Looking for creative writing college w/a caveat

<p>Because my son is a musician, we had no problem choosing the "right" college for him -- had to be great in jazz/guitar, etc. No problem. But now we have the girl graduating next year! lol
It has been.... more than difficult. So I am appealing to you knowledgeable folks here at CC who were such a tremendous help with our son!
D is mostly interested in Creative Writing for Children. We've looked at most of the posts on here and found quite a few but many of them of course are in NY or Mass. We live in GA right now, but will probably locate to KY or Tx or TN next year. So no Georgia schools (we hate it here!!). She doesn't mind going far off, but some of those NY or Mass schools seem very liberal.
Now here's the tricky part. I also don't really want her to go to a Christian college either --- at least not if that college has curfews and other strict "legalistic" rules. I went to a Baptist college that had curfews for girls but none for boys, did not allow dancing on campus, etc yet the ministerial students used profanity and drugs right outside their classroom. She wants to be in a safe, mostly conservative place but not a hypocritical prison.
Are we asking too much? Can anyone recommend a somewhat conservative "feel" that has a good writing dept.? Or at least provide some guidance for colleges which at least won't be hugely liberal? Kind of middle of the road?
One important detail: I had this in the home school forum and was asked to move this here.... D has been homeschooled for her entire schooling, which is why we are looking at somewhat conservative schools. She just needs a good "fit". She doesn't want to be bombarded by liberal agendas (or conservative ones, really) She just wants to learn. With really no agendas.</p>

<p>College is so very many things that it’s hard to imagine that there’s a college out there at which your D won’t encounter something she feels bombards her liberally or conservatively. College can be about learning to live with people with whom you don’t agree on some issues, and people with whom you agreed but later disagree. There will be classrooms with liberal, pushy professors. There will be classrooms with conservative, pushy students. I don’t know how you protect your D from these people whom she’s chosen to live with but hasn’t known before she chose them. Could this be a bit too much hovering, OP?</p>

<p>If you disagree with my parenting, tough for you. Wow. Can’t believe you would waste your time commenting on my life rather than being helpful. If you can’t answer the question, just move on.
I’m not hovering. My daughter has certain requests in her search. Her choices. Sorry you don’t approve.
If anyone has a useful comment, I (and my daughter) welcome it.</p>

<p>Sorry – didn’t mean to jump so quickly. I just don’t like the “hovering” comments (or helicopter stuff) that I’ve seen on CC from time to time. I just want to find a school that will fit what my daughter wants.
Sorry to jump.</p>

<p>shellybean and I are good.</p>

<p>You have a fairly specific and unusual set of requirements.<br>
The “top” creative writing schools that often come up include Johns Hopkins, the University of Iowa, Middlebury, and UPenn (with its Kelly writers’ house). None of those are particularly conservative. As far as I know, none of them have programs specifically focused on writing for children. </p>

<p>I suggest you look at midwestern and southern LACs such as Centre College, Rhodes, Sewanee, Davidson (if she has the stats), or Hillsdale.<br>
[About</a> | English | Sewanee: The University of the South](<a href=“English and Creative Writing | The University of the South”>English and Creative Writing | The University of the South)
[Sewanee:</a> The University of the South](<a href=“Parents & Families | The University of the South”>Parents & Families | The University of the South)</p>

<p>I would add Kenyon for CW [Creative</a> Writing at Kenyon  ·  Kenyon College](<a href=“http://www.kenyon.edu/academics/departments-programs/english/creative-writing-at-kenyon/]Creative”>Creative Writing | Kenyon College), and Denison which is slightly less competitive to get in.</p>

<p>Knox College in Illinois is a wonderful quirky college with students and professors all over the spectrum and an incredible creative writing program. Kenyon is quite liberal so that might not work philosophically. </p>

<p>I suggest you and your daughter look at Colleges That Save Lives (either the book or the website) for some ideas. Good luck!</p>

<p>Amtc, perhaps you mean Colleges that Change Lives?</p>

<p>Try Hollins in VA. Good reputation for writing.</p>

<p>OP, you might consider looking at Choosing the Right College. It’s written for parents who lean right or who have children who lean right, and it examines the curricula, teaching, and student body for support of conservative ideas about college education: traditional core curricula, marxist profs, and LGBT support. It’s the only book I used in selecting colleges, but not the only source. I certainly didn’t use it for its politics 8+)</p>

<p>Kenyon and Oberlin in Ohio</p>

<p>Oberlin and Kenyon are both liberal.</p>

<p>And very much so.</p>

<p>Ah ha! I totally missed the non liberal requirement. Btw Kenyon is thought to have the #1 program. The college is basically in the middle of a cornfield.</p>

<p>shellybean, what are your daughter’s qualifications (GPA, rank, scores, extracurriculars)? Has she already published anything?</p>

<p>The website associated with Choosing the Right College is here:
<a href=“http://www.collegeguide.org/itemdetail.aspx?item=d359edf2-6a10-447f-b4ee-f52ca27ba19c[/url]”>http://www.collegeguide.org/itemdetail.aspx?item=d359edf2-6a10-447f-b4ee-f52ca27ba19c&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Again, I’ll put in a plug for Sewanee. It’s located in a safe environment. Its atmosphere seems to be rather conservative (students even dress up for class) but not ultra right wing. It gets a green light from the ISI. It sponsors a well-known literary conference and journal; English is its most popular major. It is selective but not extremely so.</p>

<p>Aamiller321 - Oops! Didn’t even notice that, sorry. Colleges That Change Lives. Maybe because I thought some of those colleges saved my daughter or maybe because some of them are Christian based.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone. I will check out the book and the website and I have looked at a couple of colleges mentioned. It’s so hard to find middle of the road! lol
She hasn’t taken the SAT yet, but scored 171 on her PSAT. She was hoping for better, but the way we’re doing math, geometry is after Alg 2, so she’ll do much better on the SAT. In fact her practice tests on SAT indicate she’ll get above 1900 (all 3 sections).
Weighted GPA of 4.1 so far (she’s a junior). We homeschool.
She has been locally published, but not nationally. Hasn’t even tried that yet!
Extracurriculars of music, 4-H, Italian club president, Science Fair, National Geography Bee (regional).
Thanks again everyone!</p>

<p>That SAT will limit her choices significantly, fwiw, and undermine the credibility of that homeschool 4.1 GPA.</p>

<p>DD is a 4-Her & a writer & musician too. The ACT was good for my kids. Your daughter may try that as well as the SAT. The 4H portfolio & speaking opportunities in 4H really helped with college admission & scholarships. Best wishes!!!</p>