Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

Great School for those who are not prestige <edited>seekers. Excellent academics, excellent reputation among graduate schools. Places in the top 50 colleges for most graduates among the Who's Who crowd and ranks only second to Princeton for the value of its capstone study requirement.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 11:47 pm: Edit

The College of Wooster in Ohio has a unique program that requires students to do a three semester independent study program, beginning in junior year - and backs up the program with research funding for students, professors, and other unique programs (and the school has a really cool bagpipe band as well).

Willamette University in Oregon is located right across from the Oregon state capital. Students who are interested in political science get to do hands on internships in government from day one. Willamette also has a great "sister school" relationship with a japanese university. The japanese university has a dormitory on the Willamette campus and the schools exchange over 100 students a year. The japanese university just donated 10 million dollars to Willamette's plan to build a new residential college plan that will allow students to live and study in small residences with professors (first phase will open in 2005 for freshmen).

Whitman college in Washington is in the middle of nowhere - walla walla - but everyone I talk to about this school loves the tight knit community that always has something going on. They have one of the most active college theater programs in the country and you don't have to be a drama major to take part - and lots of musical clubs/organizations as well. The college president knows everyone by name and gives his home phone number out to parents (and really does expect them to call if they have a problem). The academics are top notch as well - I've heard it compared to Williams. One unique program is the semester in the west - a group of 15 students and several professors spend a semester travelling across 10 western states, studying geology, ecology, political science, history, archeology first hand. They do every thing from camping out on government wilderness lands to interviewing people on different sides of environment issues and visiting indian reservations - they even spend a week in las vegas.

By Sunshine916 (Sunshine916) on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 12:39 am: Edit

i agree with College of Wooster! i went there for music camp and it was a really neat place. our salutatorian was seriously considering going there until she got into UVA and Duke

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 04:22 pm: Edit

I've been reading about the College of Wooster in Pope's "Colleges that change lives" and checked out their web site - it truly looks like one school that may live up to its name. One impressive program is the requirement to do a three semester independent research project starting junior year - and COW even backs this up by offering research grant money to its undergraduates.

Does anyone have any familiarity with this school - perhaps a campus visit? Know someone who goes there or did in the past? If so, I'd love to hear a first-hand report of your impressions.

(By the way, Mike's Dad, if you're reading this they have what looks like a great geology department!)

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 05:47 pm: Edit

I would reccomend going to the College that change lives college fair when it comes to your area
http://www.ctclonline.com/
I don't know alot about Wooster- my daughters roommate at her summer camp went to Wooster and she was very happy with it. Good international programs I think.
Sorry can't give more details but it looks to be worth investigating.

By Morgantruce (Morgantruce) on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 07:19 pm: Edit

An English/History high school teacher friend of our liked Wooster and Kenyon a lot. I think that among people who "like" liberal arts colleges, they like nearly any of them better than most universities---for bachelors degrees.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 08:17 pm: Edit

Amd - Had to laugh at your description of Pope's book - it is a bit over the top in gleefulness isn't it? NO school in the world can possibly be as perfect as he tries to make them out to be.

Lawrence is another school that looks interesting but I wonder if their music conservatory might get the bulk of attention -- are their other programs of the same caliber, especially for someone not interested in music?

I'm curious about your impressions of Colorado College as well - in my mind I've always pictured it as attracting students leaning more towards the granola-hippie-pot-smoking sort. Was that your impression or has it changed since my long-ago college days?

By Shennie (Shennie) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 02:15 pm: Edit

"Oh, our tour guide said that only three colleges in the US have senior thesis requirement - New College of Florida, COW, being two. "

Just for the record, Allegheny College has a senior thesis requirement although they call it the Senior Comprehensive Project or the "Comp". Reed also requires a thesis. I am sure there are other schools out there that require some sort of final thesis type project to graduate.

As far as Lawrence goes, it is well respected for it's science programs as well as the conservatory.

Finally, a lot of high school students are interested in the idea of doing a double degree - BM and BA or BS. Schools provide these programs because they are very appealing to parents who are very hesitant to have a child who is focusing on performance as a career. However, it is very difficult to do a BM and anything else. The BM is very demanding and time consuming. Even in a 5 year program it is very difficult to do both degrees unless the student is highly motivated. I would suggest that if you are interested in a BA/BM programs that you find out how many students are enrolled in the programs and actually graduate with both degrees in 5 years. Not to discourage you from looking into these programs but you need to be aware that, in reality, very few students are able to accomplish this.

By Sopranosmom (Sopranosmom) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 04:37 pm: Edit

Thanks for your imput, Shennie. Actually the double degree option was D's choice -- she just won't commit to the all out conservatory route for voice -- she wants liberal arts, too -- very interested in anthropology/archeaology and photography. Oberlin's double degree program is VERY demanding -- I think unrealistic-- although voice majors have a little more room than a regular instrumentalist -- you really cannot sing well for more than an hour a day. Lawrence's double degree is lower key -- we will be visiting there to check it out. Tufts/NEC have a combo program but, if you know Boston, the two places are physically far apart and don't coordination scheduling, vacations, or spring breaks. COW has a strong overall music program so we're looking at that, too, as well as Skidmore and NW. The most important choice is hooking up with a good voice teacher on the undergraduate level -- if D commits to voice over the long term -- a graduate voice program will be very important. We'll see!

By Reidmc (Reidmc) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 01:33 am: Edit

Pope does go a bit over the top in his books, but I suspect he realizes that is necessary to get people to pay attention to schools other than Harvard, Princeton, Amherst etc. The schools he writes about are good ones, and deserve more attention.

BTW - through their parents, I know of two recent Wooster graduates very happy with their experience. Both reported a real sense of community there, and if monitored appropriately, I'd think the capstone paper/thesis process would be a valuable undergraduate activity.

As for Lawrence, I live in a neighboring state and work with musicians, so I hear a fair amount of good things. And I've read and heard some positive things about the History, English, Biology and Chemistry departments.

FWIW - Lawrence's academic dean was just named (today) the new president of Macalester College.

By Sopranosmom (Sopranosmom) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 09:11 am: Edit

My D and I visited COW last summer (when she was a sophomore). We had a very favorable impression of it though students weren't around. She is interested in vocal performance and, even though it is not a conservatory, the music department is very strong. She wants a BM as well as a BA and that might be possible there. Yes, there is a capstone senior project -- for music people it comes down to recitals and other types of performances. Wooster is a small midwestern town but seems to have all the amenities. The campus itself is nice -- pretty and compact! My D has since become very interested in Lawrence as it has both a music conservatory and liberal arts and has a 5 year BM/BA degree. We'll be visiting in a month. If anyone out there has visited or has any info about Lawrence, please post! Their viewbook info, website, personal contact so far has been great. My D has heard from a student, a voice teacher, and an admissions counselor! I saw, too, that their academic dean just took the MacCalester pres job -- they seems to turn out such individuals -- remember that a past pres of Harvard was a past pres of Lawrence!

By Hautbois (Hautbois) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 11:47 am: Edit

Can you get a BM *and* a BA? I'd not heard of that before! Interesting. I don't think it's a bad idea; the BM is aiming at a performing career and we all know how likely that is (although I say go for it if she is able). So the BA is a good backup. (I only have a BM. To be honest, though, I'm sorry I didn't change majors entirely. )

Of course in music, at least with a BM, a recital is a given, usually in both the junior and senior year (at least that's how I've always understood it).

By Sopranosmom (Sopranosmom) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 12:32 pm: Edit

Hautbois -- COW isn't like a conservatory where it's music, music, music! They have a strong music department and, I may have to eat my words, I thought they offered a BM but it may actually be a BA. However, both Lawrence and Oberlin offer a combo BM/BA degree -- it takes 5 years at both places and it combines requirements from their conservatories and arts and sciences schools. Tufts and NEC have a shared program, too, but, if you know anything about Boston, the schools are in different places and they don't seem to coordinate anything for the double degree students -- class schedules, vacations, spring breaks, etc.. My sr-to-be D wants vocal performance but she wants liberal arts, too, so we are looking at places where that can work. Eastman/URoch say it can be done but it looks iffy there, too. She is looking at Oberlin, Lawrence, COW, Northwestern, CMU, Ithaca, McGill, Susquehanna.

By Hautbois (Hautbois) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 01:08 pm: Edit

Well, I think the combo is a very wise way to go. I wish I had had that choice ... well, or maybe not! Hmmm. I opted for the BM because I didn't want to take voice or any other instruments, preferring to stick to my own somewhat troublesome instruments. (I'm lazy that way.) The BA degree required the others because it made the assumption I would go into teaching.

Of course now I'm teaching. But I only teach my instruments.

FYI, I didn't go to a conservatory. I did everything all "wrong" and managed to make it as a performer and have been at it since 1974. Another family member did everything "correctly" (Eastman and then Julliard) and is working in a different field. Go figure!

By Batman (Batman) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 09:53 pm: Edit

COW does more with its students than the majority of colleges. By that I mean that they take students who don't come to them as Ivy League material and produce an astonishing number of PHD's for its relative size and applicant pool. Like other small LAC's there's lots of interation with the profs, lots of opportunity for social and intellectual activites. I'm a bit surprised about the comment regarding their library since I know they had either a substantial renovation or new addition added only a few years ago. They have also done a lot to upgrade housing. Also, I don't understand the comment about the Interstate. The school is simply located in a small town, but its easily accessible.

By Amy301 (Amy301) on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 10:45 am: Edit

A few of you may remember me from earlier this year. Well, my D is planning on applying to the College of Wooster ED. A two days into the school year she met with someone in the Guidance Office at school, and this person encouraged her to start filling out the Common Application (she‘d already completed it), and to ask for teacher recommendations from any teachers who taught her in her SOPHOMORE, junior, or senior years. She asked for one from a teacher from her junior year, and one from her sophomore year. Tuesday she got the application supplement from Wooster, and they want 2 letters from a teacher from her Junior or senior year. She went to school yesterday and explained her situation to the teacher from her sophomore year . Unfortunately, he had already filled out the recommendation form and mailed it in.

My daughter is concerned that this mistake will not look good when the admissions office begins to evaluate her application. I told her that it will probably be fine because she exceeds all of Wooster's academic averages, and she's written a very strong essay. She is wondering if she should call the admissions office and tell them about the mistake, or just let it go ?

Does anyone have any advice , or anything I can tell my daughter to get her to stop worrying about the situation ? (it's really stressing her out)

By Mike (Mike) on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 10:54 am: Edit

Have her find another Jr or Sr teacher and send a third unless WOoster makes it clear they only wnat two. Many LACs say at least not a max.
Mike's Dad

By Marite (Marite) on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 10:58 am: Edit

Please tell her to relax. She should get the appropriate recs from the junior and senior year teachers, and email or write to Wooster explaining about the inadvertent mistake (as long as she does not blame someone at Wooster for it!). It should not harm her chances in any way, and it will even show enthusiasm on her part that she is in contact with the school.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 01:15 pm: Edit

Tell her not to worry. I just looked at the Wooster application package yesterday and they said they welcome one or two additional recommendations. Tell her just to download the recommendation form from their site and get it done by a junior or senior teacher and send it in ASAP. Wooster loves ED candidates, by the way, so she should have a good shot.

Could you please let me know if you've visited Wooster? My daughter is interested in this as a potential school to visit next year and I'd love to hear why your daughter moved it up on her list.

Carolyn

By Amy301 (Amy301) on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 03:41 pm: Edit

Thank you everyone for all of your advice. I'll make sure my D reads it. I'm sure it will make her feel better.

We have visited Wooster, twice actually, and we're going for a third visit (fall open house) at the end of this month.

I don't think there was any one thing that made Wooster my daughter's number one choice, but I can tell you some of the things that helped her make her decision.

-We loved the campus and the surrounding town. The campus itself is very beautiful. It's not too big, and all the buildings are very accessible.

-My daughter is an athlete and wanted to continue playing in college, but she's also very active in debate and Model United Nations. She wanted a place where she could do both easily. We talked to one student who played a varsity sport, and was involved with one of the student-run publications and the marching band.

-We also heard a lot of good things about the student-faculty relationships. A few students we talked to said they even had dinner with some of their professors from time to time.

-A few other interesting things:
There is a bowling alley in the student union.
When we visited there were 32 different kinds of cereal in the cafeteria.
They are building a new dorm, and it will be ready in the fall of 2005.
There are hitching posts at the local Wal Mart (there is a large Amish community in the area)

If you have any specific questions please feel free to ask.

By Kjofkw (Kjofkw) on Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 03:19 pm: Edit

We visited the COW as a second thought on the way to a CASE open house. My s. loved it. It was absolutely gorgeous, and we liked what we heard. We arrived in town totally unprepared late on a rainy day, and the admissions staff was unbelievably friendly (unlike many other colleges we visited with full "reservations". They even gave him a private tour. Alas, the program in his intended field was not what he wanted, so he never applied...but it is currently on (my) list for my daughter!

By Batman (Batman) on Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 10:54 pm: Edit

I also learned about COW in a roundabout way. Some friends and I thought we'd take advantage of the free college visit days that our high school allowed us to take. We chose to visit COW as sort of a joke thinking it would be some pitiful place in the middle of nowhere. After our visit, however, we couldn't wait to apply. It's been nearly 20 years since I graduated, and you know what? I still hear from some of my former professors and visit them every so often with my family. Guess the joke was on us

By Emmline (Emmline) on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 04:59 pm: Edit

Okay, good info. I'm sort of repeating this question from another thread-- here's what I'm wondering...My daughter has really good academic stats--a good bit higher than the Wooster mean, but she's not a person who exudes confidence and assertiveness like we observed in some Swarthmore applicants. It is very important to her to be in a mix of kids where she'll find peers who enjoy being serious about school, discussing philosophical issues, etc. Doesn't like parties, in the partying sense. I'm interested in hearing from people who know Wooster...are enough kids there...well...deep? I mean, do they appreciate learning, or just do it to get the diploma?

By Zoto (Zoto) on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 02:04 pm: Edit

To anyone who's been to Wooster, it's probably my number one choice right now (next to Kenyon)... But I'm just wondering, how would you describe the people there as a general rule, and can anyone contrast the Wooster atmosphere and student body with that from Kenyon?