figured out your college path already, and you may not be interested in hearing this, but I’ve heard several established writers say that aspiring writers should not study creative writing in undergrad, but should go for a broad liberal arts program. Just something to think about.</p>
<p>You’re getting great advice here. A liberal arts education will give you the foundation you want for an MFA by broadening your world and enhancing your awareness and knowledge. I recommend that you try for Swarthmore. You can explore any major that you like (a major is about 1/4 of your coursework) and take courses from across the college that interest you. My daughter plans on being a writer and has taken several creative writing courses at Swarthmore that she has adored. She often finds topics for her writing from her experiences in science or history classes! There are typically 5-12 students in a creative writing class and they workshop their writing each week. Being among other committed and creative young writers has been a boost to her own work. She has found the professors extremely helpful and supportive. One of the most supportive has been a biology professor (my daughter is majoring in biology) who regularly goes out of his way to mention to her various fiction writers who also are scientists. This professor is a very strong supporter of her creative work. In fact, one of the most wonderful parts of Swarthmore is that every student is taken seriously by her/his professor and the professors really support each student’s dreams and particular giftedness. Almost weekly, a poet or a writer is on campus. There are readings to go to and, because of the small size of the campus, the students can spend quality time with these guests. My daughter has had these visitors attend her creative writing classes and share insights. Also, once a Swarthmore alum, one has access to an alumni network that includes a significant number of writers and poets.</p>
<p>I second (or third) Bennington, and would add Sarah Lawrence, maybe Vassar. Hampshire or Bard in the East, Oberlin, Carleton, MacAlaster in midwest-? Check out the book “Creative Colleges.” I am not sure but it seems to me it has a section on good colleges for creative writing.</p>
<p>For the future, another idea might be Goddard’s low residency MFA in creative writing. You spend a week each semester in VT, and work long distance with an advisor. It’s a pretty well-respected program with a different model than most schools, and affordable.</p>
<p>Take a look at Centre College in Danville, KY. It has a solid academic reputation. I believe it has been listed as the Top College value by Forbes for two years now. They have a nice endowment and offer nice scholarship dollars to the top students. It is in a small town but minutes away from Lexington, KY.</p>
<p>OP: I think you’re male? If you are female, Barnard is the best place for fiction writing.
(Look at their roster of writers. Chair of English Dept. is novelist Mary Gordon, or was until recently. Anna Quinlen was chair of Board of Trustees. Just stepping down.)</p>
<p>Anyway, they’re going to insist there that you get a degree in English, which as a fiction writer myself, I find totally appropriate. Read, read, read is all you really need. The rest is hard work and networking.</p>
<p>But that said, young friends have had good luck writing at Kenyon. And Hamilton has a well-established creative writing major that will NOT require a BA in English.</p>
<p>I second Bard, Hampshire, Bennington, Sarah Lawrence. University of Iowa. NYU. Johns Hopkins has a strong writing program (not as famous a pre-med. John Barth was there for many years.)</p>
<p>Cornell turned out Pynchon and Vonnegut who were both enrolled in the sciences. Richard Powers (all enrolled in sciences) attended U of Illinois.</p>
<p>I did get accepted at Iowa with some merit, but have to apply for a larger scholarship there. I loved their Young Writers’ Studio. I just don’t know if the undergrad program is nearly as good. I asked about whether their Writer’s Workshop accepted many people who had gone to Iowa as undergrads, and the MFA admissions people said not necessarily–it was like they didn’t think much of their own university’s undergrads, but maybe I’m wrong? Iowa also has lots of required courses for an English plus writing major.</p>
<p>If I were to major in something else so I could get a “real” job, what would you suggest? I don’t think I want to teach after seeing how disinterested most kids are in learning. I am nearly the only one who actually reads the assigned books and this is in AP level. Everbody else uses SparkNotes. In lower level classes it is just about behavior control. </p>
<p>Thanks for the LAC suggestions. The problem for me is that the LACs usually don’t have practical majors. I just don’t see myself getting a PhD or going for a professional degree. I think I need to double major as an undergrad in something practical in case I don’t get into a MFA program that offers money.</p>
<p>I think I’d like working in a library with real books (but not in an information programming type of job). So what university offers a Library Science degree with a good English lit+creative writing program? And with merit money and in the Northeast or Midatlantic. And with a decent honors program and housing where kids aren’t rowdy drinkers.</p>
<p>I don’t especially want to live in a city or go to a woman’s college.</p>
<p>The fully funded MFA’s like MIchigian and Iowa are wonderful. Just be aware that their acceptance rates hover around 1%. It’s easier to get into Harvard Law. Iowa taking or not taking Iowa grads is not a comment on how they feel about their undergrad graduates, so much as a confirmation that it’s all about the writing sample, not really other creditentials.</p>
<p>As far as Goddard, the low residency format exists in quite a few other schools as well, in different fashions. Unfortunately, few give any scholarships.</p>
<p>This is not to discourage you at all. However, in addition to getting a really strong literary undergrad education, you might want to take into account funding considerations if you are interested in an MFA. There is a movement presently to try to pressure more MFAs to adopt full funding, but in the present economic climate it is unlikely to make much headway.</p>