Sounds like she has had some great experiences in high school!
If that type of research and work with invertebrates fires her up, a straight Biology/Ecology degree would fit well - if she has enjoyed it, but would like to work a bit more on application of knowledge, ESS … but again, even if she thinks she knows now, I would encourage her to keep an open mind and treat her first semesters as opportunities for exploration within her range of interests.
Outdoors: great! In addition to outing clubs, might also think about some campuses for which access to preserves/trails/bike paths/etc doesn’t require travel.
I believe Macalester is absolutely at the same level as the NESCAC schools you mentioned. Each school would have individual things that it might do slightly better, or faculty that are particularly brilliant, or unique opportunities- but the key is that each of them has these things.
The most significant overall difference between them is how much $$ the different schools have to support students.
For what it’s worth, I suspect each of the schools you list have a significant number of introverted non-partiers, perhaps some more than others, but each would have some.
I honestly don’t thing there’s any significant difference here. One commonality between all of these elite LACs is that students are able to join professors’ research projects if they demonstrate initiative, interest, and ability (you’ll hear about this on every tour). Bates has a required senior thesis – don’t know if the others do, but they certainly offer the option. They all offer excellent opportunities for internships. Again, I’m most familiar with Bates - check out the Center for Purposeful Work. But I suspect you’ll find robust career offices at all of these schools. And all of them (I’m less familiar with Amherst, but I’m assuming) have extremely active outdoor clubs that sponsor trips, loan equipment, and so on. A place for introverted non-partiers? Well, mine has loved Bates. I tend to think of Colby and Middlebury as having a more extrovert-friendly social scene. But others could probably tell you more.
She can probably do it anywhere, especially if she wants to graduate with honors. At Bates, it’s required of everyone. A lot of seniors present at a research symposium at the end of the year, and there’s a lovely ritual when seniors finish their theses. Each senior gets an informal ceremony in which they choose a close friend to accompany them, they bind their thesis to deposit it in the library, and there’s often champagne. Each senior has their own ceremony, so everyone gets their moment. It looks like a lot of fun.
I can’t comment on research and internship opportunities at the others, but they abound at Colby. Between Jan Plan, Davis Connects, career center, classes with applied research, (and those islands it owns!) – opportunities seem endless. I’d simply ask this question at every school you visit. Experiential learning, as well as early resume building, is pretty common, but how one accesses it may differ. Definitely ask about how competitive these programs are - it’s lousy to go somewhere for an opportunity that turns out to be heavily gated.
I think that with a goal and willingness to do lots of outdoor activities, any kid will find their tribe at these schools. All these schools want to be welcoming to all types (and generallysucceed), AND there is some natural selection going on (so there is a dominant culture that attracts more of the same). DS had friends at Colby who your D would like, and they met through common interests (music). He also had more “socially extroverted” friends (love this @Shelby_Balik ), many of whom he met through sports. My impression of Colby is that many kids move around through different crowds, and there are different crowds. Guessing that at a visit of this group, she’ll see more people who she feels she can identify with at Bates, but at any, she’ll see what she’s looking for.
Edited to add: You might want to follow thiscolbylife on instagram. All kinds of kids, all kinds of interests, each highlighting different parts of their experience. It’s a low stakes way to see what’s going on – at a distance.
It’s possible I already answered but this popped up again and it was too much to scroll through. Washington college in the eastern shore of Maryland has a great environmental science program. Being on the water and having their own river and field campus gives a lot of hands on access. Kayaking on weekend. Awesome professors. Undergrad research opportunities. Double major possibilities. GIS internships (environmental software) for freshman and sophomores in town during the school year. They give good merit. I think they have a summer camp you can attend to get a feel for the school too. Very pretty Northeast type college setting but warmer!
Half way through our spring break trip and D25 said she likes Macalester and Colby the best. Two very different schools. That was until she researched and found that they have foreign language required to graduate. Is it true that out of the following schools that Colby and Macalester are the only 2 to require a language in college?
Bates does, but it’s pretty easy to place out of the requirement if you have several years in high school. My daughter placed out with her French AP score, but she opted to continue in French, anyway. They do have language requirements for any student planning on certain study abroad programs (if Bates offers the language in question – but if you’re planning to do an English-language program in a country where the language is not one Bates offers, the requirement doesn’t apply), but it’s possible to place out of these, too, with work done in high school.
Hi Shelby! - I don’t think Bates requires a language? Mine did not take the AP test in high school and has never been asked about her Spanish fluency so…hmmm. Will double check though!
Thanks, Melanie – hmm… I really thought there was a requirement, but maybe just a strong recommendation? Or maybe my daughter was just looking ahead to the possibility of a semester abroad in a French-speaking country and wanting to make sure she qualified?
EDIT: I just asked her and you are right. I thought there was a general language proficiency requirement, but it’s just for study abroad programs in countries for which the main spoken language is one you can major in at Bates. So she wanted to make sure that she met the requirement for French-speaking countries, so she would have that option.
After our spring break trip D25’s top schools are Amherst, Colby, and Macalester. I’m not sure that that is a logical group though. Bowdoin only offers environmental studies if you major in something else with it. She thought Bates seemed small (but not Macalester???) and didn’t like how the tour guide focused on partying and weed - the only school where parents and students were separated for tours. I really wasn’t expecting to like Colby, but I didn’t get an overly jock/preppy vibe there at all. We all liked Colby and Amherst. Of course those are both hard to get into. I’m trying to decide if we should visit the Claremont schools or not. She really wants to choose a school for ED.
All schools you mention are of course excellent - if D25 likes three of them, then it’s a logical group - if you are also satisfied that all 3 would work.
For what it’s worth, my child liked both Macalester (deferred EA, then rejected) and Amherst (attending), and saw some commonalities between the two. (but never visited Colby, eliminated it for whatever random reason in the initial screening).
Based on n=1 of my daughter, I suspect that if Macalester had been her top choice, ED might have helped her application? But who knows, maybe not. She chose not to apply ED anywhere- wanted to be able to see her options and compare.
It’s too bad she had this experience (and this tour guide). I suppose that like anywhere else, partying and weed are there if you want them, but this doesn’t describe my daughter’s experience at Bates. She is in the clean-living house for first-years, so she doesn’t encounter drugs in the house. She’s gone to some parties – yes, there has been drinking, and yes, there’s been weed, but no pressure to partake. But that’s not most of what she and her friends do together. They spend a lot of time studying together in various spaces around campus, they have gone hiking or to the shore, they’ve gathered in each other’s rooms to watch movies, they’ve gone to sports and campus events. They’ve even taken day trips to other towns and spent some time in the libraries there (yes, really). So far, its been great for my introverted daughter who doesn’t mind going to a party with her friends but usually wants to make a quick escape after she’s been there for a little while. Anyhow – sounds like the vibe at Bates might not be the most comfortable for her, anyway, but it’s too bad that this was the impression your D got from her tour guide.
Okay, I’m back to having way too many schools on the list. I feel like with the randomness of admissions it helps to have a bunch of reaches and targets. Any schools that I should take off or add?
Possible ED1 to Amherst
Possible ED2 to Colby
Amherst
Bates
Bowdoin
Carleton
Clark
Colby
Colorado College
Dickinson
Lewis and Clark
Macalester
Middlebury
Mount Holyoke
Oberlin
Pitzer
Pomona
Scripps
University of Oregon
University of Vermont
Willamette
It goes back to having at least one (but preferably two) affordable and assured.
So I assume you took off the schools she didn’t like - I forget which they were - but Bates is one you didn’t like (I think it was you) - so why have it on?
So yes - take those off.
I forget the stats - but what are those totally safe ones? If you have one or two of those, then your list can be as you want. Maybe those are Willamette and Lewis and Clark…?
You have more visits coming up - and that will (hopefully) bring more clarity.
Why the two large publics?
In the end, the # doesn’t matter as long as you have schools you can afford, would love to attend, and are admittances for sure.
And let’s be honest - it’s not going to be the best paying major in most cases - so I would focus on fit vs. the big names.
In the end, the # of schools depends on what the student is capable of handling - application wise. Some go on like the Eveready Bunny. Others burn out after a handful.
- if you are also satisfied that all 3 would work.
Any schools that I should take off or add?