<p>I just found this post after posting in the Mills forum. I am an early action applicant and I should have no problem getting into Mills. Unfortunately, I live in Atlanta and I am unable to visit the campus until next semester, so I was wondering, for those of you who have lived there/visited there/have daughters who go there what the campus is like. You talked about a large (or not so large) lesbian population--I've grown up in the central part of Atlanta around a huge gay/lesbian population, so that really doesn't bother me. You talked about the campus being beautiful--what are the academic facilities like? I'm looking at being an Environmental Studies major and I've heard that their program is fantastic (almost every ES program in California is fantastic really). One of the perks about Mills, to me, is that it is so close to Berkeley--how many minutes away is it? Berkeley is my top choice, but out of state tuition is terrible so I don't think it would work out. I guess if anyone could give me a better impression of the college I'd be much obliged. I must say that I am REALLY looking forward to moving out to California--being a southern gal is not my thing. :)</p>
<p>Dear icabod05,
I do not know about the environ. sciences at Mills. I know that they have a pretty good reputation for psychology, for their education dept. (including a laboratory preschool on campus which is well-known in the area), & I think for literature & music. It's great that you're comfortable with a mostly non-heterosexual campus. The problem, according to my Mom who's in the know about curriculum (it's her specialty), is that there's also a bias in the humanities curriculum (very "feminist"). That probably doesn't affect a science major, though -- although I imagine that could affect a psych major.</p>
<p>If you're coming to Calif., why not Humboldt State or Sonoma State for environmental science? Those are beautiful locations, & I think the ES dept is good at both colleges (better than other No. Calif State U's). (I have older friends & acquaintances at Humboldt & Sonoma.) I think the State U's are more oriented toward getting jobs in the field once you graduate. Sonoma is only about an hour away from Berkeley.</p>
<p>Mills is about a 20 minute drive from Berkeley - that's when there isn't any traffic.
We didn't get a chance to see any of the facilities beyond the ones I mentioned above, but the campus is very beautiful - self-contained, lots of huge trees and historic buildings. I would say it's definitely a place you'd want to visit before you decide to attend. Another UC with an excellent environmental science program that you might want to consider is UC Santa Cruz. It has a very liberal/artsy feel that you might like. It's about an hour south of Berkeley and, in my mind, is one of the most stunning UC campuses.</p>
<p>Is there a particular reason your daughter is limiting her choices to California and the Pacific Northwest? (or is it just that you are limiting your college tours to those that are closer to home).></p>
<p>Calmom, No, she's not limiting her choices to California at all. The schools she is most interested in are all outside of California, either in the midwest or on the east coast. However, she feels she'd like to find at least one or two good options within a two hour drive or plane flight just in case she changes her mind about going to a school that takes 7-8 hours of plane travel plus another hour or two of driving to get to. I suspect in the back of her mind she's thinking that may mean she can figure out a way to get her horse to tag along with her somehow (going to be some real heartbreak when she has to say goodbye to Dusty). Climate is also a bit of an issue for her - she keeps referring to any school north of LA as being in "the cold place" --- even San Francisco on a bright and sunny day felt freezing to her! This is, after all, a girl who has been known to put on a down jacket in San Diego when the temperature hits 70 degrees! :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback on Mills! If I end up in California, I do want to stay close to the Bay area, one of my main reasons for my interest in Mills. I have applied to Santa Cruz and I'll be visiting it when I visit Mills next semester. I'm definitely looking for a more liberal environment, and from what I've heard, Mills definitely has that (as does Santa Cruz and Berkeley). At least I'll know if I made it in or not very soon!</p>
<p>Carolyn: if your D wants to be around horses and needs to be warm, then see if she can get her SAT scores up enough to consider UC Davis.</p>
<p>I have to make a point that it entirely untrue that Mills is, as classist says "a mostly non-heterosexual campus". Mills is vast majority hetero, although the lesbian population is visible and supported. The campus is feminist oriented, which does not equal gay.</p>
<p>Anyway, for ICABOD, one thing about Mills is getting off campus. Since you are in a residential area, it's nicest to have a car to get around. But you are on a major commute corridor (580), so travelling during those times is a pain. There is van service that runs 14 times per day (6 on weekends) to Berkeley and the Rockridge BART station. It's 71/2 miles and takes 15 minutes by car. There are public buses near Mills that will get you to Berkley (AC Transit #51, $1.50, 30 minutes.) and BART stations. You can easily get to San Francisco from any BART station.</p>
<p>Use this for trip planning on public transp:
<a href="http://www.transitinfo.org/index.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.transitinfo.org/index.asp</a></p>
<p>Dear Bettina,
Actually my screen name is classicist, not "classist." (But I see someone else made the same mistake, n.b.d.) The point still holds, in my opinion, about a feminist campus, whether that's mostly or partly gay. My problem with a female campus is that there is a tendency to be feminist, which often equals bias. Obviously, a male-driven curriculum is biased, too. That's why I prefer coed viewpoints for coed curricula. I don't have a problem with being <em>inclusive</em> about curriculum & opinion, just being <em>ex</em>clusive. That's the criticism I've heard about Mills & certain other female colleges -- that they often exclude non-feminist viewpoints. I'm going to college to learn <em>more</em>, not to be restricted about what is offered in my coursework. But to each, his own, her own.
I also understand about the weather thing. I have relatives from Southern California. When they visit me in "the north," they consider it "freezing" when the temperature is 68-70 degrees, & they start piling on the sweaters!</p>
<p>Lol classist. I'm only trying to clarify for the Mills EA poster, I'm not trying to influence your preferences either way.</p>
<p>dadofsam, Unfortunately, my daughter has ruled out all of the UC's at this point - too large for her. UC Davis would probably be be the best fit of the UC's for her, but she's pretty adament about wanting a small school - between 1200 and 3000 students is her ideal. I know small schools have some limitations but she's thought a lot about what she wants out of college and the small school environment is what she sees as best fitting that best (at least right now!).</p>
<p>Understood, Bettina. :>))
Probably my reply should be more directed to Carolyn & daughter. Some of my former classmates from Catholic elem.school go on to Cath. h.s., then Catholic colleges, where the student bodies have followed the same pattern. Although Mills is not a religious school, there are different limitations to that environment, --more so,i.m.o., than at a secular coed school whether small or large, public or private. If Carolyn's daughter is now at a "feeder school," then maybe it's Catholic. Don't mean to suggest too strongly where she should go to college, just providing info about going from one somewhat-insulated environment to another one, even if a different kind. (For example, certain kinds of speakers are not invited to speak at Cath. Colleges, so a student may hear fewer viewpoints expressed. That may not be true at Mills, but as I mentioned, the feminism aspects may limit the curriculum in certain ways.)
The fact that CA has so few small, accessible LACs is definitely a bummer & prevents me from attending a CA school. (The few here are not ones that appeal to me.) Definitely sympathize & hope you guys find the right fit. However, if it's warmth you seek, consider Arizona, or St. John's in New Mexico (small, personal, etc). And the Eastern side of Washington State is the balmy side, I hear.</p>
<p>Classicist--I completely understand what you mean about the feminist viewpoint...but as a woman looking for a college it's the viewpoint I would like to have taught. The point of womens' colleges is to provide an enriching environment for women in male dominated fields (science, engineering, business, policy). Thanks for all the input though and I do totally respect your view (it's definitely the one my mother holds).</p>
<p>::edit:: ahh thanks for the clarification!</p>
<p>Classicist, Yes, my daughter's current school is Catholic. She'd prefer not to go to a Catholic college if possible and would like a more...how shall I put it... open? environment. As she puts it, any school where most of the girls carry designer handbags to class is automatically suspect. Being one of the more artsy people at a very preppy school is wearing thin (I suspect you know what I mean) - yet she doesn't want to dive into the total opposite extreme either, so someplace where she'd feel in the middle would be nice. :) She's glanced at Whitman in the past but it may be a bit of a reach for her - we'll have to see how her SATs pan out in the spring. When we go up north, we'll probably visit Lewis & Clark and Willamette, possibly University of Puget Sound.</p>
<p>Icabod, excellent point. I tend to take the support-of-sciences thing for granted because (1) that already happens, big time, at my female h.s., &
(2) I'm not in the sciences. A good reminder about Mills, & esp. if that hasn't happened in h.s. for a female student. (The ironic thing, though, is that the ones who supported Mills staying single-gender many years ago were, as I recall, mostly in the humanities!)
The students at my h.s. in the sciences are very lucky. I think they will also mostly get their preferred college acceptances. Sciences there are also made very accessible & non-scary to us non-scientists. The male & the female teachers build a lot of confidence & risk-encouragement into the science program, even for the non-AP types. (Even I have taken lots of Honors & AP science courses at my h.s. I credit the atmosphere for that.)</p>
<p>If you do want any info on renting in SF, I am very familiar. I can see how USF and Berkeley students don't want to be in dorms later as upperclassmen in urban enviros.</p>
<p>I do think that parents sending kids to urban environments really should not think the kid is going to be in dorms the whole time. Even if offered, it is usually cheaper and more interesting to change out.</p>
<p>Carolyn, I do know what you mean by the artsy student among the preppies; my sister is one; she's brilliant but struggles with the more analytical academics, as she has her own way of doing & seeing. I'm curious if you've looked at the arts programs at any of these schools?
Just FYI on Whitman: from my h.s. in the last several years, the lowest GPA accepted to Whitman was about a 3.275 with about a 1235 composite SAT. There was also someone accepted with only an 1160 SAT but a 3.6 GPA. The only person not admitted had about a 2.6 GPA with a 1255 SAT. (That's from students who shared their information.)
I remember when I searched that they had a good history dept. & art history (I think). Did not look at the visual or performing arts majors.
I mentioned earlier that Whitman has good merit scholarships. So does Arizona State University (nice & warm!). ASU offered me one in the mail the other day; unfortunately I don't want Arizona. They said something about a guaranteed merit scholarship for anyone with a 1300 SAT, and I think a 3.5 GPA. (Didn't memorize the stats.) Not all state colleges are created equal. Some are actually quite pleasant, with many opportunities to stand out.</p>
<p>Carolyn -- it's something of a gamble - but your daughter might want to consider UC Merced -- there will be 600 Freshman entering when the campus opens in 2005 - total student body of 1000. This is slated to grow to 25,000 - but it is going to be an interesting opportunity for students during the first few years. I say "interesting" because there isn't going to be much in the way of history or tradition -- campus life is going to be what the entering class makes it. But it is a unique chance for kids who are looking for a smaller school within the UC system.</p>
<p>A girl from dd's school started this year at U of Puget sound. She's an arts oriented girl who also has a nice science research EC. I saw her parents recently and they are wildly happy and say she is thrilled with the school.</p>