<p>When trying to think of the adjective to describe the kind of school where I think my daughter would flourish, I finally hit on "earnest." I'm looking for a student body that is known for being earnest, where students are engaged and excited about learning (at least as excited as they are about "partying"), where they talk about ideas (and have fun doing it), where people within the community (students, faculty and staff) are nice to one another. I've got nothing against edgy and counter-cultural, but I am looking for schools where self-conscious hipsterism is not the norm. An intensely, hardcore academic environment (a la Reed) is not what I'm looking for, either. At the same time, I'm looking for a place where intellectual curiosity is the norm. My child is a solid, high-achieving kid (3.7 GPA going into her junior year with a full slate of honors courses), but she's not a super-achiever. She has a level of maturity and self-possession that is notable, however, and she's the kind of person people instantly like (thoughtful, playful, not self-aggrandizing in any way, loyal to her friends, hard-working, not a slave to the latest trends, not tethered to her cell phone). The following schools are currently on our A list:</p>
<p>Reachy reach: Haverford College
More moderate reach: Grinnell College, Bates College
Matches: St. Olaf College, Whitman College, Hamilton College
Pretty good bets: Kalamazoo College, College of Wooster, Lewis & Clark College</p>
<p>She also should take a look at at least one of the women’s colleges. Self-possessed and intellectually curious are adjectives that describe almost every women’s college grad I’ve ever met. [The</a> Women’s College Coalition](<a href=“http://www.womenscolleges.org/]The”>http://www.womenscolleges.org/)</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply, happymomof1. I have read posts by parents whose daughters were adamant about NOT going to a women’s college until they visited one and fell in love. My daughter is, on principle, not interested in women-only education, but I think she could be happy at the right school. So maybe I’ll book a stealth trip to Northampton and see her fall in love with Smith!</p>
<p>*
the adjective to describe the kind of school where I think my daughter would flourish, I finally hit on “earnest.” I’m looking for a student body that is known for being earnest, </p>
<p>My child is a solid, high-achieving kid (3.7 GPA going into her junior year with a full slate of honors courses), but she’s not a super-achiever. *</p>
<p>No school is going to have some perfectly uniform student body of earnest, wholesome, excited, students. </p>
<p>The Colleges That Change Lives book may list some schools that might be interesting to you. </p>
<p>What does your D say that she wants in a college? </p>
<p>Does she want a small, quiet campus? Or does she want a more spirited larger campus. </p>
<p>Does she want a rural atmosphere or a city atmosphere with lots to do off-campus? </p>
<p>Does she want an LAC or would she prefer a university?</p>
<p>She’s only a rising junior, but does she have any test scores yet?</p>
<p>Is money a concern or will you pay full freight wherever she goes?</p>
<p>Depending on her answers and the family financial situation, those parameters will largely determine where she should apply.</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, I would remove Hamilton from your list of “earnest” schools. I’d definitely add Earlham. And Wellesley, MHC, Smith, Bryn Mawr. (Some of the women’s colleges would be reachy, of course.) Davidson is another reachy school to consider.</p>
<p>Other than that your list seems like a good one.</p>
<p>Your daughter sounds very much like my D and we searched for colleges with similar criteria as yours. I think St Olaf is a great selection and we loved the campus, sense of community and the friendliness of the student body. D could not get past the thought of the Minnesota winters and chose another LAC in a warmer climate. </p>
<p>I also agree with MizzBee that the midwest LAC’s are good fits. You may want to throw in a southern LAC like Davidson or Furman</p>
<p>Yes, MizzBee, Beloit is on the list. We did a quick walk around the campus; it’s lovely and the atmosphere seems right. We went to Lawrence and were swarmed by gnats on the day we visited, which soured the child on Appleton, for better or for worse.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: No real test results yet, but prediction from PLAN test (taken as frosh) is something in the 31 range for ACT, which seems about right. She is interested in an LAC where she can easily get to the services she needs (grocery, pharmacy) and where there’s a nice coffee shop or other place to hang. So “middle of nowhere” is out, but she doesn’t have to be near a big or even medium-sized city if there’s a nice bookstore nearby. Money is not my biggest concern, though we’re not rich. I’ve got a reasonable stash set aside and will be stepping up savings in the stretch.</p>
<p>Will you be doing some campus tours? If so, try to do them when classes are in session. A school can seem dead when students aren’t milling around the quad, etc. </p>
<p>Even a school that has a lot of students living on campus can seem dead when classes are not in session because kids are in their dorms, at part-time jobs, at off-campus hangouts, etc.</p>
<p>I would not limit visits to LACs only. Your D is only a junior and may not clearly know yet what she wants and may have some misunderstandings about universities. </p>
<p>Yes, having several nice off-campus hangouts is a real plus for many kids. Few kids want to be anchored to their campus/dorm for 4 years. </p>
<p>Hopefully, your D will take the PSAT in October. :)</p>
<p>If your D got an ACT range of 31 as a frosh on Plan, then she should do well on PSAT, ACT, and SAT. </p>
<p>Glad to hear that money is not a big concern. Many parents have sticker-shock when they see $55k+ per year costs at many popular privates. </p>
<p>However, it’s still a good idea to have a couple of financial safety schools on the list just in case some odd thing happens (income loss/reduction, serious illness, etc.) within the next 6 months that makes affording full-freight at a pricey private unlikely.</p>
<p>Kalamazoo is very easy to get into by EA–like 70%–and that qualifies you for some additional scholarship competitions. It is a great safety in that regard. I would also put in a plug for Earlham.</p>
<p>Rhodes is another thought. I had my doubts about Memphis before visiting, but the city turned out to be clean, fun and interesting and the campus seems very safe (as in no need to lock your door most of the time safe) We visited a lot of campuses the past couple of years and this one stands out as being truly special. It is set in a nice residential area, close enough to access the city but far enough for it not to be a constant distraction. The facilities are beautiful, so beautiful that all three moms on our tour were oohing and ahhing out loud as we walked the campus. The school seems top notch in every way and should be well within your D’s range for admission. The school is known for sending a lot of students on to grad school and its listing in CTCL has kicked its reputation up several notches in recent years. Although there is a greek system, it is non-residential and the student body is more focused on school and community service than parties. They also have some nice merit aid that your D could be eligible for. </p>
<p>Also, I second the posts about St. Olaf - it’s also very high on our son’s list.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the feedback. What I’m gathering is that, certainly by reputation, not many East Coast LACs have the “earnest” feel I described.</p>
<p>The notion of a “financial safety” is a good one; thanks, mom2collegekids. I also concede the wisdom of getting a university on the list. I’m a veteran of a couple of big state schools myself and certainly had no trouble finding my niche.</p>
<p>Looking at Naviance data for my daughter’s HS (in Chicago area), virtually everyone with grades in my daughter’s range gets admitted to Kalamazoo; I had written a note to myself that applying EA there is a good idea but I forgot why (thanks for the reminder, UT84321). Rhodes was on my list–will consider a visit. Also considering Earlham; I have a good feeling about it but was concerned about the surrounding area. But I could give it a look as it’s in a neighboring state.</p>
<p>I suppose what’s next is strategically planning a college tour schedule. I want to visit EVERYWHERE, but time and budget will not allow for that.</p>
<p>You have a great list. I’d agree with most comments about Midwestern LACs probably best fitting the bill you’ve presented. </p>
<p>It may be a reach, but less so if opting early decision, but I think you have to add Carleton to you list. It would be a great fit. A 31-32 ACT would put her in the running. </p>
<p>Out East, as a “match,” I’d also suggest looking at Rochester and Brandeis. To extend the “good bets” category, you may want to consider some lesser known schools like Ursinus and Goucher.</p>
<p>I agree with Rhodes, St. Olaf, Carleton, and adding Grinnell. </p>
<p>She might also look at some Jesuit universities like SLU, Marquette, Gonzaga, Santa Clara, etc. You don’t have to religious or Catholic to enjoy those schools.</p>
<p>The OP said they are looking for a school where intellectual curiosity is the norm. This made me smile because it reminded me of what happened last weekend.</p>
<p>When we pulled into the parking space at Vassar last Saturday with our truck outfitted with Connecticut license plates and loaded with stuff to move in, a mother and son were walking toward the car next to ours which was already parked there. The first words we heard on the Vassar campus were from the son (Vassar student) who asked my husband why Connecticut is called the Constitution State (it is written on the license plate). My husband proceeded to answer the question. I think this fits at least one type of intellectual curiosity!</p>
<p>Another school I would recommend is Brandeis - there is a ‘down to earth’ quality about it. Both Vassar and Brandeis may be reaches but are worth a visit.</p>
<p>Your daughter sounds delightful. It seems that the consensus is that your daughter would find more earnestness in the midwest and that the northeast is questionable. I don’t understand what that is about. There are many wonderful schools in the northeast with great, intellectually curious kids, if she is attracted to that area. I know a lot of kids are attracted to the northeast, and for good reason. Students are no less earnest there than anywhere else. For example, I don’t know why someone nixed Hamilton. It is a great school, known for super friendly students and a great administration.</p>
<p>I’ll also chime in with the recommendation that she look at Earlham. I think that whole Midwest LAC constellation sounds like it would be right up her alley.</p>
<p>Someone else mentioned Colleges That Change Lives, but I’ll post the link. Your D might find some of these schools very attractive. [Colleges</a> That Change Lives | Changing Lives, One Student at a Time](<a href=“http://www.ctcl.org/]Colleges”>http://www.ctcl.org/)</p>
<p>Your description sounds like my S, who is now a freshman at Grinnell. We’re from the East Coast, and I always felt that the midwestern schools were better fits for him, and he came to that conclusion himself! He and I always felt he’d be fine at any school, able to find his niche, enjoy classes, etc., but it was nice that he was able to go to a school where he felt entirely at home. His description – and another parent at Student Orientation said her son said these very same words – was that “these were my kind of people.”</p>
<p>I would put Hamilton as comparable selectivity as Bates, though. </p>
<p>I think your list is great, and I wouldn’t worry about expanding it too much! I think you’re right to add some geographic diversity because the midwestern schools should be tougher competitively for you coming from the Chicago area, I’d imagine.</p>
<p>I do appreciate everyone’s thoughtful responses. Per my boyfriend, I need to step aside and give my daughter more room to find her own niche. (Really? Really? But, but … She’s my baby!) Of course, he’s right. But I’m going to step aside having put together a great list for her to start with. Thanks, y’all, for helping me.</p>
Few kids want to be anchored to their campus/dorm for 4 years. </p>