<p>I'm a freshman who is getting ready to apply as a transfer student. Rather than list all my stats in detail I would really appreciate some advice as to what schools might resonate with me... I have some ideas, as I'll mention, but a lot of it has to do with the character & atmostphere of the schools, which I don't know enough about.</p>
<p>I'm a very good student (just under 4.0) at a school that has good intentions, but honestly a less-than-stellar student body. I love intellectual challenges, and am incredibly self-driven, not to "be the best" but to learn. I am looking for a student body that is diverse in terms of academic and other interests, that has plenty of kinds of people (mentally... ethnically is far less important to me). The one thing in common should be, of course, intelligence. I really need a mature atmosphere... craziness and parties are fine, but in general, it should all have the feeling of something that is far closer to the adult world than the high school one (I know many colleges for which this is not true). This is probably why I find myself drawn to cities... as an assurance that there will be a physical connection to the "real world"... not one propogated in the classrooms and forgotten everywhere else. (Though I'm sure I could find some non-urban campuses for me, I get the feeling that it's much riskier). A vibrant campus is great, but some of my favorite experiences are exploring London, etc., and thus independence matters.</p>
<p>I am interested in at least a dozen disciplines, but something in the Humanities will probably be my major, if not career. Econ also a possibility. Music program important. I can deal with a core, but I'm serious about my education to the point that I can end up accomplishing what the core aims at without the restraints... in other words, the variety of classes I take might certainly be a variety, but of my choosing. Will U Chicago be a little stifling, a little too book-wormy? Social diversity, as I said, is pretty important... including people who love fun, not to disparage that institution. Columbia has that pretty strict core which I'm not crazy about but could handle... the location is awesome for me and other elements of it seem great. Harvard? UPenn? Oberlin...Northwestern...another in Boston... A LAC might work, but I feel like it's a real hit or miss in terms of overall "does it feel right?", considering fewer than 2000 creates a very distinct campus culture. </p>
<p>This has been much longer than expected... any ideas?</p>
<p>Maybe think about Berkeley? It's an urban campus, and def has a lot of different people. There is a frat/party scene, and a hippy scene, and a huge academic scene. The core in the College of Letters and Science (most of the humanities are in this college) is not bad, you get most of them done without really trying anyways. There is also a pretty good music dept here as well. However, because the school is so big, you really have to be academically independent and know what you want out of the school. And you have to find your own social niche here, no one's going to find it for you. San Fran is only a 25 minute BART (like a train/subway deal) away, so there's plenty of opportunity for exploring the city. Good luck!</p>
<p>aj888, I am a Berkeley alum from Paris, and I've thoroughly enjoyed my years in Berkeley, which have been incredibly stimulating socially and intellectually. I couldn't conceive a richer educational experience.</p>
<p>"Stifling" is not the word many intellectuals would use to describe U. Chicago. I don't know if they have a good music program, though. Apart from that, it looks like a good fit and they have a higher transfer admit rate than most schools of that caliber.</p>
<p>I think you'd be really happy at Northwestern. I transferred here this year and I really found that same social diversity that you're taking about. Whatever subject, passion, etc you're interested in, you'll find people to share them with. The atmosphere here is as low- or high-key as you want it to be, and there's a large enough group of transfer students per year to give you a good variety. We're also in a pretty solid town area, with easy access to Chicago nearby. If you get the chance, definitely come check it out and talk with students around campus. Let me know if you're interested in anything else about NU.</p>
<p>Have you conisdered McGill in Montreal? It's a good value as well as perhaps meeting your other criteria. One possible downside, depending on your preferences, is that there is little to no on-campus housing after freshman year.</p>