My daughter is looking to stay in 3- 4 hours of the NY Metro area and looking for a non-preppy low(er) pressure college. She is a solid B student, higher lately, but I’d rather see her explore the experience than be under academic pressure, as we are in a very competitive HS in Westchester. Disorganized and quirky, interested in psychology and studio art. thanks!
Bennington College, in Bennington, Vermont. It was one of the two top contenders for my older daughter. (She ended up going to school in southern California.)
Bennington seems to fit. For a few other colleges to consider, look into Sarah Lawrence, Bard, Wheaton (MA) and Purchase.
SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Purchase might be options. If a smaller school is OK perhaps Bard, Goucher, Clark, and Sarah Lawrence.
Skidmore immediately comes to mind, but it may be a slight reach for a B student.
Alfred is well worth a look, though it’s a bit outside the 4 hour radius from NYC. Their ceramics program is particularly highly regarded.
Definitely check out Bard!!
Alfred has great studio art.
Skidmore does sounds like a good fit depending on finances and test scores.
Great suggestions above. Also Hampshire College. Might be what you are looking for. Also, it is a member of the Five College Consortium–with Smith (female), Mount Holyoke (female), Amherst, and U Mass Amherst. Students can take classes and take advantage of opportunities at the other schools. Location is good too–not too far from NYC. And Northampton and Amherst are nice college towns, to my mind. I don’t know about the studio art side, so you’d have to check that out.
https://www.hampshire.edu/academics/the-five-college-consortium
I’d definitely hold off on Hampshire until they figure out their finances or find a university to partner with them. They are basically not taking a freshman class this fall and are laying off lots of professors. Sounds pretty dire.
I’d check out Bard, maybe Bryn Mawr, Sarah Lawrence, maybe Union College.
Wow, did not know that about Hampshire.
Muhlenberg Mt Holyoke too
Is she interested in the clinical aspects of psychology, and in potentially combining her areas of interest by studying/practicing in the field of art therapy? A masters degree is needed to practice in this field but a number of schools have pre-professional majors that allow undergraduates to begin focusing in that direction. https://arttherapy.org/art-therapy-undergraduate-doctoral-programs/ (Although a traditional art or psychology major, or a double-major, or a major+minor, can also be fine preparation to study art therapy at the graduate level.)
I would agree with Bennington. She should also look at Smith. Wherever she applies she should plan to submit an art portfolio as a supplement to her application.
How about Hartwick
Ursinus College in PA. Goucher came to mind, but they are making shifts in the Art department.
@CheleChili , if she tests well, Ursinus has also upped scholarships
I second Sarah Lawrence.
Budget?
Could you afford the Expected Family Contributions at schools mentioned above?
If not, and if you are a NY state resident, check out SUNY schools (including Geneseo if you want a small state school). Small OOS public schools that might be relatively affordable include St. Mary’s College of Maryland and (if you’re willing to travel farther) New College of Florida. My impression a few years ago was that St. Mary’s had decent psych and fine art programs. It has the look/feel of a NESCAC liberal arts college but may be more affordable and less intense. Nice rural waterfront campus.
Check out the Colleges that Change Lives
https://ctcl.org/
Note that studio art at Bryn Mawr is actually taken at Haverford down the road through Bi-College consortium.
Clark is well known for Psych, and also for quirky! I think it is in the Colleges that Change Lives book, as well.