<p>As I get a bit older, and I look at the arguments for/against the USNWR rankings, and individual programs, and the percentages that go on to grad school, SAT scores, and blah blah blah...I have come to decide that those things don't interest me in choosing a school as much as personal fit.
Now don't get me wrong, I realize that it is important to gage possible acceptance and to "shoot for the best", but this information doesn't give me anything about the school. I want a school with an amazing fit. I want an amazing campus, fairly close proximity to a city, students with similar interests in music, film, art, or whatever. I want interaction with open-minded and still intelligent teachers, I want to discuss things in class, loose track of time in the class room, and enjoy french house-music-parties on the weekend...ok, this last one might not be a determining factor but it would be nice.
If I am choosing a home for the next 2-3 years (I'm a transfer BTW), I want it to be a place that inspires me, and fits my mold. Anyway, I think it might be a good idea for each of us to explain a few things about our likes/dislikes and desires for college (besides rankings and specialized programs, at least for this exercise). if any posters have good spots to research a schools Fit Factors, also spill those beans.</p>
<p>anyway...schools that seem to fit my factors (as seen above)
Reed (except they don't except spring transfers! blah!)
Vassar
Bard
Hampshire
Sarah Lawrence (although, I'm scared of this one)
Oberlin</p>
<p>I know a girl that just applied to the exact same schools minus SLC and Vassar and got into all 5 (UVM Honors the fifth). Oberlin was too rural and Cleveland wasn't the city she's looking for, Hampshire too care-free w/o the intellectual rigor, so she's going after visiting them all w/ what I think is the best of the lot-- Reed. Have you looked at St John's (Annapolis or Sante Fe)?</p>
<p>-physical appearance of campus (sounds superficial but i like aesthetically pleasing campuses)
-Prevalence of Greek Life (or strong party scene)
-Political persuasion (I don't want an uber liberal-activist campus)
-School spirit (whether this be influenced by team sports or not)
-Climate (it either needs to be warm/temperate or snowy and near a ski mountain)
-Closed campus (not open throughout a city a la NYU)</p>
<p>Schools that top my list include Dartmouth, Virginia, UNC, and Duke</p>
<p>I would consider a closed campus to be one that is self-contained where there is a distinction between the campus and the surrounding city--I just feel that that would allow for more interaction between fellow students and a community environment. Although I have not been to Penn and Columbia, from my understanding of the schools I believe the campuses are self-contained in this regard.</p>
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Have you looked at St John's (Annapolis or Sante Fe)?
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<p>I have not actually. I don't know anything about it but will look into that.</p>
<p>the other thing to add is, my name is adam and I am a guy but my school choices tend to be women's colleges previously, or pretty female populated. go figure.</p>
<p>oh, and give suggestions and ask questions to anyone. the more communication the better.</p>
<p>As far as websites, I liked s t u d e n t s r eview.com (not always accurate, but you can get a pretty good idea from it) and TheU.com (cool videos and other neat things).</p>
<p>Bennington sounds like a possible fit, though not really close to a city. Albany is not too exciting, though people do go back and forth from NYC and Boston all the time. Everything else on your list I can attest to.</p>
<p>By closed campus do you mean a college university where the campus resources and facilities are for use by members of the school's academic community (faculty, staff, students) only, where you must show your school ID to enter any campus building?</p>
<p>Hahahaaa. Your list of schools shows that you are a free spirit and free thinker who wants an out-of-the-box experience so I'm a bit surprised you're assuming that someone else's experiences of these schools will tell you much about how you would feel there. I went to Sarah Lawrence and it was way too strange for me socially. They did have- tiny classes, lots of interaction with professors (good) but really neurotic students frojm strange backgrouds, bad social life, very little community spirit, a campus that clears out almost completely on weekends (bad). </p>
<p>With all schools, you have to read the students' comments between the lines, talk to anyone you can who goes there. Then, when you have the list narrowed, you have to visit and even then you won't know in a day or two what it would be like to be there all the time. But it's better than trying to figure it out from afar.</p>
<p>to mest: I have checked out Bennington but all of the horror stories have scared me a bit. I might have to look into it again.</p>
<p>to Liek: looks like you might be just a few hours away, PA and California aren't really next door neighbors. are you currently in college or what?</p>
<p>to Joan B: the point of the thread was more to pin your own personality close to someone else (EXAMPLE = ME) and find schools that might interest you! I do know I wealth about these schools. stories of the strange to stories of the typical friday night but I guess I always want to know more. I think I have ruled SLC off of my list from the things I have heard anyway. Weird = Good to me but SLC might be in it's own category there.</p>
<p>What are the horror stories about Bennington that you have heard?? Maybe I can address some of them.</p>
<p>I also looked at SLC and decided that the social scene was too weird for me. And that what was good about it, New York, was also what was bad about it, that the campus would clear out on the weekends.</p>
<p>I've heard of massive underfunding, the wide spread story of the "faulty window", and a general unhappiness from students. It tends to be a school of interest for me one day, and a no go the next.</p>
<p>I would like to know more about bennington.</p>
<p>I think you should come visit if at all possible. The students that stay here love it. There is, however, a somewhat high attrition rate here, as there is at most of the schools you mentioned. Alternative education is not for everyone, and some people get scared off, or can't see the possibilities. Also, sometimes people realize they have a very specific interest that can not be studied in depth here, because of it's small size (though there are classes at Williams and tutorials to supplement if necessary). The school is not rich, that is true, but I have never found it to be a problem, and most of the people here don't seem to care about that. </p>
<p>Accidents happen at all schools. The window was not found to be faulty at all, and was exactly what you would find anywhere in a building built at that time. It was very sad, but the school was not found to be at fault, and dancing/running up to and against a window is not a good idea anywhere.</p>
<p>Come take a look, for most people that is the deciding factor. I can say that I chose it in part because of the beautiful campus, how happy and 'normal' the kids looked (especially when compared to other alternative schools) and because of the FWT experience. </p>
<p>I think if you are interested in some of the other schools mentioned, it is worth checking in to.</p>
<p>I'm not sure what you mean by 'close to a city', but the closest 'city' to Bard as far as I could tell when I visited was Poughkeepsie, and that was about a half hour drive. I absolutely loved the school, however, and it seemed to have all of the other factors you are looking for for a 'fit'.</p>
<p>if you were speaking to me, NYC is a mere two hours away. I would like to be near a city, but it isn't a deciding factor also. many of these schools are close to an hour or two from a major city, but that proximity does not rule out the possibility of a weekend trip or two.</p>
<p>and to Allthosethings: I am not sure if I would be able to visit, as I have three visits (Oberlin, Bard, College of Wooster) planned for the summer, and being that I live in pittsburgh PA, these are already quite the trips. I will research and speak with someone personally at bennington and I appreciate you taking the time to give your explanation some thought.</p>