<p>Hi, I just ran across this discussion forum searching for college related information. I was hoping you guys could help me out.
I'm currently a high school junior, and I'm leaning towards majoring in English. So far, I'm thinking of specifically becoming a book editor. So my question to you is, which colleges have strong English departments?</p>
<p>Some information about me:
4.0+ GPA
I haven't actually taken the SAT yet, but I've taken practice ones, so I'll just post those scores.
Reading- 640
Math- 650
Writing- 700
However, I'm not planning to take my SAT's until I can raise my scores all into the 700 range.
I'm ranked in the top 10% of my class.
Please request more information if it will help you answer my question. So far, people have suggested Brown, UC Berkeley, and Columbia. </p>
<p>Well looking at ivy league schools alone, which ones have a stronger English department? And I'll definitely need some schools that aren't ivy league to be safe.</p>
<p>To beefs (sorry, don't know your name), what would you say I'd need to raise my scores up to? I know that with the scores I posted, my chances of getting into the ivy league schools are extremely slim. I've searched around for the average SAT scores for the ivy leagues, and most seem to be in the 720-780 range.
The scores I posted were those from a practice test without any previous preparation.</p>
<p>Don't worry too much about what colleges you can get into until you actually take the tests.</p>
<p>Many top schools have outstanding English departments but it tends to be a popular (therefore large) major, so I'd avoid some of the bigger schools. Schools with s strong undergrad focus like Yale, Princeton, Chicago, Duke, or Brown would be excellent choices, but you might be better off at a good LAC where you'll get even more attention from your professors. Most of the better LACs are going to be pretty strong in English. It's their bread-and-bitter.</p>
<p>It would be hard not to find a school with a good English department especially at large institutions. English, like history, is a very popular graduate school program and there are huge numbers of folks with doctorates looking for jobs. As a result colleges, even lower level schools, have their choice of may excellent candidates. </p>
<p>What exactly are you interested in? Literature? Writing? 19th Century? Modern? Make that determination when choosing a school.</p>
<p>^^ Not entirely. Best to check out the breadth of classes offered and see if you can get a sense of the profs who teach there.</p>
<p>I would consider any English department that has a lot of communication classes wrapped in to be a red flag. Most of the schools mentioned on CC will have "pure" programs where students are reading literature and lots of it, but be careful.</p>
<p>Another suggestion: look for schools with a high population of English majors, and look for schools for which a BA paper is required. Williams and Bryn Mawr have stood out in particular through the research I've done; runners-up in the match/safety range would be Beloit and Sarah Lawrence.</p>
<p>I also agree that a big school could be just as good (or better) for you than a small school when it comes to English classes, but just make sure that you can get into small discussion classes relatively easily.</p>