<p>my son has received enough money from beloit,clark and hampshire to make attending feasible and after visiting all three is totally stymied--there are things he liked about all three places.he is interested in the humanities does't have clear ideas about what he wants to do in life,wants to study abroad and continue to learn japanese,is liberal,idealistic,a voracious reader and deep thinker.he thought the kids at hampshire were further out than he is but was impressed w. their intellect and commitment,found beloit to be comfortable socially but not as stimulating and since clark did not allow a stay in the dorm was unable to form a strong opinion about the student body but was impressed w. the classes he attended and the holocaust study program.
anyone out there have any advice or experience w. any of these schools?
the clock is ticking.......</p>
<p>Just a comment -- since your son isn't really sure what he wants to do or study, he may find that the Hampshire environment is too unstructured for him. Generally students who are very strongly motivated do well with that sort of freedom; others can find themselves drifting.</p>
<p>I agree with Calmom about Hampshire. It has produced some very fine graduates, including university professors, but it can be very unstructured for some students who need more guidance. I also know a young woman who likes her courses and her profs but finds the social/political scene there not to her own taste. </p>
<p>It is in the middle of fields. We tried to visit once and had a hard time finding the entrance! It's totally unlike Clark which is in the middle of a city (Worcester). The city is rather run-down, though it benefits from having several colleges (Clark, Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic). It has some very good departments (psychology,geography in particular).</p>
<p>I only know Beloit by reputation; some posters think very highly of it.l</p>
<p>I don't know about Beloit, but I would choose Hampshire over Clark. Clark is a new college in an industrial town, while Hampshire is one of the 5 colleges in a very romantic and liberal place. All 5 colleges, except for UMass, are famous for trainning students with independent and creative mind. The kind of intellectual and philosophical explosure that one will receive in Hampshire is nothing Clark can compare. If you believe that a person is built by the atmosphere surrouding him or her, then Hampshire is the place. Besides, I believe a Hampshire diploma is worth more in the humanities areas than a Clark diploma.</p>
<p>All things being equal in terms of education, have you thought about how your son will get to and from school? My daughter attends college about 8 hours away, and believe me, the cost of transporting her back and forth - whether by car or plane - is not something we considered ahead of time. It adds up fast, more than $800 a year, even flying Southwest! This is definitely something I will think about with daughter #2 when she starts looking next year.</p>
<p>suloshfets' idea of history is peculiar.</p>
<p>Clark was founded in 1887--at the same time as a lot of colleges and universities in the US. Hampshire College admitted its first students in 1970. </p>
<p>Personally, I did not find Hampshire's campus romantic, but it's a matter of taste.</p>
<p>Steiny Carolyn's daugther is going to Beloit so you might want to pm her- Carolyn is wealth of info on the issue. Beloit sounds as wonderful fit for your son and has produced tremendous amount of wonderful opportunties for people. I have niece graduating from there and she loves it .</p>
<p>My son has had a wonderful experience at Beloit. It is a very special place. If you want to PM me, I can answer specific questions and provide more information on his experience and that of others we know whose children attend or attended Beloit.</p>
<p>hampshire seemed to have a very unique character - i would think a student would have to "know" that it is the right place for them.</p>
<p>clark -- i know the school tries to partner with the city rather than isolate itself from it - can your son see himself taking advantage of that or feeling he would be trying to avoid his off campus surroundings?</p>
<p>beloit - i know nothing about.</p>
<p>but just remember -- it the decision is this hard, it probably means he can't make a wrong one.</p>
<p>I am (probably) going to Beloit next year and also considered Hampshire very seriosuly. What made me decide that Hampshire was not right for me was the lack of sturcture (maybe a positive thing for some, but not for me) and the extremely non main stream ftudent body (just my perception of course!!) I really liked Beloit because I found everyone to be so friendly and welcoming, there is enough structure (some general ed's, but there is not really required classes...you get to pick your gen eds in a way, from each department)
I also visited Clark (4 years ago when my older sister was considering it.) At the time I remember liking it very much because it was pretty and the tour guide was very nice, but my sister basically hated it (probably for the town that it is in.)</p>
<p>I dont't know about your son, but really all three schools are wonderful. good luck to him.</p>
<p>thanks to everyone for your replies.it seemsthat alot more people on this forum have had experience w. beloit than hampshire...anyone out there w. a hampshire student?another fact i didn't mention is that beloit has offered the greatest amount of money.....clark the least.</p>
<p>re the amount of money - is the amount significant enough that you would like it to affect your son's decision? think about this carefully - money can be a significant issue - but if it isn't, let your son go where the best fit is.</p>
<p>also - if he would really like to go to hampshire or clark, you can approach the one he wants and tell them that he was offered more elsewhere - no guarentees, but schools will sometimes come up with more money in such a situation.</p>
<p>My D attends a school nearby Hampshire and the one-phrase characterization of the place is "hippy time capsule." Which isn't to say that there aren't a lot of very bright, interesting people there.... I think it's a school where marijuana use is pretty "up" there if that's either a problem or an attraction.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your son at his acceptances. I am familiar with all three schools, as I have a son attending Beloit and know professors at Clark and Hampshire. All three schools have excellent faculties and different strengths. Beloit and Hampshire are probably more academically challenging than Clark. The student populations are very different, as are the settings. Clark is in an older industrial town, Hampshire in the midst of a large academic "metropolis" which offers the opportunity to take classes at other campuses, offsetting the limited course offering at this small school. Beloit students are probably the most dependent upon each other for social and extracurricular activities. Clark will have the most ethnically and economically diverse student population of the three.</p>
<p>Beyond these generalities, it appears that your son has very specific interests--Holocaust studies, Japanese, etc. If these interests are the deciding factors, he should ask the admissions officer to put him in touch with a professor or upperclass student knowledgable about the program before he makes a decision. Good luck.</p>
<p>I went to a prep school ( years ago ) that sent many kids to Hampshire . Everyone transferred out eventually ! Read about Clark in the Loren Pope book . It has a lot to offer . But Beloit is a class A college , I think compared to the others.</p>
<p>Steiny, please see the email I sent you. And look on the bright side -- what wonderful choices your son has!</p>
<p>for the most "college-y" experience, i'd definitely pick beloit. hampshire is definitely 'different' and clark's reputation has plummeted over the past 10 years, not to mention being in a not so great area.</p>
<p>Can you expand on "Clark's reputation has plummeted over the past 10 years?"</p>