Northeast schools for son who likes Grinnell and U of C

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi all,
We are from the midwest and trying to decide which schools to visit in New England with my HS junior son who loved Grinnell and U of C. He has also visited Oberlin, Carleton and Macalaster and liked them all ok but preferred Grinnell and U of C. He is somewhat nerdy/quirky/interesting and wants somewhere academically stimulating with discussion-based learning that is friendly and accepting but "not too hippie-ish or save the world" ish. He is not interested in athletics and is not artsy, prefers to sit around discussing philosophy or politics or be in nature. He says he wants to major in Chemistry but does not want to be premed; he is also interested in history, writing, philosophy and religion. </p>

<p>His first try on the ACT was a 33 but he just took it a second time and thinks he might have done even better. His unweighted GPA is 3.57 which is affected by his having ADD and being disorganized which results in some B's where he was capable of As. We are thinking he is likely to get into Grinnell but not U of C (?) and are looking for one or two other "stretch schools" and a couple others that he will probably get in to. We plan to fly into Boston and will have 2-3 days for looking, we are thinking Wesleyan and Conneticut College on one day and maybe Amherst and Hampshire? Or maybe Tufts? We have relatives near Boston and in Western MA. Any advice much appreciated. thanks!</p>

2

<p>Be sure to figure out the cost constraints and run net price calculators before the application list is made. Don’t wait until April to find out that he has no affordable choices.</p>

<p>He should find a safety school that he will be admitted to and can afford to attend as the first school for his application list. Of course, it must be a school that he likes.</p>

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<p>Here are a couple schools that have academic, intellectually stimulating environments where students tend to be interested in what they’re studying. Some of these, like Wesleyan and Sarah Lawrence, might be veering into the “save the world” category. Wesleyan, Sarah Lawrence and Bard all fit the ‘hippie’ category, too - but that’s not a reason not to look into the schools! By the way, though your S has solid stats, I wouldn’t depend on him getting into Grinnell. Its acceptance rate plunged to around 25% this year. </p>

<p>-Bard College.
-Swarthmore College.
-Wesleyan University (You did mention it, but giving it my bump!)
-Haverford College.
-Sarah Lawrence College.</p>

<p>One of the difficulties with your criteria is that there does tend to be a significant overlap between ‘intellectual’, ‘artsy’, and ‘save the world’ type schools. Though Grinnell isn’t particularly artsy, it has a reputation for being committed to social justice - similarly, though Wesleyan does have a fairly intellectual culture, it’s also known as an ‘artsy’ school. Swarthmore really seems like an environment your kid would do well in (Very intellectual, but not particularly artsy or ‘hippie’). But Swarthmore’s a very high reach given your Son’s stats. </p>

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<p>Sarah Lawrence would not really be suitable for a student who wants to major in or otherwise go deeply into chemistry. Chemistry offerings are very limited: <a href=“http://www.slc.edu/catalogue/natural-sciences-and-mathematics/chemistry/”>http://www.slc.edu/catalogue/natural-sciences-and-mathematics/chemistry/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“American Chemical Society”>American Chemical Society; can help you find schools with American Chemical Society approved chemistry majors.</p>

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<p>You may want to add Williams, Bates, Bowdoin and Middlebury</p>

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<p>

What fogcity said.</p>

<p>Grinnell and U of C seem to me quite different from each other so it’s hard to come up with a list with attributes of both, but I don’t see your initial list as being quite on target. Conn College may not be intellectual enough;: Wesleyan and Hampshire too activist; Amherst and Tufts maybe, but they may be more competitive than he wants. </p>

<p>I’d say Swarthmore is most like Chicago but not at all like Grinnell. Haverford is a lot like Grinnell (but suburban) but not at all like Chicago.</p>

<p>I like Williams for your son because it’s less ideological and more philosophical. The kids are very bright but in an understated way. Excellent sciences and overall academics. Plenty of nature to be in which defines the culture. All of these LACs have nurturing student-focused teaching, but Williams tutorial system is unique. A reach, though.</p>

<p>I’d add Hamilton to fogcity’s list. Another nature rich campus with a solidly smart and friendly student body. Also Colby which is somewhat less selective.</p>

<p>If your finances allow, your son should apply ED (or EA to Chicago if that’s his first choice). It carries a lot of weight at these schools. As do ECs.</p>

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<p>Columbia is the firs that comes to mind. Think of applying there. </p>

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<p>From visiting every school that was mentioned so far I would say (with distinct personal impression): </p>

<p>Amherst (nice balance of all kinds of students, quite intellectual, eclectic)
Williams (somewhat more outdoorsy than Amherst but similar in student body)
Middlebury (very outdoorsy)
Hamilton (a little more pre-professional)
Wesleyan (hipster)
Bowdoin (much like Amherst) </p>

<p>Less selective:
Bard (independent)
Hampshire (very hipster) </p>

<p>I sound very much like your son and I’m headed for Amherst this fall :slight_smile: </p>

<p>I liked Hamilton a lot too, but in the end decided that it was too remote (Williams and middlebury were not on my short list for the same reason.)
I found bates and Wesleyan too artsy/hisptery.
Colby, Connecticut college, and Colgate on the other hand seemed too preppy to me. Bowdoin just didn’t impress me for some odd reason, just wasn’t getting the “vibe” :slight_smile: </p>

<p>If you are considering the Midwest as well:
Carleton
Kenyon (loved loved loved it)</p>

<p>And safetyish the college of Wooster (I also loved!). </p>

<p>Good luck! </p>

9

<p>^I second Kenyon and Carleton but they may be reaches.
All the obvious Eastern colleges seem to have been named except Skidmore and Clark. :slight_smile:
Outside the East, look into Earlham, Lewis&Clark, Eckerd, Wooster. Different vibes but likely merit at all.
Don’t know if you could afford it but your son sounds like he’d love William&Mary.</p>

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<p>What U of C is being discussed here? Conn? Cinti? Chicago? Calgary?</p>

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<p>New College of FL sounds like a match, if he’s willing to consider Florida. It’s also affordable, if finances are a concern. I would also look at Bard and Vassar. Swarthmore and Haverford sound ideal for him. Goucher would probably be a match. These are all outside of the New England area, of course. Is Bennington too hippie? Are you open to the West Coast? Reed has a lot of the features you’re interested in. </p>

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<p>Thank-you very much to all who replied, I appreciate your taking the time very much. To answer one question I was referring to University of Chicago. I have asked him a bunch what it is about U of Chicago and Grinnell since they are so different and he says both have the academic rigor and “friendly nerds”; also both gave him the feeling he would find a group to belong to. We are adding many of the schools suggested to the list. We are good with midwest schools and no he is not considering the west coast. Claims he doesn’t want Maine either. Thanks again.</p>

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<p>Come back and let us know what he thinks after the visits.</p>

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<p>@wkgmomx3 I am late to the party but wanted to add my 2 cents since your son sounds so much like my D! You’re getting good suggestions here. I’ll second the recommendation to look at Hampshire as a safety school. Although @Americanhopee lists it with Bard, I’d classify it as easier to get into than Bard. By the way, I hope you do go look at Bard. We did it on the same trip as the Hampshire/Amherst area schools. I think it’s about 2 hours from there. It’s definitely the sort of intellectual culture that sounds like it would appeal to him. Not sporty or fratty at all, although maybe not quite as laid back friendly as Hampshire. If he DOES like Bard, have him do the IDP (Immediate Decision Plan) next fall. The acceptance rate through that is MUCH higher than RD, and it’s a fun and intellectual experience, gives him a great sense of the school, and is a very early, non-binding admission decision. All good things!</p>

<p>I also agree with @momrath about Connecticut College. I don’t think it’ll prove intellectual enough. My D’s main criteria in choosing her college list was that the students were really engaged, passionate, and intellectual. Her favorite thing is to sit around having the sort of intellectual discussions that sometimes make my hear hurt :slight_smile: We visited Conn College and she was turned off. She felt like it was just like her high school, with some smart kids but most who were just there because it was expected of them, and she sensed a higher level of apathy than at other schools we visited. Of course you may have a different experience but that was our takeaway.</p>

<p>I’m a little worried that folks are suggesting too many reach schools for a 3.57 uw GPA (Bowdoin? Williams? Amherst?) Even with the high ACT and the ADD explanation. My D had similar experience. Definitely choose some of them, especially since many of these schools ARE genuinely holistic and not as by-the-numbers as big universities, but I think you need some more matches and safeties too.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>@wkgmomx3 I’ll also echo the Skidmore recommendation. It’s a good mix of intellectual kids along with serious artists, sporty kids, etc. Although their acceptance rate is dropping, still might be a match or slightly reachy match (depending on your son’s ECs and course rigor.) One year we did one loop tour to include the Amherst area schools, Bard, and Skidmore. Skidmore also has good need-based aid, if you qualify for it.</p>

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<p>My S, who attends Grinnell, is your son’s East Coast mirror image… I have a number of thoughts for you based on our experience.</p>

<p>If you are going to look at the most selective NESCACs, then first be sure that he is in the top 10% of his class and has a high record of achievement in an EC, and if he doesn’t, then that he fits some institutional need (such as low-income, ethnic diversity, first gen, geographic location). His top test score is not going to be enough, I’ll be perfectly frank. That having been said, I would check your school’s Naviance (do you have it?) because perhaps your school will get different kids in than what I’ve said above – and it also depends on where in the midwest you live – if it’s Chicago area, then don’t count on that as geographic diversity. If it’s a state where very few kids go to these schools, then that is a factor in his favor. Not saying don’t reach, but please be realistic in what these LACs are looking for to craft their class.</p>

<p>My son did the Bard IDP, and because of that experience, it kept the school on his list right up to the very end. On his first campus visit (spring junior year), he was lukewarm, but after sitting in that seminar in fall of senior year (they simulate a Bard classroom for the kids applying; they have some reading to do for it first) he came out sky-high on the school. A third visit (on April 30th!) led to his final decision to attend Grinnell – and he based it entirely on perceived fit with student body. Just a sense that he would make more friends at Grinnell. </p>

<p>I had same reaction for Conn College as posters above, and one of the weird ways I figured this out was by looking at the list of clubs: there just didn’t seem to be enough offbeat and intellectual sounding options. This was a few years ago now, so perhaps that’s changed.</p>

<p>I think Tufts and Brandeis are good options. We didn’t visit Haverford, but from what I’ve heard, that’s one to consider. Hamilton should probably be on the list, but we never visited or applied for various reasons. We looked at Skidmore and Vassar for my artsy daughter, but didn’t for my son (can’t recall why, but maybe because Bard seemed a better fit for him) but those would probably be good to add. A male who is not interested in the arts, but presents an EC that would add a little more diversity to campus life, actually would be a good prospect for those two schools, because it goes against the grain of the competition. </p>

<p>Another aspect to consider is the services the school will offer and their attitude towards accommodating students with disabilities. If your son doesn’t have it documented or currently get services, my suggestion is not to dismiss it now but to get him as prepared as possible beforehand with time management skills to handle the rigor and the open-ended nature of college work. </p>

<p>I am happy to discuss anything further via pm, particularly if Grinnell remains high on the list as you go on. I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful with East Coast schools - ironically, for a kid with your son’s profile, I am a big booster of the Midwest schools over the LACs we have here. It may reflect a bias as well towards my son (and me for him) wanting to experience a different vibe than his home base. </p>

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<p>I attended UofC, and one of the schools that I wish I’d known about when I was applying is Kalamazoo College. I visited friends there a couple of times during college, and I loved all the people I met there. They were all smart and engaged and definitely “friendly nerds.” They were very similar to all of my favorite people at Chicago. One time I visited everyone was finishing their (required?) senior theses and I got to hear everyone talk with enthusiasm about all the cool things they’d written about. Not in the northeast, but I think it deserves a mention, and it’s less reachy than many of the schools mentioned above.</p>

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<p>I’ll agree with the above poster who said that the 3.57 UW GPA is a problem. Sure, the 33 ACT is great, but the GPA is the limiting factor here. Unless there is a strong upward trend, meaning mostly A’s junior and senior year, the top tier are unlikely as the student will not have demonstrated the ability to work at the uppermost levels that those schools require - they simply aren’t going to give any student a pass, with or without ADD. Take a shot at the top schools, sure, but your focus needs to be on schools that accept the 3.5-3.7 student. There are plenty, and they’d love to see the 33 ACT - which could mean some merit dollars, and that might be a positive.</p>

<p>I wonder if a place like Colorado College might be a good fit? It’s unconventional, in that they only take one course at a time - so it’s super intense, but for someone disorganized it would eliminate the problem of juggling the work in four classes. There’s only one class at any one time to worry about, so that’s all you have to work on. It’s pretty much THE dream school for those who love the outdoors. No, it’s obviously not in the Northeast, but it might be worth a look just on paper to see if he’d be interested in it or a school like it.</p>