Search: gay-friendly, strong sociology, small campus, close-knit population...

College Search & Lists
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<p>I’m looking for colleges that fit my criteria. Can you guys help? =)</p>

<p>Can you give me colleges that:

  • are gay-friendly (by this I mean that gay people aren’t ostracized/maimed/bullied/chased out)
  • have a small campus, close-knit population, strong sociology/psychology/polisci department
  • have tons of activities and things to do (ex: Literary magazine, newspaper, MUN)
    • has MUN, and first years can join (secondary to the existence of a MUN club)
  • have an open-minded population (no lynching/discrimination)
  • have a relatively large/existing Asian population
  • are either in California, really close to California, or close to/in Rhode Island
  • aren’t completely made up of 2400, 4.0+ GPA students
    *** more things to be added later</p>

<p>=D Thanks!!!</p>

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<p>hmm you’re basically describing every LAC except for the california/rhode island part haha</p>

<p>maybe occidental? pomona or pitzer are good in sociology i think, but they are pretty heavy in the “4.0 perfect vals” category haha</p>

<p>now rhode island-ish area (i’m including mass, connecticut?) is pretty good. try some a few hours away and you’re set. hampshire? amherst? wesleyan? connecticut college? wheaton?</p>

<p>almost all good liberal arts colleges, except for washington&lee, naval/military academy, etc. are pretty gay-friendly. with liberal attitudes in the air, you won’t have to face discrimination :)</p>

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<p>Hmm. Located in/near either California or Rhode Island. That’s a new one.</p>

<p>Well, there are a whole bunch of small liberal arts colleges within a couple hours drive of Rhode Island. There are a few up and down the West coast. As far as I know, none of them have experienced any lynchings lately. Or ever. </p>

<p>One starting point is the US News ranking of liberal arts colleges ([Liberal</a> Arts Rankings - Best Colleges - Education - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/liberal-arts-rankings]Liberal”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/liberal-arts-rankings)).
Generally, the higher the rank the more selective the school.
If you state your approximate class rank and test scores, people can suggest some schools where you have realistic chances of admission and that meet some of your other criteria.</p>

<p>Most of your criteria would apply to many liberal arts colleges. One that may not is the percentage of Asian students. However, if you are Asian, a smaller population of Asian students can work to your advantage in admissions. Colleges like racial/ethnic diversity.</p>

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<p>“hmm you’re basically describing every LAC except for the california/rhode island part haha” </p>

<p>Drats.</p>

<p>“If you state your approximate class rank and test scores, people can suggest some schools where you have realistic chances of admission and that meet some of your other criteria.”</p>

<p>We don’t rank at my school. </p>

<p>SAT I: 2190/2230(SS)
SAT II: US 720 Math II 740
AP: Chinese 5, others I’m waiting for</p>

<p>Haha, California makes it easier for my parents to visit me (I hear it’s the only direct flight from China to US), and Rhode Island makes it easier for my parents to visit me and my bro. </p>

<p>“however, if you are Asian, a smaller population of Asian students can work to your advantage in admissions. Colleges like racial/ethnic diversity” </p>

<p>Hmmm I never thought about going to a college w/o a relatively large amount of Asian students. I’ve been in China for 7 years, and I still don’t connect very well w/ Americans (went to summer camp, had tense relations), so a larger Asian pop. would help me get adjusted. But I guess I do need to learn to relate and get out of my Asian culture. </p>

<p>Are there any more schools? Thanks for the help so far!</p>

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<p>Your SATs are good. Let’s assume your grades are comparable and that you have some strong extracurricular interests. Since your family is flying around between the US and China and you’re attending US summer camp, I’ll also assume that money is not an issue.</p>

<p>In that case, you should at least have a shot at nearly any liberal arts college. Some more than others of course. Check out these schools:</p>

<p>West Coast
Pomona (LA area; most selective; part of a 5-college consortium)
Reed College (Portland, Oregon; very selective)
Occidental (LA area, moderately selective)
Whitman (Walla Walla Washington, moderately selective)</p>

<p>Northeast
Amherst (Western Massachusetts; most selective; part of another 5-college consortium)
Bowdoin (Brunswick, Maine; very selective)
Wesleyan University (Middletown, Connecticut; very selective)
Bates (Lewistown, Maine; moderately selective)</p>

<p>(<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ivies[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ivies&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>I think you’ll find that a selective liberal arts college has a more accepting atmosphere than the summer camp you attended. Kids will be more mature, for one thing. One would hope.</p>

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<p>“I think you’ll find that a selective liberal arts college has a more accepting atmosphere than the summer camp you attended. Kids will be more mature, for one thing. One would hope.” </p>

<p>It was mainly me with the problem. Most people at my school don’t wear low-cut shirts and short skirts, so I was a little shocked. My GPA is 3.32 (4cs in Math 9th and 10th grade, hoping Math II score will excuse it). You’re right, money isn’t much of an issue (unless my brother keeps on wildly spending money like he is now). </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>Low-cut shirts and short skirts? At a summer camp? I guess this was not an outdoor, rafting and rock climbing kind of camp.</p>

<p>Most selective American colleges on the East or West coasts do have a more or less casual, free-spirited atmosphere. This may be expressed in T shirts and jeans more often than low- cut shirts and short skirts. If revealing clothes make you uncomfortable, then go someplace cold :)</p>

<p>Your GPA is low for some of the schools I mentioned. If you were new to the States in 9th grade, your C’s were confined to Math, and you show a strong upward trend, then it may not be a deciding factor. Talk it over with your Guidance Counselor. Course rigor, trends, test scores and circumstances can all come into play. However, for admission to the most selective schools you’d be competing against kids who have no explaining to do. So … you may want to focus on colleges that are not in the top 20 (Occidental, Whitman, Bates, etc). Being Asian/International may give you a bigger advantage at small New England schools than California schools.</p>

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<p>Brown University. Fits every qualification you listed. And right in RI! Definitely look into it.</p>

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<p>“Brown University. Fits every qualification you listed. And right in RI! Definitely look into it.”</p>

<p>My brother goes there. It’s the school I’m trying to ED for, but I’m afraid my scores are too low. </p>

<p>“If revealing clothes make you uncomfortable, then go someplace cold”
Yup! Thanks! I love the cold~~</p>

<p>“Your GPA is low for some of the schools I mentioned. If you were new to the States in 9th grade, your C’s were confined to Math, and you show a strong upward trend, then it may not be a deciding factor.”</p>

<p>I went to an International school in China, and had a Chinese math teacher who pushed us very hard. I took 2 years of Math Honors under her, and dropped to Math Regulars now in 11th grade, where I’ve gotten an A in the first semester, and an A+ in recent quarter. Talk about strong upward trend, huh? Half the kids in her class got low B/Cs, so I’m not exactly the outlier. (Should I tell my counselor to write it in her rec?)</p>

<p>“You may want to focus on colleges that are not in the top 20 (Occidental, Whitman, Bates, etc). Being Asian/International may give you a bigger advantage at small New England schools than California schools.” </p>

<p>Okay, thanks! I’m a US citizen studying in China, actually, so I won’t have that International advantage (but hopefully my 7 years in China will help??) </p>

<p>Thank you both!</p>

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<p>You might want to check out another thread going at the moment about the most gay friendly campuses:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/931246-most-gay-students.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/931246-most-gay-students.html?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>How “low” are your scores? Don’t be scared away by some of the kids on CC…I’ve seen kids with 1800-1900s get in ED.</p>

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<p>Thanks! Just the type of info I was looking for!</p>

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<p>“How “low” are your scores? Don’t be scared away by some of the kids on CC…I’ve seen kids with 1800-1900s get in ED.”</p>

<p>OwO (at SAT scores) > OxO (reconsideration)</p>

<p>But were their GPAs good? My problem is that GPA is low, but SAT is above average. My ECs aren’t THAT strong, either (Pres. of Writing Club, Student Council Rep. for 11th grade, member of MUN, debate, French club), so I’m a little scared. </p>

<p>And yes, some people on CC scare me horribly.</p>

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<p>bates is definitely NOT “moderately selective”! maybe with all the 4.0, 2400 people on here it is, but to the average joe in an average american high school, it is not “moderately selective”. “very” is more like it (but not most)</p>

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<p>oh and the “no lynching/discrimination” and “no ostracizing for gays” part kind of made me laugh. it seems maybe you have misconceptions of america? heres a few facts on american culture nowadays:</p>

<p>lynching is a horrible thing they did in the south 100 years ago. it does NOT happen anymore. If it did, it would be all over the news and there would be riots and you would hear about it.</p>

<p>gays are still unfortunately not AS accepted today, but they are still a very large and valuable part of society. they are respected in every aspect of life: politics, business, entertainment, etc. unless you live in the deep south or middle of nowhere, you can be reassured you would not be harassed for your sexual preferences. this isn’t the middle east</p>

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<p>“oh and the “no lynching/discrimination” and “no ostracizing for gays” part kind of made me laugh. it seems maybe you have misconceptions of america?”</p>

<p>I read a news story about a noose being hung on a tree at a college, and that’s what I meant by lynching. I do have misconceptions of America because I haven’t lived there for a very long time except for last summer. Watching anti-gay riots in America (D.C) make me doubt that gays are only harassed in the south/middle of nowhere. </p>

<p>I hope you’re right about the gay situation.</p>

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<p>Right. Terms like “very” and “moderately” are imprecise. I was too lazy to look up the numbers and used these terms to give an indication of relative selectivity among only the schools I listed (Amherst/most > Wesleyan/very > Bates/“moderately” …)</p>

<p>By poster PapaChicken’s reckoning of the US News selectivity formula, Bates is the 66th most selective school (among LACs and Universities combined, for the year his data applies.)
The OP can download the Common Data Set for Bates or other schools of interest to get available details on average scores, GPA/rank, etc.</p>

<p>A few others to consider: Bard, Colby, women’s colleges such as Mt. Holyoke or Bryn Mawr.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/687793-selectivity-ranking-national-us-lacs-combined-usnews-method.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/687793-selectivity-ranking-national-us-lacs-combined-usnews-method.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>oh yes, that was a very isolated incident. and it was just a symbol of racism. thankfully nobody even died. and as you can tell, that incident was broadcast across the world, with a huge backlash.</p>

<p>anti-gay riots in d.c? are you sure you don’t mean pro-gay riots? the National Equality march in dc this past year was one of the largest gay rights demonstrations ever. in the world.</p>

<p>also i’m not trying to pick on you or your country, but doesn’t Chinas government refuse to acknowledge or promote gay issues? no offense, but chinas gay rights are nothing compared to americas (and we still have a long way to go)</p>

<p>sorry for this rant, i just don’t like when foreigners stereotype america as a country of dumb, narrow-minded religious zealot bigots with texas accents</p>

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<p>agreed with tk21769: bard, colby, holyoke, etc. should be looked at.</p>

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<p>“oh yes, that was a very isolated incident. and it was just a symbol of racism. thankfully nobody even died. and as you can tell, that incident was broadcast across the world, with a huge backlash.”</p>

<p>Alright. Believing you. </p>

<p>“anti-gay riots in d.c? are you sure you don’t mean pro-gay riots?” </p>

<p>There were anti-gay riots. At least, there were before the pro-gays practically (and rightly) swamped them. </p>

<p>Also, doesn’t change the fact that some campuses are very anti-gay. I’d rather go to a college or university that is very gay-friendly, or else I’d feel a little out of place. </p>

<p>“also i’m not trying to pick on you or your country”</p>

<p>My country is AMERICA. I am AMERICAN. >=( </p>

<p>“but doesn’t Chinas government refuse to acknowledge or promote gay issues?”</p>

<p>Yes, which is why I don’t want my life in America to be the same. </p>

<p>“i just don’t like when foreigners stereotype america as a country of dumb, narrow-minded religious zealot bigots with texas accents”</p>

<p><em>cries</em> Why am I considered a foreigner in both China and America? I-I have no place to call my own!!! </p>

<p>By the way, I never stereotyped America as that. I know that certain places are very anti-gay (such as the South) and I’d rather not go to places like that. While I acknowledge that America is not lacking in the pro-gay department, it doesn’t change the fact that there ARE places in America where gay people get beat up a lot, and I don’t want to go to places like that. </p>

<p>I had to make sure I’m going to a place where people don’t ostracize gays. <em>stare</em> Would you rather me not mention it at all? Because it’s very important to me. </p>

<p>Edit: I just don’t want a college like Hope College. </p>

<p>P.S: … I’m American.</p>