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Hello, everyone. I'm a junior in high school just beginning my journey to college. Took the SAT I for the first time this morning, as a matter of fact. Seeing as I'm new to the process of looking at colleges, I could use a little bit of help.

I have a very strong interest in history/classics and a very strong aversion to anything related to math or science. I don't know what my major will be yet, but I've considered everything from history to religious studies to classical archaeology and back. Ancient history, history of art, and medieval studies are also possibilities.

Open/loose curriculums are very attractive to me. Note that I don't plan to use the openness as a way to "escape" science and math and other undesirables. I see the necessity of science and math, and understand that I will be required, either by the system or by my own standards, to take these courses. I just don't want to feel like I have no choice, and would rather pursue these subjects on my own timetable.

Also at the top of my list are foreign languages. This mystery university must have very strong language programs. I plan to pursue Italian and Hebrew - Italian, extensively(as in considering a Junior-year study abroad semester to Italy); Hebrew, not as extensively, but it's still important to me.

So, to recap briefly: I'm looking for a place with a loose core curriculum and very strong history/language/classical programs.

As for other aspects of the university/college...I prefer medium or smaller sized, suburban or rural. (But not too far out...in the general proximity of some city somewhere.) Location: must be on the east coast, preferably up north in the New England area, but not excluding the south. Also, a student body that is very dedicated to academics. This is a nice way of saying that I'm a geek(or studyaholic, as a friend put it). As for Ivy League vs. non-Ivy League: I don't care. I doubt, however, that I am Harvard material. On all of my practice SATs, my score was consistently above 1350, but not really higher than 1400. So while I wouldn't get in to Harvard or Yale, I imagine that unless I totally bombed this morning's test, I'd have a chance at some other fairly competitive and well-known schools.

I apologize for the length of my ramblings. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 12:42 am: Edit

Take a look at Middlebury for starters. Excellent for languages and very good history department.

By Alexandre (Alexandre) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 09:38 am: Edit

Check out Middlebury for sure.

I would also look into the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. It is among the top 5 nationally in all the fields you are considering. I am providing you with some links to some of Michigan's departments.

http://www.lsa.umich.edu/rll/deptdir/facultyprofiles.html

http://www.umich.edu/~classics/directories/faculty.html

http://www.lsa.umich.edu/judaic/judaic_detail/0,2495,10358%255Farticle%255F15049,00.html

http://www.lsa.umich.edu/history/facstaff/

Don't worry about Michigan's size. Although it is large, those departments listed above (except for History) have fewer than a hundred undergraduate students each. If you can break the 1400 on your SAT, you will be automatically considered for the Honors program...and you can also look into the Residential College (a sort of LAC within the University if you will).

Other schools to consider (your chances, assuming you get a 1400 on your SAT):
Amherst College (reach)
Brown University (reach)
Carleton College (match)
Columbia University (reach)
Dartmouth College (reach)
Harvard University (super reach)
Haverford College (match)
Johns Hopkins University (match)
Middlebury College (reach)
Northwestern University (match)
Pomona College (reach)
Princeton University (super reach)
Reed College (match)
Stanford University (super reach)
Swarthmore (reach)
University of California-Berkeley (match)
University of Chicago (match)
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (match)
University of Wisconsin, Madison (safety)
Wesleyan (match)
Williams College (reach)
Yale University (super reach)

I realize this is a large list. I know you said you prefer the Northeast, but I am throwing it all out there. You can select the ones you like and cross out the ones you do not like. All of the schools listed above are awesome in the fields you are considering.

I would apply to 1 or 2 "super reaches", to 2 or 3 "reaches" to 3 or 4 "matches" and to 2 "safeties".

By Reidmc (Reidmc) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 11:30 am: Edit

Several good matches and reaches on Alexandre's list, though strict application of your preferences will knock most of them off, and some may indeed be tough reaches for you. Wesleyan came to my mind as a good choice, but it does have moderate distribution requirements.

As much as I am attracted to them, I think that open/loose core curriculum is a good candidate for a low priority criterion, as the colleges and universities you would consider have some very interesting science and math offerings. Many more choices than high school.

You will need a safety or two for your list and you will need to use your GPA, class rank, schedule strength and SAT score to determine them, not just your SAT. Two schools good for your interests and likely very strong matches, or safeties, would be Dickinson College and Boston University (big but not too big.)

By Collegeparent (Collegeparent) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 11:48 am: Edit

Have to ditto Alexandre's list -- and to emphasize Carolyn's suggestion of Middlebury.

To Reidmc's excellent suggestions of Dickinson and BU, I'd add a couple of schools to consider such as Connecticut College, Colby and Trinity. And a couple that are definitely out of your Northeastern criterion: Kenyon, Macalester and Oberlin.

By Mgls (Mgls) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 06:14 pm: Edit

Thanks a million for all of the wonderful suggestions, especially Alexandre's long list :D Quite a few in there I wouldn't have thought of. I'm not adamant that absolutely everything I'm looking for be fulfilled - if a college had pretty everything else I was looking for, but was not located in the North East, it wouldn't be a big deal. Thanks once again :D

By Mikemac (Mikemac) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 11:42 pm: Edit

be sure to take a look at Kalamazoo. They have one of the strongest foreign-language programs around, and their website says 85% of their students study abroad! see http://www.kzoo.edu/admiss/usnews.html