<p>Our daughter has narrowed it down to Oberlin and Knox--her main reason for applying to both of them is their creative programs. </p>
<p>Does anyone know which college/program is stronger? Please share specific experiences with either/both school.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Oberlin grads and thus, the alumni support network is much broader than at Knox, which has a great regional reputation. But at the undergrad level in creative writing, these do not matter so much as quality of instruction, which is probably about equivalent at both schools. I’d advise finding out what percentage of the classes are taught by full-timers as opposed to adjuncts and making the decision based on that.</p>
<p>Sorry to hijack the parents’ forum, but Knox’s is seen as one of the best undergraduate creative writing programs in the country, so on that alone I’d say Knox.</p>
<p>One of S1’s good friends attends Knox (senior now). She has had an amazing experience and has published several creative writing pieces as well as has done a great deal of work for regional newspapers. Don’t know much about Oberlin.</p>
<p>Oberlin’s is widely regarded as one of the best (and oldest) creative writing programs in the country. Just some names who have graduated from it: Ishmael Beah, Franz Wright (Pulitzer Prize in poetry), Gary Shteyngart, John Wray, Tracy Chevalier, Myla Goldberg, Thisbe Nissen, MacArthur Prize-winner Thylias Moss… Oberlin is also home of Oberlin College Press and FIELD, one of the most important literary magazines in the country. See more information here: [Overview</a> - Oberlin College](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative_writing/]Overview”>http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative_writing/)</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about Knox’s program, so can’t compare them.</p>
<p>Knox and Oberlin both have amazing creative writing programs (“best in the country”), so unless your D has a particular teacher preference, the decision should come down to other factors. Oberlin is more liberal than Knox, and larger in size. Knox has more flexible/fewer distribution requirements. Etc.</p>