Does my ideal college exist?

College Search & Lists
1

<p>Criteria (listed in order of importance)-</p>

<p>Strong humanities programs; reading/writing intensive
Core curriculum is not too overbearing, if not nonexistent
Academically rigorous and selective
No hot weather—preferably a relatively cool climate year round, with healthy amounts of occasional rain or snow
Student body is considered medium to large in size—nothing too small, (ex. <2,000)
Solid study abroad and/or internship opportunities
Not located in the middle of nowhere
Social life not dominated by athletics
Greek scene is minimal and not overpowering
Freedom to “do one’s own thing,” the group dynamic is less prominent and independence is supported and encouraged, but the atmosphere is such that it isn’t a campus full of strangers</p>

<p>I figured that it wouldn’t hurt to start off as picky as possible, and then narrow from there: any input/suggestions are appreciated.</p>

2

<p>brown seems like it would fit</p>

3

<p>Hampshire sounds about right</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the replies. Brown has been on my mental list for a while, but based on what I’ve heard/read about Hampshire, it seems very “liberal/experimental,” and I might be looking for a little more structure–I’ll have to look into it further though, it interests me nonetheless.</p>

<p>I should probably include some other schools that I have been thinking about as well: Middlebury, Tufts, UChicago, and Northwestern. Let me know if I’m within my range here.</p>

5

<p>Tufts sounds liek a great choice, what are your stats like?</p>

6

<p>Georgetown shares a lot of cross applicants between Tufts, Brown, Northwestern and Chicago.</p>

7

<p>Northwestern is probably the most frat-dominated of your list, and Middlebury is very athletically-oriented for a DIII school. You might want to examine those two a bit closer to see if you like the fit. Wesleyan, Vassar or Oberlin may be better than Midd, based on your criteria. Maybe add Rochester, Brandeis or Muhlenberg a bit further down the selectivity scale? </p>

<p>Are you female? That would also open up the women’s colleges as options, if you are interested in that route.</p>

8

<p>Brown absolutely!</p>

9

<p>brown and wesleyan were the first that came to my mind</p>

10

<p>How is Middlebury not in the middle of nowhere?</p>

<p>I think Brown and Wesleyan would be great though. Most of your criteria are mine too and I really like Brown and Wesleyan. I think Columbia would also be a school to consider since it seems to fit your criteria (I’m applying ED there).</p>

11

<p>Columbia does have a very strict core curriculum, a la Chicago, do they not?</p>

12

<p>I think it is a sizeable part of the education and you probably won’t like it if you’re not into humanities/social sciences, but the OP wants a school that is writing/reading intensive and has good humanities programs. </p>

<p>So I doubt it will be that big of a problem, especially since the OP is also considering UChicago.</p>

13

<p>Sarah Lawrence</p>

14

<p>I think you should seriously be looking at NYU Gallatin.</p>

15

<p>second Wesleyan, and if you can get over the fact that core takes up a third of the classes you’ll take, Chicago.</p>

<p>PM me if you want to hear somebody who had very similar criteria to you gush about core at Chicago.</p>

<p>University of Rochester has also eliminated core requirements. Worth looking into.</p>

16

<p>I second NYU Gallatin. Maybe NYU CAS, if you’re willing to budge on the core curriculum issue.</p>

17

<p>brown without a doubt</p>

18

<p>Thanks everyone for all the input; I have lots of research ahead of me. One more thing that may help: where could I find data about cross applicants between colleges? Would that be something included on a school’s website, perhaps in their common data set… or is that more of a third party/general knowledge type of thing?</p>

19

<p>It is more of a third party kind of thing - not usually published by schools.</p>

<p>The Fiske Guide to colleges books along with the Free Online [Just Register for an Account] Review Map that Princeton Review offers may be some help to you. It matches schools similar to other schools by various categories.</p>

20

<p>Reed sounds like an almost perfect match, except for size (~1300). Outside Portland Or, and you do have curriculum reqs, but it is very reading/writing focused, and everyone writes a senior thesis.</p>

<p>Very quirky and interesting.</p>