I need help building a list of colleges. Budget is not an issue. I do plan on applying to both UCs and Cal States but I’m very interested in moving somewhere new for college.
Me: creative, artistic, liberal
Stats: 3.7 unweighted (a few honors/AP classes), 1400 SAT
Residence: California
Activities: dance, theater, pep squad (heavily involved - also teach dance and I’m the director and choreographer of a student dance company)
Major: undecided
Interests: communications, performing arts, teaching, political science
Ideal college:
Medium-sized -2,000-15,000 students
Northeastern US (want a change of scenery)
Most students live on campus
Strong sense of community
Opportunities to perform even if not a performing arts major
Good college theater
Good students but not a super cut-throat competitive environment
Friendly for LGBTQ+ students
Friendly for students of color
Mentorship program for undeclared majors
I gotta suggest trying the University of Rochester (private U in Rochester, NY - Rochester’s airport is just 15 minutes away making getting there fairly easy). They love all sorts of music/performing arts combined with various academics. They meet your other desires too. Getting accepted is not a given, but they’re worth a try - esp if finances aren’t a concern.
Emerson and Wesleyan? Emerson is in Boston. The campus is small and urban. It’s not your typical campus. Reminds me of NYU. That said, it’s Boston and well known for the arts.
Not quite northeast but CMU or Syracuse might work.
I love University of North Carolina School of the Arts(@tsbna44 thats the correct name). But it’s a very small school, and really is an arts conservatory.
Sorry - my bad on the UNC School of the Arts… it is small and targeted. I re-read the OPs statement - creative but interests beyond - and 2 to 15K students.
U of Miami - ok, it’s not the Northeast but Miami is NY South
Others in addition to what I mentioned earlier that might work for OP:
Brandeis - slight reach
W&M - reach
Muhlenberg - a bit on the small side = likely
Colgate - reach
SUNY PUrchase - highly likely
Bucknell - Low Reach
Do know - if you go to a smaller school in the NE, it may be more a suitcase school. may be…
Elon (likely) is not quite the NE but may work for you as well and is becoming more popular with kids in the NE and even nationally.
College of Charleston - also another with growing geographic diversity but not quite the NE.
Just to give you more schools to look at.
I think as you visit schools you should find out - do people stay on weekends. For example, I mentioned Hofstra before which is a fine school for a student with your stats and you can see what type of scholarship you’ll get on their net price calculator.
Many feel it’s a suitcase school but others say it isn’t. You should check for any school being mentioned - by talking to a student advisor.
With this list I just gave you, I’m confident none (except SUNY Purchase are)…but when you’re more a regional school like a Bucknell, you still might have someone running home every 3rd week because it’s 3 hours away, etc.
Dickinson College! They have an active group called DTG (dance theater group) that puts on performances/showcases AND a certificate partnership with Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. It might be a little small for your liking (about 2,300 undergrad) but checks off everything else on your list - community oriented, smart kids but not cutthroat, LGBTQ support, strong poly sci and education majors, required on campus living, etc. The school emphasis a global education and diverse student body. I actually know a decent amount of people here who are from California, which may help you feel more at home out here in the northeast!
I didn’t say there aren’t…I said may…they need to check.
For example, I mentioned Hofstra and someone said only 49% of freshman live on campus. Doesn’t make it a suitcase school but it’s more likely it’s not going to have the community vs. say an Allegney or an Amherst or a St. Lawrence. Yes, I know there’s tons.
On the flipside, if the OP chose a Quinnipiac or a UHA or a Fairleigh Dickinson or a TCNJ, perhaps they wouldn’t find what they were looking for in regards to a stable campus life.
I’m simply saying - they need to research - on the internet, on online student panel sessions ask, and if you visit somewhere don’t just listen to the tour guide but stop kids on the quad and ask away.
I also pointed out - if you’re from a more regional school while it may not be a suitcase school, it is easier for someone to go home every 3rd week if they want.
In other words, a Williams is going to draw nationally whereas a Franklin & Marshall will draw moreso regionally - so if someone needed to sneak home to NJ every 3 weeks, they can.
It was simply situations/questions to ask to ensure they found the community they are looking for.
Nothing is more important than asking questions.
You need to read messages in their entirety and not take random sentences - to ensure full context.
Perhaps you missed the words - where I acknowledged - in the South.
And I offered up SMU, which while known as conservative (i’m sure that’s where you are headed), fits the OPs interests in performing arts…as well as other creative venues such as advertising with a creative specialization and while I can’t speak to the LGBTQ scene on campus, from everything I’ve read, they offer ample resources.
The school is 30% people of color + 6% international.
It was offered as a suggestion for the OP to look at since it’s obviously a fantastic college, it has leading creative aspects (performing arts for example) and a strong sense of community.
The OP can certainly research each and every school any of us have suggested to see if it’s a fit for further research - and I certainly listed more than these two.
I’m simply stating that some schools are more “regional” vs. national and that the OP, no matter where they look, should ask questions about campus stability in order to ensure the campus meets their needs.
For example, someone from Quinnipiac may be more likely to run home on a weekend than say someone at Amherst.
This is why I suggest the OP ask the questions - I’m not making statements.
But again, people are pulling out the words they want vs. reading entirety of the message.
That’s my message - when you find schools of interest and get onto campus or in a student panel…ask questions to ensure it will meet your need of community.
No need to get snippy as I did read “in the south” which directly contradicted the OPs stated ideal geography being the Northeast.
I was wondering what was so compelling relative to the other criteria OP states that you would highlight it. Particularly at a school that is unabashedly conservative such as SMU. I was also intrigued having never heard anyone suggest Oberlin and SMU in the same sentence.
Still not sure I understand but perhaps the OP does.
FYI not sure of your numbers for SMU but seem inconsistent with OPs desired community per Niche which you have cited previously…
