<p>OK, since it seems there are already many junior parents here on the board, let's get the discussion going by introducing ourselves. Here are some questions that might help us start helping each other -- My thought is if we know where we all live, what our kids are looking for, and what schools we've all visited, we can share information as we come across it.</p>
<p>Probably would be easiest if we each put our info. on separate pages, instead of trying to "list" them all on one page.</p>
<p>Screen name:
Is your junior male or female:
Home state:
Preferred geographic location for college:
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.):
Child's possible academic interests:
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities:
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there):</p>
<p>Screen name: Carolyn
Is your junior male or female: female</p>
<p>Home state: California</p>
<p>Preferred geographic location for college: Seems like it's "anywhere but California" :)</p>
<p>Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): Wants a quirky and artsy student body, prefers a small liberal arts college.</p>
<p>Child's possible academic interests: history, sociology/psychology, social work, art</p>
<p>Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: Earlham, Beloit, Hendrix, Lewis & Clark, Goucher, UC Santa Cruz.</p>
<p>Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): St. Mary's College of California, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, Willamette, University of Portland, Dickinson, Washington College (MD), Knox College, St. Mary's College of Maryland, Lake Forest (drive through) plus all of the schools above except for Hendrix.</p>
<p>Screen name: echosensei
Student: female
Home state: Michigan
College features: enclave with a city, a middle sized city, or suburban , small to medium sized college, a place where she will feel that she is "normal" she says
Preferred geographic location: North of the Mason-Dixon line, east of the Rockies
Interests: chemistry or physics and vocal performance with musical theater as EC option
List of schools: heaven only knows since this is not well formed yet. Schools mentioned other than those already visited include Oberlin, Carnegie Mellon, Brown, Wesleyan
Schools visited: Northwestern, U of Chicago, Stanford, Columbia/Barnard, Wellesley, Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Amherst</p>
<p>Carolyn, I'm not the parent of a junior, but I have friends who live in CA. Last year their daughter was accepted to Sarah Lawrence and a large CA state U. She elected the CA school but wasn't happy there- lecture classes w/ 600 students. This spring she re-applied to Sarah Lawrence and has been accepted w/ a large aid package. Just a thought.
andi</p>
<p>echosensei, i am interested in the schools that your daughter is interested in. could you tell me some about your visits? (maybe pm would be easier)</p>
<p>I lurk more than post (learning alot but getting less sleep and less accomplished these days!) but will throw my info out there in the interest of full disclosure...</p>
<p>Screen name: musicmomic</p>
<p>Student: female</p>
<p>Home state: IA</p>
<p>College features: No strong opinion -- originally thought she wanted "big" but has warmed to LACs after being advised to go smaller for music performance opportunities</p>
<p>Preferred geographic location: Close enough to allow family to attend performances (e.g., <= 8 hrs by car)</p>
<p>Carolyn, well, as you know I am a parent of a junior but she is graduating this year. I have to say that while I am glad to be done this process, I would have loved to have gone through it with you and had assumed I would be. I will surely stay here and share in you guys' adventures! By the way, I'm wondering if your daughter ever looked into Sarah Lawrence or even Bard. Her list is shaping up!
Susan</p>
<p>Screen name:Audiophile
Is your junior male or female: female
Home state:FL
Preferred geographic location for college: Easy flight from FL, preferably east coast
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): Urban or suburban, medium size,Co-ed!
Child's possible academic interests: undecided
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: Penn, Brandeis, Brown, Duke, Emory, WUSTL, UF (safety)
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): Penn, Brandeis, Brown, walked through Harvard Yard, drove through Princeton</p>
<p>Screen name: MomofWildChild<br>
Student: Wild Child is male
Home state: TX
Preferred geographic location for college: Probably northeast
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): Probably not real small- probably fairly good access to a city but doesn't have to be IN one
Child's possible academic interests: Business, economics
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: Will be competing in his sport in college, so this summer will reveal more about which coaches/programs are a good fit- considering Ivy and Patriot League, among others - also Indiana
Schools we've visited : Cornell, Penn, Colgate, Princeton, Lafayette</p>
<p>Screen name: Thumper1
Is your junior male or female:female
Home state:CT
Preferred geographic location for college:South or West (warm weather)
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): warm weather and the abililty to play and study oboe as a non-music major. Also, good science programs.
Child's possible academic interests: Not sure...
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: Santa Clara U., U of San Diego, U of South Carolina, College of Charleston, Chapman U., and Davidson.
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): U of Richmond, U of South Carolina, College of Charleston, Elon, UNC Greensboro, Guilford, Davidson, Southern Methodist University, U of San Diego, Pepperdine, Chapman, Santa Clara U, Stanford, Claremont McKenna, Wake Forest</p>
<p>Susan, I actually thought of you with some regret while I wrote the original post. Wish you were going to be along for the ride, but glad that your daughter is set (how is she doing by the way?)</p>
<p>Andi, my daughter definitely wants smaller rather than larger. The reason UCSC is the only one of the UC's to make the "possible list" is that it is broken down into smaller "colleges" each with a theme that might give her some of the smaller school feel. I think, however, that it probably will not make it to the final cut, but I would like her to have at least ONE school in California on the list in case she gets cold feet about traveling halfway across the country. We are having a real problem finding "quirky and small" schools in California --- you would think in a state that the rest of the country considers "the land of fruits and nuts" there would be more small liberal (emphasis on the liberal) arts schools. </p>
<p>Musicmom - what was your (and your daughter's) sense of St. Olaf? How were the kids? Daughter had St. Olaf's on her list originally but dropped it when she became convinced, for some reason known only to a 16-year-old, that the people there would be "boring." </p>
<p>Momofthree, I think your son and my daughter are meant to attend the same school, meet, fall in love, and get married. Then you and I can be in-laws. LOL! :) If you make it to Earlham in early July, my daughter will probably be there for their explore-a-college program. Hmmmmmm.....</p>
<p>Sorry to invade the parents' forum, but I really do value your input and advice :) I'm a current junior.
Screen name: nyclyzz
Student: female
Home state: NJ
College features: small LAC, intellectual/ artsy feel, close campus community, not in a city but with access to one
Preferred location: other than not NJ, I'm really all over the map
Interests: so many (I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to pick one major, haha)... history, literature, music (vocal, harp and composition), neuroscience, film, international studies
List of schools: Swarthmore, Pomona, Wellesley, Smith, Scripps, Skidmore
Visited: Swarthmore, Wellesley, Smith, Amherst, Williams, Skidmore, Yale, Harvard, Tufts, Stanford, Georgetown
I can't believe application time is fast approaching?</p>
<p>Screen name: Juana
Is your junior male or female:female
Home state:IL
Preferred geographic location for college:IL or nearby, but wants to look in Wa & NY, too.
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.):urban, residential
Child's possible academic interests:theatre/education (wants to be a fine arts teacher & actor on the side)
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities:just starting the search, but DePaul, if lightning strikes, Northwestern, Ithica, Pitzer, Cornish College for the Arts (Seattle but no dorms)
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there):Pomona, Pitzer, Oxy, UC Berkely, UCSC (dragged along with sister one year older...who finally decided on Grinnell just last Thursday...)
Any advice on choosing / reviewing schools in two disparate disciplines is appreciated!</p>
<p>Screen name: SNORKY
Is your junior male or female: FEMALE
Home state: MICHIGAN
Preferred geographic location for college: MIDWEST
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): SEEMS TO PREFER LARGER "BIG TEN" TYPE SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO INTERESTED IN LARGER LACS
Child's possible academic interests: BUSINESS, MARKETING, ECONOMICS, COMMUNICATIONS (PRE-BUSINESS)
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: MICHIGAN, MICHIGAN STATE, WISCONSIN, KENYON, DENISON, NORTHWESTERN, CORNELL, PENN...IT'S EARLY!
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): WOOSTER, INDIANA, MICHIGAN, MICHIGAN STATE, DENISON, KENYON, HAVERFORD, BRYN MAWR, PENN.</p>
<p>Screen name: Rascal
Is your junior male or female: Male
Home state: VA
Preferred geographic location for college: VA
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): Large
Child's possible academic interests: Economics, Finance, Math, Science
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: UVA, William & Mary, Duke
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): UVA, VA Tech</p>
<p>Ladylazarus, have you looked into Vassar or Wesleyan? I think these fit the profile you gave....just a thought.
Susan</p>
<p>PS...Carolyn, my injured D is doing really well, thanks for asking, don't wanna hog the thread.....is still on crutches a few more weeks...is in physical therapy....is back at school....is in less pain overall....even taught a tap dance somehow a few days ago that she choreographed (don't ask!) even though she can only stand on one foot....</p>
<p>Preferred geographic location for college: east coast</p>
<p>Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): not larger than 10,000; interested in some smaller LAC and some universities; likes defined campus; may or may not play her sport DIII- will apply to some of each</p>
<p>Child's possible academic interests: English; psychology; business </p>
<p>Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: Trinity, Middlebury, Davidson, Furman, Emory, Villanova, Wheaton, Fairfield, Kenyon, Dennison, Rhodes</p>
<p>Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): Amherst, Wesleyan, Trinity, Conn College</p>