<p>I’m looking for an LAC with a very strong writing program and a good film and/or screenwriting program, where I could study both of these things. I’m also looking for a college with an LGBTQ community. I know Eugene Lang has a clear advantage being in New York which has such a large LGBTQ population, but size doesn’t really mater all that much to me. Which of the three college listed above (Bennington, Eugene Lang, Ithaca) is better in these fields?
ANY input is greatly appreciated! Thanks</p>
<p>Bennington has the best creative writing program of these three. I don’t know about their film/screenwriting, but Bennington has a history of producing writers. I would go there, if you’re OK with the isolation it entails. </p>
<p>I recently read a book of short stories by Amy Hempel. faculty at Bennington. I found myself wondering why she isn’t one of the most widely read authors in the world, it is so beautifully written. The school is fairly small and the town itself is smallish and a bit isolated, but the track record of its writing program is indisputable.</p>
<p>I also really like Johnathan Lethem’s writing, another Bennington grad. I think Bret Easton Ellis published his first novel freshman year so I’m not really counting him as a “product” of the program.</p>
<p>Are those schools you’re looking into, or schools you were admitted to?
For writing, I immediately think of Kenyon (John Green, Ransom Rigg, Laura Hillenbrand, Bill Watterson, plus I loved Kluge’s Alma Mater and Josh Radnor’s Liberal Arts), I also think of Hamilton and Sarah Lawrence.
If those are three schools you were admitted to and you’re contemplating a career in writing, make sure there are creative writing workshops/classes& that the English major is strong at all, and then choose the cheapest.</p>
<p>Well, there’s a difference between creative writing and english - and whereas Bennington has an exceedingly strong creative writing program, it’s English program isn’t quite as good. In fact, I would say Ithaca has the strongest English program, among the 3 colleges that you listed. Bennington has very few English professors that actually have a Ph.d. </p>
<p><a href=“Sarah Lawrence: A Home for Writers | Sarah Lawrence College”>http://www.slc.edu/writing/</a></p>
<p>@MYOS I’m currently a Jr., so these are all schools which i’m considering applying to as matches. I have looked into Hamilton, Kenyon, and SLC, but these schools are all closer to low reaches/ high matches for me. Any other suggestions with an acceptance rate closer to Bennington and Eugene Lang?
@Guest15 I’m actually more interested in the creative writing side of things as I hope to transition into screenwriting after my undergrad. How do Ithaca and Eugene Lang’s creative writing programs stack up to bennington’s?</p>
<p>Eugene Lang and Ithaca both have decent creative writing programs. The operative word is decent - while they’re good, they don’t have the track record, prestige, or quality that Bennington’s creative writing program has. Just look at many of the current (and past) faculty to get an idea of the strength of Bennington’s program. </p>
<p>@Guest15 Thanks, do you know of any other LACs with similar acceptance rates to Bennington and with an equally exceptional creative writing program? </p>
<p>I wouldn’t look at acceptance rates as a way to judge how hard it is to be accepted to a school. Bennington is actually fairly selective in its own right, at least compared to its very high acceptance rate. Sarah Lawrence is a similar school in that respect, and I hear that this class has been the most selective in many years (so it might be a reach for you). </p>
<p>That being said if you have a low GPA and are an exceptional writer, you should have a shot at SLC - they tend to split their admission into thirds, where an essay constitutes a third, gpa constitutes a third, and ECs constitute another third. </p>
<p>Two other places to look into are Goucher and bard. Bard is more selective than Bennington, but also places a huge amount of stress on the essay and holistic admissions criteria. </p>