Need help finding a great college in Boston

[hatredisnotavalue]

My daughter is about to apply for admission to college. Doesn't know what she wants to do or what she should major in. Her strengths are English, languages, and the arts. Weaknesses science and math. She really wants to go to college in Boston. We have been looking at BU, BC and Northeastern. I would prefer a smaller school. She is NHS and in top ten of her class. Her list of extracurricular endeavors is a mile long. Money isn't an issue.
Does any one have any recommendations or "don't ever go there stories"?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Virginia
p.s My daughter was deeply moved when she met Elizabeth Edwards last year at a campaign function. Mrs. Edwards was quite taken with her and they had a great chat. So the more liberal the school the better.

Hatred is not a value

[babylonsister]

1. Has she checked out Emerson? An old roomie of mine

went there and loved it, and even graduated!

[hatredisnotavalue]

2. Her guidance couselor recommended it

She just said she is tempted to go there. We are researching that school too. Thanks for the imput!

[barackmyworld]

28. Emerson is in the best location

My roommate is staying in an Emerson dorm this summer--it overlooks the Common! And a block away from the best clubs :)

[Aristus]

3. I wouldn't worry about Boston; it's not much of a college town.

;-)

[NewJeffCT]

23. I was just about to post that,too - i think it's from Spinal Tap, no?

at least it was something along those lines.

[trof]

4. Too many choices?

Many excellent schools in and around.
Tufts?
B. C.
B. U.
Hahvahd
U. Mass

And more:
http://www.house.gov/capuano/links/ma_colleges.shtml

Are finances a consideration?

[hatredisnotavalue]

6. That's the problem

There are so many great schools in and around Boston. Unlike her parents, she is a stellar student and will take her college classes seriously. So, no money isn't a consideration and I know it will be well spent. My son on the other hand is going to any college where they require a uniform.

[papau]

5. Brandeis, Wellesley, Simmons all treated my kids well.

I have no clue as to the current situation.

But check costs - these folks want an arm amd a leg each semester

[benny05]

7. Leslie College is OK (cambridge)

If she doesn't mind one sort of in the burbs, but easy access to Boston, Brandeis is an excellent liberal arts school.

I'm glad your daughter got to meet Elizabeth Edwards. My wish in the next four years is to meet her since I've met her husband already. Elizabeth went to a public school, UNC-Chapel Hill, for her degrees. Her daughter Cate went to Princeton for her liberal arts degree.

For what it is worth, Tipper Gore went to BU and I believe she studied liberal arts while Al Gore went to Harvard. Emerson is a good school as well. Jay Leno is one of Emerson's famous alums.

[VelmaD]

8. I have a good friend who went to Brandeis...

and he has nothing but good things to say about it (unless you get him talking about the financial aid office...but they suck anywhere you go).

[warrens]

9. First the joke

"Boston isn't a good college town anyway." Spinal Tap's manager

Then the BU is pretty great. I went there for a year. The courses were truly stimulating and interesting. The catch is the dorms. I lived in an apartment and was OK, but the dorms were pretty insane. 700 Commonwealth had a slash through the 7, making it Zoo.

[WindRavenX]

10. The search ends here:

Boston College.
That's all you need to know ;)

[Tallison]

11. Wellesley!

Was my 1st choice, but alas the parents offered to throw in a car if I went to an in-state school. Can't help but wonder where I'd be today if I'd chosen differently...

[hatredisnotavalue]

17. Me too

My HS English teacher recommended that I go to Wellesley. He said he could get me in at no cost. Alas, I went to the state U. Didn't realize my potential at the time. Thought I knew so much more than I actually did.....Screwed up pretty bad at a coed, party college... Really sad...I feel for you,

edited for spelling

[Tallison]

21. Interesting

Wound up at University of Virginia, where I got a great education in partying, among other things. Fortunately no one can ever take away my diploma; unfortunately, no one can cure me of the drug and alcohol addiction I acquired there also. I'm clean today, but getting here was harder than anything I did in college. Just keep on truckin'....

[Kat45]

12. Tufts is a good school, and it is a small school.

It's in a suburb of Boston, which is easily accessible from there by public transportation. I went there, many years ago, but I don't know that much about it today.

One problem with Boston University is that it is a huge school. Extremely huge. (I also went there, for grad school.)

[DS1]

13. Send her to Smith in Northampton

:D

:hide:

[Kathleen04]

14. and receive a free toaster!

;)

:hide:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. Is she competitive for Harvard/Radcliffe? What could it hurt to apply?

[hatredisnotavalue]

16. Actually the more I think about it

I am going to have her apply to Wellesley. She really is a Mona Lisa Smile kind of woman and I loved their International programs. My daughter really has the drive to be the next ambassador to the UN. Unless Bolton beats her to it. However, she has more ethics in her little finger than he does in his whole body. Who knows you may be talking to the next mother of a UN appointee.:)

[Bossy Monkey]

19. Tufts has the best IR program in the Boston area (not counting Harvard)

or did 20-odd years ago when I needed to know this stuff.

[WilliamPitt]

18. Boston College is the best bet for in-the-city

Holy Cross is a little better school, 45 minutes out of town.

[MaryBear]

25. If it was a choice for me myself

I would choose Boston College so I could study with Thomas Groome!

[khashka]

20. Lots of good choices

Hahvahd
Wellesley
Brandeis
Emerson
BU
BC

All good.

My best friend is a librarian at BC so I might be a little biased towards them. It's a Jesuit college (so Catholic and a little conservative) but Jesuits are known for giving good ed.

Khash.
(I am so sorry for that last sentence, but not sorry enough to edit it)

[benny05]

27. I have librarian friends at BC

hmm...

:hi:

[WhollyHeretic]

22. I would say Emerson fits all your criteria very well

It has a great English program, that's what I looked into there. Emerson is very expensive though, it was my first choice of colleges but I couldn't get enough financial aid.

[Writer]

26. Likewise. I was accepted there but also couldn't afford it.

So... hook 'em! UT

[Gormy Cuss]

24. Tufts, Simmons, Wellesley, BC, Brandeis

Tufts isn't that small anymore but it is a vibrant college in a student-heavy area,near public transit to Boston or Harvard Square. She would have the resources of a large school with the insulation of a smaller city (Neither the section of Medford where it is officially based nor adjacent Somerville is what one pictures as a suburb.)

I have a good friend, uber-liberal who is a prof at Simmons and it's a dynamic environment with students from all income groups and from all over the world. Another friend who is now a prof at Simmons has one of the best minds I've ever encountered. It's small enough to be a very cohesive community.

Wellesley and BC are can't go wrong places. Solid programs, good locations near but not in the city. Neither are exceptionally liberal in a Boston sense, but relative to the rest of the country, they're screaming bastions of liberal thought.

Brandeis is often overlooked but again an excellent place to get an education (similar to Tufts, it's not a small school but is somewhat removed from the urban setting yet accessible to Boston.)I've worked with Brandeis staff and to say there are a lot of liberals there would be an understatement.

Wherever she goes, Boston is a great place to spend your college years.

[hatredisnotavalue]

29. Hi all

I just wanted to say thanks for all of the imput...and thanks for taking the time to post...You guys are just great!

[matcom]

30. I'm sorry. Don't mean at ALL to offend, but your title made me LOL!

:D

"Need help finding a great college in Boston" :rofl:

nay...



there are only about a MILLION GREAT colleges in Boston :D

sorry.

good luck. REALLY!

[hatredisnotavalue]

31. Thanks

And yes ....there are a million great colleges in Boston...