<p>I am interested in attending an arts high school my junior year. So far, I have looked at Idyllwild Arts Academy, Interlochen Arts Academy and Walnut Hill.</p>
<p>I am planning on majoring in creative writing.</p>
<p>Which of these three schools is a better choice?</p>
<p>Walnut Hill is right near Boston/Cambridge (20 min) whereas Idyllwild is 2 hours from LA (at least) and Interlochen is, well, two left turns from No-where-ville. Walnut Hill’s academics are better.<br>
Check out WH’s writing journal “The Blue Pencil” to see if you like it-- I’m sure he other two schools must have the same typic of magazine-- read them over and see what type and quality of writing comes out of each of them.
As a writer, the ability to engage the Boston/Cambridge arts scene is not to be over looked.</p>
<p>Walnut Hill, hands down. As a just-graduated four-year senior, I feel that i am especially well-qualified to comment. I was not a writer myself, but I was close friends with some of the Writing and Publishing majors (the new name for the creative writing department). The department is very small, 3 full-time teachers, 4 adjunct tutors, and usually 12-18 students. This can be a plus, though, because everyone int eh department knows each other and the teachers REALLY well. The teachers (I speak not from classes with them but from out of class discussions, in the writing department are great, really interesting people). Since I was a music major and then dance major, I’ll leave this thought at that and move on to academics.</p>
<p>I agree with etondad, Walnut Hill’s academics are phenomenal for an arts school. I can’t speak for the other schools, but I have heard from many people that Walnut Hill has the best academic school of the three. A couple of my friends who transferred from Interlochen to Walnut Hill said the academics were much better at the latter, and I think one even said that was part of why she transferred.</p>
<p>I also agree on the point of location. Having a great cultural such as Boston so close is a huge asset for a young artist - or any young person, for that matter. Also, Natick is far enough into the suburbs to have the spacious “neighborhood” feel (it also feels very safe).</p>
<p>Lastly, the food at Walnut Hill is worlds better (than Interlochen at least). I went to Interlochen summer camp one summer and, while the summer food is supposed to be worse than the year-round food, I can assure that the food at Walnut Hill is much better. Some of my friends from other prep schools even comment on how good our food is when they visit. Also, downtown Natick has quite a few restaurants (a lot of which deliver) for when dining hall food gets old (and then there is always Boston and Cambridge with some great restaurants).</p>
<p>In conclusion, I think Walnut Hill is the best, but this could be partly biased because I went there for four years. So, I recommend reading each school’s literary publication (blue pencil etc) to see whose writing you like best. If you want more information or if you want to talk to a current writer just let me know. Good luck making this decision!</p>