<p>MIT would be pretty perfect for my daughter. Socially, it’s ideal; the fun-nerdy combination is right up her alley. MIT also has the Comparative Media Studies major and the Media Lab, which, again, are exactly what she wants. The problem is that she is not a math/science person and the admissions rate is so low. She’s very concerned that she would struggle at MIT as someone who doesn’t pick up difficult m/s concepts as quickly as other kids. She is very smart and a hard worker, but I don’t want to send her off to a place where she’ll be miserable and where meeting the general requirements will be an uphill battle from the beginning.</p>
<p>What are her alternatives? She strongly prefers urban and nerdy; school size is less of an issue. She’s all about storytelling, especially as related to technology and social causes. She’s into video games, film, design, and writing. Big theater nerd - she’s assistant director and puts in around 15 hours each week. I expect this will flow into her college life as well.</p>
<p>I’m completely new at this - my older son decided he wanted to get an apprenticeship and certification in his trade and that was that. Thanks in advance for your help.</p>
<p>U Chicago also has that nerdy, intellectual vibe. She’ll have to work hard there as well, but it won’t be quite as science/math heavy. It’s also very difficult to get into.</p>
<p>"What are her alternatives? She’s all about storytelling, especially as related to technology and social causes. She’s into video games, film, design, and writing. Big theater nerd - she’s assistant director and puts in around 15 hours each week. I expect this will flow into her college life as well. "</p>
<p>-look no further than U Southern Calif ! </p>
<p>she can study video game design in the engineering school-
USC Video Games Program Named No. 1 for Third Year in a Row</p>
<p>Why not NYU? Their media culture & communication major is great and totally centered around media studies. There’s a million opportunities in NYC and NYU is as urban as you can get. I’d say it’s a pretty nerdy school. Not as nerdy as CMU but it’s a selective school that does only take really good students. Its student population could be considered quirky and nerdy. Very different from your typical college. It is THE place to be for theater arts and film and she sounds like she’d be a great fit for Tisch (although media studies isn’t in Tisch but I bet you could swing programs in both schools).</p>
<p>Can you give some idea of her stats? People have suggested schools that meet her interests, but before she gets excited about any of them it would be a good idea to assess her chances of getting in…</p>
<p>Emerson in Boston–slightly less selective than some mentioned–all kinds of media/journalism/communication studies. Artsy/nerdy.</p>
<p>James Madison in VA has an incredible media studies program that my urban/goofy-cool/hipsterish neice is reveling in–but the school is in a rural setting.</p>
<p>Tufts. Urban, somewhat nerdy, socially concious, good theatre and media studies. Has more of a campus than NYU. Caution on the CMU theatre - it is very competitive, practically a conservatory, and therefore somewhat difficult to participate if you are not a major. That goes for performers, directors, technical theatre and dramaturgy. Probably true at NYU and Emerson as well.</p>
<p>A smaller selective school to consider for media is Wesleyan. Smallish city, definitely artsy and politically active.</p>
<p>All of these are highly selective schools, and althought they might be easier admits than MIT they are not easy for anyone.</p>
<p>How set is she on the urban part of the equation? Bard sounds like it could be a good fit but no one on this planet is going to call it urban (although you can get to the city easily by train).</p>
<p>Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland? Can’t speak to all the media, but has theater program affiliated with the Cleveland Playhouse and is nerdy, tech and urban. Great merit aid too.</p>
<p>These are all highly selective schools. On a less selective note, Eugene Lang, the undergraduate school from The New School. Can’t get more nerdy than that. NYC is full of schools for those interests: School of Visual Arts, Parsons, Pratt.</p>
<p>Also less selective in Chicago, Columbia College, a great place.</p>
<p>Eugene Lang is the most nerdy; the others are arty.</p>
<p>If stats are higher, Barnard is a nerdy, urban place with access to Columbia and everything else in NYC.</p>
<p>MIT seems out of the question because math/science/technology courses form a core. If one isn’t good at math and science stay away.</p>
<p>Drexel is another good choice as is Northeastern.</p>
<p>If you’re going to look at Columbia College in Chicago, you might as well look at DePaul too. Might be a good safety, and with its rolling admission, you could get an answer on admission in October.</p>