Girlie AGDee's College Search Thread

[AGDee]

So, I talk enough about her that y'all know that my girlie is obsessed with finding the right college for her. She wants to apply to 8 schools total.

Schools she knows she wants to apply to:
Columbia (reach)
Barnard (reach)
Brown (reach)
University of Chicago (reach)
Northwestern (reach)
University of Michigan (the 'safety' school)

Others she is considering but would like to hear from people what the school is like in general (not necessarily Greek life, she isn't sure that's something she wants):

Emerson: Any info is appreciated. Not familiar with the school at all.

Tulane : How is it post Katrina? Is it a really *southern* school? I don't think she'd fit it in a really southern school.
Washington University St. Louis : No idea how this made it on the list except she has been to St. Louis and liked the city a lot

University of Iowa (safety): She's worried that she reads a lot about this being a "party school" but she's interested in their creative writing program which is the best in the nation.

Anyway, she suggested we ask here (because Munchkin has been really helpful in answering her Brown questions). I suggested she create a User ID like KR's daughter and post herself and she thinks that would be weird..lol.

Her anticipated major is English, probably with a double major in a) journalism, b) Poly Sci, c) Social Policy or d) Communications with grad school goals of either A) Journalism, B) Editing/Publishing or C) *maybe* Law School (because of her love of politics).

So, any comments are welcome (Not being heli=mom, I swear! It's all up to her!)

[Senusret I]

I have some schools in mind that she may want to add to her list to consider (because she has similar academic and career interests as I do/did) but before I do, how would she feel about attending a "small" school (2000 or less undergrads)? Also, how does "prestige" play into her decision-making? Example: If she got into all of those schools on a full scholarship, would she choose the one which was ranked the highest?

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I have some schools in mind that she may want to add to her list to consider (because she has similar academic and career interests as I do/did) but before I do, how would she feel about attending a "small" school (2000 or less undergrads)?

She's ok with a small school IF it is in a big city. Small school in the middle of nowhere won't work for her. That's actually one of her concerns about Iowa too.. it is in the middle of nowhere.

Right now, if she got into all with a scholarship, Brown would be the top choice primarily because of their open curriculum. They don't have a required core so she could more easily get her double/(maybe even triple) major in and still graduate on time.

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by AGDee

She's ok with a small school IF it is in a big city. Small school in the middle of nowhere won't work for her. That's actually one of her concerns about Iowa too.. it is in the middle of nowhere.

The University of Iowa campus is in the middle of Iowa City, giving it a much more urban feel than the other two universities in the state. It draws a lot of students from the Chicago area, and it does have a reputation as being a party school, but I think that will diminish as the bars are now 21+ only (they used to be 19 and up could get in, 21+ could drink, but the 19-20 year olds would just have their 21 year old friends get them drinks. The bars made money on the extra drinks and the city made money on giving out PAULAs.).

That said, I wouldn't choose Iowa, either. Their writing program is excellent, but as others have pointed out, there are other opportunities with summer workshops that may give her just as good as experience. Their Journalism department is decent, but not regarded quite as well as the one at Iowa State. And neither of them are as good as the ones at places like Mizzou or Columbia.

[Senusret I]

I added another question, btw.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I added another question, btw.

Not necessarily, but clearly, with that list, prestige is a factor.

Oh yeah, and Barnard is the only all girls school she will consider.

[Munchkin03]

Yay for this thread! How did she like her Barnard experience?

I seem to spend a lot of time with Tulane people. From what they've said, it's not a Southern school like LSU or Mississippi State, but there are a good number of students from within a 4-5 hour drive. Long Island and the NYC suburbs represent pretty hard.

[AGDee]

She *loved* her Barnard experience! We have plane tickets to go to Providence over Labor Day weekend. She won't be able to do any "official visit" things but it's the only time we can get there before the Early Decision app deadline. We're going to Chicago in mid-October. She won't be able to do any other visits before applying for the rest due to Marching Band season.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by AGDee

She *loved* her Barnard experience! We have plane tickets to go to Providence over Labor Day weekend. She won't be able to do any "official visit" things but it's the only time we can get there before the Early Decision app deadline. We're going to Chicago in mid-October. She won't be able to do any other visits before applying for the rest due to Marching Band season.

Have you booked a hotel room yet? Labor Day is tough because it's New Student Orientation and move-in weekend for upperclassmen. Rooms right in Providence can be expensive ($200 is average, especially for in-demand weekends), but you should be able to stay right near the airport for a reasonable rate. I'll be there a few weeks later--we'll just have missed each other!

I always considered Tulane a safety. I know its architecture school is booming now, but I'm not sure if the rest of the undergraduate schools have bounced back to pre-Katrina levels. WashU is great.

I'm skeptical on public schools in other states, especially being from Michigan, if financial aid is a major concern. Unless you're exceptional, very few top-flight state schools are going to give an out-of-state resident without a legacy, sports, or diversity "hook" substantial money to attend. As a result, Brown or Columbia could cost you less out-of-pocket to attend than a UT or Berkeley.

Does anyone really have success with FastWeb scholarships? I applied to over 100 scholarships my senior year in college--some through fast web, some local scholarships--and got nothing. Ugh! Such a waste of my time. Also, many private universities use outside scholarships to reduce the aid they're responsible for, so it doesn't reduce your out-of-pocket cost.

[Senusret I]

Gotcha.

So here is my advice:

English is a good major nearly everywhere. Journalism is a stupid major. As an undergraduate, it will be far better to focus in English and join the staff of the campus newspaper to see if she wants to do print journalism, while also contributing to the campus literary magazine and taking as many creative writing classes as possible.

Do not go to Iowa. There are many good creative writing programs on the MFA level. But as an MFA drop-out, I must say if she's any good, she won't really need an MFA to be published or make connections. Just my opinion.

She needs more safety schools -- consider one or two safeties in a few cities in which she'd want to live. If she's considering Tulane (which is a great choice, though New Orleans doesn't have quite as many internship opportunities as a larger city) also consider Loyola University of New Orleans.

Also consider the higher tier and/or well known private liberal arts colleges: Swarthmore and Sarah Lawrence come to mind quickly, especially for English/writing.

As a Georgetown grad, I must say it's a great place for writers, but like many well-known universities with large English departments, a creative writer struggles to be heard and seen among the MANY people who major in English only to go on to law school or med school. That's one thing to watch out for at nearly all of the schools she's considering -- is the English department a true community of writers and literature lovers, or is it a means to grad school.

Of all the schools she's listed, Wash U would be my number one pick.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by agzg

I don't have thoughts about many of the schools except I'm very excited for this thread!

You need to be... you might have to teach us how to get to Northwestern on the el.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by AGDee

You need to be... you might have to teach us how to get to Northwestern on the el.

You can do that? LOL

I guess it would be the purple line, huh?

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by agzg

You can do that? LOL

I guess it would be the purple line, huh?

I know my friend used to do it when she was at Northwestern...

[ISUKappa]

You had me with this

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Journalism is a stupid major.

But redeemed yourself with this:

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Do not go to Iowa.

[deadbear80]

I thought as a Wash U alum I should pipe up.

Wash U is an INCREDIBLE school. I loved it a lot as an undergrad (as well as when I was there for grad school).

It has become a very popular school over the past couple of years. If Northwestern is a stretch for her, Wash U will be too and your daughter should be prepared for that. Northwestern actually has a higher acceptance rate. The way to let Wash U know you're interested is to actually visit the school in the Fall; don't wait until she gets accepted. They notice who comes to visit.

Wash U has a good English department, but no real journalism curriculum and no journalism major at all. However, it is strong in PoliSci as well as Psych and they have a couple of interesting interdisciplinary majors like Social Thought and Analysis that may be of interest to your daughter.

Wash U is outside of the St. Louis City limits and the school is a bit of a bubble, but there are fun things to do right near campus and now that the Metrolink goes there, it's easy to do things like go to a Cardinals game.

PM me if she has more specific questions. Although it's been a while since my undergrad days, I wasn't out of grad school there all that long ago...