<p>hi, my name is jen. im a trying to return to college after a 3 year break. my situation is a bit unusual. i have helped my husband take care of his ailing parents for the last 2.5 years and we're finally getting to the point where we can live our own lives. i have spent hours trying to find information about the best cultural and/or historical anthropology (undergrad and graduate) programs in the country ( or outside the country). we are considering moving to tennessee because of job/cost of living ratio compared to where we live now and to be closer to my family for a while and there is an undergrad anthropology program at East Tennessee State University, but i think it's a fairly new program. i know this sounds like im rambling but i'm really overwhelmed and having hard time making connections. like who's undergrad program will most likely get me into a prestigious graduate program. my career goals are to write non-fiction and fiction books about my experiences in other cultures across location and time as well as make film documentaries and to work in research projects whether they be government or non-government based.
im sorry this is so long but any information would be helpful.
thanks</p>
<p>Actually, your situation is NOT that unusual. The median age of an undergraduate student in the U.S. is 24.5 years of age (half are older). 17-18 year olds are NOT the norm.</p>
<p>East Tennessee State, as a I remember, is well-known as a folklore school, with several faculty specializing in Appalachia and the south, and in southeast archaeology. I seem to remember they had a storygathering and storytelling program. I doubt they are extremely strong crossculturally, as opposed to regionally. But go where it makes sense for your family, do well, gather good graduate school recommendations from profs, and doors will open.</p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>really, tennessee is just "safe" for us as far as job security goes unless i manage to complete one of 3 dozen unfinished novels. i'm forcing myself to write, they're probably not any good, but someone once told me to get quality writing sometimes you have to start with quantity. i'm willing to go anywhere as long as i can find enough funding for school and to live on. i've become a member of fastweb but alot of the scholarhsip and contests are geared to minorities and specific colleges. also someone mentioned that dartmouth has an excellent anthropology program with funding for fieldwork on your thesis. i'm not in this to get rich but i also don't want to rack up enormous amounts of debt by taking out student loans. i know you said my situation is not unusual but i still feel im a disadvantage from being out of school for as along as i was. i was homeschooled in high school and 4.0 gpa and a 3.83 in college work completed thus far. what are my chances at dartmouth?</p>
<p>No clue about dartmouth, but you seem like you might be a perfect candidate for the Ada Comstock Program at Smith (though I don't know about the age limit - you might be too young?)</p>
<p>Smith</a> College: Ada Comstock Scholars Program</p>
<p>(My d., who attended, was homeschooled through high school, and, because our income is relatively low and there were significant health challenges in the family, Smith funded most of her education, paid for, among other things, a trip to India, Cambodia, and Thailand to document post-tsunami trauma assistance; she is now headed to Princeton on a very generous five-year graduate fellowship.)</p>
<p>Don't know if this helps, but ...</p>
<p>Undergraduate colleges and universities with the highest percent of their graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D. in Anthropology:</p>
<p>Bryn Mawr<br>
Beloit
Great Lakes Christian
Grinnell
Univ. of Chicago
Reed<br>
Goddard
Pomona
Sarah Lawrence<br>
College of the Atlantic</p>
<p>thanks to both of you for your suggestions. every minute i get from work and writing and taking care of my family ( no kids) just husband and mother-in-law i'm searching for information. i'm very excited about the broad range of opportunities that are opening up to me. our first stops after undergrad is italy and greece where i want to study learn more about the effects of ancient religion of the greco-roman world on modern greece and italy.
jen</p>