Meredith Reynolds - Head Start College Blog

Archive for the ‘College Profiles’ Category

Appalachian State Makes Headlines
September 2nd, 2007

If you’re looking for a college that lists music as one of its major programs and now famous for its football…beat No. 5 Univ of Michigan 34-32 (my sympathy to Wolverines). Located in Boone, North Carolina near the famed Blue Ridge Parkway…lots of beautiful country! When you think you’re familiar with most colleges…there’s always another to be discovered. Equally important to remember is that the students at Appalachian State are loving their college experience, even more today. A good day for the lesser-known college that in reality is not a lesser college for its students.

The Evergreen State College: no grades, majors or departments
May 31st, 2007

One should not be surprised that many students who apply to Evergreen State College, mascot an eight-foot clam named “Gooeyduck”, also apply to the University of California Santa Cruz, home to the Banana Slugs.  However, in contrast to UC Santa Cruz, Evergreen State College lacks grades, majors and departments. Evergreen is known for interdisciplinary studies that explore the connections between disparate disciplines. The curriculum has five planning units: culture, text and language; environmental studies; expressive arts, scientific inquiry and society; and politics, behavior and change. Nearby Olympia, the state capital, is described as progressive and open-minded. Seattle is an hour away as is skiing, hiking and the beach. Evergreen State College is not for everyone, but no college is!

Pomona College: Palm Trees for Ivy, Where It All Started
May 25th, 2007

The first of the Claremont Colleges founded in 1887 Pomona was modelled by its Massachusetts founders after east coast Ivy League liberal arts college. As the demand for colleges rose in early 1900’s its founder travelled to Oxford and elected to establish a framework for the creation of 10 colleges under the Claremont umbrella copying Oxford. Scripps was established in 1920’s focused primarily on humanities, though now boasts a strong biology program. Then came Claremont Mens College (now Claremont McKenna College) after World War II with an initial focus on economics and international relations–practical liberal arts education. Harvey Mudd in the 1950’s with the push to the moon is focused on science and engineering , and Pitzer College in 1960’s looking to ethnic diversity and other social causes. Obviously this is a gross simplification but it gives you an idea of the underlying philosophies behind each of the colleges which of course over the years have continued to expand and develop their programs of study to meet current needs.

Pomona is truly a residential liberal arts college. 95% of its students live on campus all four years (equal percentage graduates in four years). Unusual, 30% of freshman housing located on South campus are singles. Upperclassmen live four-five blocks away in what is termed North campus where students gather late nights for free Snacks which include everything from cookies to pizza. Dorms are nice and students report food is good.

Its a tight-knit community with 375 freshmen each year. Classes are small. Only one or two in four years will be as large as 50. Your first night on campus you will have a one-on-one social dinner with your advisor. Before classses begin as part of freshmen orientation students (groups of 12) select an adventure…canoeing at Hoover Dam, kayaking near Santa Barbara and more. With five colleges a lot is happening on or around campus to the point some students complain they don’t get off campus enough…but realize its their own fault. One Pomona tradition is the ski/ beach day when students ski at Big Bear in morning and go to Venice Beach in the afternoon…why do they do it? “Because we can.” In deference to east coast students (school has students from 48 states), the College sponsors a snow day and brings in artificial snow for students to play in until it melts (usually 2hrs max). Pomona tradition also dictates that students be thrown in fountains on their birthdays so the college makes a big effort to keep them clean even using chlorine.

Academics are “rigorous but not cut-throat”. True to its liberal arts roots the majority of a students classes will be outside their major. Pomona students are required to take five distribution classes which include foreign language requirement and PE. Students can take classes at any of the other Claremont colleges. For Pomona students that’s usually four or five over their four years. 50% of the students study abroad and for those particularly interested– either before or after there is a foreign language dorm with sections for French, Spanish, Chinese etc. The college provides a fluent speaker in each of the languages to facilitate activities and conversations. Students that do not live in this house may join a table at any meal and listen or speak their language of choice.
Besides being thrown in fountains or playing in the snow, Pomona students enjoy all the concerts, speakers, performing arts on campus, they can walk to Claremont village for a change of pace. Also big each year is the Pomona/Claremont football game…parking is not a problem.

The admissions officer at the information session bragged Pomona was recently voted the fifth “happiest college” in the country. I can’t guarantee that but if you are interested in a very personal, liberal arts education with only one snow day and lots of Palm trees consider Pomona College.
(PS He wouldn’t divulge the four that beat Pomona.)

Northern Arizona University: A Strong Alternative
February 1st, 2007

Located in Flagstaff, NAU is a definite alternative to University of Arizona and Arizona State University both squarely in the desert. Total undergraduates number 11,358 with 40% men and 60% women–less than half the size of U.of A. and ASU. The school runs NCAA Div I sports programs for both men and women. Only 8% of the men are in fraternities and 5% of the women join sororities. NAU offers a wide range of academics with 26% of students in education and 19% business, management, and marketing with the remaining 55% of the students pursing a variety of majors. Most recently reported average GPA of high school applicants was 3.4 with SAT verbal range 470-590 and math range 470-590. Other fun features of Northern Arizona is that it sometimes snows but is definitely no Ithaca, New York. And.. if you live in the Los Angeles area a train can take you to Flagstaff –swing by the Grand Canyon and Lowell Observatory if you go there. One final consideration Northern Arizona offers Rolling Admissions–if students get those applications in by Thanksgiving many will know before Christmas.”Yeah…I’m going to college!” Check it out at http://www.nau.edu . Or request materials mailed at undergraduate.admissions@nau.edu .

Perhaps most important for the entire family, the Head Start College program paces students to complete their applications by Thanksgiving.

MEREDITH REYNOLDS\"\"

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