I understand there are a ton of threads about creative writing majors, but most of them are for students well above my academic reality.
I have average stats: 3.5 gpa, 27 act.
I want to go to a LAC; hopefully one that offers great financial aid in grants. Basically, I want to inquire on schools that I have a solid chance of getting into, but that still have a promising english/creative writing focus. (Creative writing as in fiction, creative non fiction, poetry, rhetoric, etc).
Are there any prospective colleges that come to mind? A lot of colleges on the CTCL list are extremely expensive. So far, I know I have a chance at Knox and Susquehanna.
Also, another key factor is scenery. I don’t care for urban or rural settings, I just need some kind of natural beauty!! I’m big on escaping into nature hahah, not to sound lame. But it’d help a lot of the surrounding area wasn’t dying in cement
Have a look at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and New College of Florida. These are public LACs. Compared to many private LACs, their sticker prices (even for OOS students) are much lower. That may or may not result in a lower net cost than the CTCL schools. A school like Centre College might be cheaper for you after aid, so run the online net price calculators to compare.
Did you run the Net Price Calculator on your schools, or the CTCL schools? Several will give significant merit aid. New College of Florida pretty much gives $15K to all out of state students who decide to attend by a particular date.
btw, I believe Knox, Centre are CTCL schools as is New College of Florida. Take a look at Lawrence and Beloit in Wisconsin.
I agree with slackermom… start by running the Net Price Calculators on any schools that look appealing to you. We found the results surprising in many cases, and it really helped narrow down the list.
How about Hampshire College in MA? It’s gorgeous there…
Sewanee. Yes it is rural, but the scenery is incredible and the English Dept is top notch. Your ACT is within their mid-50%. It is just off the interstate, and a town of 9,000 is just 10 minutes to the west.
Look at the “My Sewanee Story” videos on Youtube to get a flavor of the campus, and the programs they have.
Check out SUNY Geneseo. It’s a public LAC, and SUNY schools tend to be more reasonably priced than a lot of other state schools, even for OOS students. When I was applying to college I had Binghamton as one of my safeties because I would have paid less there than in-state at the PA flagships. It also looks like Geneseo recently added a creative writing track to their English major.
Another vote for Sewanee. Great opportunities to escape into nature and a strong English department.
If you’re female, Hollins in Roanoke, Virginia has an outstanding creative writing program. Beautiful campus and active outdoor program for weekend rafting, climbing, etc. trips in the area.
You also might want to consider Roanoke College. The offer great FA packages and with your stats you shoud do well with that. Also, their Creative Writing program is superb. In addition, the college is in Salem, VA (about 10 miles from Roanoke) so it’s not urban and not rural. The outdoor adventure opportunities offered by the college are second to none. They are also building a brand new athletic, and academic facility which will be the best in the area. Definitely worth a look.
You could take a look at Bennington in VT. They are test optional if you are concerned about your scores (which I think are nothing to be ashamed about.)
Oxford College of Emory has much better financial aid that most LACs, is located in an exurb of Atlanta, and is connected with Emory University, one of the top creative writing programs in the nation. I went there for a year and whenever I wanted to escape for a bit just rode my mountain bike along one of the many trails that adjoined the school. My friends and I also regularly hiked in the area.
Take a look at Mount Holoyoke College if you’re open to all women schools. Great financial aid, less selective than similar colleges, and in a gorgeous location. If you’re in the area, take a look at Hampshire as well.
Hendrix College could also be a possibility, and the location in the Natural State seems like it would appeal to you.
Two more Southeastern possibilities are Furman and Rhodes. Furman is about 180 degrees away from Mount Holyoke in the political spectrum, so I doubt a student who likes one would like the other (they’re also different in many more ways than just political affiliation).
Also take a look at Kalamazoo. Not the strongest financial aid, but it’s a very good, not particularly selective Michigan option. The K Plan might help an aspiring writer.
Nobody has mentioned Birmingham-Southern College yet, so I’ll put in a vote this CTCL school. Better merit aid compared to it’s Southern LAC competitors: http://www.bsc.edu/admission/scholarships.cfm (chart is weighted GPA). It’s in a city but within a reasonable distance of outdoor activities… nothing like Sewanee though.