Interesting, individualistic, intellectual

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Any ideas on schools to add to my core list? I've done a lot of visits. I think I need to be thinking more about "safety" schools.<br>
My perfect school:
located in or near a city but has a real campus
lots of energy, diversity, individualism, liberalism, social activism
interesting and even quirky, but not to the point of not being a good school or intellectual
within a 7-8 hour drive of Washington DC or a short plane ride away
Students are interested in learning and are intellectual, but are not overly competitive or focused on grades
There's something special about the school, but I'm open to different things
Doesn't have a lot of bullsh&^t requirements, I prefer distribution to core
Good in humanities AND sciences, also artsy
not too small, not too big... 2,500-15,000
I want to do something that overlaps my interests in science, policy, politics, math, people... I want to keep my options open, see what I like, study a lot of different things.</p>

<p>Here's the schools I like best so far that are reasonable/possible places for me to apply, but not a sure thing: Oberlin, Brandeis, Vassar. If I got in to these, everyone would be like "those were good matches for you" but if I didn't they would say "well, it's pretty random" and no one would be surprised or shocked either way (I think)
I really liked Northeastern, and I think it would be a "likely"
Also on my list are Skidmore, U. Rochester, U. Maryland. Maybe Carnegie Mellon.</p>

<p>I didn't like: Bard (too small), BU (no real campus, nothing special), Lehigh (too much conformity, too big a hill), Tufts (it seemed that what was most special about it was that it was competitive, but none of its programs attracted me)</p>

<p>Me: Male, Senior, Asian/white, 1390 (770 math, 620 verbal), A's and B's, with slightly more B's in hard classes, C in French 5 (Latin this year!) 4 AP's so far (5 AP Govt, 5 AP bio, 4 AP world, 3 Calc BC), 4 AP's this year. EC's - 8 years flute, stage crew, family responsibilities.</p>

<p>So, anyplace else I should consider? I thought about Chicago and Cornell, but I don't think I want to sell myself to a school and then be nothing special when I get there and have to deal with a lot of overcompetitive types. Chicago does seem interesting though.
What might be at the same competitiveness as Northeastern -- or a bit easier than my top 3 -- for admissions and meet any of my other criteria?
Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Higher end: Wesleyan? Northwestern? Haverford?</p>

<p>Lower end: American U.</p>

3

<p>University of Chicago fits your criteria so much it's scary. Don't know if you can get in but it's worth a try.</p>

<p>Also try Claremont or Pomona...they're not a short plane ride away from D.C., but at least think about them. Same with Reed and Harvey Mudd.</p>

4

<p>University of chicago has those qualities to a dot.</p>

5

<p>"within a 7-8 hour drive of Washington DC or a short plane ride away
Students are interested in learning and are intellectual, but are not overly competitive or focused on grades"</p>

<p>The above eliminates Chicago but it still seems a good overall fit</p>

6

<p>have you considered St. Johns in Annapolis? It fits alot -- but not your request for no distribution requirements. Still -- at least look at the website.</p>

7

<p>It has exclusively requirements.</p>

8

<p>Silversenior:</p>

<p>I think your list looks pretty good.</p>

<p>Many of the suggestions here -- Wesleyan, Haverford, Pomona, Chicago, plus I would add Swarthmore -- are all great suggestions. But, I don't get the impression that you are looking to add even bigger reaches to your list.</p>

<p>I would give some thought to more of the midwestern schools: Grinnell, Carleton, Macalaster come to mind. Travel a little further, but many of them have the qualities you are looking for.</p>

<p>If you are looking for some better admissions odds, pick up a book called "Colleges That Change Lives" by Loren Pope. He includes a lot of distinctive smaller schools that have some of your desired qualities, but often with more attractive admissions odds. His list focuses on a lot of undergrad liberal arts colleges that produce disproproportionately high rates of per graduate future PhDs. That seems to be a characteristic of schools that are perceived to be "intellectual". For example, Oberlin is always high on those lists.</p>

<p>Although they are probably a bit more frat/prep than you are looking for, it might be worth considering some of the other Pennsylvania colleges: Dickinson, Gettysburg, etc. They are good schools that might provide some cushion below Oberlin, Vassar, etc.</p>

<p>I don't personally think of Northeastern as fitting your criteria at all, but your mileage may vary.</p>

9

<p>I'd say Chicago would be a match EXCEPT they do have the Core, which everyone HAS to take, and which OP stated he did not want.</p>

10

<p>connecticut college fits your description to a T, except its a bit smaller- 1850 students.</p>

11

<p>interesteddad:</p>

<p>Why do you feel Northeastern is not a fit. My D has similar stats to OP and shes interested in that school. I'm interested in your opinion.
Thanks!</p>

12

<p>your criteria is dead on for harvey mudd/pomona, except the size requirement. However, there's 5,000 people in the Claremont Consortium. So it doesn't matter.</p>

13

<p>Brown... hard to get in, but maybe doable if you sell your desire for a school that is both intellectual and individualistic.</p>

14

<p>My son is a freshman at Northeastern. He had other choices and chose them. If any of the posters have questions re: that school I would be happy to answer via PM....It definitely is different than the other schools the OP mentions.</p>

15

<p>Brown, Wesleyan and Rochester</p>

16

<p>Brown, Wesleyan, Connecticut College, Bates.</p>