<p>Voronwe, you asked about Skidmore on the visits thread. My son was interested in Skidmore because it has an excellent art studio department and one of the best teaching museums in the country. The campus is pretty, tree-sy and the dorms are spacious. Saratoga Springs is an attractive, lively town with a nice selection of shops, restaurants and arts related activities. </p>
<p>I got the impression that Skidmore is trying to upgrade its academic image and to attract a more intellectual student, especially in the humanities. I think Skidmore has benefited from the selectivity trickle down affect and has moved up from safety to good match for many kids who are looking at A/W/S. Take a look at the course catalog: youll see that they offer a very interesting mix. The English department is especially appealing. </p>
<p>There are no sororities or fraternities but there is a vestige of the rich girl finishing school that Skidmore cant seem to shake. I didnt feel that way, but my husband didnt like the prevailing girl culture (difficult to articulate). To me, the students seemed friendly, happy and outgoing. Like many NE schools, winter is severe, so a predilection toward winter sports helps.</p>
<p>Anecdotally, I have two colleagues who are Skidmore alums: one is in her 50s and is a Senior Vice President at a Fortune 500 company. The other is a recent grad also involved in an arts related industry. Both are articulate, intelligent and clear thinking. They both credit Skidmores aggressive career placement services with getting them started on a successful life after college.</p>
<p>Among LACs, they have one of the best set of profs in South Asian studies. R. Parthasarathy, whose apppointment is in the English Dept. is one of the finest-poet translators working today, and has done the most magnificent translation of the Tamil epic poem the Cilappadakaram ("The Anklet").</p>
<p>We didn't visit Skidmore but attended a local prospect party. A couple of things stand out in memory: the presentation and the students/prospects/alumni were the whitest group we encountered in the process and in more ways than one. Also, listening carefully to the student and prosepct backgrounds, a lot seemed to be better students from second-tier prep schools. Iirc, Skidmore had a higher percentage of students from private schools than others we looked at...might account for that "finishing school" feel. The students struck us as bright but not particularly outstanding. D applied as her Safety. The ballet courses looked good.</p>
<p>Thank you - this is very helpful. I've got another girl coming up who is bright but would find the top-ten schools of her siblings too demanding (she's probably as smart, but not as obsessive about schoolwork, and is more a borderline A- /B+ type, with the occasional B, albeit in Honors and AP courses). </p>
<p>This kind of middling kid - really not very-top-school material, but too bright for most second-tier schools, is a bit of a problem. I am still wondering about sending her to a school where more kids are brighter than she is, because she will stretch if need be; otoh, she might slack off to meet her surroundings. I have visions of sending her to a harder school than Skidmore - say, Trinity - and having her end up a C student or wanting to transfer; but then, she MIGHT meet the challenge.</p>
<p>Her geographical range is NE and Mid-Atlantic states, private school, not huge (needs more personal attention - critics might call it handholding! Her siblings needed none). She also wants to row, preferably Club but maybe Div. III. That really limits the schools! Skidmore is on our list of schools to visit (she should love the area and vibe, as she loves the performing arts - singing, dancing, musical theater - though will not major in them).</p>
<p>Someone on the other thread said she felt Skidmore had no "soul" - not a good thing. </p>
<p>Sigh. It was easier with the others. They picked one school they each adored, applied ED, and were in!</p>
<p>Thank you again. Other comments would be very welcome.</p>
<p>My son liked Trinity a lot on paper but not at all in person. The physical surroundings were too off-putting. For your daughter you might take a look at Conn College, Hamilton, Colby and a little farther afield, Kenyon. Bright kids at all of these. If the women's schools appeal, then Smith and Holyoke. Middlebury and Wesleyan would be reaches but not unreachable and (I think) not as academically rigorous as A/W/S.</p>
<p>Voronwe, what about Bates? We felt it had a very welcoming quality, from the unpretentious admissions office to the students on the paths who said good morning. Although it prides itself on being pretty rigorous, it also seems quite supportive, as you would hope a small school would be. I know Bowdoin is among your favorites, but for the daughter you mentioned on this thread, Bates might be well worth considering. Incidentally, as you probably know, Bates has a lovely arts building containing a theater and small art museum; it also has enthusiastic a cappella groups. And it has an active rowing program (it uses the the Androscoggin River). </p>
<p>Kenyon also has made a very favorable impression on our family through two college-app cycles--as of last year it had no crew program, however, so if that is something your daughter is actively interested in pursuing you might want to see if that has changed.</p>
<p>Based on our particular pilgrimage, I'd flip something Momrath said just slightly: don't check out womens colleges if they appeal, check them unless your D is already in a "no way, no how" mode. They didn't become centered in D's sights until after a prospect party in Junior January and a visit in Junior April.</p>
<p>I must agree with The Dad. My daughter was already in the "no way..no how" mode for women's schools. We were visiting several schools in and around Boston and since the weather was just spectacular we decided to add a few days to our trip and explore the rest of Mass. On a whim (or so my daughter believes..lol) we stopped at Wellesley, Smith and Mount Holyoke. All 3 were so accomodating and gave us tours and interviews even though we were not expected. My daughter was impressed with all three, but fell in love with Smith. Now she can't imagine herself at any other school.
She does have friends at Skidmore, Bates, Bowdoin and Vassar. They are extremely happy with their schools also.</p>
<p>Thank you all again. I am going to push harder for Bates (I don't think D would get into Bowdoin), though she had one of those "gut-negative" reactions to Lewiston. Looking toward the midwest, it's true that Kenyon does not have rowing, but Denison (not as competitive) does. Anyone know anything about Denison? All-girls' schools: she is 100% negative, but maybe some drive-bys (actually drive-throughs) might help. I would also like to learn more about Mary Washington (though to get totally, utterly shallow, some kids are simply turned off by the name!!).</p>
<p>I'm looking to major in math or maybe chemistry. I heard Skidmore is not good for the sciences...is this true? </p>
<p>I liked what I read about Skidmore, except for the fact that the guide said it was weak in the sciences. I also sent for information, like 4 months ago and I finally get something and it is a postcard that says come visit us on these open house days, and all of them are on wednesday nights :( They seem to be giving a bad first impression :(</p>
<p>My read on Denison is it is a big party school. They seem to be trying to change this but it is not such a quick change to make...</p>
<p>My D liked Skidmore; friendly nice people. She had an overnight and had a great time with her hosts; people were very welcoming. </p>
<p>I thought it felt a bit like a "bubble" there (perhaps because the daily paper discussed how the school was going to be providing copies of the NY Times in the student center-- and exhorted the kids to read these free copies: now there's no excuse not to read the NYT.) Very good art dept & fun art courses taken by many non art majors. (Our tour guide was learning weaving.) </p>
<p>D's list contained most of the schools mentioned on this thread... you have many good ideas here. Not mentioned so far: Grinnell... could also be a nice fit. </p>
<p>As for Safety Schools-- we liked Lawrence, Beloit & Allegheny. All awarded merit aid to my D.</p>
<p>My D sounds a lot like your D academically. I could never quite figure out where she'd be better off, reaching a bit, surrounded by slightly more exciting & academic peers (Bates, etc) or coasting a bit, surrounded by <em>slightly</em> less academic peers (Skidmore). We will see how it turns out... she got into an ED school that has a more academic environment; I think it may wind up really inspiring her. So long as one isn't out of one's academic depth (which is unlikely, because the school would not admit you) I figure it is better to err up than err down. Being bored is worse than getting C's. </p>
<p>For women's college she might consider Bryn Mawr. You can <em>live</em> at Haverford, major at Haverford... so it can be as coed a life as you want... Just an idea.</p>
<p>You may also want to look at the <em>sort of kids</em> at the school being non-competitive & self directed (rather than grade-directed.) Schools with no core curriculum, pass/fail options (academically flexible,) and a social, fun-loving environment-- even if very academic-- will fell less intense than other schools on the same basic stats level.</p>
<p>This is Dejavu. I just met someone on the airplane who graduated from Skidmore. According to him, Skidmore is a fine school for a liberal arts education. It is a very nuturing type of school. It's unique selling proposition is that it is considered to have the best program among the LACs in visual arts. Thus, if you want a very decent liberal arts education and some good art training, it is considered top notch. He said that they had some other good departments in humanities too.</p>
<p>I should note that he said average SATs are around 1250, which isn't too shabby. I looked up Bates, which has an average SAT of around 1338.</p>
<p>Thanks taxguy, SBmom, and all. SBmom, I assume you won't mention your D's ED school for anonymity purposes? I do agree with you that it is better to err up than down....my D would probably rise to meet the challenge as well as sink to meet an easier level! Also, besides the schools you mentioned, were there others on her list (if you are still monitoring this thread!).</p>
<p>I'd be happy to PM you the schools she considered; turn on your PM. </p>
<p>Yes, I am keeping it anonymous... mostly because her identity at college next year should not be tied to how her mom sees her in HS! (If my mother's label/judgements/opinions followed me to college I would have had a fit.) :)</p>