<p>Thanks, Gwen! I look forward to your report.</p>
<p>Yes, my D would prefer a city, but she’s OK if it’s a train ride away, in some ways better (as with NYC). There’s no ideal safety that gives her the 5 things she wants most: east coast, city access, BFA possible, curriculum that feels right to her, cohesive medium-sized school atmosphere (i.e. not a conservatory nor a “storefront” campus like Emerson or Roosevelt). </p>
<p>Only the reachy schools can give her it all, which has made finding safeties very difficult. If she was 100% fine with the midwest, UMinn and UW-Milwaukee would give her it all. But in the east that’s not so easy. I’ve urged her to look at Temple, too, but I think she’s overwhelmed adding cities she’s never visited at this point. Boston and NYC outskirts, some parts of upstate NY and other parts of New England she’s been in, are her best bets.</p>
<p>For many schools she’s willing to give up city access or her preferred size, and she can accept getting a BA if the program excites her. We’re having a very hard time finding a way for her to have an east coast guarantee. In the case of URI, and also UNH, which also seems like a good safety, the location is OK enough. URI is coming out ahead because of the BFA, and because I think in the long run its location will feel less remote. But we’ll surely visit if it (or UNH) really becomes a serious contender in the spring.</p>
<p>I have family in that part of RI, so we’re pretty used to how the various places feel in terms of distance. I could imagine her ending up having a car at URI as a trade-off, too.</p>