<p>I am having a bit of trouble finalizing a list for college apps. I am especially unsure when it comes to safeties. I could use some help on matches and reaches too, though. Help?</p>
<p>School Type: Homeschool
Location: California
Race/Gender: Caucasian
Prospective Major: Art History
Unweighted GPA: 3.94
Weighted GPA: 4.?
Class rank:</p>
<p>SAT I Scores
SAT I Math: 700
SAT I Critical Reading: 750
SAT I Writing: 700 </p>
<p>SAT II Scores
SAT II Literature: 780
SAT II U.S. History: 710
SAT II Math IIC: 700</p>
<p>I would definitely like to be in an urban area, but one with a distinct campus. (Thus, not anything like NYU.) I would also really want to get out of California. Ideally, I would like to go to the Northeast, though I guess I'm not totally limited to that idea. Any suggestions? Specifically?</p>
<p>I really wanted to get out of California like you originally, but I wasn't able to thanks to 0 financial aid. Thus, you might want to apply to UCLA, Cal, and UCSD just in case.</p>
<p>My scores are good, but my extracurriculars are notexistant. (Unless you count a very strong interest in art history, even outside of school.) Is that going to change my chances at the mentioned schools?</p>
<p>Also, I am planning to apply to some UCs, for that very reason.</p>
<p>Yes, that would very much change your chance at most of those schools Isle Boy gave you. I don't think JHU, Gtown, Tufts, and Emory would be matches for you. They would be reaches.</p>
<p>Lolabelle and IsleBoy, I'm chuckling here, because I'm inbetween you two! ;)</p>
<p>I think Isleboy is overly optimistic in his prognostications; however, Lolabelle, I think you're leaning a bit on the pessimistic side. I don't think Vanderbilt, JHU, Georgetown, Tufts, Carnegie Mellon or Emory could be considered "Match" or "Safety" for the OP. With these schools, I think Georgetown is a Reach because it’s simply a more competitive school. With the other schools I mention, the chances border between Weak Match to Slight Reach. None is beyond acceptability, but it’s a bit of an upward hike. Because she has been home-schooled, it’s more difficult to know how adcoms would evaluate her application. She states that her EC’s are” notexistant” (sic), which lessens her chances for those schools that weight this factor highly. Her GPA is strong, and her SAT scores are solid, though another 100 points would elevate her chances.</p>
<p>TeriAnn, I think that Tufts is a school that fits a lot of your interests and desirable traits. It has an excellent Art History department and is situated in the Northeast not too distant from Boston in Medford, MA. Johns Hopkins is also excellent for their Art History but is situated in Baltimore, a neat city not too from Washington, D.C., which would be a great urban environment to stimulate your academic pursuits. Further south, Emory has a terrific Art History program (both undergraduate/graduate levels). They have a great museum on campus, and there are often part-time positions available that include assisting with the curators of the museum. Atlanta is also a great city.</p>
<p>Without knowing your preferences for large vs. small, national university vs. liberal arts college, etc., it’s difficult to be more pinpoint in identifying schools, but there are many schools that would be able to give you a solid grounding in Art History. The UC’s are a good option as well. The career options with Art History often will require you to gain advanced degrees for positions in curatorial work in museums or art library work or art preservation, for instance. Any teaching aspirations would likely require a Ph.D., so the undergraduate foundation is easily achieved at any good college with an Art History program. I think if I were you, I would also look closely at Study Abroad programs that would enhance your learning opportunities. Good luck!</p>
<p>JHU, Georgetown, Emory and Tufts are all very similar in their selectivity -- from 23 to 27% acceptance rate, so if Georgetown is a reach, I believe the others are, too.</p>
<p>That being said, I totally agree about Tufts' Art History program: I'm minoring in the subject and have adored every single one of my classes. My boyfriend is a major and would agree. Tufts is also the only school in the metro Boston area to have an official relationship with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and its school, the SMFA. You can therefore end up taking several classes IN the galleries (there's nothing like learning about Franz Kline while you're standing in front of a Franz Kline painting!) at the SMFA, in addition to the wonderful courses at Tufts. In case you're interested there's also a dual-degree program through Tufts and the SMFA where you get a BA from Tufts and a Master's in Curatorial Studies from both schools, if that's the track you're interested in. Of course, if you're interested in actually MAKING art, the dual-degree BA from Tufts + BFA from the SMFA is excellent as well.</p>
<p>Her geographic location and test scores would make the southern schools more accessible, while her interest in Art history would come into play at schools like JHU.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses and ideas. I am looking into several schools that I had not previously considered based on this thread, including Tufts, which seems like an application possiblilty for me. </p>
<p>Well, no one has mentioned affordability - so I guess I'll ask.</p>
<p>Is this a consideration for your list? Do you need financial aid or merit money? Can you afford to fly back and forth for breaks? That could all affect your list...</p>
<p>Might want to look at Holy Cross-Top 30 LAC located in mid-size city located 1 hour from Boston. HC has a very nice campus and the school is SAT optional.</p>
<p>They start to accept common application this year, so applying there is no longer time-consuming. Though it's not a safety, the "why Northwestern" essay would give you a great chance to make up for the lack of ECs.</p>
<p>Emory
WashU
Vanderbilt
Northwestern
U Michigan
Rice</p>
<p>The best thing about these schools for you is that they are not in California, but not on the opposite coast (half way). At the same they have good / decent weather (with Northwestern, UM being exceptions) and are as good in most regards as any other school in the nation. Nice, safe campuses with happy students in/near great cities.</p>
<p>
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WashU, Northwestern, IndianaU, Wisconsin, Michigan, and all of IsleBoy's rec's except BC, Villanova, and JHU, not good choices for art history.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I can't believe you made such an uninformed statement. You should check your facts, lest you desire to lose all credibility. I would urge people to ignore your comments.</p>
<p>Personally, I'm highly impressed with the Art History programs at Emory University (on Isleboy's list), especially with their classical arts/antiquities focus on Egypt, Greece and Rome. They have thriving programs in other areas as well. The faculty is top notch, well-trained, and internationally distinguished. Their affiliations with the High Museum in Atlanta and the on-campus Michael C. Carlos Museum has garnered international acclaim. Like many of Emory's academic programs, they have created terrific inter-disciplinary studies that broaden the contexts for art history.</p>
<p>As for some of the other schools you casually dismiss, Northwestern, Michigan and Bryn Mawr (in combination with shared resources at Swarthmore and Penn) are among the best Art History programs to be found in the nation.</p>
<p>right -- you misunderstand me, I didn't state that very clearly. IsleBoy's list is excellent, I would only take issue with recommending JHU, BC and Villanova for art history. Which is not to say those are poor, I just wouldn't highly recommend them. Its a great list.</p>