Safetes with Middlebury feel

<p>My D loves Middlebury, Vassar and Bowdoin. She likes a pretty campus in a bucolic setting. I think these three schools are a reach for her, so I need some fits and safeties. She loves that small New England look and feel. Her brother goes to Vassar and his happy there. She is interested in majoring in chem, possibly pre med or Chem phd. She also likes the arts in that she does slot of stage crew,lighting etc. She is an EMT and also likes the outdoors. It is impt that she feels safe at school. Any suggestions for safeties and fits for her would be appreciated. also, we will prob need FA. Thank you. BTw she was not crazy about skidmore felt there was not enough of an academic strength in the sciences and the dorms were a mess when we visited.</p>

<p>Too bad about Skidmore. Saratoga is a great town. My first thought is Sewanee, The University of the South. In fact, Middlebury’s former president just took over as president there. It was voted as having the most beautiful campus in the US. It’s a very strong school academically, but perhaps less selective because it’s simply not as well known, and it’s in Tennessee.</p>

<p>Hard to know without stats.</p>

<p>Bryn Mawr College has a pretty high acceptance rate, good chem program (coordinated with Haverford), and a similar campus feel to the schools you list - not quite as bucolic, but more attractive than most. It’s not New England, but has good academics.</p>

<p>Colby certainly has the New England feel and outdoors.</p>

<p>Neither of these provides any real merit aid, though.</p>

<p>You may consider Wooster as a safety.</p>

<p>Stats are not in yet, But i would say she’s an A- student with around 2100 sats. I shoiuld also mention she (we) are left of center politically, but she is not particularly politically active.</p>

<p>Would she consider Smith? When I visited Midd with D, it had the same feel as Smith – well tended campus, not too big, not too small, a little isolated but ok bc the kids are nice and friendly. I went to Smith; D loves Midd (and is applying ED); may consider Smith depending on what happens. I hear Smith offers good financial aid and it’s definitely strong in the arts. Good luck!</p>

<p>UVM and Connecticut College both have beautiful campuses and felt kind of…Middlebury-ish to me. The Princeton Review ranked Conn Coll as having some of the worst financial aid, though. They didn’t give much to my brother. On the other hand, UVM basically gave him a full ride, and he was a B+ student with a 1880 SAT. He ended up not going to either school, though.</p>

<p>Wheaton College and Bard would be possibilities. Bard is really pushing for a science incentive and gives merit money to a very select group of science students. DD’s BFF is the daughter of an internationally renowned physicist. She just graduated from Bard with a physics degree.</p>

<p>I think Wellesley and Mt. Holyoke are as similar as Bryn Mawr and Smith. Mt. Holyoke is the most bucolic, and your D sounds like a real match for Mt. Holyoke stats-wize. Smith does give a bit of merit money; Mt. Holyoke does, too. DD got a leadership award, but she chose to attend Barnard, which I’m not suggesting because it definitely is not bucolic. LOL.</p>

<p>Beloit, Hendrix, Rhodes are all possibilities. Beloit gives out a lot merit money. </p>

<p>Have you looked at Kenyon? It’s breathtaking. Strong academics.</p>

<p>Hamilton supposedly has an artsy part of the campus and a more preppy side which might be appealing. Also, I second the Colby thought.</p>

<p>I would also recommend Sewanee. My DS, who is a Junior, is visiting in January with an interview and class visit. They have this program where you can work as an EMT in the town and they also have some sort of living environment where all the EMT’s live together. I believe Hamilton also has some sort of EMT program. I have heard nothing but great things about both of these schools. Sewanne also has EA…but don’t know if you’ve passed the deadline, and if your stats are good enough of Midd/Bow, you should get great merit aid at Sewanne.</p>

<p>My S also loves Midd, Vassar, and Bowdoin, but is also looking for some safer schools that are similar. St.Lawrence is another good one.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I think an all women school is out of the question. I am sorry if I didn’t make clear that she is a JR. I am not sure about Bard as she looked at it when her brother was looking and felt it a bit too counter culture. I like the idea of Colby , I heard Hamilton is very English heavy, but I will check it out for Chem majors. Not sure about going to the deep South as we live in NJ, but she did mention Univ. of Richmond, so who knows? Hopefully she gets a bit less rigid in her thinking again thanks!
I have another question, her tutor gave her an SAT from 2010 and she scored 800 M 790 W and 630 V. Is there any hope of getting that score up.What would be considered a minimal V score for M/B/V thanks so much!</p>

<p>I thinking Kenyon as well.</p>

<p>How is the science/chem pre-med at Kenyon?</p>

<p>I would not rule out Sewanee just because it is in the South. We looked at Bowdoin, Middlebury, Amherst, Univ of Richmond, Colby, Swarthmore etc…Sewanee is a gem most people don’t know about. As far as safe and pretty it cannot be beat.</p>

<p>Thank you NyC1478,we will! we do fall on the liberal side of the spectrum, do you feel this will be an issue there, it sounds a bit conservative.</p>

<p>According to Fiske, Kenyon has strong sciences, although the English/drama are most well regarded.</p>

<p>You should read Fiske’s description of Sewanee–I didn’t know that male students wore suits and ties to class, and women dresses, until I did.</p>

<p>Thanks i think the dresses would be a ruleout for my daughter!</p>

<p>I think the Fiske description of Sewanee is definitely a bit of hyperbole. My fiancee and her three siblings all attended Sewanee and none of them dressed the way Fiske describes. There is also a tradition of students of a high enough academic level wearing gowns (as in “cap and gown” in a Harry Potter fashion) to class. Although, from what I understand, that tradition is less and less popular. It’s certainly less liberal than say, Wesleyan, but not as conservative as Washington & Lee.</p>

<p>Hobart and William Smith, Juniata, Macalaster, St Olaf…I love St Olaf, very strong sciences-the most Rhodes scholars per student in the US, and a fab music program. Not much is safer or friendlier than Northfield, MN.</p>