Help me choose schools in the Midwest, please!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I need it all - matches, reaches, and safeties! I recently went on a college visit out East, but since I live in the Midwest, I figured I'd make my parents happy and look at schools that aren't so far away. I've already taken a look at UChicago and Northwestern, but that's about it.</p>

<p>First - the obligatory academic stats that no one really cares about:
Rising senior
GPA: 4.5-something weighted, 4.0 unweighted
ACT: 36
SAT: 2310 (740 CR, 770 M, 800 W)
My school only offers two AP courses, but I'm planning on taking both (already taken one) and I'm taking every honors course I can get my grubby little hands on.
My school does not rank, but given my GPA and scores, I'd probably be high on the list if it existed. Yep.
Extracurriculars: NHS, wind ensemble, film club, Latin club, debate club, Math team, WYSE team (look it up, you non-Illinoisans!), foreign language honors society, Mu Alpha Theta, blah blah blah.</p>

<p>Now on to the more interesting stuff!</p>

<p>My academic style: I favor a liberal arts environment. Small class sizes are my friend. In terms of required classes, I fall somewhere in the middle - I don't want complete free reign over which courses to take (ie, Brown), but I don't want complete rigidity (as in, "everyone must take these specific courses whether you like it or not"), either. I'm more of a distribution-requirement sort of girl. I don't love school itself, but I do love learning. I love plunging myself into an interesting, challenging course and discussing it until my head explodes. I like a creative class that gets me excited, with work that is conducive to my learning; I do not like "busywork". I need stimulation. I cannot be babied. When I am re-learning things I already know, I get bored. Newness is key!</p>

<p>My academic focus: I plan on a career in neuroscience, so naturally the sciences are going to be my main focus. However, I also adore the humanities - chiefly literature, philosophy, and language - although I'm a little less keen on social sciences. That doesn't mean I dislike them. I just don't like them quite as much.</p>

<p>My social style: My idea of a fun time is not an alcohol binge at a frat party. My idea of a fun time is getting together with some close friends, seeing a movie, going out for some coffee afterwards, and maybe perusing at a cozy little bookstore. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy partying occasionally, but definitely in moderation. Possible my biggest fear about going to college is making a new circle of friends. I'm not an antisocial person, and once I have a circle of friends I'm a lot of fun to be around, but I do have a bit of a problem with 'putting myself out there' and taking the first step to actually make new friends. So it would be good for me if the college I attended were full of friendly, adventurous, outgoing people willing to grab me and adopt me as one of their own!</p>

<p>My campus style: I am a slave to beauty! Basically, I require an attractive campus coupled with good access to a town or city nearby. Completely urban campuses make me throw up in my mouth a little. I don't mind if the campus is in an urban setting, but I want there to actually be, you know - a campus. Green space. It's important. When I think of a good blend of urban and campus, Yale and UChicago come to mind. I also really like a campus that's sort of set apart but still has good access to a town, like Princeton or Cornell (yes, can you tell I just got back from an Eastern visit?) But yeah, I have a soft spot for beautiful architecture.</p>

<p>If anyone could help me out (especially with matches and safeties, since it's really easy to find reaches), that would be great!</p>

2

<p>I would recommend Macalester. Especially when considering your geographically preferences. Mac is in St. Paul, but the neighborhood is residential and it's easy to get into downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul using metro transit (or a car, obviously). There's plenty of nice little shops near Macalester if you would want something closer. Mac students are also very accepting and I think highly of them in general. Let me know if you want more details. I spent my first year of college a few blocks from Macalester and spent considerable time on the campus.</p>

<p>Another Minnesota option would be Carleton which I don't know as much about. Although it's ranked higher than Macalester by USNWR, it's much further from the Twin Cities and the campus isn't as nice as Mac's.</p>

3

<p>Just a few details! Do you know how Macalester is academically? Are the sciences strong, or just so-so? How are the class sizes? </p>

<p>Thanks for your help.</p>

4

<p>you cant look at the midwest and not consider grinnell. carleton and macalester, as mnkeeper mentioned, also are good fits.</p>

5

<p>Definitely Northwestern. :) Good choice - seems to fit you very well. How about UMich? I haven't visited so I don't know the specifics about green space and all that, but Ann Arbor is a nice town and the honors programs in LSA is strong. The Psychology department is strong, so I would imagine neuroscience would be similarly strong (although they aren't really the same...)</p>

<p>We seem like VERY VERY similar people - almost to the point it's creepy! Except for the part where you mentioned falling somewhere in the middle of core-curriculum and free reign (I really don't care that much...woud RATHER not have cores, but if there is, oh well), I was thinking "heck, I AM this girl!!" I do believe we may be the same person.
-I love neuroscience (though these days, I'm leaning more to the less "science-y" cognitive science)
-I need a campus and scenery - I mean I'm going to spend four years there!
-Not the biggest fan of partying and drinking; would rather hang with friends, wander downtown into B&N and do random fun stuff avec mes amies (ex: one time my friends and I were passing by a supermarket and we thought "hey, it'd be fun to buy a coconut!" So we did, broke it open in my driveway, and used a single spoon to eat the entire cocunut. There was a LOT..even for 7 people.)
-Really sorta insignificant, but we have similar stats (well..sorta - I've only taken SAT and got a 2390)
-I'm going to VENTURE to say that you are not a number/stat driven person and take disdain (?) to people who look only at numbers to judge admissions</p>

<p>Personally, <em>I</em> ADORE Yale and think it seems like a perfect place for me. And since you and I are the same person, you should love it too ;)</p>

6

<p>I'm liking you already, mihan. If you love cognitive neuroscience, you MUST read "Phantoms in the Brain" by V. S. Ramachandran. It's what got me into neuroscience in the first place. SO EXCITING!</p>

<p>I liked Northwestern, although I think I need to visit it a second time to get a strong impression. But I think UMich is definitely worth a visit.</p>

<p>I definitely don't like the statistical approach. I mean, some people just aren't good at standardized tests, but they might be ridiculously creative, brilliant people whom any college would love to have! I think that a holistic approach is infinitely more telling.</p>

<p>I visited Yale. Loved it. My God. But I can't put too much hope in it, because the chance of getting accepted is so small!</p>

7

<p>I'd say the sciences are Mac's strongest area other than possibly Poli Sci and International Studies which are exceptionally strong. I took a student-taught class in the science building and it was really nice inside. Mac puts a lot of emphasis on science in my opinion. I didn't take any classes at Macalester so I can't personally testify about the academics. However, my friend who goes there says it's not easy by any means. The student-faculty ratio is 10:1. Feel free to post on here or PM me with any other questions, I'm happy to answer them.</p>

8

<p>MNKeeper: Well, that's good - I don't want easy. Challenging, but not impossible, is what I aim for. I'm glad to hear that the sciences are strong. Thank you!</p>

9

<p>
[quote]
Another Minnesota option would be Carleton which I don't know as much about. Although it's ranked higher than Macalester by USNWR, it's much further from the Twin Cities and the campus isn't as nice as Mac's.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I actually toured Mac and Carl really recently and found the campuses prettyc comparable -- and both, in my opinion, gorgeous. To each his own, I guess.</p>

10

<p>Dude, how did I NOT notice the OP of this thread?</p>

<p><em>repeated headdesk</em></p>

11

<p>Yes. I have found my lost twin ;) I've read that book. Though, I must admit, it was along with about 5 other books (I'm more of a read many books at a time) kinda girl, so I think I have some parts of it mixed up with other books hahah, oh well. Well, since you mentioned philosophy, you MUST check out "Godel, Escher, Bach" Great read! : )</p>

<p>I spent a couple summers at Northwestern, and I really liked the town there. Very nice little town. Some of the dorms, I must admit, aren't the greatest, but otherwise, there is some greek life, but not too much and there is plenty to do. And if you're into music at all, the music faculty is great and you can try to get lessons with them too! You should definitely apply. Since you live in IL, you can probably make another visit there AFTER you apply too.</p>

<p>UMich - yeah. Can't say much here myself, but do take the time to visit. If you apply early rolling, it's a good school to have under your belt. I am pretty confident you will make it. Again, you can always visit later.</p>

<p>Yay for holistics. I was never the test taker type of person however much my scores say otherwise. I'm just NOT good at the whole factual information thing. I abhor memoization and rarely memorize even physics formulas. It works. Most of the time, anyways.</p>

<p>Yale=dream school. Applying Early, but already expecting a reject and fervently trying to suppress my love for it - I'll get hurt waay too much. Trying to soften the break here..heh.</p>

12

<p>You might want to take a look at Oberlin as well.</p>

13

<p>mihan, I need to find you and force you to be my new best friend. Wait, that came out a little too creepy-like. But seriously, this is eerie.</p>

<p>NOOO, magneticpoet! Nobody I know in real life (with the exception of my parents) is supposed to know my test scores! AHH</p>

14

<p>Eerie, indeed.. But very cool, indeed as well!</p>

15

<p>Oberlin. For neuroscience, distribution requirements and being really welcoming! Except for the intro neuro course, all other neuro classes are around 14 people per. Small, fun labs too and no grad students, so all the equipment and attention is yours.</p>

16

<p>noir.stork: Sounds great! I think I'll definitely be visiting Oberlin, thanks!</p>

17

<p>I didn't even look at them.</p>

<p>I never read the boring stats thing all the way through.</p>

18

<p>I second MNKeeper. Macalester and Carleton are very good LACs in MN, and your academic record looks like you are competitive for both. While you're there, you might as well visit the U of MN, and St. Olaf, and see if they could be possibles for you. Good luck.</p>

19

<p>You should definitely try to figure out if your a LAC sort of person or a university person. You said liberal arts, but from your discussion of where you've already visited, it sounds like you're interested in universities that have a school of arts and sciences within them. They are very different things. Thus you'll have Grinnell, Macalester, etc. on one side and Northwestern and UChicago on the other. </p>

<p>You also might consider what else you are looking for and tell us this stuff to help out. What about the political culture? study abroad? specific extracurriculars? religion? diversity?</p>

<p>Oh, and Grinnell, while awesome, doesn't seem to fit your requirement of distribution requirements of some sort, it's pretty open. Just a heads up.</p>

20

<p>I, too, second Oberlin. I don't know if they have neuro or not, but you might want to look at Kalamazoo in Michigan as well. And check out Grinnell.</p>