<p>We will be dropping off our son in Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) for college in August. We are making it a road trip vacation/college visits/college drop off trip.</p>
<p>I am looking for suggestions for some college visits for my rising high school freshman daughter. She is interested in creative writing, pre-law, psychology, and poetry slam. She has been playing cello for 10 years and enjoys it but not enough to necessarily major in. She would still like to be able to play in a college orchestra without majoring in it. Interested in attending graduate school. She is quick witted, liberal, quirky, humanities/liberal arts oriented and not preppy at all. Nor into sports/athletics. She will be attending a fine arts academy high school. Merit aid a plus as we will probably not qualify for need based aid. URM- Hispanic.</p>
<p>We will be leaving from Central TX (Austin) and traveling through AR, TN, KY, WV, MD, PA.
Already on our radar are- Hendrix, Rhodes (maybe too preppy), Vanderbilt (very selective & preppy except for McGill), Bryn Mawr (not sure I could get her interested in a women's college) and of course some really selectives (Penn). Also could do a day trip from Pittsburgh to Oberlin.</p>
<p>Other suggestions appreciated. We may not visit all of the above- it's a 3 week trip. Thanks.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in Hendrix and Rhodes and will be in the Philadelphia area, then try Ursinus. If going west from Philly to Pittsburg, then stop by Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg.</p>
<p>If you can, call or email the Writers House staff ahead of time and let them know you’re coming–they’re happy to meet with prospective applicants and their families and to show them around.</p>
<p>Centre College in Danville Kentucky is a little off the main path, but is worth a look if you have time. Later on I’d recommend checking out Knox in Illinois – Creative Writing is the most popular major there.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in continuing north into New England (which is by the way great for vacation travel too) consider looking at Smith. All women’s but part of a large consortium. Excellent arts & humanities, excellent music, very quirky/liberal, good merit money. And if she likes New England there are many other choices in the region.</p>
<p>Out of your way on this trip, but you might consider Bard (about an hour north of NY). Hits your descriptors on all points - quirky, liberal, quick witted, strong in creative writing and social sciences, strong music scene (there is a conservatory but also a strong college orchestra/chamber music scene), definitely not sporty or preppy! (Disclaimer: D2 graduates there next week - a nonmusic major who plays the viola (free lessons!) and has taken creative writing classes).</p>
<p>Thank you everyone- Smith and Bard are definitely on our radar. This would I think need another trip to visit specifically that area as too much to cram in this trip. Have a neighbor’s daughter who attends Smith and was offered generous financial aid but she had amazing stats. Also one of my son’s friends (female) was accepted to Bard with some time of aid but mainly financial. Trying to find places that offer good merit as likely not qualifying for financial. Also her stats are yet to be determined- rising freshman. She is super bright and use to be academically focused but got squirrelly this year.</p>
<p>Earlham College might be right up her alley. It’s in southeast Indiana, just over the border from Ohio. Quirky, liberal, and the very antithesis of preppy. Like many LACs, Earlham has a stellar record at placing their students into graduate programs.</p>
<p>She may be interested in both the Orchestra and the String Quartet. Non-majors welcome:</p>
<p>When we did an Earlham tour 3 months ago during their spring break, the tour guide (a Junior) said there were only 7 actual music majors in her class but that “nearly everyone” on campus was somehow involved in non-major musical stuff. My kid wouldn’t be but she didn’t mind that “everyone” else might be. When my kid went back for an April overnight, she ended up rooming with that same tour guide who invited her to the orchestra’s dress rehearsal that night for a big performance coming later in the week. D said the rehearsal was awesome.</p>
<p>That’s a very long ways and the D is still a freshman. I would try to see a few representative places (large, small, LAC, University, etc.) but don’t overdo it. Also, make sure they are places you could conceivably afford or get merit at beforehand.</p>