Transferring: Information About Colleges of Interest

[Sparrowhawk]

Hello Everyone!

I am currently in the process of researching a number of different schools with the intent to apply as a transfer student, and I would appreciate any insight into the schools listed below in terms of the strength of the departments I am interested in pursuing, how they compare to one another (which is, perhaps, a bit of a silly question in that they are all somewhat similar in terms of academic quality), and graduate school placement is also of interest.

Currently, I am a student at Marlboro College, intending to study some amalgam of the humanities and social sciences (likely some combination of Anthropology and Sociology and History). If I recall correctly, my GPA is currently somewhere in the 3.9 area; I’ve become involved in a few different clubs on campus, and I will be working with one of my professors on a project this coming semester. The size and focus of class, the interdisciplinary environment of the departments, the access and relationship with professors, and the process of the Plan of Concentration were all factors in my matriculating. However, though I have formed wonderful relationships with a few professors, I am not quite satisfied with the school. Academic rigor is a primary motivation for looking elsewhere, as I felt classes were too easy. In addition, due to ever-decreasing rates of enrollment, the new president instituted a program that will give a new student from each state a full scholarship should they choose to attend. My fear, of course, is that this program, given Marlboro’s small endowment, will impact my financial aid such that I will not be able to afford to continue my studies.

The schools I am interested in applying to, in no particular order, are as follows: Reed College, Swarthmore College, Wesleyan University, College of William and Mary, Bates College, Oberlin College, Carleton College, University of Virginia, and the University of Michigan.

If I had to choose favorites, I would say Reed and Swarthmore are probably most appealing to me. That being said, there are programs of study at some of the others that are particularly appealing to me-the Classical and Medieval Studies programs at Bates and the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan, for example.

Any information or insight is greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

[shawnspencer]

Hi Sparrowhawk!

I am not a major in any of the categories you described, but I can try to help answer some of your questions about William & Mary overall. As for class sizes and relationship with professors, most of my classes have been around 35 people or less since I started here and most of my professors have been extremely accessible. Like as in I have gotten meals with three of them already into my second year. Even professors that I have not been in my field of study, I have found that they are friendly and approachable when going to them in office hours.

As for the interdisciplinary relationship of the departments, just looking at the Anthropology major there is multiple different concentrations you make for yourself based off your area of interest, for instance: archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistics, native america. The new curriculum that they have developed for incoming students places and emphasis on interdisciplinary study and even if you don’t find what you are looking for you can design your own major, which allows you to draw courses from at least three different departments into your selected major. William & Mary is well known for its academic rigor, so I don’t think that will be a major issue there.

I’m not incredibly familiar with the anthropology and history departments, but from my impression of them, if you are interested in either, it is hard to find a better place to study them than the second oldest college in the nation in a major historical area. Last year I remember there was an anthropological dig right on campus and they found an underground brewery house around 300 years old and civil war bullets right next to the ancient side of campus. If you are interested in Early American History or a program that combines history, anthropology, and museum studies you may be interested in the National Institute of American History and Democracy (NIAHD) program which has a close relationship with the College of William & Mary.

If there are any specific things you are wondering about in terms of those majors, I can try and ask some of my friends who are majoring in those subjects about them when I get back to campus. Other questions about William & Mary’s general campus or atmosphere I can try to answer them here

[Sparrowhawk]

Thank you for your response!

It would be wonderful if you could ask your friends studying those subjects for their thoughts; I’d really appreciate it. In terms of general atmosphere, I would appreciate your thoughts about your experience with the school however you choose to address that. There isn’t anything exceedingly particular I’d like to know. Anything you see pertinent to share would be great.