Sarah Lawrence vs. Bard. vs. Oberlin

mamabear232
Wed, 24 Mar 2021 13:15:10 +0000

The distribution requirements at Oberlin are not particularly onerous. You’re required to take two courses each in Natural Science and Math, Arts and Humanities, and Behavioral/Social Sciences. There are also requirements in Cultural Diversity, Quantitative and Formal Reasoning, and Writing, but these tend to overlap naturally with the above categories. For example, you could take a first year seminar that potentially could fill four of those categories at one go. My kid went there and she was easily able to complete the distribution requirements and a double major.

Oberlin’s campus is integrated with the small town of Oberlin, OH (population about 10,000), which feels very much like a small town in the Mid Atlantic or southern New England states. Everything is walkable and the Main Street area has the usual coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries, vintage shops, a movie theater, etc. The campus is connected to the town by a large park called Tappan Square. Oberlin also has a very impressive art museum. Cleveland and its airport are readily accessible by shuttle, Uber, or student ride shares. The academic quality is excellent and the programs that interest you are all very good, especially creative writing. If you enjoy music and theater, it’s a great place to be. It is probably the most prestigious of your three picks.

I don’t know the other two schools as well. I do know that Sarah Lawrence is extremely flexible to the point that they may not require you to complete a major. Its main draw for many applicants is its relative proximity to NYC. Bard, if I recall correctly, is well regarded for theater, and maybe film and writing.

Good luck!