HWS, Kalamazoo, Gustavus Adolphus, Manhattanville -which one for my safety option?

College Search & Selection
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<p>I need one more safety school and I'm considering between Manhattanville, Augsburg, Gustavus Adolphus, and Hobart and William Smith (all small schools). Please chime in if you know fairly well about any of these colleges. Note that I'm an international applying for aid, so information about international aid will be a plus. Important factors to me include: good academics, school spirit, and definitely NOT a party school, or one with too dominant a greek life. Not yet decided my intended major.</p>

<p>Hobart and William Smith: not even sure if I can consider it a safety. It's in New York, and from what I've heard: beautiful campus, preppy, homogeneous, full of upper-class, good-looking and fashion-conscious students, strong study abroad programs (which is important to me), solid academics and decent reputation. Also the college is divided into 2 single-sex schools (is this really a problem?). Don't know anything about the town and dorms. </p>

<p>Kalamazoo: not even sure if I can consider it a safety. campus is nice, and the surrounding city seems really attractive. Considered a "hidden midwestern gem", with good reputation. Very strong study abroad. The K-Plan sounds great (Kalamazoo</a> College K-Plan ). Looks like a REALLY nice school, but from what the admission people told me, international student aid is not so generous. Again, how about academics, social life, student body... EVERYTHING lol.</p>

<p>Gustavus Adolphus: don't know why there isn't much info about this school on CC, so I honestly don't know this school well.</p>

<p>Augsburg College (MN): seem very unknown at least on CC. The only reason I'm considering it so far is because of good financial aid. ANY information is greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Manhattanville College (NY): same as Augsburg. Oh and (again from what I've heard) lovely campus, decent academics, diverse student body, very cheap, and some people think it's a little underrated.</p>

<p>In terms of test scores I'm sure I'm above all of these schools' average, I'll post them if you think they're relevant.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone!</p>

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<p>K-Zoo is an awesome school. Hobart and William Smith being single sex is not that much of a problem. I have a friend who goes to Hobart and he said the boys have their own dorms and they don’t share classes with girls, but otherwise it is the same college experience.</p>

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<p>country day, It is my understanding that they males and females do share classes. There are some all male and some all female dorms, and some coed dorms. It seems to me that the only difference is that males have Hobart on their diploma and females have William Smith on their diploma. Nice campus, along the water (there is sailing and crew), but remember it is cold in/after November.</p>

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<p>I can’t speak to financial aid for internationals. Here are a couple of my opinions:</p>

<p>At Gustavus you will find your stereotypical nice midwestern kids. Some of the students will have been the top students at their rural high school. The ones from here were not the smartest in the high school but did their work responsibly and and were active in outside school activities such and sports and community work. If they have been abroad it was with a school or church group. It is going to be very white and very blonde. I am guessing it will be about one and a half to two hours to the airport.</p>

<p>My daughter’s team mate has gone to Kalamzoo and is happy there. He was away part of last year in South America (?). Everything that I have heard through the grapevine is that he likes it. He is more of the liberal/borderline hippy type but I don’t know if that is the norm there. An adult friend of mine graduated from Kalamazoo and went straight to Harvard for her phd.</p>

<p>Augsburg is in Minneapolis. Can’t tell you much about the students at the college. Minneapolis has a terrific music scene and lots of ethnic food restaurants. The airport will be 15-20 minutes away by car.</p>

<p>Good luck. I hope others can give you better information.</p>

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<p>I have a small connection to Gustavus. I have been told that they “court” internationals. If they want you, you may get a good deal. I have also been told that there is a big focus on sports. The people I know from the area are very nice. It would be a friendly campus but yes, very Nordic. And yes, a bit off the beaten track when you want to fly home. But they have service taxis that go to the major hub so it isn’t a factor really. This is not a place you are going to worry about crime!</p>

<p>One of my colleague’s children both attended Augsburg. One is now off to law school. It is an urban place, close to a major airport and community service was big with these kids.</p>

<p>Why don’t you look at North Central College outside of Chicago. The lady who works with me had a son who graduated from there with a degree in Biology and is now at Johns Hopkins. He loved the school and they loved him and he got a nice scholarship as an international who needed financial help.</p>

<p>It is such a pleasure to see an international student interested in these very good schools that don’t get too much press here. These are great schools for undergraduate education depending on what you want. You will have lots of selections. You can go on and do graduate work at more big name places because that is what happens anyway. You will have a great cultural experience wherever you go! My best. When you make your final selection in May, go for the money. Go with the school that offers you the best financial package. If you have several that are around the same monetary package, well, then you get to choose. :)</p>

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<p>A Minnesota friend graduated happily from Gustavus (physics major, a small but good department); being local, she might also know about Augsburg, which I have not heard of before. PM me if you’re interested in contact information.</p>