<p>w/re St. Peter's, she (and you) may want to check out its course catalogue. There is a definite (albeit short) list of courses that a student interested in classics would want to choose from, but it looks like about 3/4 of them are not actually being offered this year or next year. In other words, while it is clear that the college means to offer a classics major, it is not so clear that it actually does, or that there are any students pursuing it. (It would be very difficult to meet the stated requirements for the major if none of those courses were available for a two-year period, and even if it were possible the student would essentially have to take everything offered, regardless of interest.)</p>
<p>She doesn't have to go to Bryn Mawr or Barnard; lots of the places she's looking at would be fine. But I would hate to see her choose some place that really isn't in the business of teaching what she wants to learn, or attracting other students with interests like hers. She can't have THAT many peers in high school. Maybe if she found herself someplace where there was a critical mass of students who shared at least some of her interests, she would appreciate others' opinions more.</p>
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re St. Peter's, she (and you) may want to check out its course catalogue. There is a definite (albeit short) list of courses that a student interested in classics would want to choose from, but it looks like about 3/4 of them are not actually being offered this year
<p>Visiting the schools is a good way to judge...sometimes a school just feels right or feels wrong on a visit despite stats and all that other stuff. My son went to a reach school and I think he made a mistake in hindsight...now transferring to SUNY New Paltz. The excitement of being accepted and some of the schools attractive features drew him in but in the end it really wasn't a great match for him in my opinion. He would actually like to stay at this point but I think it's more cause he will miss the friends he's made and cause it's comfortable going back to the familiar. I am curious to see how he will do at NP cause it seems like more of a fit for him socially with a lot more kids who are more like him. Either way it's an adventure for sure! ;)</p>
<p>Zooser,
I'd have her sit in on classes at the schools wherever possible. Not just the intro courses, but courses in her intended major. S1 found this VERY helpful in gauging the intellectual intensity of the students and interaction w/the profs. In addition -- are her ECs something she plans to continue in college? If they are that eclectic, it may be hard to find others with similar interests unless she's at someplace a bit more selective.</p>
<p>Agree that Barnard and Bryn Mawr are good schools in the mix. As you know, Northstar's D is at Barnard with less-than-perfect scores but interesting passions and is doing quite well.</p>
<p>I just had a thought, zoosermom- is there perhaps a significant other in your D2's life who is influencing the choice of schools? Perhaps someone who is looking at the same schools?</p>
<p>Scout, I think there's a difference between loving your safety and throwing in the towel. Many (most?) kids end up at their safetly and love it... but I don't personally know too many kids at the tippy top of their class in a tough, competitive, academcally challenging HS who would easily find their place at a college which accepts kids with C+ and B- averages from not so tough HS programs. This kid isn't terribly competitive, and doesn't care about prestige- but it doesn't mean she wants to sit through a required Freshman comp class where the professor (or more likely adjunct) is teaching "what is a gerund".</p>
<p>Zooser- there are curators and there are curators. Williams is considered the top of the Art History food chain-- given its size, it probably has more dominance in the museum world than any other institution in the US. But that's for undergrad training- two high quality programs in museum studies that I'm familiar with are at U Delaware and at Bard-- but those are vocationally oriented programs, not undergrad classics degrees. U Chicago has a strong profile in Antiquity/Related studies... but it's not close to home, and she may find the environment a bit intense.</p>
<p>But I think sorting out the grad/vocational aspects of her life can wait a few years. If it were my kid, I'd encourage her to sit on some classes, per the above suggestions, just to let her get a feel for why college is different than HS, and how colleges are different from each other, and then re-think the list.</p>
<p>I also agree with the suggestion to carefully go through the course catalogues and email the Classics department administrator with questions. The catalogues often look big and enticing... until you realize that of the five Classics professors at a small college, one is on maternity leave, one is on sabbatical in London, and one is emeritus (teaches a seminar every other semester.) That leaves you with two potential academic advisors... which is fantastic as long as professor and student have some common ground.</p>
<p>Can she look forward to the output at the end? Do any of the schools she might consider have any good connections/internship programs that migth get her where she wants to go career-wise? She might not care about prestige for prestige purposes, but if she is as pragmatic as she seems to be, she might be swayed to or from a school by likely outcomes for her unique interests. She sounds like a great kid who will be successful where ever she goes</p>
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Scout, I think there's a difference between loving your safety and throwing in the towel. Many (most?) kids end up at their safetly and love it... but I don't personally know too many kids at the tippy top of their class in a tough, competitive, academcally challenging HS who would easily find their place at a college which accepts kids with C+ and B- averages from not so tough HS programs. This kid isn't terribly competitive, and doesn't care about prestige- but it doesn't mean she wants to sit through a required Freshman comp class where the professor (or more likely adjunct) is teaching "what is a gerund".
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<p>The schools I applied to were 6 safeties and 1 safe match. I was looking for merit aid, so I applied well below my "means" (4.0UW GPA, 33 ACT, 13 AP's, Gold Award, proficiency in a fairly uncommon language, etc). I attend a school with auto-admittance for a GPA 2.50 or 22 ACT. I AP'ed out of almost all GE's and many intro courses and took a 300 level class my first semester. I've found challenging courses and intellectual rigor and challenge (research experience, TAships, internships, etc.), and I've also found other students as smart and ambitious (if not moreso!)than me. Additionally, the merit aid that came with a lower school has made it easier on my family and will possibly give me more options when it comes to grad school (if I don't get funding, which I hope I do, but I'm applying for THE most competitive field in the country--clinical/counseling psych--where getting in is a Herculean feat enough!) I had serious doubts about going this school, and there has been times when I wished I had applied "higher," but there are some benefits that go along with applying to lower schools as well. YMMV, of course.</p>
<p>My son hasn't been at the top of the class since elementary school as he enrolled in competitive magnet middle and high schools. He thrives on the intellectual challenge of his super-smart peers and in the classrooms of master teachers. I think he'd get a kick -- for a while -- of being the big fish in the smaller pond, but I'm not sure that it would be fun for four years.</p>
<p>I can't wait to see how this all plays out!</p>
<p>Zmom...sigh...I hear you!!! I think I've said this before...D2 is definitely going to a school well below what her stats indicate but she is very comfortable with sports, location and other various variables. Not where we thought she would go based on academics but she chose athletics at a D1 school close to home. sigh.... good luck!</p>
<p>While this does not meet the 'close to home' preference, New College of Florida (the state honors college) sounds like a good match for your D. Students work closely with professors and the curriculum is very personalized, with narrative evaluations. It's small but has a wonderful reputation and very high stats for acceptances to great grad schools. It is also adjacent to the Ringling Museum of Art. Good luck!</p>