<p>The Twin Cities are hard to beat as a music venue--my daughter has managed to find at least one concert/month worth attending and that she can afford. She loves Macalester for its urban location and off-campus opportunities but finds plenty to do on campus as well. She describes the academics as "challenging but manageable."</p>
<p>Macalester sure sounds perfect! How hard is it to get in? And how likely is it that a San Diego kid would be able to survive the weather?!!</p>
<p>Also, can anyone do a quick comparison for me of the U of Chicago vs. Northwestern, in light of my son's interest in history/writing/liberal arts in general, and music (especially as a spectator)?</p>
<p>To generalize, U of Chicago seems to appeal to students who have a strong intellectual bent; Northwestern has a lot of preprofessional programs and more of a Greek life. But Northwestern has an excellent music program, offering a BMus and the possibility of a double degree; U of Chicago has a top-ranking music department, especially strong in theory and history of theory and ethnomusicology, but a small performance program.
Of the LACs that don't have a conservatory (doesn't Carnegie Mellon offer a lot of music, including bagpipes? I think they also have BMus programs), Williams seems especially strong, and Amherst has the advantage of being part of a consortium with a lot of musicians, including Smith students. Both Williams and Amherst have excellent academic music programs (I don't know about Smith). Of these schools, the most "liberal" is Oberlin; it would have a different feel from Williams, but many students would easily overlap (principally, it is midwestern rather than New England in culture and is also generally less athletics-oriented, though there are athletes there, just as there are probably hipsters at Williams.)</p>
<p>Today is sunny with a bright blue sky, a predicted high of 62, and still with colorful leaves on the maples and birches. We have yet to have a killing freeze. He'll be fine first semester, although he may encounter some snow after Thanksgiving. My daughter's exams end around Dec 19 and Macalester's break lasts until Jan 28, so out-of-state kids miss the worst of the winter cold. Also, the campus is pretty compact with some tunnels and skyways connecting some of the buildings. Plenty of southerners survive there as well as kids from Jamaica and South America. February and March will probably be the coldest and snowiest, respectively.</p>
<p>I am not a Williams' fanatic -- just my frame of reference for question about San Diego kid. Two of S's closest friends from Williams are from SoCal and so far they have been enjoying NE weather. Snow may be a different story. If he thinks he won't like the cold, then don't send him to venues where there will be a lot of snow. Many kids like it. My S is excited that a girl from the ski team offered to teach him to ski over the short winter session. Don't know if it's the girl or the skiing, but he seemed really happy about it.</p>
<p>I can't remember if anyone said Sarah Lawrence, but if he doesn't mind a 30/70 split it might be perfect. Not as cold as New England, very liberal, great music opportunities, 1/2 from NYC (don't have to talk about music venues there) and definitely a LAC. Very interested in learning for its own sake and a beautiful campus. A really good choice, I think. It was the second choice of niece after BU conservatory. She got into the Conservatory and was almost disappointed because she loved Sarah Lawrence so much.</p>
<p>I think my son would enjoy the change of climate -- it would definitely be a new experience for him. And he could always hang out at the beach and surf when he comes home on vacation!</p>
<p>Does anyone have a sense of how important SATs are vs. GPA for the colleges we've been talking about?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Does anyone have a sense of how important SATs are vs. GPA for the colleges we've been talking about?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Traditional wisdom is that high scores and low grades indicates a slacker and low scores and high grades a drudge. In my opinion the preference goes to the GPA as grades show achievement over a period of time and many are poor test takers. If there is a wide discrepancy either way, it's best to have your counselor explain in his/her recommendation.</p>
<p>On weather: My son's surfer friends became ardent snowboarders. :)
I don't think it's so much dealing with the cold as it is liking to do outdoorsy activities in all weather.</p>
<p>
Does anyone have a sense of how important SATs are vs. GPA for the colleges we've been talking about?
Sarah Lawrence doesn't consider SAT scores or any standardized test scores. They won't even look at them if an applicant sends them. They don't even get into the student's application file. Does that answer your question? ;)</p>
<p>It's good to know about Sarah Lawrence.</p>
<p>I have been looking at the visit reports on this website, for Sarah Lawrence, Macalester and others, and they are not always terribly complementary. For one thing, at Macalester, some of the visitors felt the school was not well cared for and many of the students were walking aroung smoking pot (or something to that effect). I suspect these comments are more a reflection on the visitors filing the reports than the schools themselves, but I would be interested to hear other people's opinions...</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon sounds good for your son. It's in the city (Pittsburgh), small, and has a great music program (although I don't know whether he could take classes without auditioning). Carnegie Mellon has this reputation of being a hardcore Computer Science school (which it is) but there is tons of great majors there that are excellent. And Carnegie has a huge amount of internationals and have great study abroad programs if he's interested in meeting people from all over the world. Research CMU and it might be the college your son is looking for.</p>
<p>Well for one, SLC is tiny and an even smaller number of those interested in the school are spending much time on CC. I helped my kids choose schools somewhat based on lack of Greek life on campus. Another category I'd have used if it had been available would have been percentage of students posting to CC. The lower the better! ;) Nothing can replace a visit to schools he's interested in. What I liked or where my DD felt immediately comfortable may have little bearing on what you or your son experience. The big controversy at SLC is currently a smoking ban on cigarettes near doorways to buildings even though it is a reaction to NY law rather than a school policy. Most seem to approve, though it's a comfortable place that respects individuality. I can't think of many schools with an intelligent student body that don't have some drinking or a smattering of recreational drug use. Most LACs don't get too bent about it since these kids are nearly adults, if not already. In the words of Bard's president, Leon Botstein, following a recent drug bust and expulsion of three students:
[quote]
I would like to appeal to all students to conduct their lives in a manner that accords with the regulations and expectations of the College and the laws of the State of New York. The well-being of the entire community, as well as the well-being of individuals, is enhanced when the regulations and expectations of the College are voluntarily enforced by students themselves without the intervention of the administration. There should be no remnant of prestige or admiration associated with the culture of drugs or substance abuse. The student body has within its power the capacity to control and deter such activity. Bard needs the help and assistance of its students in fostering a campus climate centered on learning and on extracurricular activities that benefit both the College and the wider community.
[/quote]
My DD realizes many schools come close to offering what SLC does but she just loves being able to take a train into the City whenever she feels like, for concerts or internships. It's a very quick 40-minute train ride for around $10 round-trip. Sounds like your S would like that, too.</p>
<p>For some reason, it seems that a lot of musicians smoke -- including wind players (maybe especially wind players)...I've seen this at Aspen, and there were smokers (and cigarette butts) outside of the Oberlin Conservatory and Juilliard...Not a big deal overall, though. The general atmosphere is the important thing, which is why you should try to visit to get a feel for it.</p>
<p>I thought of Oberlin right away</p>
<p>but also Rochester (which has a very LAC feel to it), Brandeis and Carnegie Mellon... </p>
<p>Ithaca has great music, but if your son is thinking of UC then that is NOT the place for him</p>
<p>A word from my Sarah Lawrence freshman son - It is wonderful. He is totally in awe of his professors. I have never seen him so enthusiastic. One day a week he is interning at a literary salon in New York City, helping to edit their poetry magazine. We are from Los Angeles, and while "liberal", not that "far out." My husband took my son to campus in September and reported that while there were a few purple-hair types, most of the students at SLC looked straight and much more clean-cut than he expected. Yes, there is a gay population, as there is at every college, but my son is straight, and he as well as my husband articulate that the 75/25 split works out great for him. Hopefully he won't get too spoiled. He says getting to New York from SLC is simple.
Also, every time we speak with him he is preparing for another meeting with a professor or his don. These meetings are required every other week, and last 1/2 hour. Combining these meetings with the seminar-style classes, I can't imagine a more personalized and attentive education.</p>
<p>It's a 30-40 mninute train ride from Bronxville to Grand Central, but of course Grand Central is nobody's terminal destination. And it's a 15-20 minute walk to the Bronxville station from SLC. Still, pretty darned accessible.</p>
<p>I was watching a movie in Bronxville a couple weeks ago, and I saw a bunch of obviously SLC students walking downtown. Bronxville has a great downtown, but I have to say these kids seemed quite out of place there. Still it's great that they have such a nice place to walk to, though it must seem to them to be a lot like the places they thought they were leaving when they went to college.</p>
<p>When I was growing up nearby, the predominant group of somewhat less refined, decidedly unhip teenagers living in the area treated SLC students like they were Martians. But that "town-gown" thing might even be much worse elsewhere.</p>
<p>I bet they can get some good-paying babysitting gigs.</p>
<p>Attractive campus, nice place, though small. Unique curriculum approach which may well be wonderful.</p>
<p>But the dirty truth is: SLC is in Yonkers.</p>
<p>There is not much music scene going on in Bronxville, or in Yonkers for that matter, so you can bet kids with that inclination will be taking that commuter train downtown.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any further recommendations in the Boston area? So far, I think the main one that has been mentioned is Tufts.</p>
<p>Brandeis is another possibility. I also know kids who have gone to Emerson for creative writing, but I don't think it's pre-professional emphasis is exactly what your S is looking for. Wheaton is a possibility near Boston, but I haven't checked into their music scene.</p>
<p>A good safety might be Drew; in NJ 45 minutes from NYC by a very convenient train. It has a great theater department and a vibrant music department. The NJ Symphony Orchestra plays there in a concert hall built, in part, for them. They give merit money, too (as well as need based money).</p>
<p>Those sound like good possibilities to look into. Does anyone have any info/thoughts re. Clark U?</p>