Just finished tours and need target/likely schools similar to Brown/Tufts/Vassar please

Hello! Daughter is a rising Junior and we were in the NE so did some preliminary college tours that were very helpful in figuring out her preferences. We learned that access to a city is very important to her, ideally she likes a student body of 3000-8000, she likes campus quads and old, interesting buildings, and really wants a quirky/artsy/kind vibe with an emphasis on collaboration. She likes open curriculum or flexible distribution requirements, but does not like core curriculums. One tour guide described students staying up in the wee hours discussing super niche passions and that excited her. For purposes of this thread, please presume cost is not a factor.

Schools she LOVED on our tours included Brown, Tufts, and Vassar. Schools she crossed off the list include Princeton, RISD, and Amherst. We know she needs to expand the list to some less reach-y schools.

Interests: wants to study anthropology (preferably mesoamerican culture and language), linguistics, classics, and/or art/art history. She is an artist but doesn’t want to go to an art school. Most of her ECs are art-focused: she is the design editor for her school newspaper, on the board of her school’s literary/art magazine, on the robotics team and typically spearheads the robot design aspect, is involved in theater, etc. she has some additional leadership roles and volunteer work but this isn’t a chances thread, just trying to give an idea of her interests for school vibe purposes.

Academically, she is strong so far, but we have a ways to go, of course. She attends a tiny girls’ boarding school that does not rank, but she is the only student in her class who has made Rector’s List for all As every term, so I think it’s safe to say her grades are top of the class. She is taking the most challenging classes available at her school and takes academic electives in addition to core 5 subjects. No official scores yet, but practice tests/PSATs have been 99th percentile.

All thoughts are welcome and very much appreciated!

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The criteria seem a bit narrow, but some less reachy schools that may work are Oberlin, Skidmore, Rochester, U Vermont, Conn College, Macalester, Chapman.

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Case Western (match)
Loyola Chicago (safety)

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Not sure I understand Vassar - size or city access (not counting Poughkeepside as a city).

Most that have open curriculums are in the sticks - so that’s a problem. How about Wake Forest or Wesleyan?

Not for the curriculum or student type, but College of Charleston is old and has a quad. UVA - brutal OOS.

I do think you need to broaden your criteria. Good luck.

Thank you! Yes, broadening criteria would help, and may be necessary. The criteria stated are the ideals, and I was hoping I had missed some that checked those boxes.

Vassar - I agree it’s pretty rural, but she says a 2 hour train ride to NYC a couple of times will check the city access box. And she loved so many other things about the school and Hudson Valley she let it slide a little.

Yes, Wake is on the list! We haven’t done the tour but think it is a great option. We have driven through UVA and she thought it was beautiful but seemed very big and spread out. We would be OOS so probably not worth adding. CofC is an interesting thought. They have a good honors college. I think it has a more southern/preppy vibe which is less ideal, but I do think it’s worth considering. Wesleyan is worth considering for sure, too.

Thank you so much!

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I think if being in a picturesque area a few hours from a major city works, then you can add a lot of schools - from the elite to non-elite.

It opens things up a lot for you.

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Wesleyan would work (if two hours away from a city is ok) but is not any less reachy than Vassar. Continuing on reaches - Tufts? Or a true urban like BU? What about Haverford/Bryn Mawr? For less reach what about CU Boulder? What about GW in DC? Georgetown is a reach of course and pretty requirement heavy.

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Barnard? I know, it’s a women’s college, and smaller than what your daughter wants, but its relationship with Columbia (as one of the undergraduate colleges of Columbia) makes it a completely unique experience that, I’m told, doesn’t feel small or single sex. Barnard students take classes at Columbia, and Columbia students take classes at Barnard. Our tour guide said the only class she took that was all-women was her required first year seminar. It has a very small, but distinct and enclosed campus that is quite nice, but it is right across the street from Columbia which has a large beautiful campus. Barnard students can join Columbia’s clubs, play on Columbia’s sports teams, eat in Columbia’s dining halls, join Columbia’s sororities, etc. So, you can get the “big university experience” (to the extent that’s desired) but on top of that, you get the advantages of the personal attention of going to a small LAC. It really felt like the best of both worlds.

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For less reachy, maybe Lehigh? It’s in Bethlehem, PA, but 50 miles from Philly and 75 miles from NYC. Around 5500 students and the campus is supposed to be hilly but beautiful.

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Lol I see Tufts was one of your top schools already - sorry. My son’s preferences are very similar to yours and there are not many schools at all that are neither reaches nor huge state schools that fit that bill. Would UVM or Middlebury be too remote? One additional common thread in the schools you list is that they all are very progressive. If that is on your list it may rule out some of the other posters suggestions. She would love Northwestern I bet though another reach. UDel?

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You might want to look at Bryn Mawr and Macalester. I’m assuming she likes the artsier vibe, intellectual and near a city. Bard is not in a city but closer to Vassar in vibe.

Oberlin , suggested above, could work.

Assuming the goal here is not to add more reaches

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Bard is too small - but would fit the personality and be a few hours from NY and less than an hour to Albany.

It’s a much easier to get into school - no app fee so if you have extra slots…

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As a true safety perhaps SUNY New Paltz?

Skidmore and Dickinson came to mind but may be too small/rural.

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I am concerned Middlebury is too remote, but agree it is wonderful! Northwestern is definitely a reach and, we live in Florida, and are a bit nervous about Chicago winters. New England seems less harsh? But I don’t actually know. A cousin is attending Northwestern and really struggling with the winters, so perhaps that has had an inaccurate influence on my understanding of Midwest v. Northeast/mid Atlantic winters?

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I am excited to look at these new options. Thank you! I looked at Bard and it looks like a great option is she can get past the small size. May not be a bad one to add to the list. Thank you!

And yes, she definitely leans progressive, but I think balanced perspectives are ideal. Vassar could verge on too much similarity of thought.

Yes, my hope is to find more schools like Brown/Tufts that are easier to get in to. I have a lot of additional reach schools she likes and could consider, but we need to love some likelies too.

Any thoughts on U Richmond or U Denver? Brandeis? Do honors colleges like the on at Maryland make a big school seem small?

Loving the responses so far! Thank you so much!

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Kenyon is rural and small, but it’s about an hour drive to Columbus and the vibe is similar to Vassar I think. Definitely artsy and quirky (but also very friendly) student body, a beautiful campus. Second Macalester, Bryn Mawr and Oberlin for LACs.

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For ideas for colleges similar to Brown in one or more ways, this site may be helpful:

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U Richmond more pre-professional than artsy IME, although of course there are students interested in the arts there. High proportion full pay (around 63% per recent CDS). Females must be able to tolerate and/or ignore relatively high level of social BS especially among other females.

U Denver could be a nice target/highly likely (don’t know your D’s stats). Preprofessional bent there too, as well as many full pay students (59% per recent CDS)

I like Brandeis best of these 3 based on your D’s stated prefs.

Regarding winters, I don’t think winters in Chicago would be worse than UVM’s or Middlebury’s. NU is right on Lake Michigan which keeps temps a bit warmer in the winter compared to a city more inland (I live a few suburbs away from NU). Of course this location also keeps temps cooler in the spring and fall, which can be a bummer.

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Are you sure about that? I read “Lake Michigan” and immediately thought “lake effect” - as in Buffalo.

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I grew up in Virginia, went to school in Vermont, and now live in Chicago. New England and Chicago winters and distinctly similar. I’d actually give the edge to New England for being slightly colder and definitely snowier. Mid-Atlantic will be more moderate.

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