Top New England Schools in Science & Good Fine Arts

Parents Forum
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<p>We're going to visit 6-8 schools in New England & trying to determine which schools might be the best potential fit for our dau. </p>

<p>Dau has top scores & grades, loves science & fine arts, & enjoys intellectual stimulation of classes with bright students engaged in their classes. </p>

<p>She's an introverted, quiet thinker. Very bright, always has interesting insights & perceptions. Loves science fiction. Vegetarian, environmentally-committed. Enjoys humor. Wouldn't be perceived as "quirky". Opposite of preppy or party-girl. </p>

<p>Since she's introverted, she would particularly flourish socially at a LAC or school with residential colleges. Prefers co-ed. Schools that foster social connectedness & community.</p>

<p>A school that she would find like-minded people & fit socially, as well as academically.</p>

<p>Would love thoughts on whether she'd get a better education & more faculty-student interaction at a LAC vs University where classes might be larger, students less known personally to the faculty, & grad students might be teaching undergrad classes. </p>

<p>Initial ideas are Williams, Amherst, & Brown. Considering Yale, Harvard, MIT. </p>

<p>Wondering about Middlebury. Dau thinks Bowdoin & Bates likely too dark & cold for Nov - March. </p>

<p>Thinking that we're missing other potential great fits in New England area & would love advise--Thanks!</p>

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<p>Those would have been my suggestions.</p>

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<p>But remember to find some schools that are safeties for both admissions and cost.</p>

<p>For cost, try putting “net price calculator” and “financial aid estimator” in the search box for each school’s web site.</p>

<p>Note also that Amherst and Brown are the opposite of MIT in terms of breadth requirements. MIT has an extensive set of breadth requirements ensuring that all students take courses in math, science, humanities, arts, and social studies. Amherst and Brown have no breadth requirements.</p>

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<p>I don’t think there is going to be a significant difference in darkness between Middlebury and Bates/Bowdoin. In fact, Middlebury is at a slightly higher latitude, and the ocean tends to have a moderating effect on temperatures, so it is probably slightly lighter and slightly warmer at the Maine schools.</p>

<p>My rather witty, introverted intellectual chose Dartmouth over the more obvious fit–the U of C–because he was afraid that at the U of C he would become “one of those people who never come out of their room.” He has enjoyed it very much, and indeed has grown socially. But of course if your D doesn’t want to go farther north, it wouldn’t suit her. </p>

<p>It is difficult to advise you without knowing exactly what you mean by “top scores and grades.” Does that mean she is in the top two or so in her class, if her school ranks, with a handful of 5s on AP exams and 2300+ SATs, and a schedule with maximum academic rigor in all academic areas? Does she have significant ECs and honors?</p>

<p>All of the schools you have listed so far sound like places she would enjoy. Most of them are among what are commonly called “lottery schools,” so perhaps what she needs is to consider some places that would be more in the nature of matches and safeties. You might want to take a look at Tufts, Wesleyan, and Vassar. (Not saying that they are safeties by any means, but they also have acceptance levels above 15%! :slight_smile: )</p>

<p>I think you are on the right track with a LAC or a school with a house system for her. There are obviously other strong possibilities in other areas of the country, such as Carleton, Swarthmore, Pomona/Harvey Mudd, and Rice.</p>

<p>Lastly, I think she should consider Smith and Wellesley, both of which are full of very bright articulate students, have an institutional teaching style that emphasizes classroom participation, and are members of consortia with coed schools. (BTW, the BS of “Mona Lisa Smile” to the contrary, the Art History Dept of Wellesley was perhaps the first in the nation to actually offer a course in “modern” art, back in the 1920s, long before Julia Roberts’ character ever defaced the campus. Would that they had never let those idiots make a movie there. :rolleyes: )</p>

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<p>Check out CMU. Great science/tech school with a great arts program. It is a mid sized school with about 5-6k students. It is not in New England, but depending on where you are, it might not be that far.</p>

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<p>Vassar, and slightly further West, Oberlin.</p>

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<p>Ditto what consolation said re darkness at Midd vs Bates/Bowdoin. I’d add Dartmouth as a “dark” school, too. Even Williams, which is only 45 miles east of where I live is dark. it starts getting quite dark in Dec/Jan about 4:00p, here. Amherst/Smith are probably a tad earlier than Williams as they are even further east. </p>

<p>Bates “spring break” is actually in February so they are gone for a week when it is still pretty dark early. </p>

<p>My son is at Bates - it has excellent programs in both science and the arts. A lot of kids plan to go to med school and their acceptance rate is 100%. My son knows tons of kids who are majors in neuro-science. I had no idea the school was so strong in the sciences (he’s leaning toward econ and politics so science wasn’t on our radar.)</p>

<p>Ditto for the fine arts. Excellent program and lots of kids major in the fine arts.</p>

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<p>Second some of the thoughts here. Brown has an program with RISD, but my DD felt it was a school of individuals, and that the school did not actively do much to promote community. Tufts may be a better option, strong in the sciences and has a program with the SMFA in Boston. It does not have a house system, but is very strong on building community. Amherst and Williams are big sports schools, despite their small size, so keep that in mind. May want to avoid Midd and Bowdoin if you want to stay away from preppy.</p>

<p>My artsy DD loved the vibe at Bates. Wesleyan has a great housing system designed to generate connectedness and community. I would put them both on the list for a science/arts kid.</p>

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<p>I’d second 1012mom on Tufts. Strong sciences and a connection with the Museum of Fine Arts School. Oldest D and son-in-law are both '05 grads (met at Tufts) and both had great experience and loved the Tufts community.</p>

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<p>Why not Wesleyan? Tremendous investment in science facilities and faculty, creative students, strong fine arts program the last time I looked (which was a while ago), lots of general artiness. Unambiguously New England, but not particularly cold or dark for that region. </p>

<p>If you want to go slightly more safetyish than the colleges you and we have been talking about, look at Bard in the Hudson Valley, and Connecticut College in New London Connecticut. I don’t know that much about either science or fine arts at either, but I know various science kids who have liked them, and (a) Bard is very arts-oriented in general, so I would be shocked if it didn’t have a first-rate fine arts program, (b) I would be pretty surprised if Conn College didn’t have good fine arts, too.</p>

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<p>Midd and Bowdoin are no less preppy than Williams (or most other small NE LACs).</p>

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<p>I think arcadia meant to say that Middlebury and Bowdoin are no MORE preppy than Williams, i.e., if you are afraid of over-preppiness, don’t apply to any of them. (I disagree slightly, but only slightly.)</p>

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<p>I would suggest Wesleyan and Brandeis - not as tippy top as some of the schools on your list but both are in new england, have strength and support both sciences and arts.</p>

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<p>Would add Sarah Lawrence, Bennington, Skidmore maybe.</p>

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<p>I’d second ttparent’s recommendation for CMU. Very strong fine arts program as well as great engineering and science schools. It’s not quite New England, but Pittsburgh isn’t at all the city it was 20-30 years ago.</p>

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<p>Bard. Great arts and ongoing building of emphasis on science, including special scholarships for science-focused students.</p>

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<p>Of these three, Skidmore would be the only one worth considering for a student interested in science beyond what would typically be non-majors’ introductory overview courses or minimum pre-med courses. Sarah Lawrence and Bennington course catalogs show very limited offerings in science courses.</p>

<p>[Undergraduate</a> Catalogue](<a href=“Disciplines and Programs of Study | Sarah Lawrence College”>Disciplines and Programs of Study | Sarah Lawrence College)
<a href=“http://www.bennington.edu/Libraries/docs_Academic/Curriculum_S12.sflb.ashx[/url]”>http://www.bennington.edu/Libraries/docs_Academic/Curriculum_S12.sflb.ashx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>You are correct, although you’d probably agree that they’re not LESS preppy than Williams. ;)</p>

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<p>Great suggestions–Thanks so much for your ideas & thoughts. </p>

<p>After talking again with my dau about many of your suggestions, here’s her thinking:</p>

<p>1- Since so many great schools get dark early, she doesn’t want that to be a factor in her college search. If the right school is in Maine, that would be fine with her.</p>

<p>2- While she prefers a coed school so she can interact with guys in a more “regular” environment (dorm, classes, clubs), she is open to looking at the women’s colleges. I do think a strong women’s school would be a good fit. What do you all think about Smith, Wellesley & Bryn Mar? </p>

<p>3- She likes cold & snow, so cold weather is fine.</p>

<p>4- She’s open to going anywhere, but has a slight preference for the midwest & east coast. It just worked out that our first college visits are in the northeast, & we’re trying to figure out what schools in the NE might be a fit for her. But, we’re open to schools that might be a good fit anywhere in the country.</p>

<p>I’ll send this update & clarification, then respond to your specific comments & ideas shortly. </p>

<p>Thanks again for taking the time to think about possibilities that might fit for my dau—we really appreciate it.</p>

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<p>Amazed that Thumper said “These would be my suggestions”. </p>

<p>I believe that Harvard & Yale’s academics & residential housing would be a good fit but am not sure if my dau would “fit” with their students & flourish in their social & campus environments. </p>

<p>My dau is a quiet, behind-the-scenes person who doesn’t do self-advocating or self-promoting. Not an extroverted, vibrant, energetic “driver” or “Type A” personality. </p>

<p>While she could do well wherever she goes, I’d love for her to go somewhere where she flourishes socially as well as in all of the other important ways.</p>

<p>And am not sure about her “fit” at Harvard, Yale, & Princeton…</p>