Just got rejected from Yale, my dream school. Obviously, it was an insanely hard year to get in, and while I’m pretty disappointed, I know it must not have been the place for me. Now, I’m doing the final edits on my college list. I’m having trouble getting excited about other schools. I plan to major in creative writing (or English if creative writing focus/minor), so that’s a must-have! What I loved about Yale was its English program, close-knit feel, love of learning, learning opportunities, established and prestigious newspaper and lit mag, and residential colleges. Everything about it felt magical to me. Are there any schools on my current list - or other schools - that fit some of those requirements?
Currently looking at: Princeton, Brown, Columbia, NYU, Iowa (already got in), Kenyon, Denison, Bennington, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Michigan
You can see my stats here (English Student (Who's More Prepared Now) [TN resident, ~3.9 GPA, 35 ACT, <$15k] - #39 by angel737) if that’s helpful.
Also, if anyone wants to make me feel less depressed…let me know if there’s any reasons why I SHOULDN’T have gone to Yale for creative writing…or tell me if taking a gap year / transferring / trying to get in some other way is a good back up!
Please put Yale in the rear view mirror and drive forward. You have already been denied admission there once. The likelihood of you finding a back up way to get there as an undergrad is…low.
So…move forward.
Fact is…you have no idea why you weren’t accepted…same as the many many others who also were not accepted.
Congratulations on IOWA where there is a great creative writing program. I happen to love Denison…I think it’s a terrific school.
Princeton, Brown, Columbia, NYU, Northwestern, Hopkins and Michigan are all reaches.
Bennington stands out to me as being very different from your other schools. Why Bennington?
Since you are doing reachy schools, have you considered Wesleyan?
ETA…
Cost Constraints / Budget
$15k as a MAX
Michigan does not guarantee to meet full need for OOS students. It’s very possible you won’t get to the $15,000 price point there. I’m thinking Bennington could be unaffordable as well.
Will Iowa be affordable?
Did Emory drop off your list? I thought that would have been a good low reach, but still a reach for everyone these days. Denison and Kenyon should come through, depending on how big ED1 was; we heard ED1 apps were up as much as 40% this year at those, but ED2 is still hugely helpful at those schools, especially as you are not competing with the athletes as in ED1. If you loved Kenyon (which seems to align a lot with your interests and profile), would you consider ED2 there? I assume Emory ED2 is out of the question even though, again, seems like a really good fit on paper for you. Your other reaches are highly unpredictable and looking for extraordinary, as opposed ro solid, ECs. I would be thinking ED2 at Emory or Kenyon. Also like @Mwfan1921 idea of Rhodes for a writer.
Denison has terrific/innovative Communications/Journalism programs and you should be able to get in RD; they are likely to give you a lot of merit aid on top of FA, which is no small factor in your career track, plus Columbus is a good market for journalism being state capital and growing in a purple state.
Bennington is not going to be affordable, not even close to $15K. Michigan won’t be affordable either.
I would definitely apply to Kenyon and Denison. And perhaps Oberlin, but as I posted on your other thread, creative writing is a competitive entry major there. I would look at Rhodes and DePauw as well.
Is Iowa affordable?
Did you apply to UTK? Alabama?
There is no point in dissecting Yale. And no, taking a gap year is not a good idea and will not help you get accepted to Yale next year. You can try to transfer in, but they don’t admit many transfers and most are hooked in some way (or coming from a school like Deep Springs, or the military). Time to move on from Yale. Yes, it’s difficult but you have to regroup and focus on RD apps.
Thanks for the advice on the first point. Bennington’s decently low on my list in the sense that it doesn’t seem to have the campus feel I’m looking for. I attended Iowa’s Young Writers program where I met an MFA graduate who studied writing at Bennington; she enjoyed the “maker” mentality there and was exposed to lots of different types of art. Her perspective is why it’s remained on my list.
I haven’t considered Wesleyan actually…any idea what the campus culture / mindset is like there? I ask because I can Google a lot of its stats, but often struggle to find out that kind of information.
I got a decent scholarship from Iowa in terms of ACT score, and am hoping for some creative writing specific ones, but Iowa is most likely not going to be my most affordable choice. I could swing paying for it, but would prefer not to.
Yale’s newspaper was not rated as highly by its students as those of the colleges included in this Princeton Review survey-based ranking:
Wesleyan is a top choice for media arts of all kinds, including writing and journalism. Lots of high profile writer profs, including the President. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a good exponent alumnus of the culture on the creative (as opposed to STEMy) side) there: super creative, wicked smart, hipster and very to extremely politically liberal. No merit aid. Could be a low reach for you with a compelling essay and in view of your geographical background; draws a lot from NY/Northeast/California.
My D24 was also selected for the Iowa Young Writer’s Studio summer program. She just got accepted to Rice University.
Have you thought of applying to Rice? It’s primarily known for STEM but it was ranked #11 for English by one site that rhymes with quiche (I cant post it because of CC’s rules). Also, it’s known for being extremely collaborative and has a residential college system.
Financially, Rice is very generous with aid if your family makes less than $140k
If prestige to a T20 school is important to you, maybe worth a shot?
For an extended perspective on this, you could read the relevant section in William Chace’s One Hundred Semesters. I haven’t heard that Wesleyan’s culture has changed substantially since the time of Chace’s tenure as president of Wesleyan.
My two cents is Iowa is already a great opportunity for a writer. Sure, their main claim to fame is the graduate program, but those graduate students are part of your departmental community, and they also host The Iowa Review, a top 15ish review GLOBALLY.
And residential colleges like Yale’s are really not common, because they are so expensive to offer. Rice is the other main university really structured like that, and Rice really is not known for creative writing.
So the next choice to get very excited about is very obvious . . . to me, at least. And that is Kenyon. No need for residential colleges at a SLAC, and Kenyon is a legendary writer’s college, and hosts the The Kenyon Review. And it is necessarily all undergraduate focused! So, like, I don’t really see why you would not be excited about Kenyon given what you have said you liked about Yale.
The last college I will throw out there to consider is WUSTL. It doesn’t necessarily have a better writing program than some of your other reaches, although it is quite good, but I think in some ways WUSTL is quite Yale-like. It doesn’t have a full residential system, but it does have a quasi-one for the first couple years. And it has a lovely Gothic campus, and I just think the student vibe is on the same branch of the college family tree.
Your other reaches are all fine too. I just think WUSTL might be a little more appealing in addition to just the strength of the writing program, based on what you said you liked about Yale.
If this list included Kenyon and, perhaps, Vassar, I believe it would be the best short list for a highly qualified student with an interest in creative writing:
Emory is still on my list haha…forgot to include. While I appreciate the tip to apply early decision, I’m just not ready to be binded to any school yet. Love the feedback on Denison, thanks for sharing!
As a comment regarding Wesleyan’s campus, if Yale’s appeal to you resided partly in its look, then you would be likely to find Wesleyan to be quite different in an aesthetic sense. These schools are close to being opposites in this regard.
Well - it’s a hard year every year for Yale - to get in.
And it’s why no one should have a dream school. There is no perfect school. They all have flaws - even if you can’t see them up front. Bad dorms, bad profs, bad food, maybe a bad roomie.
I don’t know your stats so I can’t say where you belong - but I think your last chain had a lot of great ideas. OK, your stats were there.
Your issue is the $15K. Do meets need schools - others you are looking at - correlate with this? What if they come in $30K or $50K, etc.
On the previous thread, you never answered the question other than saying Iowa has scholarships but won’t be as good as Yale.
Just because you want to spend $15K doesn’t mean any schools will come in at $15K.
So what you have to do now - and it’s sort of slap yourself in the face to get into reality.
Where can you go for $15K?
Bama will be over (by $6 or 8K). UAH? WKU? You don’t like UTK so that leaves you UTC on a smaller basis…assuming you don’t to go to UTM, Memphis, Tennessee Tech (yes has it as a major) or the new TN Southern campus. Ole Miss might be a nice landing spot for a writer as it’s got a rich literary history…not sure it will hit budget but they are generous.
The rest - you need to run the NPCs - Sewanee, Emory, etc.
When you’re on a strict budget, it’s not a question of where you want to go…but rather where you can afford to go.
You should only apply to schools that can meet your #. That’s it.
That’s the reality!!
Did you apply to the W&L Johnson ? If not, it’s too late. The SMU Presidential? Not sure if it’s not too late.
You might get a full ride at Troy, etc.
See where I’m aiming?
Finances come before desire of where I want to be.
If a Kenyon or Oberlin or other meets need school says they’ll give you enough to make budget, then great. Otherwise, pass them by. That’s why you need to fill in the Net Price Calculators before you make any more apps at the private schools. In fact, have your parents do it!!
This is where you always needed to be - at schools you can afford. You can be a great writer anywhere - and everywhere.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing | Ole Miss
Writing Minor | Middle Tennessee State University (mtsu.edu)
WKU Department of English Creative Writing | Western Kentucky University
My daughter is a graduate of Kenyon. She was an English major with a creative writing concentration. She found the program to be rigorous and intellectually stimulating. She had a fantastic four years. I think you would find the atmosphere you seek there.
You have included some colleges with excellent English and creative writing programs and a strong undergraduate focus on your list. While I definitely recommend Kenyon for you, I suggest you also consider Hamilton for a similar level of focus and strength in its creative writing program. It is a superb SLAC and is well known for its emphasis on writing across all disciplines.
You definitely should take a good look at Hamilton.
I don’t think anybody on this thread has discussed one of the top ten on that list: Sarah Lawrence. I don’t know if their cost will work out, but I think I remember that their NPC accounts for merit aid offers. It’s worth a look.
I think everyone has to remember - the OP has a budget of $15K.
All the schools listed are great - not easy admits - but great.
But if they can’t get close to budget, then OP has no business applying.
I think one has to suss that out first.
Too many kids have a budget but are not adhering to it and it’s mistake #1 because nothing is worse than an acceptance that you’re unable to afford. It’s worse than a rejection!!!
Until OP’s family does a true review through the school’s NPC for any school of interest, they should be applying nowhere.
Since Columbia is on your list, in particular given your stated academic interest and learning style, I would add Barnard.
Honestly no good reason to stay fixed on Yale.
Congrats on Iowa. You already have a great option. I agree on Kenyon, Vassar. I personally love Bennington. Sarah Lawrence would be similar to Bennington though not, obviously, rural. Our experience with Bennington (financial plus merit aid) was that it actually was very affordable so you never know with each school.
Amherst and Williams might be good choices financially but are tough admits. Ditto Hamilton. Amherst has access to the 5 college consortium.
Do you prefer an urban school?