Help- good schools for creative writing?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello all, </p>

<p>So I have been looking into colleges and needed some advice. I want to study creative writing (if they have an English major with a writing focus that is fine) but wasn't quite sure what schools seemed good or not. Location doesn't really matter too much as long as it is somewhat safe. Preferably something anywhere from a large town to a large city. Also, no religious affiliation with the school and offers a good social life and housing is needed. </p>

<p>Also- I typically get A's with the occasional B and ivy league is out of the question. I don't play sports but do enjoy watching them, so that could possibly factor in something to the type of school. :)</p>

<p>Thank youu!</p>

2

<p>Creative writing</p>

<p>in addition, from Rugg’s Recommendations:
Bard
Middlebury
Beloit
Barnard
Bennington
Brown
Carnegie Mellon
Columbia
Creighton
Denison
Eckerd
Emerson
Fla St
Grinnell
Hamilton
Hobart
U Iowa
John’s Hopkins
Kenyon
U of Michigan
SUNY New Paltz
NC State
Northwestern
Oberlin
U Oregon
U Pitt
Redlands
San Fran St
Sarah Lawrence
Susquehanna
Sweet Briar
Temple
UVA
Wheaton (MA)
Wittenberg</p>

<p>School U. S. and World Report Ranking for graduate creative writing programs

  1. University of Iowa 4.5
  2. John Hopkins University (MD) 4.2
  3. University of Houston (TX) 4.2
  4. Columbia University (NY) 4.1
  5. University of Virginia 4.1
  6. New York University 4.0
  7. University of California, Irvine (CA) 4.0
  8. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (MI) 4.0
  9. University of Arizona 3.9
  10. Boston University 3.8
  11. Cornell University 3.8
  12. University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MA) 3.8
  13. University of Montana (MT) 3.8
  14. University of Washington 3.8
  15. Washington University (MO) 3.8
  16. Brown University (RI) 3.7
  17. Indiana University, Bloomington (IN) 3.7
  18. University of Arkansas (AR) 3.7
  19. University of Utah 3.7
  20. Arizona State University 3.6
  21. Emerson College (MA) 3.6
  22. George Mason University (VA) 3.6
  23. Hollins College (VA) 3.6
  24. Sarah Lawrence College (NY) 3.6
  25. Syracuse University (NY) 3.6
  26. University of Florida 3.6
  27. University of Maryland, College Park (MD) 3.6
  28. University of Pittsburgh 3.6
  29. Warren Wilson College (NC) 3.6
  30. University of California, Davis (CA) 3.5
  31. University of Southern Mississippi (MS) 3.5
  32. University of Texas, Austin (TX) 3.5
  33. Iowa State University 3.4
  34. University of Missouri, Columbia (MO) 3.4
  35. University of Oregon 3.4
  36. University of Southern California (CA) 3.4
  37. Bennington College (CT) 3.3
  38. CUNY–City College of New York (NY) 3.3
  39. Florida State University 3.3
  40. Ohio University 3.3
  41. Ohio State University 3.3
  42. Penn State University, University Park ¶ 3.3
  43. University of Alabama (AL) 3.3
  44. University of Denver (CO) 3.3
  45. University of North Carolina, Greensboro (NC) 3.3
  46. San Francisco State University 3.2
  47. University of Cincinnati 3.2
  48. University of New Hampshire 3.2
  49. Western Michigan University (MI) 3.2
  50. American University (DC) 3.1
  51. Colorado State University (CO) 3.1
  52. Eastern Washington University 3.1
  53. Georgia State University 3.1
  54. New Mexico State University (NM) 3.1
  55. Saint Mary’s College of California 3.1
  56. San Diego State University 3.1
  57. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (IL) 3.1
  58. Temple University ¶ 3.1
  59. University of Colorado, Boulder (CO) 3.1
  60. Virginia Commonwealth University 3.1
  61. Wichita State University (KS) 3.1
  62. Brooklyn College (NY) 3.0
  63. California State University, Fresno (CA) 3.0
  64. Mills College (CA) 3.0
  65. SUNY, Albany 3.0
  66. University of Georgia 3.0
  67. University of Hawaii, Mano (HW) 3.0
  68. University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign (IL) 3.0
  69. University of Minnesota (MN) 3.0
  70. Vermont College of Norwich University (VT) 3.0
  71. SUNY–Binghamton (NY) 3.0</p>
3

<p>You should check out the University of Houston creative writing program. Don’t quote me on this, but I believe it’s ranked second in the nation. Houston’s a great city; lots to do and appeals to any type of person (world renowned museums, symphony, professional sports, excellent restaurants, aquarium, etc). Good luck with your search!</p>

4

<p>Schools that often are mentioned for undergraduates include Johns Hopkins, Middlebury, Kenyon, and the University of Iowa. If the Ivies are out of the question, Hopkins and Middlebury probably are too (and Hopkins is near some crime-ridden areas). So you could start by looking into Kenyon and Iowa.</p>

<p>In addition, from the Rugg’s list supplied by collegehelp, the following subset (roughly in order of selectivity) spans a range of locations and sizes:</p>

<p>Vanderbilt (TN, mid-sized private university)
Michigan (large public university)
Oberlin (OH, small private college)
Bard (NY, small private college)
Bennington (VT, small private college)
Agnes Scott (GA, small private college, women only)
Beloit (WI, small private college)
Pittsburgh (large public university)
Sarah Lawrence (NY, small private college)
University of Redlands (CA, small private university)
University of Oregon (large public university)
Evergreen State (mid-sized public college)</p>

<p>Of course, every university or college with an arts and science program offers an English major. Many of them will not support Creative Writing as a major, but may have courses, student publications, and other good opportunities.</p>

5

<p>I don’t mean to hijack the discussion. For completeness’ sake, could you include Ivies that have a good creative writing program? Thank you.</p>

6

<p>[The</a> Best of the Best - Magazine - The Atlantic](<a href=“http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/08/the-best-of-the-best/6049/]The”>The Best of the Best - The Atlantic)
i’m guessing that the atlantic magazine has a little more insight than some of the other rankings, imo.</p>

7

<p>^ Those are GRADUATE school rankings (which immediately leaves out all LACs, some of which are Well Known for writing). OP was asking for undergrad.</p>

8

<p>Bucknell
Iowa
UVA
UMich</p>

9

<p>Oh, and Kenyon of course!</p>

<p>For the poster who asked about Ivies:
Brown
Columbia</p>

10

<p>Sorry, I keep thinking of more:
John Hopkins
Middlebury</p>

11

<p>My first thoughts upon seeing this thread has been stated several times already, but I just want to echo several other posters and suggest Kenyon or Carnegie Mellon. If you’re a strong student but not quite Ivy material these are 2 schools that might makes good matches or low reaches for you. Kenyon isn’t really in a large town setting, though – more like a cornfield – but CMU is in Pittsburgh. Look into both, I’d say, as potential additions to your list!</p>