Best schools for a history major?

[Anonymous]

Good on you for supporting your child’s interest. St. Andrews might be a strong rolling option as admissions is primarily stats based. I’d imagine the history department would be strong. A nice option to have early in the season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an off the beaten path option, maybe he would be interested in St. John's College?

https://www.sjc.edu/academic-programs/undergraduate

Both locations (Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico) have a beautiful campus in a great location. Retention rate is good for Annapolis, but not so good for the Santa Fe campus. Only about 66% graduate in 6 years from either location of St. John's College. Students can switch locations from either campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He will have to compete with all the students masquerading as History majors who will immediately switch to CS or engineering the moment they get accepted. Our school has quite a few of them. You can immediately spot them because they apply for their "true" major to the state schools where you cannot switch easily.

The above is incorrect.

+1 many schools are now only offering CS at application

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Small highly ranked universities

Yes. Where professors teach everything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He will have to compete with all the students masquerading as History majors who will immediately switch to CS or engineering the moment they get accepted. Our school has quite a few of them. You can immediately spot them because they apply for their "true" major to the state schools where you cannot switch easily.

Hmm. OP here. Kid attends a private and has taken (or will take) all history electives including an honors history research/seminar class as as senior. His classes and extracurriculars do not support a stealth switch to a STEM major.

I am not debating your kid's interest. Just saying that unfortunately history has become a prime stealth major for applicants. Esp. private school kids who often have access to expensive college counselors who 'position' them to masquerade as history majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He will have to compete with all the students masquerading as History majors who will immediately switch to CS or engineering the moment they get accepted. Our school has quite a few of them. You can immediately spot them because they apply for their "true" major to the state schools where you cannot switch easily.

The above is incorrect.

+1 many schools are now only offering CS at application

Many state schools are indeed. But except for CMU, most private selective schools still let you apply for any major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He will have to compete with all the students masquerading as History majors who will immediately switch to CS or engineering the moment they get accepted. Our school has quite a few of them. You can immediately spot them because they apply for their "true" major to the state schools where you cannot switch easily.

Hmm. OP here. Kid attends a private and has taken (or will take) all history electives including an honors history research/seminar class as as senior. His classes and extracurriculars do not support a stealth switch to a STEM major.

I am not debating your kid's interest. Just saying that unfortunately history has become a prime stealth major for applicants. Esp. private school kids who often have access to expensive college counselors who 'position' them to masquerade as history majors.

OP here. Computer Science was my kid's one B+. He hated that class. No confusing his future plans.

[Anonymous]

Historian here. I would aim for Yale if possible. If not, top SLACs like Swarthmore and Vassar or schools with large history departments like UNC, UVa, UT Austin, and Ohio State.

[Anonymous]

If his interest is American history he should look at American studies department as well, many of which, depending on faculty, tend to history.

[Anonymous]

I can offer only my own experience. I was a history dept at a SLAC. The courses offered (as pointed out above) were indeed just the faculty's own personal interests. I did not receive any overarching history courses. So my knowledge is spotty. My DD was a history major at UVA and received a FAR better history education than I did. Far better. I read the syllabi at the beginning of the terms just out of interest. i guess all i can say is do your research. I was, however, a top student and that major got me into law school

[Anonymous]

William & Mary!

[Anonymous]

Vanderbilt

[Anonymous]

Yale

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small highly ranked universities

Yes. Where professors teach everything

Because they have to since they were unable to get employment with a National University. Not intended as a knock against teachers, but the real experts in each field are at National Universities, not at small schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can offer only my own experience. I was a history dept at a SLAC. The courses offered (as pointed out above) were indeed just the faculty's own personal interests. I did not receive any overarching history courses. So my knowledge is spotty. My DD was a history major at UVA and received a FAR better history education than I did. Far better. I read the syllabi at the beginning of the terms just out of interest. i guess all i can say is do your research. I was, however, a top student and that major got me into law school

(Different poster.)

I could have written the above post. I had the same experience.