Mac, Oberlin, Vassar, Reed

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hey… this is my first time making a thread so if I’m doing it “wrong,” please forgive me. </p>

<p>I’m starting to seriously think about my college search right now (I’m finishing up my Junior year) and after looking at a bunch of colleges I think that I would really like Macalester, Oberlin, Reed or Vassar. I think they’re all kinda similar but I’d really like other’s people’s take on the student body (political affiliations, ways they spend their free time, overall personality). I really just want to know which college would be the best fit for me. </p>

<p>I’m really into learning (not grades, but learning for the sake of quelching my never ending curiosity), I love to read, I like having discussions about what I learned in class, I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoy going to coffee shops- especially if they have artists (of any kind- painters, writers, poets, musicians) performing in the evening, and I like to think of myself as a liberal. I want to major in English or History, but I’ve always been highly interested in the world’s religions, ethics/philosophy, and psychology. Going to a college where the kids are at least somewhat like me (especially on the political front) and that has classes that would interest me is the goal…
The cost of the schools is a non-issue because I’ve looked heavily into the financial aid opportunities for all of them. The weather as well, is a non-issue (I live in Minnesota and staying here at Mac wouldn’t bother me, but moving to a warmer climate wouldn’t either).</p>

<p>(Also, if anyone has a college that fits this “criteria” that I didn’t mention I’d LOVE to hear about it!!!)</p>

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<p>Grinnell, Carleton, UChicago, Swarthmore are others you should definitely check out!</p>

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<p>Grinnell, Carleton, UChicago, Swarthmore are others you should definitely check out!</p>

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<p>Wesleyan seems like one that would definitely fit on your list!! (If it helps, you remind me a lot of myself, and I’m going to Wesleyan in the fall :slight_smile: )
Carleton seems like it should be on your list as well, since you don’t mind Minnesota.</p>

<p>As for distinguishing between the schools, try going to U N I G O .com, which I found very helpful. Good luck!!</p>

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<p>You’re right, these are all pretty similar schools, and no one here is apt to be able to give you a really informed comparison of the differences, given that few people have attended more than one. Fortunately, you have time to research what characterizes each of them.</p>

<p>To get a sense of what Oberlin students are like, I strongly recommend reading the [Oberlin</a> Blogs](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/]Oberlin”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/) .</p>

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<p>Here’s a wide range of schools to research/consider as well… Beloit, Carleton, Grinnell, Haverford, Kenyon, Lawrence, Swarthmore, and Wesleyan.</p>

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<p>I second (third?) Swarthmore and UChicago as possible schools you may want to look into.</p>

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<p>Oh my gosh, I didn’t expect this many answers so quickly!
I will definitely look into these colleges! Thanks!!</p>

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<p>I thought of a few more: Colorado College, Connecticut College, and Sarah Lawrence.</p>

<p>BTW, I highly recommend the Fiske Guide to the Colleges as a great resource to learn about the schools.</p>

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<p>The most obvious differences include:
urban/ exurban, East Coast/ Midwest/ West Coast, Size/ # students. So where/how do you prefer to live? Both in terms of “micro-climate”- campus & its relation to surrounding areas- and gross geographic region.</p>

<p>Curricularly Reed is an outlier, in that it has a mandatory “Western Civilization” course sequence, mandatory thesis, and known for particularly demanding academics. Not that the others are slackers.</p>

<p>Particular academic areas of interest may be stronger or weaker at various of the colleges.</p>

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<p>Macalester has a great location. Easy access to Minneapolis and St. Paul. A lot of the advantages of being in a city but in a nice neighborhood. You should visit.</p>

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<p>People considering Vassar should proceed directly to the nearest open MRI/CAT scan center.</p>

<p>It is over priced and has a very poor ‘college’ experience…
…although the campus was nice to ride my bike on as a child.</p>

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<p>^^that was rather rude</p>

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<p>No, rude is making people feel like their institution of learning is inferior because it is not ivy league.
That was purely truth. I grew up very close to Vassar, and it simply does not deliver for the price. I have know many people who have gone there, and it does not offer much for a 40k a year price tag.
I never could figure out why people love that college so much… other than, like I said, a very scenic campus.</p>

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<p>As somebody who actually attends Vassar and loves it (and is paying full price), I would advise disregarding the above statement.</p>

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<p>I’ve heard that people at Vassar are mainly hipsters, and a lot are homosexual.
I’ve heard also that driking and smoking is popular, and that Vassar students are a little snobby, and that the social scene sucks.
That’sWhatSheSaid, since you go there, what would you say about these stereotypes? Also, are you really busy with school work all the time (like students at a college like Reed) or do you have free time? Are the academics so challenging that you’re stressed out or are they challenging so that they’re comparable to a sudoku game that you just HAVE to finish? (I know that comparison is… odd.)
Oh, and another thing that I heard was that (in contrast to the above question) was that some students will pull a full night by going to a poetry reading at 6, a play at 7, a movie at 9 and then show up at a party at 11. Or some typical full night like that. Does that happen?
They have an acclaimed English program right? If you know anything about that could you fill me in?
Thank you!!!
!</p>

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<p>People considering Vassar should proceed directly to the nearest open MRI/CAT scan center. It is over priced and has a very poor ‘college’ experience…
…although the campus was nice to ride my bike on as a child.</p>

<p>How would you know it is a very poor college experience if you only rode through campus on a bike as a child? It is perfectly fine to offer critical analysis if you have some experience to base it on. Biking around campus as a 10 year old does not qualify.</p>

<p>Oh, and it would be better if you actually HAD a medical degree in order to send people for MRIs/CAT scans, like my son (Vassar '08) who will be graduating from medical school in 2013. </p>

<p>Guess it wasn’t such a poor ‘college’ experience after all.</p>