Which of these colleges are best suited to what I may major in?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a junior going into senior year of high school, and I'm thinking about applying to these schools:</p>

<p>Amherst College
Bowdoin College
Brown University
Carleton College
Haverford College
Macalester College
Northwestern University
Reed College
Swarthmore College
University of Chicago
Williams College</p>

<p>I'm just starting to feel pretty confident that I want to do something with archaeology/anthropology, history, and/or English. I also would like to pursue Arabic as a language. Are any of these schools completely unacceptable for those majors? Which ones would be strongest in the subjects that I mentioned? Do you have any other schools I should add to my list? Also, I have done enough research to know that I am a competitive candidate for the schools that I listed, but most of them aren't sure things. It'd be great if someone could recommend a few safety schools that are strong in the areas that I may major in.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance guys.</p>

2

<p>I think Brown and Chicago are strong in anthropology. In which state do you live?</p>

3

<p>I live in Illinois, about 15 minutes outside Chicago.</p>

4

<p>I’m going to bump this</p>

5

<p>I can maybe help if you elaborate on your interest in history. In what era / field are you most interested?</p>

6

<p>Thanks. Well, I pretty much have an all-encompassing love of history, and the subject I’m passionate in changes pretty regularly. Throughout my junior year of high school I was really interested in 2oth century history and poly-sci, and I thought I may want to go into law (which made my parents VERY happy). However, I’m now becoming more interested in ancient civilizations and cultures, and I’ve always held an interest in anthropology and archaeology. I suppose the actual region that seems most compelling to me is the Middle East and Northern Africa. </p>

<p>I don’t really know what fields match those interests. Plus while I know I’ll always enjoy history (I have my entire life), the area I’m specifically interested in changes quite often. That’s probably not the answer you’re looking for, but I can’t say that I’m totally set on any area yet.</p>

7

<p>I know Haverford has great antropology, history and English. They also have one of the nation’s very best undergrad archaeology programs (through Bryn Mawr). (However, it does not have Arabic language.) </p>

<p>I don’t believe archaeology is not available at Amherst, Macalester, Northwestern, Reed, Swarthmore, U Chicago, or Williams.</p>

8

<p>Brown is strong in anthropology, and specifically in the area of archaeology. We also have a top history program (and even stronger Am Civ program). Hardly a slouch in English, too. Seems like a good match to me.</p>

9

<p>Forgive my typo above… I meant to write: I don’t believe archaeology is available at Amherst, Macalester, Northwestern, Reed, Swarthmore, U Chicago, or Williams.</p>

10

<p>Berkeley has a few great ancient historians in the history department. But, given your list of potential colleges, a large public school probably wouldn’t interest you.</p>

11

<p>I highly recommend Middlebury College in Vermont if you are interested in majoring or minoring in a language.</p>

12

<p>Northwestern is not bad in archaeology (anthro dept.), not much in Arabic, though.
Chicago is world-famous for its studies in ancient Near Eastern archaeology. Also good in Arabic & Middle Eastern studies.
Brown is good in ancient Near Eastern studies. Offers Arabic.
Others to check out (not exactly safeties): Penn, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, Cornell, Johns Hopkins
Others (more reachable): Michigan, U Washington, Georgetown (Arabic), maybe Indiana</p>

13

<p>Thanks for all the help guys. So out of the schools I listed are there any you would completely eliminate? What about additions? Some safeties would be nice.</p>

<p>And pointoforder, I’m pretty sure all the schools you listed have good anthro departments, especially Reed and University of Chicago. I mean I assume classes in archaeology would be available since it’s a subdivision of anthropology, right?</p>

14

<p>Reed’s archaeology is in the classics department:</p>

<p>[Reed</a> College | Classics | Resources](<a href=“http://academic.reed.edu/classics/resources.html]Reed”>http://academic.reed.edu/classics/resources.html)
[Reed</a> College | Classics | Study Abroad](<a href=“http://academic.reed.edu/classics/studyabroad.html]Reed”>http://academic.reed.edu/classics/studyabroad.html)</p>

15

<p>uchicago and brown are good :)</p>

16

<p>

While archaeology is not offered at Chicago as a major, Chicago has more archaeology offerings than any other college mentioned in this thread. In addition to numerous digs in the Near East, Chicago is currently conducting a dig in Illinois:</p>

<p>[University</a> of Chicago launches first archaeological dig at site of 1893 World’s Fair | The University of Chicago](<a href=“http://news.uchicago.edu/news.php?asset_id=1373]University”>http://news.uchicago.edu/news.php?asset_id=1373)</p>

<p>

In addition to the excellent comments and suggestions made so far, I would add:</p>

<p>Brandeis University
Dickinson College*
Duke University
Franklin & Marshall College*
George Washington University*
Hamilton College
New York University
Oberlin College
Tufts University
Washington University in St. Louis</p>

<p>*Possible safety</p>