<p>Momofthree, There was a girl on our Earlham tour who had a Hendrix sweat shirt on - she was trying to decide between Earlham and Hendrix and said they were similiar enough that she was having a tough time. Our tour guide piped up at that moment and said he had a close friend at Hendrix who he had visited several times and he also thought the two schools were very similiar.</p>
<p>As for the faculty interaction, on the day we visited Earlham there were tons of visiting prospective students - about 60 in fact. So, it may just have been that there wasn't much chance to interact with the professors. The students seemed to like the faculty quite a bit at Earlham and told us about eating over at faculty houses, etc. But the attention the two professors gave to my daughter at Beloit was truly remarkable. IF that's the way Beloit faculty interact with students, then it has to be one of the best "Bargains" in the country.</p>
<p>Two other things to note: Earlham is currently need blind but is considering moving to a "need sensitive" admissions policy. They also do not promise to meet all financial need of accepted students. Beloit is not need blind but does promise to meet all financial need. They also have a reputation for being particularly generous with merit awards.</p>
<p>Dstark - LOL! Yes, you're right. However, remember, this was a drawing class where students were working on drawing a still life. Not quite the same as a teacher leaving students in mid-lecture to show my daughter around. </p>
<p>I recall the Collegiate Choice video of Beloit where teachers kept stopping to talk to the tour guide and were greeting her by name. I also was impressed when the history chair started enthusiastically describing some interesting research projects done by individual students and mentioned some personal facts about them that led me to believe he really "knew" them.</p>
<p>As for there being a school that combines the best of Earlham and Beloit, I sense that Whitman College and Grinnell might come close. Both, unfortunately, would be reaches for my daughter.</p>
<p>Beloit was one of my D's match/safety schools, but one she definitely could have loved it & been happy to attend.</p>
<p>The personal outreach we got, particularly from the coach, was phenomenal. The admission rep also interviewed my D over the phone for about an hour when considering her for merit aid. She personally connected with both these men and really liked them.</p>
<p>We felt a little sad having to say "No, thanks" to Beloit. The run a really superior school-- an environment where kids can turn their learning up to full boil.</p>
<p>She was awarded $10K a year in merit aid (with 1350 SATs.)</p>
<p>Hey Carolyn, welcome back!--very enjoyable reading. Earlham sounds amazing the way you describe it--I can tell you really like it. The Quaker philosophy, inspite of the pie throwing incident, seems to be coming through in the friendliness and welcoming attitude of the kids there. </p>
<p>Dstark's post makes me curious--Is your D going to have any of what you consider reaches on her list?--Not that she needs to, just asking!</p>
<p>Mstee and Dstark - I would say that Lewis and Clark and Earlham are both reaches for her. Beloit and Goucher are probably matches, not safeties. Some might think I am being cautious but her lack of "traditional" extracurriculars, the bump in her sophomore year grades, probable low math SAT scores, and only 2.5 years of science are going to work against her, in my opinion. I do wish she could find one real safety somewhere and one good solid match/safety in California just in case but so far no luck. If her SAT scores surprise us (which I don't expect), I might take her to see Whitman. But right now, I would say Whitman is a high reach for her. Grinnell would be out of reach even if her SATs soar, in my opinion, simply because the grades aren't there.</p>
<p>Carolyn, I have a friend who was accepted into Lewis and Clark with a 3.3 and a 26 ACT. I know another person that got into the school with a 3.3 this year.
If I remember your daughter right, L&C and Earlham aren't reaches.
Goucher is close to a safety.</p>
<p>I suggested to my daughter she apply to reaches. She didn't want to, but did anyway. Good thing she didn't care because she didn't get into any. :)</p>
<p>Anyway, this is your daughter's chance. If she wants to apply to reaches, she should. The worst thing that will happen is she will be rejected at those schools. With you as her mom, she won't have to worry about having any safeties. :)</p>
<p>Thanks Dstark. I am probably being overly cautious but you never know. A recap: my daughter has an unweighted GPA of 3.4, weighted it's about a 3.6 - might be slightly higher by the end of this semester. Based on her PSAT scores and practice tests, I expect she'll end up with a math SAT in the low to mid 500's <em>ugh</em>, a reading score in the low to mid 600's, and a writing score in the mid 600's to low 700's. But that's just a guess, we'll know more next week. </p>
<p>Her EC's are not very traditional - lots of art related things, horseback riding, dedicated community service to one organization, a few minor clubs, no real leadership roles. She did surprise me by doing very well on her interviews this week - she pointed out to all of the adcoms that she lives 45 minutes from her school and thus hasn't been able to participate in as many EC's as she would like (she thought that up on her own). And, she got good laughs from all of the adcoms by telling them how her Mom is finally letting her take an adult nude figure drawing class this month at a local museum. :) </p>
<p>She is a good, kind kid and I think she comes across as such in interviews and will also do so in recommendations. That will be a plus for her but won't overcome the bump in her grades or lower SAT scores. :(</p>
<p>Carolyn, what are her potential reaches? Whitman? Grinnell? Skidmore?
If she applies to Goucher and does a good job on her app, and doesn't get in, I will eat one shoe.</p>
<p>Based on how you describe your daughter (as an intellectual, inquisitive young lady), I think you should give those high reaches a shot anyways. They are schools that probably understand her EC's and grades much more than the traditional ultra-prestigious and ultra-selective college. Either way, I've already gotten in to college and I love reading your trip reports :)</p>
<p>Carolyn: thanks so much for the trip report although I have to say that as an Indiana resident it wouldn't hurt if there were some Hoosiers around Earlham, LOL!</p>
<p>You know what I love best about your daughter's potential schools? That her dream school ISN'T a Harvard, Yale, etc. It's all relative. I think you're being realistic about her admissions chances (although I would say throw in a few reaches as well - you never know and if you're realistic enough, it's ok in the long run). She's looking for the school that's perfect for her and you are supporting that "dream" all the way. </p>
<p>Reading the acceptance threads is wonderful - I'm thrilled for all the kids and their parents. But it IS intimidating to those of us who don't have the kids who get merit scholarships from some of the most elite schools in the country. We're just trying to find the best place for our own unique child and I love how you're following that path!!</p>
<p>My wife and I LOVED Earlham, but S didn't - go figure! He didn't apply. We visited last summer so there were few students. However, everyone was very friendly. Our tour took us through the Physics department where a professor came out of his office and talked to us for about 15 minutes. I got the impression there was lots of interaction between students and teachers. Everyone is on a first name basis, including students and teachers, or the college president for that matter; it's a Quaker "thing" :). We were also told that students do not raise their hands to speak in class. They just get used to speaking out and taking turns. My wife loves horses and made a point of checking out the stables. She definitely wants to go to school there!!........ but alas, it is not her turn.</p>
<p>Mini, of course you were on my mind at many points during our visit at Earlham. Earlham certainly isn't the place for everyone, but for someone like my daughter who has always followed her own zig-zag path, values community and friendship, and is looking to discover her own place in the world, I think Earlham would be a wonderful place to grow up. </p>
<p>In the admissions office, they have these big thick books full of business cards from alumni and both my daughter and I enjoyed looking through them and seeing everything from a professional puppeteer to department heads at major universities. Not a whole lot of hard charging corporate executives in the bunch, but lots of career paths I could imaging my daughter taking (hopefully she will rule out puppeteer though :) ).</p>
<p>Fredo, we both liked Indiana --- nice state. Now, southern Illinois could use a bit of excitement and a few roadside attractions. :) Daughter thought it was hysterical that the highlight of our travels through Illinois was the rest stop that was awarded a prize for being the best maintained rest stop in the state. It WAS clean.</p>
<p>Dstark, don't get the ketshup out just yet. Goucher actually has a lower admit rate than the other schools and gets about double the number of applicants. I guess it is due to its location.</p>
<p>Daughter may add some reaches to her list after we get her SAT scores back, but, knowing her, they won't be the ones I would expect. :)</p>
<p>Re: Match-safeties in California (and I humbly suggest these, being as you are the queen of this knowledge :)) Wouldn't virtually any Cal State be a safety? (Sonoma State, SF State, Sac State, Channel Islands, etc?) </p>
<p>Private: what about U of Pacific, Whittier, Redlands, Loyola Marymount, Saint Mary's or Mills? Loyola has a very nurturing reputation as well. Oxy as a reach?</p>
<p>Are you worried about UCs, re the science? Because I could also see her at UCSC. The residential college thing breaks down the size more, and it's already small for a UC. </p>
<p>I am assuming "quirky" might preclude a Christian college, but if not Westmont, Point Loma, Cal Lutheran, etc would surely be match territory.</p>
<p>Your D is the a kid who will be <em>sure</em> not to have too few realistic schools come September!!</p>
<p>I am paying strict attention because my son (13) will need to know about these same sorts of schools.</p>
<p>Thanks for the great reports! Your impressions of Earlham are very similar to ours. Although the food was pretty horrible during the summer. The students kept assuring her that there were plenty of vegan options during the regular school year (there weren't in the summer) and that the food was better all around. It was nice to hear that it seemed pretty good to you. </p>
<p>Earlham is on the very top of my daughter's list. We are just awaiting the fin. aid info. If it comes back OK it will, according to D, be the easiest decision she's ever made :)</p>
<p>SBmom - yes, any of the cal states would be a safety but the only one that she has even considered is Humboldt State because it is smaller and has a more residential feel. UCSC is still being tossed back and forth - if she wants to apply there she needs to get her act together about taking the SAT II's which she would prefer not to have to do as none of the other schools she's looking at require them. She has mentioned the University of ORegon as a possibility as well because she loved Oregon.</p>
<p>We've visited or talked about most of the private schools you mentioned - USF, USD, St. Mary's of California, Mills, Redlands, Pepperdine, Pitzer and Oxy. For one reason or another none have really appealed to her. Pitzer and Oxy might be good reaches but she is philosphically opposed to Oxy because her grandparents, a great grandparent, an aunt, and several cousins all went there. Pitzer is kind of so-so to her. </p>
<p>So, really, it comes down to Humboldt and UCSC. I'm going to have to talk to her a bit about the SAT IIs pretty quick here but right now she and I are both pretty burnt out about colleges. :)</p>