what schools might work for me?

College Search & Selection
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<p>I'm really at a loss in this college search process. I'm (going to be) a senior, and I haven't really been able to track down some good information about what schools might be good for me. I go to a big public high school, and my guidance counselor isn't helpful. I was hoping that maybe you guys could help. My SAT was a 720 verbal, 650 math, 640 writing. my unweighted gpa is a 93. i've taken honors classes, with AP US history and english language. next year i plan on taking AP english lit, bio, french, government, and music theory. in terms of extracurriculars, i'm on the swim team, i babysat all throughout high school so far, and tutored through community service club. i also organized a rape crisis awareness event at my high school this past year, and i have a job in a law office this summer. </p>

<p>so far, what's important to me in terms of a school, i'm from new york, so hopefully not too far from there, (i'd prefer schools in the northeast). i'm definitely a cerebral type of person, and i like learning for learning's sake, so i'd like a school that's not too preprofessional, although i am looking to be a lawyer (at this point at least). i'm definitely not a science person, so i think i'd be better suited at a school with strengths in the humanities. i think i want to be a philosophy major. i took a philosophy of law course at the local community college and absolutely loved it and the type of thinking that was necessary. are there any schools with good philosophy programs in my score range? i've really liked languages, and i've taken both french and spanish in high school. i definitely want to study abroad in college.</p>

<p>surprisingly, i think i'd like a pretty campus. this isn't something that i originally thought i'd care about, but my sister goes to a school that's kind of ugly, and i think for me, i'd like to walk around and feel like i'm around some nature. i definitely want a campus, and not to be in the middle of a city. i'm hoping for a school where drinking is not the main focus of the social life, although, i'm not sure how realistic that is... i don't think i'd want a single sex school. fortunately, we're not looking to get money from schools, so scholarships aren't something i'm searching for. </p>

<p>I'm the kind of person where I need to have a relationship with professors, so I think a school on the smaller side would probably be best for me. My sister's biggest complaint this past year (her freshman year in college) was that the workload at her school was kind of oppressive, and while there were things going on on campus, she didn't have time to take advantage of them because she had to work all the time. Is this the case at basically all schools? Is it possible to find a good quality school where this is not the case?</p>

<p>i'm trying to think of anything else that might be helpful...if anything's missing let me know!</p>

<p>thanks so much in advance for comments!</p>

2

<p>Vassar, Sarah Lawrence, Skidmore, Bard.</p>

<p>Perhaps Hobart & William Smith as a safety.</p>

3

<p>thanks for the reply! i had looked at vassar; maybe i should look into it more. i quickly googled the others, and they seem very artsy, almost a little, “out there.” is this true at all? (i was just going by websites, so i have no idea.) any other safeties?</p>

4

<p>It sounds like you might really like my school, Wesleyan (though it would be a reach):</p>

<p>–The student body here is intellectual yet laid back. We work hard, but are willing to drop our work for something really fun every now and then during the week, and still have time to have fun on the weekends. </p>

<p>–There are plenty of things for non-drinkers to do, and little pressure to partake in something you’re not comfortable.</p>

<p>–We have a good philosophy department. Also, from your interest in philosophy and languages, it seems like you might be interested in our [College</a> of Letters](<a href=“https://wesep.wesleyan.edu/cgi-perl/portfolio_maker/get_info.cgi/?portfolio_type=Student&expire=05/13/2008_03:08_AM&is_custom=yes]College”>https://wesep.wesleyan.edu/cgi-perl/portfolio_maker/get_info.cgi/?portfolio_type=Student&expire=05/13/2008_03:08_AM&is_custom=yes) program. </p>

<p>–The one thing is that some people don’t like its campus, but I think it’s REALLY pretty. It might not be as nature-y as you want, but it seems like it really fits everything else, and it’s certainly not in a city, so I think it’s worth checking out. </p>

<p>In fact, a lot of the top LACs seem like they could possibly work for you. They’d all be pretty big reaches, but it would be worth it to apply to one or two if you really like them. Check out especially Amherst, Williams, Haverford, Middlebury and Bowdoin. </p>

<p>Some other ideas (at a variety of selectivity, and some are in the mid-atlatic instead of northeast): University of Rochester, Clark University, Hamilton, Bates, Dickenson, Goucher (its in a city-like area, but has a beautiful, secluded campus), Drew University.</p>

<p>If you end up deciding to look beyond the northeast, some colleges in the Midwest that you might like are: Carleton, Grinnell, Kenyon, Oberlin, Colorado College, Kalamazoo.</p>

5

<p>Haverford College seems like a good fit for you.</p>

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<p>Might be going a bit extreme here, but how about Chicago as a reach?</p>

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<p>Hamilton immediately came to mind.</p>

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<p>I second Wesleyan and Vassar.</p>

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<p>Also maybe Connecticut College, TCNJ and St. Lawrence might be worth a look.</p>

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<p>Actually, U Of Rochester and U of Chicago are two really good suggestions for you. Chicago is really not that far away( Southwest has a direct flight which is not too expensive). Both schools offer most of what you are looking for with the benefits of research universities, but the attention of lac’s. They each have gorgeous campuses with lots of extra curricular activities and great intellectual environments.</p>

11

<p>Lots of great suggestions for reaches and matches. How about a safety - University of Delaware. Not northeast, but mid-Atlantic. Beautiful campus, not one of the top-ranked publics, but a very good one, some interesting programs, 2-3 hours from NYC by car or Amtrak, moderate weather, and many students from NY, NJ, and PA. Just a thought.</p>

12

<p>Definitely Vassar and Skidmore–both northeast, both gorgeous, both well-regarded academically.</p>

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<p>Amherst is a reach, but sounds as if you would like it. Oberlin and Haverford sound good. Boston College may work.</p>

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<p>Also, I don’t think my college of letters link is right up there. Try this: [Wesleyan</a> University - College of Letters](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/col/]Wesleyan”>Welcome, College of Letters - Wesleyan University)</p>

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<p>For matches/safeties: Ohio Wesleyan, College of Wooster, Ohio Northern, Denison.</p>

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<p>perfect. thanks so much for the list guys. i’ll definitley look those up. you guys are amazing and wonderful!</p>

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<p>Chicago is perfect fora BIG reach school.</p>

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<p>Yeah, UChicago would be a big reach…and if distance is an important factor, it’s probably not the best choice anyway (since she’d either have to pay for plane tickets all the time, or drive for 15 hours).</p>

19

<p>OP - you sound much like my D…confident in abilities, uncertain about future. She seems to have found a perfect match in Bryn Mawr College. </p>

<p>It is all women as undergrad, but has connections with other schools. Beautiful campus and tons of opportunities. Accessible faculty, close to Philadelphia, small size, supportive environment. And, it is among the most highly ranked in percentage of graduates who obtain PhD and other advanced degrees. Check it out!</p>

20

<p>The first college I thought of for you was Haverford.
The next was Rochester.</p>

<p>Reading about each college in the Fiske Guide would let you compare them in a way that just looking at each college’s web site won’t. Try that.</p>