Looking for the Perfect School for English Lit

College Search & Selection
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<p>PMCM18- Thanks for all the info! The reputation for crime doesn’t really scare me. You’re right, in a lot of areas you just need to keep your head on your shoulders. I’m not really looking for a secluded, perfectly safe and sterile campus anyway. That’s not the real world and I’d get bored. I’m glad Hyde Park is a community full of so many different types of people. Do you find the area to be full of adults/residents or is it mostly kids attending the school and grad students?</p>

<p>tk- I’m from New England- not afraid of long, cold winters! Is it difficult to get into downtown Chicago from campus? I’m not really familiar with the area at all, and visiting campuses across the country would be kind of a stretch for my family so I’m trying to understand what I can from people who have been there. Is there public transportation around campus? </p>

<p>If anyone could talk more about the “quirky characters” at UC that you mentioned I’d love to hear it. I’m loving this school more and more.</p>

<p>You guys have definitely sobered me up about financial aid. I’ll run a few price calculators now. Are they generally pretty accurate?</p>

<p>intparent- I felt the same way looking at Haverford right off the bat, but the “community” thing is huge at all LACs. Maybe more so there?</p>

<p>marvin and momrath- I have looked into Williams. The community feel may not be emphasized there any more than at other schools, but the administration definitely requires you to live there 3 years I thought. Were there underclassmen (like sophomores or even juniors) getting apartments? I’ve visited the Amherst campus and while I don’t like how the college lives in its own little world, the residency requirement is one year and I wouldn’t mind living in a quiet apartment away from campus after that. I know the academics at Williams are amazing, but again I can only have so many reaches and Amherst seems like a better fit. Swarthmore is another school that only requires a year. I actually wasn’t intending to find LACs in the top tier when I started looking for them, but those two happened to have loose requirements about living. I’m hoping to find a school I have a better chance of actually getting into that wouldn’t be strict about residency. I’m not sure about an LAC in general because I already know right off the bat I wouldn’t fit in with the environment, even though the classroom experience would be amazing. I’m glad to find out UC keeps classes small- My ideal fit would be that small classroom experience, mixed in with some larger lecture classes (that’s why I like the Amherst consortium) without the emphasis on living together as one large loving brotherhood… Sorry to keep this so long but I would hope this is something other people are looking for too!</p>

<p>momrath- Carnegie Melon for English?? I didn’t know they had a strong program at all. Is it preprofessional based or not? </p>

<p>And tk I will definitely look into Kenyon again. I’d never thought to quantify each school’s emphasis on lit but you’re right, once you know a school is strong using those stats is a good litmus test. I will keep that in mind!</p>

<p>Thanks everybody for the advice!</p>

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<p>Even at the Amherst/Williams/Swarthmore level (and even at research universities rather than just LACs), department/major strength needs to be considered for any of your possible majors.</p>

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<p>Yes.
[Department</a> of Safety and Security | The University of Chicago](<a href=“Page Not Found | University of Chicago”>Page Not Found | University of Chicago)</p>

<p>Chicago is my alma mater. I don’t push it willy-nilly on every poster who expresses interest. However, you (brm114341) do sound like a Chicago person to me (as long as you make the choice with eyes wide open to what some people would consider strong negatives.)</p>

<p>Quirky characters? It’s been a long time since I was there. Today the College is bigger and gets far more applications. Many CC posters seem to be interested in it mainly for the prestige or famous econ department. That’s fine, but misses the points (pro and con) that distinguish (or used to distinguish) Chicago from other T20-30 national universities. I don’t know if it continues to attract quite the same cast of oddball characters. Maybe PMCM18 can comment.</p>

<p>I’m reluctant to describe specific weirdos (the reminiscing could get me all teary and goopy in front of my family). Let’s just say there was a wonderful balance of intense NYC Jewish intellectuals, midwestern Nice Kids, liberals and conservatives, feminazis, and ambitious future leaders of America. Then there were interesting traditions such as the annual unrehearsed performance in Rockefeller Chapel of the War of 1812 Overture, the Lascivious Costume Ball, or the Latke-Hamantash Debates ([Latke</a> Hamantash Debate](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latke–Hamantash_Debate]Latke”>Latke–Hamantash Debate - Wikipedia)). There were to my knowledge no exclusive clubs like Yale’s Skull & Bones or Harvard’s Porcellian. Professors were not afraid to cut a bloviating student down to size in class for fear the father might be some famous fathead who would stop work on a new building. </p>

<p>You really need to hear from students who have attended more recently (esp. if you cannot get out for an overnight visit). The atmosphere I could describe in more detail may have been somewhat reflective of the times as well as the place. But maybe not. Scav Hunt ([The</a> University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt](<a href=“http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/]The”>http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/)) is a more recent innovation that sounds cooler than anything back in the day. One thing I never thought I’d see is a University of Chicago fashion show/site/magazine (that is, one that apparently is not an ironic front for public nudity or some such).
[Meet</a> MODA | MODA](<a href=“http://www.modachicago.com/about/]Meet”>http://www.modachicago.com/about/)</p>

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<p>Why does the idea of all girls schools make your skin crawl? Any assumptions you’ve made about them have probably been thoroughly debunked in the women’s colleges forum.</p>

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<p>I think basing a decision on how fast you can move off campus is somewhat silly as well as immature. A school like Kenyon with an outstanding reputation for English is in very small town. The off-campus housing options may be very limited or sometimes in a city, they can be very expensive and it is sometimes more cost effective to live in campus housing. Also, more and more schools offer apartment like housing on campus or with seniority for housing lotteries, you develop more options to get a single rooms in traditional dorm.</p>

<p>When my d went to visit University of Washington in Seattle for grad school program she was accepted to, we found the housing costs in Seattle really high. Same situation would or could apply to a school such as NYU. Actually we know NYU students who are living in East Harlem as best affordable option or commuting from places like Jersey City or Hoboken.</p>

<p>With subjects like Comparative Lit, American Lit… you want to go to the best program you can and the most affordable for you if you are thinking of grad school. My d’s boyfriend is in year 2 of a competitive Ph.D. program in literature. To get into a competitive program in a very difficult job market, you want to come from a strong undergrad program.</p>

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<p>I suggest you post these questions on the UChicago forum as well. You’re bound to receive answers from a couple of students that are in higher years than me or graduated recently (the fantastic unalove is a recent alum with a lot insight, I suggest PMing her). </p>

<p>I can’t really say how UChicago compares to other schools in number of quirky students, but I definitely met more than a few in my first year (and I guess that in some ways I’d probably be considered quirky myself). I’m having a hard time answering this question because I’m not sure how you would define quirky, but if we’re going to define quirky as people that spend hours watching Japanese anime, dedicate their whole lives for a week to Humans vs Zombies (an event that arrived at UofC around two years ago and has since grown a lot), play Dungeons and Dragons, obsess over Model UN, participate a lot in the Slam Poetry scene or consider Scav to be the most important annual event the school has to offer…then yes, the school still has its fair share of quirky students. I don’t consider my social circle to be that big and I’ve come across the types that I described above. Are there a lot of “non quirky” students as well? They exist, but not to the degree where it feels like that’s the norm. I also think that even many of those stereotypically “non quirky” students have quirky traits and interests of their own, so it’s not as if you can’t make friends with them. Some people mourn that the student body is not the same anti-main stream intellectual hotbed that it used to be, which might very well be the case, but there’s still many intellectual discussions to be had and the atmosphere is definitely much more similar to that of the good old days than your average state school (I’m referring to the party all the time stereotype some state schools get). The way I see it, there’s a scene for everybody. If you just want to and are somehow able to party every night of the week, UChicago will not provide an abundance of opportunities, but the choice is still there. If you hate frat parties and would rather spend your might doing something, well, not so mainstream, then you’re guaranteed to find other like minded people.</p>

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<p>The neighborhood is definitely a mix. You’re bound to walk through residential areas if you plan to move around Hyde Park.</p>

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<p>Wow, Chicago has big fans. I’m a book geek but I probably wouldn’t be a total scav enthusiast or anything like that. I’m glad to hear it’s legitimately intellectual. It is a big name now but I’ve heard it’s still different from an Ivy in terms of snobbery (not hating on the Ivies really). Is that true? And I’m hoping it’s a little easier to get into…? Any info on off campus living in Hyde Park? I’ve heard there are small, cheap apartments available.</p>

<p>migraine- Nice user name! I honestly don’t have a rational reason to dislike women’s colleges. I know that you still have interactions with men and all that, but something about an all estrogen environment… I guess it has something to do with my hatred of the “bubble” thing but maybe it’s irrational to assume these schools are all separate from the real world. There are a lot of women’s schools with top academics that I’d love to be able to consider though, so I’m looking to be convinced and I’ll check out that forum.</p>

<p>bookmama- Like I said, I knew the off campus thing would start arguments. Everyone needs to find a school where they fit they’d fit in personally, not just academically. I’m the kind of person who needs to feel they have a separate identity outside of college. I wouldn’t fit in at a lot of LAC “communities”. I want to be a member of a community that more closely resembles the real world and I’m eager to start supporting myself instead of just taking out a loan to cover housing and paying it back later. I know off campus can be more expensive (although it isn’t everywhere), ESPECIALLY in a city. (I’m not sure what I would do about NYC; the housing market is ridiculous!) And a part time job will be a lot more work for me. But without that element of my life I would be frustrated; there’s a reason some people talk about college as “prolonged adolescence” and that’s just not the kind of person I want to be. I want to cook my own food, clean my own bathroom, and make my own way in the world. To me, the sacrifices are well worth it. That being said, it is juvenile to sacrifice an amazing education because I’m impatient with living arrangements because to me, academics come first. That’s why I’m hoping to find that perfect school that offers students an amazing education/classroom experience and also the opportunity for freedom and to be treated like adults. I’m hoping it’s out there!</p>

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<p>Chicago’s location is, without doubt, a bit sketchy, but you can’t have it all. With character and diversity comes a bit of sketchiness - I somehow doubt you’d be happier in a bubbled upper middle class suburban locale (e.g. Haverford/Swarthmore?). Generally, as already suggested, Hyde Park is safe if you are willing to sacrifice a bit of freedom (certainly no roaming after dark alone). The academics and atmosphere you’re looking for otherwise sound like a great fit. I’d have 0 concerns about the grad student #s - undergrads still find more attention/small classes than at the vast majority of competitors. Political correctness may be a bit of a problem for you - undergrads there are a very liberal group in general - but Libertarians are well represented with a smattering of (at least fiscally) conservative types who bask in the glory of one of the more conservative economics/business programs among the elites.</p>

<p>The only thing that keeps me from recommending Chicago, Chicago and Chicago is the Core. For a die hard Libertarian it seems, well, pretty anti-Libertarian from my perspective and hope it won’t prove, ultimately, an encumbrance and disappointment. </p>

<p>Barnard and Columbia both seem like great choices but, again, some concern about Columbia’s Core (though not nearly as demanding and rigid as it once was). Beware that NYC will be tres $ - housing in Hyde Park will be a fraction of the cost. </p>

<p>You might also consider Northwestern with lots of off campus housing options, Evanston attached with Chicago down the road, and a politically more balanced student body (surprising Libertarian presence). Penn and Hopkins should be on your list as well, though I’m more attuned to Hopkins creative writing strength than lit. </p>

<p>Harvard should certainly be on your list. Always a reach, I think you’d love the location and the somewhat hands-off, student directed approach undergrad. For many, this latter plus might represent a minus. Harvard is not and has never been a hand-holding Kumbaya kind of place - i.e. just the place for someone as independent minded/directed as you seem to be. </p>

<p>In general, I’d add my voice to those advising you to focus on private colleges. Coming from out of state, the financial costs should be better than at state flagships unless you qualify for a major academic scholarship, though these are applications to consider (e.g. Robertson at UNC/Duke). </p>

<p>I also don’t see your personal tastes jibing with geographically isolated LACs (e.g. Williams, Middlebury, Bowdoin). Pomona is more isolated than you may realize (thanks to LA sprawl) and possibly a little too suburban for your tastes. Don’t deny that it’s participation in a consortium, as you’ve argued, and as is the case with Amherst, may be enough to keep both in consideration.</p>

<p>Whatever you do, follow the $. With great academic credentials and limited family resources target, come graduation day, no debt to weigh down that independent libertarian spirit.</p>

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<p>If you’re considering Pomona, I would also look into Claremont McKenna. Although known for pre-professional majors like economics and government, it has a strong Literature department (and you can still take classes at the other 4 colleges in the Consortium.) Your Libertarian independence would fit in well at CMC. Not sure how quickly you could live off-campus, but it’s certainly possible. Here’s a link to the course list. [Department:</a> - Literature - Claremont McKenna College - Acalog ACMS?](<a href=“Literature - Claremont McKenna College - Acalog ACMS™”>Literature - Claremont McKenna College - Acalog ACMS™)</p>

<p>In addition, both Pomona and CMC offer great financial aid.</p>

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<p>Given your other schools…Michigan and CC arent the best matches. Georgetown English might be good but they are TERRIBLE I repeat TERRIBLE at financial aid.</p>

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<p>Also be careful with financial aid. Often much of an aid package is loans. Loans are not aid, they’re debt. Keep debt in mind as your plans include grad school, especially when not expecting a high paying career.</p>