<p>What are her scores exactly? For both math and verbal? And what is her GPA? How many years of science has she taken? WHile you say her school doesn't offer AP's, do they offer honors classes? Is she an under represented minority by any chance? Has she won any national, state or even local honors for her art? Might be a notch. Does she work? Come from a low income family? Is she the first in her family to go to college?Without exact information like this I'm just shooting in the dark but so far I haven't heard anything that jumps out as making Skidmore a match. </p>
<p>I am using USNEws Ultimate College Directory 2004 which uses common data set info. supplied by the schools themselves. Much more reliable than Princeton review.</p>
<p>And, is she a senior or junior? Skidmore strongly recommends three SAT II tests. If she's a junior, I'd urge her to take the SAT II's if she's interested in schools like Skidmore. While not required, when you see a school use the words "strongly recommended" that means it's better to have what they recommend then not. Same with recommendations for math, science, language, english, etc. They may not be REQUIRED but when the admissions committee sits down to review applications, they'll take someone who meets the "recommendations" over someone who only has the Required...or less.</p>
<p>Good. The four years of science is a plus as is the internship. Shows she has made a commitment to her art (my daughter is also an artist and her ec's also revolve around her art). With a 1370 SAT, I'd say that Skidmore could be a realistic reach for her. I'd also recommend that she look at Goucher College in Maryland and Wheaton College in Massachussetts. Like Skidmore, both are former "all female" schools that have strong art programs and a similar feel to the student body. Bard would also be within range, I think. Oberlin would be iffy---but you never know. LAwrence would be a nice match. Vassar would be a super reach without that math - if she had 3 years, she'd be able to consider Vassar a realistic reach and Skidmore a solid match. I do think she might take a look at Bennington - it's a great liberal arts school for people who like a very artsy and political types. If possible, have her guidance counselor directly address why she did not take the third year of math in the GC's recommendation, although, if she's a senior, it's going to be hard to make a convincing case that scheduling problems ran two years in a row. if she's a junior, she should take Algebra II no matter what in senior year. She'll still be weak but at least she'll be in the ball park. Best of luck to her!!</p>
<p>And do tell her to think seriously about whether she wouldn't be happier at an art school - RISD is excellent and with the opportunity to take classes at Brown, it's the best of both worlds. For people who'd rather be doing art than anything else, an art school often makes more sense than a liberal arts school.</p>
<p>I am not sure if she is more interested in art or philosophy, but I will mention some art schools to her. Thank you so much for your suggestions.</p>
<p>Smith might be a very realistic reach, they are very good about evaluating each candidate individually. Bennington would be a match. Sarah Lawrence - probably similar to Smith. Hampshire - not sure, don't have enough knowledge of their admissions policies to comment.</p>
<p>I don't think Smith is that much of a reach on scores alone, but they weight course load and extracurriculars much higher then most schools... it depends how she is with those.</p>
<p>Wheaton (Mass.) doesn't require SAT's to be submitted..(same with Mt. Holyoke and Bowdoin) but I think they expect their candidates to have four years of math.</p>
<p>Has anyone heard of Eugene Lang? Its "parent institution" is New School University, so it was not listed in the U.S. News and World Reports book. I first saw it in the Princeton Reveiw 2003 edition of "The Best 345 Colleges". What is known about the school?</p>
<p>Is she only interested in LACs? There are some universities with very good art departments that she may want to consider - University of Iowa, for example, has a very fine art department. Also, Carnegie-Mellon.</p>
<p>Gotta disagree with Dunkaroo about Bucknell, Lehigh, Lafayette and Colgate (all Patriot League schools, BTW) as being less selective; they're either highly selective according to Barron's or in the case of Colgate, most selective. Just because all of these schools have recently made SAT IIs recommended and not required doesn't lessen their selectivity any. For what the OP is looking for, gotta agree with Carolyn.</p>
<p>My daughter and niece both looked at some LACs with strong art offerings. I will tell you that some of the schools like Goucher, Skidmore, Connecticut College are more selective than their stats indicate for females in the artsy mode, as they have no trouble attracting that type and get their pick for that. Though your D's test scores are significantly higher than my girls', they took a most difficult academic track and had excellent grades. Also they were not looking as art majors--it was just a major EC for them. I think Carolyn's lists are very realistic.</p>
<p>Patriot League schools are Holy Cross, Colgate, Bucknell, Lafayette, Lehigh, American, Army and Navy. Associate members (for football mostly) are Fordham, Villanova and Georgetown.</p>
<p>Interesting story on Patriot League is that it in effect grew out of the original Ivy League (in 1954 when Ivy League was formed it included 10 schools, the current eight schools plus Army & Navy) -- when Army & Navy bowed out, Colgate & Georgetown were approached to join but Georgetown apparently wouldn't give up its Jesuit affiliation. It's rumored that Tufts and Johns Hopkins were approached to be the 10th but would have to extensively overhaul its athletic programs and opted not to. It left Colgate as the 9th Ivy - alone and with no date for the prom. When the Patriot League was formed, it was four members of the "old" Ivy as the nucleus: Army, Navy, Georgetown and Colgate. Joining them was Holy Cross and the three Pennsylvania schools from the old Colonial league, Lafayette, Lehigh and Bucknell. All that's mentioned FWIW. Many still call Colgate the 9th Ivy.</p>