Thought about Rice?
Birkenstock sandals are big here - my D22 has worn them for years. Mostly this style Gizeh Birko-Flor Black | BIRKENSTOCK in all different colors, though my D also has a cheaper plastic pair. Sheâs got her own style but sheâs not unstylish. And like I said they are big here and have been for years.
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Big here too and that is the preferred style of my D.
She switched schools at 6th grade and it was the first time she did not have a uniform. Weâd never been âback to school shoppingâ so I was clueless about what kids wore. We were told âBirkenstocks, Patagonia and Uggsâ. She still wears Birks (and so do I but I am part of that over 50 crowd. 
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ETA: Sorry if this is getting off topic, mods.
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Letâs get back to the OPâs question please.
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A benefit for this family is that as Florida Residents the student would get a Florida resident grant (EASE, I think it is now about $3500/yr) and can use Bright Futures if he earns it. There are also local scholarships throughout Florida that often can only be used in Florida.
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Ok, right, the Birkenstock flip flop style. I have seen some of those but not in my D22âs crowd. I was imagining the classic back strap style to go along with the hippie flower child comment.
When we toured UNC-Asheville it was a little more alternative/LGBTQ than hippie, although there were some more mainstream kids too. Itâs definitely not a preppy place.
OP, when you say heâs into fashion do you mean he likes to wear designer labels and look dapper or is he into creating his own combos from thrift store finds or something else? My LGBTQ d22 likes DIY fashion and loves to go thrifting with her friends (esp the gay theater boy â they seem to spend most of their free time hitting the thrifts).
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Fantastic, welcoming, rigorous school in a good part of town, but I think of it as more of a STEM school.
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As much as I admire Hamilton, it may not be a good fit for someone looking for a big city environment. On the other hand if heâs willing to defer urban for bucolic, he might also look at Williams, Kenyon and Grinnell. Skidmore for a lively small town.
Williams has a powerful English department, large and diverse. There are several award winning fiction writers on the faculty (notably Jim Shepard and Andrea Barrett).
Williamsâ theater department is small but vibrant with added impetus from its connection to the Williamstown Theater Festival, one of the foremost summer stock venues in the northeast. (Williams doesnât administer the festival, but the influence rubs off.) Theater participation is open to all students, not just majors.
There are also three world class art museums on or near campusâThe Clark, MassMoCA, and Williams College museum â which reflect the cultural sophistication of the Berkshires.
As for fashion . . . Maybe not
âAs for fashionâŠMaybe notâ = made my day. Thank you.
P.S. FWIW I suspect that OPâs son wants something close to the opposite of Williams College. NYU should be a target school for OPâs son.
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I understand the the OPâs son prefers an urban environment, but I donât agree that Williams (or Hamilton, Kenyon or Grinnell) would be the opposite of what heâs looking for. All of these have excellent literature and creative writing programs, the focus of all faculty and staff including visiting writers is to teach undergraduates, and there are ample performance opportunities even for those who are not majoring in theater.
If a small town or suburban can bridge the gap between uber-urban and remotely rural then maybe he could look at Amherst, Swarthmore, Haverford and Skidmore (plus Wesleyan which is already on his list).
Bucknell is a puzzler to me although itâs Philip Rothâs alma mater (pre-U of Chicago).
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My only remark was that Williams College might be the opposite of what OPâs son is seeking in light of OPâs statement that:
âHe really wants to go to college in a big city like New York City.â
I feel confident that this eliminates Williams, Kenyon, & Grinnell.
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My D22 has a friend at Kenyon this year in Creative Writing who is struggling a bit with the environment. She wasnât able to visit due to COVID and if she had she mightâve picked somewhere else. I think it is just a bit too small and isolated for her.
My D22 is going to go to a very small school, but she was able to visit and that made all the difference for her. She could tell immediately that these were her people.
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Yes - OPs son want to go to school in a big city - and while weâve also mentioned some mid size or smaller cities - at least theyâre cities.
So the Kenyons, Oberlins of the world - likely arenât for OP. If he likes big, itâs likely NY, DC, Boston, PhilyâŠmaybe cities in other partsâŠlike Pittsburgh.
When we mention places like Asheville, Tucson - theyâre not urbanâŠbut they are cities, etc.
But weâve probably gone off tangent a bit 
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If heâs committed to a big city, none better than the Big Apple. Since NYU doesnât seem to be a match due to financial aid, perhaps The Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at the New School is worth a look. Located in Greenwich Village, New York is your campus and youâre surrounded by other artsy types from their College of Performing Arts, Mannes College of Music, and Parsons School of Design. NYU with Tisch School of the Arts is also in the Village and Fashion Institute is only a little way farther up the West Side.
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Just chiming in here. This list is way to top-heavy. I think you/he are misinformed about his chances at most of these schools (Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Vanderbilt, etc.). It would be very, very unusual for someone with subscores in the <30 range (regardless of total score) to have success with admissions at these schools, unless they are an athlete or from a high-donor family. Please have him look at several way less competitive schools. I know he wants urban, but perhaps widen the search to include Grinnell, Muhlenberg (safety), Temple, and Skidmore. He also might want to consider Tufts for ED2.
Bucknell is a very fratty, âbroâ type of place, by the way. Doesnât seem to fit what heâs looking for.
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All of my adult children wear birks, theyâve been popular for several years (nyc metro). Doc martins too.
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Yes, apparently itâs me who is clueless. But my LGBTQ kids definitely do not wear Birks, nor do I know any of their friends who do. My D22âs best gay boy friend likes to wear Adidas last I checked. Heâs fashion-y, but in a thrift/consignment store kind of way. Not in a dressy, nice tie, nice shoes kind of way. D22 would never wear Birks. She like her Docs, Converse, she got some platform Pumas recently and has some platform leather Converse too. Do gay guys wear Birks?
Anyway, I think the Birkenstock comment came up w/ regard to UNC-Asheville. A little stroll around the UNC-A website will give you some idea of what kinds of kids go there and their style (think different color hair, tattoos, etc). Iâm sure there are some kids who wear Birks there too, but you will probably see more Converse, which also may not be fashionable enough for the OPâs son.
Sounds like NYC is the place to be, but I would encourage a look at SCAD and VCU for safeties if they are affordable for you. Those are fun, creative schools in fun, creative cities.
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I can confirm very few birk sightings in NYC. Docs, if youâre hard-core political, Uggs, if youâre more suburban, and a lot of Nike, if you donât care one way or the other. YMMV.
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My reaction was the to the presence of Hamilton on the OPâs sonâs initial list: If he was considering Hamilton, which is about as rural as it gets, then maybe he should consider X, Y or Z. On the other hand, if urban is a must have then maybe he should scratch Hamilton.
Hopefully visits will be doable this year.
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Wagner College, located on Staten Island (NYC).
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