Any colleges for smart/creative/mellow people?

<p>Is this possible?</p>

<p>I’ve got good test scores (34 ACT, 2150 SAT) and meh grades (except art and history). I am extremely lazy when it comes to school work. I don’t get along with people who study a lot because I just don’t have the same motivation. </p>

<p>(Not a complete waste of space though - I am motivated to study languages, work political campaigns, paint, etc…)</p>

<p>I am wondering if anyone has gotten a “smart, laid back” vibe from any colleges. Preferably in the Midwest but anywhere is fine. Or, more accurately, a “smart, passionate about things other than grades” vibe? </p>

<p>Am I making myself clear or am I sounding entirely foolish?</p>

<p>you might want to try oberlin if you want to stay in the midwest or possibly college of wooster (if you need a scholarship this would probably be a better option, though there is a lot of drinking there)
on the east coast you have a lot more options like vassar or Conn College or that type of thing but what I would say to definantly look for is the liberal arts colleges cause they are usually more laid back and some of the best schools for art other than art schools
you also might want to try reed out or lewis and clark as well out in the Northwest</p>

<p>Pitzer. Maybe Pomona</p>

<p>College of Wooster – you’d end up getting a very nice scholarship too.</p>

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<p>While I’d agree that Pomona has a “smart, passionate about things other than grades vibe,” I don’t think it’s a good suggestion for the OP given that he/she describes themselves extremely lazy about schoolwork.</p>

<p>It depends on how bad your grades are. But Pomona is one of the most selective schools in the country. So for them your scores would only be in the high side of the median range. Even if your grades were comparable, you still might not get in. Vassar, Oberlin and Reed are not too much less selective. Reed in particular is a very demanding school.</p>

<p>If your grades are in the 3.2-3.4 range, and you are in the top 20% or so of your class, check out the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (Lawrence, Beloit, etc.) If your grades are a little lower, check out the Colleges That Change Lives list (which includes some of the ACM schools). Example: Earlham College.</p>

<p>Or are we talking lots of C’s and D’s?</p>

<p>College of Wooster, Oberlin, Vassar and Earlham are great suggestions. How about Hampshire and maybe Evergreen State College, but we would need to know your GPA before suggesting more schools.</p>

<p>Hey, thanks so much for all the responses! This gives me a great starting point, and it seems like everyone really got what I was asking. </p>

<p>Er, yeah, my grades are actually pretty solid. I always feel “lazy” compared to my friends, who study hours and hours every night, but my grades still turn out fine. I hesitate to say “I don’t study, but I get good grades” 'cause, really…</p>

<p>My cumulative unweighted is 3.88 (am I supposed to round that? up or down?).
I do struggle keeping my math grades up (C+ at the moment), and that’s the only blip. I don’t do the homework, so yeah, I’m definitely lazy and unmotivated when it comes down to things I don’t like. Or things I have to work hard at. </p>

<p>I can see myself following the same pattern in college - doing stuff I’m interested in, being immature about the other stuff and not doing it. </p>

<p>Supposing I can get over this nasty habit and do fine in all my classes, what do you all suggest? Or if I don’t?</p>

<p>Smart, laid back, creative can describe a lot of colleges, depending on the major you’re in.</p>

<p>In addition to previous suggestions: Macalester, Denison, WashU if you want something bigger than a LA college. In CA, I’d second Pomona, Pitzer and add Occidental.</p>

<p>Given your clarification about grades, perhaps you should look into Pomona after all. We have very loose gen ed requirements, so I doubt there would be many classes you would be obligated to take that you weren’t interested in.</p>

<p>As soon as I saw the title of your thread, I immediately thought of Kenyon College.</p>

<p>Pitzer cares less about test scores and more about grades, so you might have trouble there.</p>

<p>I’d suggest my own school – Wesleyan University. Very loose distribution “requirements” (which aren’t actually requirements for graduation, just to get honors and for some majors). It’ll be a reach (as would Vassar, Pomona, Reed and Oberlin), just because these schools do like to see people doing pretty well in all of their classes, but you actually do have good grades overall, and good scores (esp. the ACT), so it’s not impossible. But Wes, like many of the other schools suggested here, is a very politically active and arty school, so it seems like you’d be a fit in that way. </p>

<p>You have to work to do well at Wes (and any college suggested here), but you can definitely shape your college career such that everything you’re doing is something that you’re passionate about – and it sounds like you’re not as lazy as you say, just you only want to work at what you like. And in general, the kids here care about what they’re studying, they aren’t just doing it for grades.</p>

<p>Also, you might want to check out the College of Letters, since you like languages. You don’t get grades in COL classes your sophomore or junior year, just comments from your profs. It’s very much about being intellectually engaged, but not about grades at all: [Wesleyan</a> University - College of Letters](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/col/]Wesleyan”>Welcome, College of Letters - Wesleyan University) Not sure if you like the other humanities enough for it to appeal, but certainly something to consider. </p>

<p>I second many of the suggestions here. I’ll especially second Hampshire, which is a better bet, admissions wise, and doesn’t give grades at all – their academic philosophy might really appeal to you. You should also check out Sarah Lawrence. Maybe Goucher for more of a safety?</p>

<p>Your grades sound better than your SAT scores to me, although I guess that depends on how inflated/competitive your high school is. The higher score on the more knowledge-based test (ACT) seems to bear that out. </p>

<p>Either you are just having some pre-college panic or you have a very skewed group of acquaintances - I am sure you are motivated enough to do liberal arts at any school in the country (and I am sure you will find liberal arts majors more laid-back than you at any school in the country).</p>

<p>Just checked in…thank you so much for your responses!</p>

<p>I am very glad to hear about all of the non-ivy leagues out there. I recognize that there is a definite “it’s not good enough” vibe in my community when it comes to most colleges, especially the more creative/art options. I have made a list of your suggestions and continue to wrestle with the how far/too unrealistic/never heard of it aspects. I am so happy to have conflict over this and not “???”</p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>I thought of Lewis and Clark and Sarah Lawrence</p>

<p>I am completely floored at the multiple posters suggesting that a person who doesn’t really study should apply to Vassar, Wesleyan, etc. </p>

<p>are you serious?? </p>

<p>Here’s what I want to know, though: the OP has good grades and SATs, but so does everybody else who applies to these schools. Isn’t a good question: what do you actually DO with your time, and are these the kind of activities that “count” to these ridiculously selective colleges?</p>

<p>I can’t imagine that, without that information, you can seriously suggest any of these Highly Selective colleges.</p>

<p>Am I wrong here? I’m reading these “chance me” threads where kids with incredible “stats” and ECs are being told they have a 7% chance of getting into these fancy Eastern liberal arts colleges.</p>

<p>More important than names is narrowing down the type of school you want.</p>

<p>If you think you are really only going to be motivated in classes you really really like, then prioritize schools that have few or no required courses/distribution requirements.</p>

<p>If you think you will do the things you need to do - like study for the big test, or write the paper well and on time - but are probably not going to be doing the readings for each class, then go somewhere with large lecture classes, and not to a small liberal arts college where you will be expected to contribute in your classes and will be frequently called on (they will know if you read!).</p>

<p>If you are just asking about schools that have a low key, non competitive vibe, but have high academic standards and where people are still hard working… well… that is a totally different question.</p>

<p>Yeah what exactly do you want to major in? Because i was going to suggest my school- the cooper union if you want to be surrounded by a high level of intellect where students basically choose their own destinies… but you really have to have a lot of passion to succeed in such a school</p>

<p>I’d say Hampshire would be a great match school for you, there are no requirements so you basically get to do what you want. One of my friends is going there and she says it’s not a slacker school, its more about self motivation to do the things you want to do.</p>

<p>Bard College seems to be another similar one. And someone else suggested Lewis & Clark, that might be another good match school for you.</p>