Searching for the Perfect School--Advice, Please?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Over all, you could label me as clueless.</p>

<p>I'll be a high school junior this coming fall, and I'd like to have a specific college(s) as a goal early on, so that I'll still have two years to maximize my chances of being admitted. Unfortunately, I'm not sure where to start.</p>

<p>I know the Ivy League is more than likely out of the question (my dad went to an Ivy for graduate, and my older sister is at Penn undergraduate right now). My sister was...extremely lost at the University of Pennsylvania for the first two years; the sheer size, diversity, and competition there was overwhelming. I definitely don't want that type of undergraduate experience (although, of course, there's nothing wrong with Penn itself...I just don't think schools like Penn are right for me).</p>

<p>Basically, I'm searching for a college that is:
- extremely small
- preferably somewhat isolated from the outside world
- highly selective
- plenty of one-on-one interaction with professors
- extremely accessible and open-minded professors
- meaningful discussion in class
- a "philosophical" bent
- doesn't necessarily have to have a wide selection of majors/courses
- prepares me for life, not a specific career</p>

<p>Truth be told, I'm planning on a philosophy or political science major, possibly coupled with a minor in economics. I'm also hoping (fingers crossed) for Yale law school.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any idea which guides might help me, or which colleges I should look into? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. =)</p>

2

<p>Bard College (NY) Bennington College (VT) Sarah Lawrence (NY) Marlboro College (VT) </p>

<p>Their type of curriculum is not for everybody, you might want to check them out.
You have a lot of time to research, though.</p>

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<p>Thanks! I’ll go read more about them now.</p>

4

<p>I def. agree with slumom! I would add Hampshire College (MA). Point Park may be a good safety depending on your grades.</p>

5

<p>I thought about Hampshire, early_college, but I don’t know if it really has that “isolated from the outside world” feeling with all those buses & the Five College Consortium. I suppose Z.Exodus2008 would just have to check it out if it ends up on his list.</p>

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<p>Thank you very much for the suggestions.=)</p>

<p>About my grades…I’m the valedictorian (although I’m probably tied with someone else) right now, and with the courses I have planned, I should hopefully graduate in the top 1-2% of the 900 students in my class. Of course, since I’m not yet a junior, I guess it’s all up in the air right now. :P</p>

<p>I would actually really love Deep Springs College…if only I were a guy. Are there any co-ed/women’s colleges like Deep Springs? Also, does anyone know anything about Hamilton College?</p>

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<p>My brother is an alum-wonderful school! Clinton, NY a small town. You might like it.</p>

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<p>You may like Smith or Mt. Holyoke. Though, most your schools seem like safety’s.</p>

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<p>Sewanee absolutely fits your criteria</p>

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<p>There is no perfect school. Also, targeting one school is not a good idea. Find several schools that you think will work for you. Falling in love with one specific school can lead to heart break down the road for a variety of reasons.</p>

11

<p>Carleton, Grinnell, Oberlin, Kenyon, Williams???</p>

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<p>I see your point, shennie. I guess I should focus on finding a direction, not necessarily targeting just one school, but aiming for one school is much more motivational; it leaves no room for second-guessing.</p>

13

<p>Bowdoin and Middlebury seem to fit most of your criteria</p>

14

<p>What about the Great Books programs at either of the St. Johns’ (Annapolis or Santa Fe)?</p>

15

<p>Williams sounds like a place you should definitely check out - they have this thing where one professor and two students get together and study 2-to-1 for some kind of special seminar-thing. I don’t know all the details but you should check it out!</p>

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<p>I agree with Shennie - there is no perfect school although there will be some schools (note the plural) that are perfect for you. And, while it is good to have goals, I’d encourage you not to limit yourself to only 1 or 2 schools this early in the process. </p>

<p>Responding to your comment, “leaves no room for second guessing”… please do leave yourself room for now. You will grow and change a lot over the next 1 1/2 - 2 years. It is great to begin thinking about college and exploring some possible paths for yourself, but you don’t need to have it all figured out yet. </p>

<p>Enjoy the journey and good luck. You are off to a great start and it seems that you will have lots of good choices. :-)</p>

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<p>Agree with the suggestion of St. John’s. If the Great Books program interests you upon researching it more, there’s also St. Thomas Aquinas and Shimer, though I think St. John’s is the most isolated.</p>

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<p>I like how Slumom and earlycollege interpret the preference for places where the professors are “open minded” as being a request for professors who are off-the-charts left-wingers. The schools they mentioned wouldn’t even THINK of having a prof or speaker who is even slightly right-wing. That’s open-minded? Compare Notre Dame, which is thought to be super-Catholic and dogmatic offering the president a huge nationally televised forum to spread his [idiotic] propaganda.</p>

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<p>I think a lot of rural LACs would fit what you’re looking for… but the first school that came to mind is St. John’s.</p>

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<p>“Somewhat isolated from the outside world” was what I really focused on. Due to my geographical location in the Northeast those 4 schools came to my mind, especially since I have visited 3 of the 4 of them. Many student bodies are left of center, there is no avoiding that issue. If the OP stated she was a conservative, then of course what I listed would have been entirely different.</p>