<p>My name is Kristin and I graduated highschool this year in the summer of 2011. I’m taking a gap year before heading off to college because last year, I failed to fully comprehend the competitiveness of New England schools. I have graduated with a 4.0, multiple honors courses, I’ve taken AP tests and gotten fives on them in Calculus BC with the AB component, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Spanish Language, and US History. I’ve also taken the SAT and got a 2270, an 800 on the US History SAT and a 770 on the English Literature SAT. I’ve been involved in many drama productions, my school’s environmental club, DECA (an association of marketing students in which I won a number of awards), dance, NHS, Spanish Honors Society, and a number of other things. I believed that all of this would be enough to get me into a competitive college so I foolishly applied to only four schools, Dartmouth, Middlebury, Bowdoin, and Calvin (my safety school until I visited and discovered it didn’t have what I was looking for). I was rejected from Dartmouth, wait-listed and later rejected by Middlebury and Bowdoin, and after visiting Calvin and receiving a financial aid package that I couldn’t swing I decided to take a gap year rather than go to a college that I felt didn’t fit me or what I wanted out of college. I’ve started looking for more colleges that I can apply to next year because obviously I chose too few schools out of a very selective list. While trying to expand a little bit, I keep getting stuck on competitive schools. I really love the feel of Middlebury, and I visited Williams last week and loved that too, though that hardly helps me choose a less selective school. I really like how Bowdoin is by the ocean and has some marine programs because I’m thinking of becoming an aquatic veterinarian, so basically I plan to study with Biology as my major and either minoring or participating in programs with marine bio which I can expand in grad school. Does anyone have any suggestions of other colleges that have a similar feel to these New England schools but are less competitive? It isn’t necessary that they have a marine bio program, just as long as they have good biology.
Thank you very much. Any suggestions are welcomed</p>
<p>Colby and Bates, both in Maine, are very similar to Bowdoin and slightly less competitive. </p>
<p>Take a look at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the public LAC on the Chesapeake, as a safety.</p>
<p>Roger Williams University, on the water in Bristol, RI. “It is one of the few colleges in the United States to offer an undergraduate degree directly in Marine Biology”. (Wikipedia)</p>
<p>[Biology</a> - Departments & Programs - Roger Williams University](<a href=“http://www.rwu.edu/academics/departments/biology.htm]Biology”>http://www.rwu.edu/academics/departments/biology.htm)</p>
<p>Also, here’s list of colleges with marine biology majors:</p>
<p>[College</a> Marine Biology Programs](<a href=“http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/mbcolleges.html]College”>College Marine Biology Programs)</p>
<p>Connecticut College is on the water and has excellent offerings in ecology and botany. </p>
<p>I also recommend Allegheny, Hampshire, Juniata, and Wheaton; all of them have strong biology programs with an organismal and/or marine focus.</p>
<p>If Maryland is not too far south, Hood is quite strong in marine science and could make a nice safety. The College of the Atlantic is located along a beautiful stretch of coastal Maine and has the most hands-on undergraduate marine science program I’ve come across so far. It is quite small even for a LAC, however.</p>
<p>Check out the College of the Atlantic in Maine. It’s a little out there compared to the schools you’ve been considering, and its academic structure is non-traditional, but I think you might like it.</p>
<p>COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC</p>
<p>first school that popped into my head haha</p>
<p>Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. I have looked at Bates and Colby, and I’m in the process of researching College of the Atlantic. At first I was a little bit concerned about how small the school is and how all students need to major in “Human Ecology,” but so far I really do like the feel of the school so I’m spending some more time researching it and will probably visit.</p>
<p>One thing I am concerned about it not having enough safety schools in my list of colleges. So far these are the schools I’m looking at:
Dartmouth
Middlebury
Bowdoin
Williams
Bates
Amherst
Wellesley
Smith
Mount Holyoke
Vassar
Skidmore
Hamilton
Haverford
College of the Atlantic</p>
<p>I’m not necessarily applying to all of these, but these are the schools that have sparked my interest. I’m still afraid I’ve put a pile of too competitive schools together though. I feel like I have what it takes to get in, but I also felt that way last year, so I’m not sure. Could anyone maybe point out some more safety schools or say which of these colleges I’ve got a pretty good chance of getting into?
Thank you so much.</p>
<p>Don’t be put off by the Human Ecology Degree at College of the Atlantic. Rather than being an off target major it allows you to develop a major comprised of courses, internships, research, etc. that meets your particular educational goals and interests. My son graduated from there and yes, everyone graduates with the same degree but in reality I don’t think any of his classmates “majored” in exactly the same subject.</p>
<p>“The Five College Coastal & Marine Sciences Program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum to undergraduate students enrolled in the five colleges (University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, and Amherst College). Through field trips and active affiliations with some of the nation’s premier centers for marine study, students engage in hands-on research to complement course work. Many students who participate in the program go on to advanced study or professional work in various areas of marine science.”</p>
<p>[Five</a> College Coastal & Marine Sciences Program : Welcome](<a href=“http://www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/marine/]Five”>http://www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/marine/)</p>
<p>Smith and Mt Holyoke, by virtue of being all-female, are easier to get into, and you should have a good shot, especially if you have a well-formulated and -expressed reason for applying there.</p>
<p>Check out the Woods Hole institute and see what schools feed into it. Probably the best marine biology in new england.</p>
<p>Good interesting major. There are several good coastal programs. In you are leaning aquatics-and don’t mind going south-i would recommend umiami, uflorida, florida state because marine studies is a major emphasis down there. We have the maritime academies up here in the northeast in maine or mass. Conn college does significant work in marine studies & uconn avery pt. Does. The us merchant marine academy i imagine features marine stuff. I will recommend to you my alma mater as a top choice with a highly ranked & emerging program in the marine sciences. Rutgers began its marine systems school in the 1990s & it is already kicking butt.</p>
<p>I’m confused, are you looking to at schools that are only in the NE? Or do you just want a school that has a Northeastern feel?</p>
<p>While the safety suggestions above are good ones, I’d also start a campaign of bugging Middlebury. Visit there, contact Admissions to see if there’s anything you can do to bolster your application from a year ago, e-mail profs in biology and arrange to talk with them on your visit. Your record is strong enough that I’d hope some earnest interest and a refusal to be deterred might push you over the top.</p>
<p>I’d stay away from LACs if you want marine bio. Also, the above poster is correct that marine biology is not very strong in the northeast, other than Woodshole research. Florida has some good programs.</p>
<p>If you’re willing to go west, I believe the Claremont colleges have a good marine bio program. Pomona, Pitzer, Scripps, and Claremont McKenna would be your bets (Harvey Mudd is mostly a tech/sciences school).</p>
<p>[Eckerd</a> College | Welcome to Eckerd College](<a href=“http://www.eckerd.edu/]Eckerd”>http://www.eckerd.edu/) </p>
<p>Eckerd in Florida, if you like being near the water, a private school.
With your stats you could receive their highest merit award of $16,000/year.</p>
<p>Juaniata would be an obvious safety for you
Bates seems like a good bet, especially if you have done something relevant with your “gap”. We used to go to Reid and Popham State parks frequently, and many of the bio dept had aquatic interests.
I don’t think Midd is for you if you want marine bio. They do have an aquatic biologist, I think she does more like marine ecology.
College of the Atlantic really might be a great match for you.</p>
<p>St. Mary’s College of Md
Connecticut College
William & Mary</p>
<p>You said just biology is acceptable so I will suggest St Lawrence University–they have an interesting conservation biology program. The school has a very similar feel to Dartmouth, but is less competitive. Similar people, activities, and campus life though. It’s expensive but they seem to be generous with merit.</p>
<p>[Tara</a> Hetz `10 | St. Lawrence University Academics](<a href=“http://www.stlawu.edu/academics/programs/conservation-biology/students/350]Tara”>http://www.stlawu.edu/academics/programs/conservation-biology/students/350)</p>
<p>Also–I know you want smaller LAC’s but why not look at including a few state schools? What state is home for you? U of Vermont sprang to mind when I read your post. I think it’s good that you are broadening your list, Hamilton and Skidmore seem like safeties but…I think they are just hot enough that they are not sure things. I would keep looking for a few more schools where you can imaging yourself, with an acceptance rate of 30-40%. Someone suggested Colby, above, and I will second that suggestion.</p>
<p>Your list:</p>
<p>Dartmouth
Middlebury
Bowdoin
Williams
Bates
Amherst
Wellesley
Smith
Mount Holyoke
Vassar
Skidmore
Hamilton
Haverford
College of the Atlantic</p>
<p>I believe the Williams Mystic seaport program accepts applicants from lots of colleges. So if you go to Mount Holyoke, which I think would be a safety for you, you can attend a semester at the Williams Mystic seaport site [url=<a href=“http://web.williams.edu/williamsmystic/Home.html]Home[/url”>Williams-Mystic | The Coastal and Ocean Studies Program of Williams College and Mystic Seaport Museum]Home[/url</a>]</p>