Would appreciate the CC community’s advice re: mapping out a manageable college tour of schools in the NE for my D19, as we are not familiar with the area at all. We’ll also need to take possible bad weather into account, as the one week she has available to travel is in late Feb.
Background: D19 has a 4.0 UW, rigorous curriculum, interested in majoring in biology and/or chemistry. She dances in a pre-professional ballet school and wants to continue dancing recreationally in college, though she may shift her focus more to modern at that point. She also has a longstanding interest in deaf studies, and opportunities to pursue that further would be a bonus.
Several of the women’s (or formerly women’s) colleges she’s researched sound like they’d be right up her alley - strong science programs, dance for non-majors, socially conscious. We know we’d like to visit Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Vassar… what else would it make sense to see in a week? Barnard? Bryn Mawr? Maybe Princeton? (I’ve heard the advice to avoid visiting the super-reaches unless your kid’s already been admitted, but if we’re going to go all that way and it’s right there…)
I have lots of practical questions, too, about which airports to use and whether we could take trains vs. driving… but maybe those should wait till we have an agenda.
Thanks for whatever guidance you can offer!
That’s a possibility. I was hesitant to include them b/c they don’t have much in the way of dance (or so I’ve read on CC)… but you sometimes see Wellesley students listed in the Harvard Ballet Company, so they must have some arrangement.
Wellesley students can also take classes at MIT, so there is a possibility of being involved in some of the arts activities there, but I don’t know for sure.
As a New Englander and as a parent who drove from Atlanta back to NE and Chicago back to NE on two separate college tours this past year my advice is not to overbook for a February trip. Put together a list of colleges and rank them in order you want to see. This will definitely be a driving trip as there are no direct train routes from Smith to Vassar for example. In New England it is all about the drive LOL!
Would suggest start by flying into Boston ( can check Providence/ Manchester (NH) and Hartford too but most likely least expensive will be Boston). I am happy to help you map out a route once you have your colleges listed. Basically start in Boston/Wellesley area and then work your way down the pike to Smith/Holyoke then down to Vassar( Marist is a beautiful school as well, not sure where they are with your academic interests.) Then end up at Princeton and fly out from there.
Rental cars can be more expensive if you go one way but it would not make sense to go from Boston to Princeton and then drive back. To factor in weather I would not schedule more than 1 school a day if you are touring, unless you have 2 right next to each other or 1 is a tour and 1 is a pop on the campus stop.
Keep me posted…happy to help!
As fond as I am of Princeton, I’ve never heard of anyone pursuing deaf studies or much dance there either. At least in the past, there wasn’t much. You might also consider the different stats-ar Wellesley if she does early decision there is a 44% acceptance rate but Princeton’s SCEA rate is only 18%. Both rates would include legacies and recruited athletes, so unhooked rates are actually quite a bit lower.
I know this isn’t on your radar screen… but what about Northwestern?
My D1 flew in to Philadelphia to visit Bryn Mawr. Then took a flight to Hartford and drove to see Smith and MHC. Then back to Hartford to fly home. Strongly recommend interviewing and, if you do visit Bryn Mawr, triple confirm they know you are coming.
Thank you, @MinnieFan! Those are very practical suggestions, much appreciated. My D likes the idea of starting out with a visit to Wellesley, then ending up in New York and maybe catching a show. (That way she’ll have a fun memory from the trip even if none of the schools work out.)
@BearHouse, it doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to squeeze Bryn Mawr in on this trip. How did your daughter think it compared to the other schools she visited?
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
Not in NE, but great women’s college.
You could do all of them easily if the weather cooperates. I would start at Smith/ Mt. Holyoke (since they are at the top of the list), drive to Vassar (2 or so hours), onto Barnard ( less than 2 hours), than onto Bryn Mawr ( also less than 2 hours.) You could take a train from NYC to Phila, but I think that would take more time and be more of a hassle.
@Curiosa She wanted to like Bryn Mawr but the visit was not a good one and she ended up not applying. She loved Smith and MHC. Smith and MHC were her top two choices. However, she chose Smith because of the open curriculum, house culture, and NoHo. Northampton is a fun little town.
I think interviewing at Smith and MHC is worth doing. They are student run interviews and very casual. She came away with better insight as to campus culture, opportunities, and the like.
I like that plan, @MomOf3DDs. And if she’s worn out by the end, I’ll just go on those last tours without her and give her the highlights afterward. 
Definitely include Bryn Mawr (good dance and strong in sciences) and Barnard (strong dance). Bonus to both is their connection to coed schools that offer more options academically as well. Bryn Mawr’s bi-college relationship with Haverford (make time to swing by there as well. It’s only a few minutes away and she could also apply there and still be part of dance at Bryn Mawr) and Quaker Consortium w/ Penn, Haverford, Swarthmore. Barnard and its relationship with Columbia.
@Curiosa - I agree with @doschicos’s advice above. Barnard has an extremely strong dance program, and so does Princeton. A friend of mine who attends Smith loves its dance program. You might want to post this question in the Women’s College’s thread as well.
Another route you might consider: fly into Philadelphia, rent a car to visit area colleges, then head to Princeton, next into NYC to visit Barnard, then travel up the Hudson Valley to visit Vassar, and then up to Pioneer Valley to see Mt. Holyoke, Smith and finally head to Wellesely. You can fly home out of Boston. Best of luck!
@Curiosa - Barnard pretty much has everything your daughter is seeking - excellent science classes offered both at Barnard and Columbia, an extremely strong dance program, with access to as many studio dance classes in the city as one could hope. Teachers College offers a program in Deaf Studies (Teachers College, Columbia University) - but you will have to contact the school to see if your daughter can take classes there as an undergraduate.
All of the womens’ colleges have very strong science programs. It is a question of whether they offer everything else she is looking for, as well as being the right “fit” for her. Best of luck.
In addition to some of the schools listed above, Connecticut College fits the profile.
Thank you to everyone for your input! This is shaping up to be a fun road trip (standard disclaimer, if the weather cooperates). Any suggestions for places to stay / eat?
Smith/Holyoke to Vassar to Barnard over 2-3 days? It’s not far between those at all, Vassar is just a slight detour from Amherst area to NYC.
Amtrak serves Smith and Barnard, Vassar is on the Metro North commuter rail line from NYC. Peter Pan bus goes from NYC to Smith/Holyoke also.