<p>Would you envision yourself happy at MIT? I’m asking this because come April, you might or might not end up getting into a school considered more prestigious than MIT that is also a good fit. Would your parents be willing to let you turn down MIT for say, Dartmouth? The reputation of MIT is hard to beat since it’s considered on par with HYPS.</p>
<p>btw, at Brown/RISD a minimum of two years’ residence is spent at each campus so if you really want to avoid your brother, you could live at RISD for 2-3 years until he graduates.</p>
<p>It’s an honor to be accepted to such a prestigious school, but I’m secretly a math nerd as well, so MIT is not completely out there. I’ve won math awards and stuff…forgot to mention that tid bit. I don’t think I will be happy there though, I know that there would be too much competition and that’s not me. So really I have already mentally nixed MIT, but if all else fails. MIT '14! </p>
<p>Brown…again. sigh, I guess I should reconsider, can I do the opposite? Go to RISD and take classes at Brown??</p>
<p>will that satisfy my family’s need for an IVY?</p>
<p>I’ll suggest another school, Rice. I know Rice’s mainly known for the math, sciences, and engineering but I think its liberal arts are overshadowed because of this. It’s LAC-sized (well probably a big LAC, about the same number of undergrads as Wesleyan), quirky in a math nerd kind of way a little like MIT, and more laid-back than its East Coast counterparts which you might like. Rice has a good architecture school, too, but they don’t seem to be known for art history. Houston probably has some art museums of its own. </p>
<p>Texas is far from home for a New Englander but since you’ve said California might be a nice change from Connecticut I might as well bring it up.</p>
<p>I do think that it’s possible to attend RISDI and take classes at Brown.</p>
<p>I also want to second an earlier recommendation about Barnard College, the women’s school associated with Columbia. Strong in humanities, but with Columbia’s research resources easily available (you can take classes at Columbia, too).</p>
<p>Greene, Your list is certainly eclectic, but good choices all. Maybe you could convince your parents to allow you to save the Ivy League for graduate school. All of the LACs on your list send students to top graduate and professional schools – including architecture programs at Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Columbia, Cornell plus MIT. That’s what my son did – and is doing – and he feels he got the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>I’m a great fan of Cornell, but it seems to be a little out of place with the others. I might suggest Princeton instead? </p>
<p>I’m sure you’ll have some excellent choices in the Spring. Plan to do some visiting, some overnights before making a final decision. Take your parents along too. Small liberal arts colleges are often misunderstood and the perceived loss of prestige can be disappointing to parents. But there’s no question that many LAC graduates go on to do great things. At the end of the day you’ll do best where you’re happiest.</p>
<p>Would have thought differently about this before D1 went to college. D1 is pretty darned smart, finished HS early, >2300 SAT one sitting + 3 800s, AP National Scholar + several college courses… Didn’t want Ivys,preprofessionals, sports, or frats, so attended “intellectual” reputed college, however it had average stats below Ivys. </p>
<p>During her time there several times she made comments to me indicating that she didn’t think her fellow students were all that smart. Or more like, they were perfectly decently intelligent, but she was obviously materially more intelligent. They were not really her peers, in this respect. She was not bragging, not to me, this was her sincere impression.</p>
<p>Based on above, wherever you decide, suggest go someplace where a large # fellow students there are likely to be your intellectual peers.</p>
<p>That’s how someone in your situation can nonetheless wind up at Ivys. And be better off for it.</p>
<p>If you look hard you will find like minded fellow students at a number of schools where you didn’t expect them. Certainly Cornell has an artsy subcommunity (look up Risley Hall). Not that I’m pushing it, that’s just an example that I happen to know about.</p>
<p>Have you ever considered Cooper Union? It might fit your bill in terms of art plus math, and it’s a GREAT deal financially, very selective, and in NYC.</p>
<p>^ That’s funny, I was thinking Cooper Union too. Then I thought, nah, the OP wants a liberal arts environment. However, even Ivy-obsessed parents might find the free tuition tempting. Deadlines are fast approaching and their admissions process is unusual.</p>
<p>I’m a little surprised that the OP’s parents and grandparents are Ivy-educated New Englanders but don’t seem to understand the appeal of small liberal arts colleges. They’re in Connecticut? Maybe they need to sit down and drink tea with an Ivy-educated Wesleyan professor.</p>
<p>thanks again everyone! so I’ve finished (on time) all of the supplements for these schools Williams, Reed ( i have until the 15th) , Swarthmore, Brown and Pomona. My dad said that I should apply to brown, and I kept on thinking about RISD and so yeah, why not? i can make my brother tranfer so applied, and i’m still thinking about it. OH, and I sent out my art portfolio like yesterday, will they not consider it if it’s late? I had extra prints so I hope it’s considered! </p>
<p>AND the MIT question keeps coming up. Greene: why the hell did you apply to MIT? Well, I liked the school, and I’m a math person, and it was non-binding, so why not? I don’t see myself there, as mentioned a million times in this thread though… I actually did not think that i would have gotten in, but hell they probably need different color crayons in their up tight poly-technical crayon box. No offense. </p>
<p>ok, ill let you guys know in April thanksies agaain :)</p>
<p>You need to have someone play interference – is there a trusted counselor at school you can go to for help. Your grandparents should have NO bearing on where you go, and your parents pressing you to be an engineer is wrong, just wrong.</p>
so applied, and i’m still thinking about it. OH, and I sent out my art portfolio like yesterday, will they not consider it if it’s late? I had extra prints so I hope it’s considered! </p>