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Creative Writing Programs - anybody have experience with these schools?

Chrysalis Academy

By Chrysalis Academy,
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Chrysalis Academy

Chrysalis Academy

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So . . . just dipping a toe in over here for the first time.  Dd is a rising 9th grader, and just now, out of the blue-ish, mid-vacation, she's started asking a bunch of questions about college.  And colleges.  We've spent a lot of today researching great creative writing programs.  So I thought I'd ask a couple of questions:

 

1) Anybody have a kid in a creative writing program/major/specialization? Any recs for great schools for this?

 

2) Anybody familiar with any of the following schools, particularly their CW programs, English departments, how homeschool friendly they are, or anything else?

 

  • University of WA
  • University of Iowa
  • Vanderbilt
  • Cornell
  • Emerson
  • Wesleyan
  • Hamilton
  • Emory
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Chrysalis Academy

Chrysalis Academy

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Yes, we're definitely eyeing Iowa, and the young writer's program would be a great way to check it out, as well as an amazing experience in its own right!  Thanks.

 

Anybody have a kid at any of those other schools? I'm also interested in hearing about the school's climate, personality, etc.  Are they big party schools? frat schools? sport schools?  We're kind of looking to avoid places where that's the major social emphasis.

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KarenNC

KarenNC

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If you go to collegedata.com, you can find out the percentage of men and women involved in fraternities and sororities to get some idea of that (at the bottom of the campus life tab). For instance, Vanderbilt shows 54% of women and 32% of men participate, Emory is 30% and 28%, Iowa is 19% and 14%. That tells me it's likely that sororities will have a bigger impact on the campus social life of women at Vanderbilt than at Iowa, but it wouldn't be as big an issue as somewhere like Washington and Lee, where 81% of women and 77% of men participate in Greek life. This data isn't reported on all schools.

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*LC

*LC

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A couple of those are on the top 100 party school list. However, I know non-party people who went to some of the schools and loved them. So, I wouldn't rule something out just because it is on this list. 

 

 

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lisabees

lisabees

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Rose - Hamilton has a preppy/fratty environment.

 

Welseyan is more hipster/intellectual.  Nice campus.  No merit aid, though.  If you happen to be one of those who will not get financial aid, but can't afford $65,000 a year, you may want to only look at schools that offer merit aid.  Some of the schools on your list do not.  Just a heads up before you head down this path!  

 

I am not familiar with creative writing programs firsthand, but...

 

Of course, I know about Oberlin's culture etc.  :)  If interested, let me know!  

 

Kenyon is a beautiful school in the middle of nowhere.  Not a good fit for us, but I believe it is known for writing.  

 

How about Colorado College?  Dh went there for undergrad...

 

 

 

 

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Mom22ns

Mom22ns

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Ds wanted a creative writing degree and Iowa isn't too far, so we checked it out, along with several other schools. What seemed like the best advice I got about it was to do your undergrad somewhere else and go there for their CW master's program. That was known as the real strength of their program. Ds decided he wanted to stay local, so our investigations ended early. Being in the mid-west, Iowa was definitely considered the best by everyone we spoke to. 

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Chrysalis Academy

Chrysalis Academy

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Rose - Hamilton has a preppy/fratty environment.

 

Welseyan is more hipster/intellectual.  Nice campus.  No merit aid, though.  If you happen to be one of those who will not get financial aid, but can't afford $65,000 a year, you may want to only look at schools that offer merit aid.  Some of the schools on your list do not.  Just a heads up before you head down this path!  

 

I am not familiar with creative writing programs firsthand, but...

 

Of course, I know about Oberlin's culture etc.   :)  If interested, let me know!  

 

Kenyon is a beautiful school in the middle of nowhere.  Not a good fit for us, but I believe it is known for writing.  

 

How about Colorado College?  Dh went there for undergrad...

 

Ahh, yes, we probably do fall into the doughnut hole.  How does one find this out? I mean, whether you would qualify for need-based aid? My sense is that those of us who live in really high COL areas are at a disadvantage here if they look at wages alone. Our wages may look high, but there isn't a house for sale in our county for under $500,000.  So the mortgage eats up most of it, along with high costs for everything else.

 

I will definitely add the merit aid/no merit aid to our criteria list, thanks for the heads up.

 

I know a bit about Oberlin from knowing people who went there, but would love to hear more. My impression is that it might be an environment that is a good fit for dd, for sure.  Never heard of Kenyon, I will look it up.  And yes, Colorado College is on our list too - I'd love to hear more about it!

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Chrysalis Academy

Chrysalis Academy

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Look for the Net Price Calculator on a college's website. There's usually a link somewhere under Admissions or Financial Aid. You might need your latest tax forms. And a stiff drink or chocolate for after :eek: :lol:

 

:lol: sounds like I should wait till vacation is over to tackle this task!  Thank you.

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madteaparty

madteaparty

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I've been looking (no reason ;))) at fully funded MFAs and Syracuse comes up in my general neck of the woods...there's at least two amazing writers that teach there but again this is the grad program. That might be a way. Find a favorite current writer and see where they teach.

I've read everything one of the Syracuse profs has written...

It's a moot point for DS as he is still hoping for one of the British schools.

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lisabees

lisabees

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Ahh, yes, we probably do fall into the doughnut hole.  How does one find this out? I mean, whether you would qualify for need-based aid? My sense is that those of us who live in really high COL areas are at a disadvantage here if they look at wages alone. Our wages may look high, but there isn't a house for sale in our county for under $500,000.  So the mortgage eats up most of it, along with high costs for everything else.

 

I will definitely add the merit aid/no merit aid to our criteria list, thanks for the heads up.

 

I know a bit about Oberlin from knowing people who went there, but would love to hear more. My impression is that it might be an environment that is a good fit for dd, for sure.  Never heard of Kenyon, I will look it up.  And yes, Colorado College is on our list too - I'd love to hear more about it!

 

Rose - I always say that if you make a household income of over $150,000, they expect you to pay full price.  Sad, but true.  

 

I make way, way, way! less than that and ds's school offered me not one penny (although he has a $21,000/yr scholarship).  They expect me to afford $33,000/year. It was shocking when my first went through this; now I just remind myself that these are private schools.  They are for those who can afford it.  It is most certainly not a right.

 

So - I became smarter.  We pulled all non-merit schools off the table (no need to deal with the heartbreak of getting in and not being able to afford it). That eliminated MANY schools, especially those in the most desirable areas. Do note that my kids wanted small liberal arts schools.  Many wonderful schools in the midwest offer merit aid, so that they can pull kids in from the east and west coasts. Then, I looked at all those who offer merit aid and only considered the ones that offer a large amount of aid to a decent amount of kids.  Some schools are known to be generous.  

 

This Kiplinger link is what I used and proved to be fairly accurate.  Be sure to use the tool at the top to list only liberal arts schools, private and public schools.

 

Oberlin was a perfect match for ds.  If I can describe the environment and student body, it would be welcoming, loving, enthusiastic about life.  Most kids have so many interests; many have double/triple majors.  These are kids who want to change the world.  These are kids you want to have coffee with and chat for hours.  Just so kind and interesting and unpretentious.

 

Kenyon has a different vibe.  My impression is that many come from private schools (like Oberlin) but you feel it among campus.  You feel the money. The campus is gorgeous (they have a "Harry Potter" dining room) and the town is, well, super tiny.  Kenyon has frats and is more sports-oriented. Kenyon has great essay prompts on its application.  When ds applied, one was (paraphrased) - "On the edge of old maps, there was a saying, 'Here be dragons.'  What is your map and what does it say on its edge?"

 

Colorado College (dh's undergrad) has a block schedule.  Students have one class every 3 1/2 weeks.  This either works.  Or doesn't.  Dh's experience was so long ago that I'd hate to share them (he liked it though).  I assume they still have frats.  I believe the town gown relations are poor.  Town is very conservative I think.  The acceptance rate is much lower now than ever before.  My kids didn't apply there, so I don't know much about this school.

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