Why don't you hear about Bennington anymore?

[Anonymous]

My DD’s CC mentioned Bennington as a possible safety back in 2020 but we did research and if I recall correctly, they were having financial problems. DD was kind of unimpressed with their info so we never visited.

[Anonymous]

I’ve literally never heard of Bennington. Unless you mean, United Colors of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can say the same about Occidental, Miami Ohio and Sarah Lawrence. Would add Conn College, Trinity College, Mount Holyoke & Hampshire in that mix, too.

no not really

Bennington has a very arts focus and around 67% acceptance rate, not a very DMV obsessive's focus

Occidental has the United Nations internships and a 38% acceptance rate and is frequently discussed here. As is Trinity and Miami Ohio

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can say the same about Occidental, Miami Ohio and Sarah Lawrence. Would add Conn College, Trinity College, Mount Holyoke & Hampshire in that mix, too.

no not really

Bennington has a very arts focus and around 67% acceptance rate, not a very DMV obsessive's focus

Occidental has the United Nations internships and a 38% acceptance rate and is frequently discussed here. As is Trinity and Miami Ohio

Occidental is seriously struggling financially, and Miami OH has a much higher acceptance rate than it used to.

[Anonymous]

I looked into Bennington a little as I remembered it as a writers' hub from back in the day. My kid wanted a LAC but he's STEM-focused, and Bennington didn't have many science facilities (or faculty). But still might be good for English, history, arts, some social sciences if kids romanticize a college setting that's intimate, rural, alt/artsy. Small classes, and kind of a design-your-own-major concept.

[Anonymous]

Home to Shirley Jackson, whose spouse taught there. I wouldn't mind visiting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can say the same about Occidental, Miami Ohio and Sarah Lawrence. Would add Conn College, Trinity College, Mount Holyoke & Hampshire in that mix, too.

no not really

Bennington has a very arts focus and around 67% acceptance rate, not a very DMV obsessive's focus

Occidental has the United Nations internships and a 38% acceptance rate and is frequently discussed here. As is Trinity and Miami Ohio

Occidental is seriously struggling financially, and Miami OH has a much higher acceptance rate than it used to.

Someone keeps posting that Oxy is struggling financially but it scores fine on the Forbes financial health grades (and making cuts/layoffs during the pandemic isn’t evidence it is seriously struggling)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember the olden days? The most expensive college! Donna Tartt!

Why isn't this an attractive safety for UMC kids anymore?

Is that where she went to school? Or is that the school she used for The Secret History? Or both. It’s one of my favorite books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can say the same about Occidental, Miami Ohio and Sarah Lawrence. Would add Conn College, Trinity College, Mount Holyoke & Hampshire in that mix, too.

no not really

Bennington has a very arts focus and around 67% acceptance rate, not a very DMV obsessive's focus

Occidental has the United Nations internships and a 38% acceptance rate and is frequently discussed here. As is Trinity and Miami Ohio

Occidental is seriously struggling financially, and Miami OH has a much higher acceptance rate than it used to.

Someone keeps posting that Oxy is struggling financially but it scores fine on the Forbes financial health grades (and making cuts/layoffs during the pandemic isn’t evidence it is seriously struggling)

Yes, we all know the Oxy Is Struggling poster.

[Anonymous]

It's super artsy and mostly females and gay men. So, it attracts a small group of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Home to Shirley Jackson, whose spouse taught there. I wouldn't mind visiting.

I LOVE Shirley Jackson, but "home of Shirley Jackson!" is very much the selling point of a place I'd like to visit but not live for any length of time.

[Anonymous]

Boards like this one filled with Tiger parents obsessed with prestige and acceptance rates are not where one would find discussions of Bennington (or, similarly, a school like Bard). It's a school for artsy kids from well-off, culturally "in the know" parents from LA and NYC. It has an important place in the history of arts and culture in the US, and not just because the literary stars that emerged from it in the 1980s. In the 1950s-1970s many important visual arts (painters, sculptors) were either directly tied to the school or simply lived nearby.
Not the same planet as "will taking Linear Algebra get my kid into Rice"-type discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can say the same about Occidental, Miami Ohio and Sarah Lawrence. Would add Conn College, Trinity College, Mount Holyoke & Hampshire in that mix, too.

no not really

Bennington has a very arts focus and around 67% acceptance rate, not a very DMV obsessive's focus

Occidental has the United Nations internships and a 38% acceptance rate and is frequently discussed here. As is Trinity and Miami Ohio

Occidental is seriously struggling financially, and Miami OH has a much higher acceptance rate than it used to.

Someone keeps posting that Oxy is struggling financially but it scores fine on the Forbes financial health grades (and making cuts/layoffs during the pandemic isn’t evidence it is seriously struggling)

Yes, we all know the Oxy Is Struggling poster.

I’m glad this was called out bc I know someone who is just a great all around, super smart kid, who is very excited to attend Oxy. It’s a great school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boards like this one filled with Tiger parents obsessed with prestige and acceptance rates are not where one would find discussions of Bennington (or, similarly, a school like Bard). It's a school for artsy kids from well-off, culturally "in the know" parents from LA and NYC. It has an important place in the history of arts and culture in the US, and not just because the literary stars that emerged from it in the 1980s. In the 1950s-1970s many important visual arts (painters, sculptors) were either directly tied to the school or simply lived nearby.
Not the same planet as "will taking Linear Algebra get my kid into Rice"-type discussion.

One of Woody Allen’s DD’s attends Whittier College in Ca, I assume it’s similar to Bard & Bennington in the respects you mention

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Home to Shirley Jackson, whose spouse taught there. I wouldn't mind visiting.

I LOVE Shirley Jackson, but "home of Shirley Jackson!" is very much the selling point of a place I'd like to visit but not live for any length of time.

Ha! Yes. Look up her houses these -- very architecturally interesting!