<p>Although it was 30 years ago, I’m a journalism school graduate of the University of Iowa & I took classes in the Writer’s Workshop, so at the time I got a real yin-yang of writing–it was wonderful. D1 just graduated there (physiology, now med school) so I’ve visited campus quite a bit lately, and all I can tell you is that the counterculture, writing vibe is still there. And I believe the J-School is fully accredited now.</p>
<p>If you can get either the Old Gold or Presidential scholarship (and judging by your Pitt merit I would imagine you would be in the running) that would certainly offset some of the OOS cost.</p>
<p>Iowa is not cheap for OOS (but still less than private colleges with my high EFC). I got the National Scholarship so far. Do you know what selection criteria are most important for the Old Gold and the Presidential? And do they add them all together?</p>
<p>jnm123, was your D in the honors program at Iowa? If so, what did she think of it?</p>
<p>I am looking into some of the UNCs–Chapel Hill and Asheville. But, I don’t know how good their creative writing programs are. They do offer other majors. </p>
<p>I heard JHU does take its own undergrads into their MFA…but tuition is so high.</p>
<p>University of Iowa National Scholars Award
For entering nonresident and international first-year students who have a Regent Admission Index score of 290 or above. If your high school does not rank, an ACT composite score of 26 (or a combined SAT critical reading and math score of 1170) or above AND a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.60 on a 4.00 scale are required.</p>
<p>Value: $16,960 ($4,240 a year for up to four years)
If tuition increases, the scholarship will increase by the same percent.
Eligible students are considered automatically upon admission.
Contact Admissions for more details.</p>
<p>I seem to remember (went through it twice with each daughter) that besides essays, statements & I <em>think</em> an interview, that was it besides of course your stats for either the Old Gold or Presidential. I also believe that a good percentage of them went to native Iowans. And yes, the scholarships are ‘layered’, so $10K per year on top of your $4240 would be $14,240–at least it was that way two years ago. </p>
<p>D1 was not in the Honors program, but we did tour the Honors program in fall '08 for D2, who ended up in Madison. Didn’t have much to compare it to, but the Honors dorm (Daum Hall) was set up nicely with workstations & so forth. Don’t know what you’re looking for, but it seems to be integrated well with the rest of campus.</p>
<p>What the heck, I’d go after the biggies if I were you. Submit all your materiel in ASAP, and you’ll find out about these scholarships well before the drop-dead date in May, if cost is the determining factor. You may have to send a refundable housing deposit in the interim, but that’s nothing.</p>
<p>Bottom line…Iowa City’s a great place to spend a few years!</p>
<p>Bennington has Field Work Term between semesters where you go out & work/intern, so you do not finish in early-mid May, more like early June. There is assistance in finding a job for Field Work Term as well. (my child did not care for the location, no place to walk to except a near by Home Depot!)</p>
<p>As a writer and now publisher, I’d second the notion to focus more on the overall quality of education than on the specific creative-writing undergrad program. Few if any of the successful writers I know (fiction and high-end nonfiction) studied creative writing as undergrads. The most important things are to read, to observe, to get to know all kinds of people (material!) and to write in every way you can.</p>
<p>In terms of a practical major, I can’t believe I’m writing this, but consider journalism. Not because a single newspaper in the country is hiring, but there’s still a shortage of smart, driven, talented, CLEAR communicators out there, and someone who can research and write well, even if it’s a brochure or annual report, will get work.</p>