Expert: Todd Johnson - 12/25/2007

Question
Dear Mr. Johnson,

I have a problem: east or west?

I've been investigating my major: English (or perhaps Creative Writing or Fiction Writing).  I'm having a hard time deciding which schools are "good". Yes, the tier thing...but what does that really say about the college?

Emerson seems great...very prestigious, particularly the writing program, which is my desired field of study. Would you happen to know anything about Emerson's Liberal Arts program?  

Any information about "good" liberal arts colleges would be appreciated.  State/city doesn't make much of a difference...I'm not trying to boast, but my performace/GPA is high enough to get into just about anywhere, save for Ivy League schools (no prep schools or trust funds in my family, I'm sad to report).

Thanks,

Rex

Answer
Rex,

Thanks for writing. There are many issues that go into finding the "best" college for any student. Each college is good for some students but no college is good for all students. You need to find the best college for you considering what you are looking for in a college. Having an idea of a major is fine but I generally do not put too much weight on that issue as most students change their mind about their major at some time in their college experience. The better route, in my opinion, is to find a college that meets your needs and is the strongest academic college you are able to gain admission to.

To get an idea of some of the issues to consider take a look at this page and read some of the articles. www.collegeadmissionspartners.com/did_you_know.htm

Once you have a better feel for all of the considerations to think about then you can start looking for a college that meets your wishes. You can look at general search engines like the one at www.collegeboard.com or nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ to find colleges that fit your needs.

You should look for colleges which will be a reach for you considering your grades and test scores, those which appeal to be a match and those where you are almost assuredly going to be admitted. There are wonderful colleges all over this country if geographic location is not important to you.

Don't get hung up on the name of the college. Emerson is a good college but there are many other colleges with very strong writing programs that are overall stronger than Emerson. Find colleges first that meet your needs and then consider their English/creative writing options.

Good luck. The process should be fun and as long as you look at the best colleges for you and those that have a range of admissibility, you should enjoy the search.