that’s what i’m thinking.
scripps/stanford/california vs. colby/ivies/northeast.
from what i’ve gathered from this thread either would set me up for success, it would just be about location.
i won’t be too sad if scripps doesn’t admit me, colby is really nice.
my point wasn’t really about WL stuff, though. i’m trying to gauge programs and how good they are for pursuing higher education/making professional connections
Unless there is something very different about art history, I don’t think there’s anything about an east coast college that precludes getting into a west coast grad program, or vice versa. Has someone knowledgeable said otherwise?
Perhaps I’m missing something, but your graduate school of choice can be geographically unconnected to your undergraduate college.
my father (extremely intelligent man, consumes knowledge like no other, harvard and duke graduate) tells me that i have better chances getting into good grad schools that are in the general area of my undergrad, as it will be more recognizable (e.g. a stanford admissions officer would 100% know scripps, but maybe not colby, and a princeton admissions officer would 100% know colby but maybe not scripps).
i don’t know, this is all very confusing. i think my core question of what program is better got lost in translation 
Admissions to Ph.D. programs are decided by the faculty in the department you’re applying to, not by admission officers. And professors tend to know strong undergraduate institutions regardless of their geography (I’m a professor in the humanities who has done graduate admissions for 20 years).
This is absolutely not true – at all – unless your undergrad is a lesser-known regional school. So, if you’re in California, and maybe you went to Cal State LA, perhaps some of the UC schools would have a better idea of that school’s regional reputation and faculty. But a school like Scripps, or any other school on your list? Absolutely not – you are not tying yourself down for any region for grad school.
Delete - already stated by @aquapt
I agree that it’s best not to compare the schools that waitlisted you to the schools that admitted you.
An art history degree can lead to a more flexible career path than many people realize. You may follow your plans to get a master’s and/or PhD and become a museum curator, or you may go off on another tangent that draws on your study of art and the history of the time when it was created.
I was an art history major (decades ago) and ended up in fashion retail. My son has a joint degree in art studio and art history, but chose to pursue architecture.
I would suggest that you ask Colby and Sarah Lawrence directly about the number of students majoring in art history. Colby’s art history and studio programs are combined so specify that you’d like art history figures.
I’d also ask for information about where their art history graduates have ended up: What graduate programs they were accepted to? What careers did they choose?
I would consider having a working museum on campus a significant advantage, one where students can gain hands on experience and understanding of the inner workings of operating a museum. Colby’s museum obviously won’t have the collection of the Met, but it will be much more available for student involvement.
i understand that i shouldn’t compare colby and scripps like i’ve gotten into both. colby is my clear choice to commit to. i am wondering if it would be worth it to withdraw from colby and enroll at scripps given i get off the waitlist.
Best not to think of it.
If it happens, you might have a strong lean that day. Or you might not.
Hopefully you’ll find a roommate and fall in love with Colby that if Scripps comes in, it would barely register a blip.
That’s the thing with WL - don’t think about them. Put them aside.
Colby admitted you. They said - we love you.
Scripps did not admit you - to be precise, they rejected you but said - hang out there for us, in case we fall short. Let us use you for insurance. They didn’t show you love.
So I suggest you don’t even have them on mind, to ask the question. If one day you are contacted, you can deal with it then - but as of now, fall in love with everything Colby!!
I say that - because at this point (IMHO) you shouldn’t even be thinking about this let alone asking about it - but rather you should forget that Scripps even exists.
“i am wondering if it would be worth it to withdraw from colby and enroll at scripps given i get off the waitlist.”
Personally, I’m of the opinion that it’s better to focus on waitlisted options after they morph into acceptances, but since you ask:
I would seek the same information that I listed above: number of majors, what they have done after graduation, what opportunities does the campus museum offer during the school year? What summer internships have students secured. Specifically for the consortium, is there a limit on the number of courses you can take at other colleges, especially Pomona.
In my opinion, since you wrote letters letting them know you would absolutely attend AND had your GC call about it, you should attend Scripps if they admit you off the waitlist.
Proximity to LA, the Claremont’s shared resources, the fact it’s a women’s college are all good reasons beside the fact you clearly have it as #1 and had someone go the extra mile for you.
Wrt specifically the art history department, they’ll all be good but small. You won’t have a class with more than 5 or 6 students. The colleges will be known at any graduate program so you’ll be able to attend a graduate school anywhere. Your admission will depend more on what YOU did with the opportunities the college offers -and these opportunities can be similar and due to location also different.
You can email and ask about where students interned, how the dept, career center and alumni/ae are able to help; if they offer summer support for art-related internships (because those will be mostly unpaid).
You can check out the Spring course schedule to see what the advanced courses were, then the Fall course schedule.
The vibe ane setting are very different though so keep that in mind.
If you like Colby and Scripps the same, imo it’s best to commit to the one that loves you and not look back. It can cause a lot of stress when you already have a roommate and whatnot and all of the sudden you get a call “come to our school” at anytime from May to even August. I’m not staying on any of my waitlists because I want to enjoy the rest of my year knowing 100% where I’m going and start to get excited about my school. You have great options either way, good luck 
According to their website course schedule search tool, Colby’s Art History classes from this past academic year had enrollments of 4,10,23,24,25,27,29. The class with an enrollment of 10 was the Art History Senior Research Seminar - a stated prerequisite to take that course is being a Senior Art History major, so it would seem there are 10 in the Class of 2024.
I did not check Sarah Lawrence, though OP could do the same.
thank you so much! i’m visiting colby on monday the 15th, and so i can see then how i feel about it. i am really more of a bigger city girl at heart, and i have family connections to scripps. i’d be perfectly happy going to colby, but my heart is really somewhere else. i’m not letting it be a source of stress, though, just being hopeful.
Is Sarah Lawrence no longer in the running?
i have it in case i HATE colby, but i already got a feel for it and it really wasn’t my favorite.
Since they’re very different, it’s a good data point.
Hopefully your visit will cement your decision.
So, basically, unless the visit goes wrong, commit to Colby on May1 and if youre lucky you’ll hear back from Scripps and go there instead. Win-win.
If you haven’t already, I recommend following the Colby art museum, Colby art department, and Colby arts accounts on Instagram. I think they will help get you excited for Colby. Thanks to generous donations, the college has made a strong commitment to the arts. You will have excellent opportunities to get involved in one of the nicest college art museums in New England. Did you know that the world-renowned artist Alex Katz has donated a lot of his work to the museum as have many other respected artists who live and/or summer in Maine? I hope you’ll share your impressions after admitted students day.
yep, that’s what i’ve done! the best piece of advice i got during this process was to forget about waitlists for the time being and fall in love with the top choice that i get into. i really like colby and don’t doubt i’ll thrive and have amazing opportunities there