Help me! I beg of you!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am having a terrible time picking schools I would actually want to go to. For some reason, I cannot get excited about college, even though I love learning and really enjoy my classes. Probably because I'm one of those people who cannot conceptualize the future until it happens. There are only a few colleges that I'm interested in attending. I have no idea what I want to do, although I know it's going to be something in the humanities (literature, history, etc.). The following are my stats and the schools I'm looking at right now. I'd really appreciate it if anyone could help give me some more suggestions. What I'm looking for is small liberal arts college where I can specialize in the humanities, try several different areas, and find what I really want to do.</p>

<p>Schools:
Dartmouth (ED) - already applied
Colby
Middlebury
Whitman? (My parents want me to apply here because it's in Washington so I could go home more, but I didn't really like the school when I visited and found the classes to be more lecture than discussion, which is the opposite of what I'm looking for)</p>

<p>Stats:
Washington State
Neither of my parents graduated from college
Rural farming town
Have spent my entire high school "career" at the local community college because my high school has terrible academics, so my GPA and rank include my college classes, but the school doesn't weight so...</p>

<p>HS rank: 8/200 (unweighted)
HS GPA: 3.88 (unweighted)
College GPA: 3.87
College Rank: Doesn't rank but I've been on the Dean's List every quarter since I started taking classes in 8th grade.</p>

<p>Class schedule:
Toughest classes I can take...I'm in the Honors Program at the community college
POSSIBLE PROBLEM: Haven't had and will not have any physics...will this hurt me?</p>

<p>SAT: 2100 CR: 770 M: 670 W:660</p>

<p>SAT IIs: Bio-E = 660, U.S. History = 700, Literature = 780</p>

<p>Good essays (my English teacher suggested I submit one to be published in the college's yearly student writing anthology, so I guess they're pretty good). They describe me well, so that's the most important part.</p>

<p>Really, really great teacher recs (one talks about how I'm in school for the learning, not just the grade, and the other talks about how I'm one of the best students he's met - yay!)
Super counselor recommendation in school report</p>

<p>Extra Currriculars:
20-25 hrs. per week at local performing arts guild performing (I've had several lead roles, chorus roles, I've operated the light-board, sold ad space for the programs, worked as stage crew, and I'm stage managing the children's show this year...I'm also sending a stellar recommendation from my director)
8 hrs. per week Tae Kwon Do (Black Belt and recieved medals at state tournaments...right now I'm taking a break, though)
3 hrs. per week Honor Society vice-president at college
3 hrs. per week International Friendship Club executive committee member
Various volunteer things (approx. 4 hrs. per week) like Junior Achievement, helping out at a pro bono law office, etc. Also helped organize fundraiser for December 2004 Tsunami.</p>

<p>Work:
10-15 hrs. per week Event Coordinating at community college...I'm the chair of the Activities Committee, so I'm sort of the boss of the committee
10-12 hrs. per week Tutoring - I tutor elementary school children</p>

<p>THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!</p>

2

<p>If you like that cold & snowy New England vibe typified by Dartmouth, Midd, & Colby-- look at Bowdoin, Hamilton, Colgate, Carleton, & Kenyon. For a safer LAC with a similar location/feel try St Lawrence, Hobart, or Wells. A woman's college like Bryn Mawr might make a good match for you too...</p>

3

<p>Hello. I know you are looking for a liberal arts college, but as someone with a humanities BA I would strongly recommend applying to a public school within your state of residence as a form of financial insurance. It may be that some of the LACs on your list will not only accept you but fund you generously as well; however, you might consider applying to a state college just so you will have a choice of tuition levels if the LACs do not come through with scholarships. The reason is that humanities students: 1) struggle to pay back student loans since most humanities jobs pay very little; and 2) require at least a Masters degree to get a job in most humanities fields, and running up debt at the undergrad level shuts down possibilities at the next level of education. I think you have a very good chance at the LACs you list, but you might want to consider a few more options in case you need room to change your mind later.</p>

<p>Good luck with this.</p>

4

<p>Thanks a lot for the recommendations and the advice! I really appreciate it :).</p>

5

<p>How do you feel about upstate NY? You might want to consider Hartwick College (and with your record you may qualify for a lot of merit $$). Very solid school, strong in humanities, friendly atmosphere with close student/professor interaction. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.hartwick.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.hartwick.edu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

6

<p>I don't know anything about upstate NY, but it never hurts to find out more. Thanks a lot!</p>

7

<p>Good post, and you sound like a great candidate for a whole lot of schools.</p>

<p>Middlebury seems a very good choice for you. Great theatre dept there; very good languages and English. </p>

<p>Kenyon would be another appropriate choice. Excellent English and Theatre, very good Philosophy and solid languages and art.</p>

<p>Other schools to check out include Carleton and Oberlin. Lawrence U would be a great safety. </p>

<p>MaryCeleste makes some good points but keep in mind that a humanities degree can be a solid step toward a career in business, law etc.</p>

8

<p>I've often thought about business. As the chair of my community college's activities committee, I do a lot of contracts and sort of head up an "office." I really enjoy it, so business is something I've thought of. Thanks a lot for the suggestions! I've recently found several small liberal arts colleges that look great, and now I've got some more to check out. Thanks! By the way, do you think it'll be in my favor that I'm from Washington state?</p>

9

<p>For colleges in the Northeast...yes it will be in your favor that you're from a 'far-flung' place.</p>

10

<p>but only slightly</p>