LAC's with Creative Writing and Languages

<p>Now that I'm squared away and have only the fun parts of getting ready for college left (shopping for bed linens!), my younger sister, a HS sophomore, is beginning to narrow the field in her own college search.</p>

<p>Stats:
All honors classes, uw GPA 3.6-3.7
Always A's in English, Spanish, and French
B's and the occasional C in history, math (taking geometry as a sophomore), science
She plans to do the full IB diploma, probably something like History, English, French HL; Math Studies, Biology, Spanish SL.
Class rank is just inside the top 10% (35/352), but school is discontinuing class rank - I don't know if they will send deciles.
Doesn't test well - scored in the mid-high 600's on her writing and critical reading PSAT, but below 50th percentile in math. She works slowly and is underconfident, hopefully with practice the math SAT will break 600. SAT score will probably be around 1900.</p>

<p>EC's: Band, Marching Band, Book Club</p>

<p>She's looking for creative writing programs. Right now she's turning up her nose at anything that doesn't have a major, not just a concentration, in creative writing, but we're trying to get her to consider more options. LACs, especially smaller ones, are greatly preferred. Location is not a huge restriction. She'd like to avoid the south, but the northeast, midwest, and west coast are all fair game. She's shown interest in Bard and Sarah Lawrence - she wants to avoid the stereotypical prep school atmosphere. Women's colleges are still in. Middlebury is out because her sister's going. Strong language programs, specifically French and Spanish, would also be at least a plus. She absolutely wants to study abroad, probably in France, so any school that facilitates study abroad would also be a plus. Edit to add that she's not a fan of cities, but any schools in suburban or rural areas are good.</p>

<p>Any suggestions? Her criteria are different enough from mine that we're on strange territory. </p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

<p>This screams OBERLIN!</p>

<p>Take a look at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. Has creative writing within the English Dept <a href="http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/acaddepts/eng.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/acaddepts/eng.pdf&lt;/a>, language study and study abroad opportunities <a href="http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/acaddepts/fren.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/acaddepts/fren.pdf&lt;/a> & <a href="http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/acaddepts/span.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/acaddepts/span.pdf&lt;/a> It is located in a small city on a river. Has an enrollment this year of 1400. Doesn't require SATs. Gives one year advanced placement for a score of 30 or above on the IB with scores of 5 or above on your coursework. Good merit and financial aid packages. Academic & friendly environment. Good airport connections to the rest of the country and world. Also LU is a residential campus with a conservatory and you can continue with music studies on the side if you don't want to pursue a music degree.</p>

<p>Bryn Mawr comes to mind........great women's school, plus you get the benefits of other schools (Swarthmore, Haverford, Penn) nearby. It's not right in Philly, there's still a small-town atmosphere.</p>

<p>Her stats (specifically SAT scores) are a bit low for BM, but since she's a sophomore she should be able to pull them up a little with lots of studying. Also, she might do well or better on the ACT, so she should take that too (w/ writing).</p>

<p>Since she's focusing on creative writing, I would suggest trying to get some of her writing published, or having her compose some sort of anthology to print (to show colleges her real, active interest in the subject). That, and/or blowing them away with a well-written and unique essay could win adcoms over.</p>

<p>Reed College in Oregon. Great school.</p>

<p>Grinnell College</p>

<p>Really love Lawrence. Loren Pope in "...Colleges that change lives" raves about it. Seems to offer a great deal for a reasonably small LAC - plus solid midwest values to boot.</p>

<p>Bennington College in VT</p>