SLC vs MHC vs Oberlin vs UIowa vs Emerson - Opinions?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Sarah Lawrence College
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I’m a high school senior in the midst of my decision-making process, and, after being rejected by Vassar and (somewhat tentatively) ruling out Macalester and Bard, I’m left looking at Sarah Lawrence, Mount Holyoke, Oberlin, the University of Iowa, and Emerson. I expected lack of affordability to eliminate most of these schools at this point, but (not unfortunately!) every one of them has given me enough merit aid to be perfectly reasonable. I’m delighted to have so many options, but I’m also totally overwhelmed!

I intend to be a Creative Writing major (or, for schools which don’t offer it, at least an English major with a creative writing focus), and I’m also interested in film, gender studies, early American history, and technical theatre - the latter more as an extracurricular than anything else, though I wouldn’t be opposed to studying it to some extent. I want to live on a campus with as liberal of an atmosphere as possible (LBGTQ+ friendliness is IMPERATIVE), and proximity to big cities is also preferable - I especially love NYC and Boston.

SLC, MHC, Oberlin, and Emerson all stick out to me for their liberalism. Emerson and SLC are appealing for their locations (respectively, in the middle of Boston and just outside of NYC - MHC isn’t totally removed - the isolation of Oberlin is probably its biggest con for me). I’m not really attracted to Iowa, due to its lower academic standards, location (though I do love Iowa City), and general atmosphere as a state school, but I really can’t ignore the fact that it’s so highly ranked as a school for writers.

Sorry if this is all a disorganized mess - that’s pretty much how my mind feels right now! - but the main things I’d love to hear about are the following:

  • Is the writing program at UIowa worth its disadvantages as a state school compared to the other selective liberal arts colleges?
  • Is Oberlin worth its isolated location, both in terms of academics and social experience?
  • To what extent is Emerson focused on the business of publishing vs more in-depth scholarly examination of literary theory/history, etc?
  • Is the surrounding area of MHC okay? (I love the campus, and being within hours of both Boston and NYC is a huge plus, but the nearby towns seem flat-out depressing.)
  • What are the extracurricular theatre opportunities for each of these schools? To what extent would I, as a non-theatre major, be able to participate in productions, especially as a stage manager or dramaturg? (Bonus: what are the chances of me having my own work put on by a group of students at some point?)
  • How good are the History, Gender Studies, and Film programs for each of these schools, and how easy is it to study them in-depth outside of my major?

Thank you so much for reading! If anyone has anything else to say about any of these schools, positive or negative, please do so!

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I’ll speak for Oberlin and say it is 100% worth the experience. Although it’s rural it’s not that far from Cleveland (1/2 hour or so) and has the most hopping campus I’ve ever seen. There’s more going on there than you can possibly attend and Oberlin students are known for being stressed at having to pick from so many great academic and social options.

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Visited Oberlin in January. It did not feel rural to us. Very neat town, lots going on and relatively close to Cleveland.

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MHC!!! Sounds like the PERFECT fit for you! The surrounding towns are great!! Northampton, Amherst are great fun! South Hadley is a little quiet, but it’s nice!

My D was a Theatre major who chose MHC over a few schools that are well known for Theatre and her final choice was between MHC and Emerson, where she was accepted by audition into the Acting program. She chose MHC ultimately for a more in depth, academic, liberal arts curriculum. She got a fantastic overall education, and had wonderful Theatre opportunities.

You would definitely be able to do the things you mentioned at MHC. Hopefully, if you’re considering MHC, you already know about the internship/research funding they provide. I attended a presentation where students shared their experiences, and a student who was studying stage management spoke about her summer internship as an assistant stage manager on Broadway for a VERY famous musical. Pretty cool!

MHC definitely has a much broader, in depth, liberal arts curriculum than Emerson. Also, I believe Emerson’s Film classes are only for those accepted into the Film major. Look carefully at the websites of the schools and examine the course selections, credentials of the instructors, etc. to make your decision.

It sounds like Oberlin would also be a good fit for you, although I have no first-hand knowledge, just what I’ve read.

Good luck!

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When you say you love the big city and the arts and don’t want a depressing atmosphere… You sound like the voices in my head that have been giving me great headaches over the past couple years. So I hope to be of help.

I grew up in Western Massachusetts (about 20 minutes south of MHC) and I’ll tell you this: the neighboring towns are depressing. I need the stimulation that only a big city can provide, and it sounds like you’re in the same boat. Yes, Northampton, Amherst, and South Hadley are pretty(-ish…). I’ve heard great things about the college itself but if you’re looking for a lot of young culture and nightlife (as I do), I would look elsewhere.

I don’t know a ton about Emerson except that one of my best friends goes there and loves it. She’s a film major.

I am transferring to Sarah Lawrence in the fall from a community college. I chose it over Connecticut College, Barnard, Northeastern, and Fairfield and I couldn’t be more excited. I chose it because I am obsessed with going out with friends to the city and the Western Mass area is just NO when it comes to nightlife. (Sure, Northampton is cute, but it’s not like Boston or New York where you can try a new restaurant every time you go.) I liked it better than a literal city school (like Barnard or Northeastern) because I know I would be tempted to go out even between classes. It’s enough distance for me to have a traditional college setting, but close enough for me to extremely easily have a blast in NYC (the greatest city in the world, in my humble opinion…).

One big factor I will reiterate is LOCATION. I plan to attend law school in the city and wanted that undergrad campus vibe to be closer to my classmates. Trust me, there will always be time to be a single girl living it up in the city, and I know it’s so exciting to think about, but just once in a lifetime do you have the opportunity to live on a traditional campus (unless you do grad school). Plus, that closeness to your professors is extremely valued at Sarah Lawrence, and if you miss the city, we have free shuttles that take you to The Met on Saturday nights and bring you back as late as 3 AM.

Sarah Lawrence was the most generous with financial aid. The Net Price Calculator scared me off, but I was glad I applied anyway because they gave me $10k a year more than I was expecting.

BONUS: If you’re worried about cost, go to a community college for your first year. I earned a $10k a year scholarship from Sarah Lawrence that was specifically because I attended community college. It’s a thing.

Good luck, and message me if you have any more questions about Western Mass or Sarah Lawrence!

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^^That first part sounds wicked mean, sorry haha. I meant it as more of a self-deprecating thing. You’re fab.