<p>So I have a lot of colleges I love/like but nothing that is perfect…
College books and websites can only do so much good.</p>
<p>I want a college that has:</p>
<p>a strong English department (not necessarily top ranked but a place where English matters and has a variety of course options)
Study abroad
nice dorms
Academically a good school, perhaps has some sort of name (for help with jobs) It’s competitive but people are more interested in outdoing themselves then their friends
A quirky personality (intellectual but not rigid, like Stanford I hear?)
not in a city like New York but being near a city isn’t a problem
Not a huge party school
AP Credit
Great professors that actually teach
A healthy mix of large classes and small classes</p>
<p>This would be nice but not necessary:</p>
<p>medium in size 5000-15000 while I am flexible on this that is ideal but I do have many colleges on my list that are 1500!
Student-designed major
Offer internship assistance
Double Majors offered
Preferably private… but I’m open</p>
<p>So to the best of your ability what university fits this description?</p>
<p>Reach and safety depend largely on your stats. Some of your criteria probably conflict, such as “AP credit/non huge party school.” Generally, it sounds to me like Brown is what you are looking for. The University of Chicago might be on your list, except for the emphasis on self-designed major. (I’m assuming from what you say that you already know about the LACs that would work, so I won’t bother to cite them.) Wanting AP credit to get through school faster is generally antithetical to the idea of “intellectual” and “quirky.” Students who want the latter attributes generally want to take more courses if possible, not fewer.</p>
<p>On the subject of study abroad, more than one admissions officer has told me that the large majority of programs are open to students from other universities. If you are interested in studying in a certain program, you don’t need to attend to the university which sponsors the program - you could attend any number of schools still be eligible. Some schools do have small, very desirable facilities which may be restricted to their own students, but these are the exceptions.</p>
<p>If the midwest is on your radar, look at at Oberlin, Kenyon, Beloit, and Lawrence.</p>
<p>Didn’t the OP say that s/he already had a lot of small schools on the list? Oh well, since everyone is suggesting small schools anyway, Sarah Lawrence, Reed and Carleton.</p>
<p>about the ap credit thing. I’m just looking to get out of the classes I’m not interested in like calculus and to save money since I don’t have a lot of it.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions so far. They’re great.</p>
<p>You really should check out the Honors Colleges at some state universities, perhaps your home state for a start. These programs vary in quality and design, but many are quite good, and offer a small school within a larger university that can be the best of both worlds – for the right student.</p>
<p>Look at Brown. But about the AP credit, they honor it for advanced standing but not for credits. Since they don’t have any required classes except within your major, it shouldn’t be a problem to “not take calc”. you don’t have to take anything unless your major requires it. I also don’t know about ‘internships’ in English, you can ask them. I just know there are many opportunitites available in general for Brown students.</p>
<p>A very interesting school that has a lot of resources is Grinnell. I’ve heard that a majority of students do a semester and often a year abroad. The is flexibility with your program, and a lot of other things you mention. Check it out.</p>
<p>Kalamazoo is a school with a lot in the way of internships, study abroad, and self-determination. It is quite unusual, and I think you should check it out.</p>