Colleges that transform undergrads into great writers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a lawyer. I went to a CTCL LAC. The small classes, essay testing, and being taught solely by profs improved my writing greatly.

Which one?

[Anonymous]

I loved the Little Red Schoolhouse writing program at the University of Chicago. I still use techniques I learned there. I would also say that I don't think strong writing is a particularly sought-after or valued skill in the work world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by great writer? A novelist, or just someone who is able to write a grammatically correct email, Power Point presentation, or business plan? IMO, the best way to become a good writer is to read a lot.

OP here

Yes, fair question.....

DC, a HS junior, wants to pursue a career in law or business. So in that sense.

Well, according to DH none of his firm's new legal associates can write. So, presumably it is learned on the job.

[Anonymous]

We used to require writing samples for our intern program (a program that was in high demand). The students from LACs and similar schools provided much better samples on average than larger schools and schools without area and sequence requirements where the students could possibly dodge writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SLACs, Ivy, Berkeley, Michigan, Chicago, UVA.

Really? How many professor advised and graded papers are written by the typical Berkeley student?

[Anonymous]

Reed College

I'm a grad and we wrote A LOT. So by default, you get better at it. Not only that, but the professors took great care to extensively comment on both content and style.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any SLAC with required small group seminars. Also look at schools for number of kids who write a senior thesis.

New poster. This, above, OP, especially as your student is heading for law or business and not creative writing. Seek out colleges that require a lot of writing of undergrads from the START -- not just once they're juniors and taking mostly classes for their major. That's why a SLAC/LAC with small classes/seminars from freshman year onward is likelier to require more real and frequent writing than a massive university with gigantic undergrad lecture classes the first couple of years.

Is your DC doing a lot of writing in high school? A freshman in college who has had little sustained writing experience in HS can end up floundering or getting overwhelmed when hit with writing expectations at a college level. Be sure your DC takes every opportunity really to polish up written work, seek feedback from teachers (beyond just a grade), maybe work with an outside writing tutor if there are concerns (since you ask for a college to "transform" the student I"m wondering if there's a need there--?).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs, Ivy, Berkeley, Michigan, Chicago, UVA.

Really? How many professor advised and graded papers are written by the typical Berkeley student?

This is so silly. I went to a large, prestigious school for undergrad and my grad student writing instructor was amazingly talented and changed my life. Actually there were two; another wonderful teacher for my creative writing class as well.

But you keep clinging to those false ideals and arguing with anyone who challenges your (terrible) assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved the Little Red Schoolhouse writing program at the University of Chicago. I still use techniques I learned there. I would also say that I don't think strong writing is a particularly sought-after or valued skill in the work world.

What????? Are you crazy??? What profession doesn’t require strong writing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved the Little Red Schoolhouse writing program at the University of Chicago. I still use techniques I learned there. I would also say that I don't think strong writing is a particularly sought-after or valued skill in the work world.

Excuse me? Of course it is. I'd never make a hire if they couldn't write.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved the Little Red Schoolhouse writing program at the University of Chicago. I still use techniques I learned there. I would also say that I don't think strong writing is a particularly sought-after or valued skill in the work world.

DP. What "work world" do you mean, PP? My husband is a manager of IT code jockeys and wishes they could write better; they have clients who need to understand what they're doing and guess what--that gets done via e-mail and other written work. He would leap to hire a coder who was a strong, clear writer.

Your statement is pretty grossly generalized. The ability to write clearly and effectively is important in pretty much every field, even if that means writing reports or e-mails and not lengthy dissertations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any SLAC with required small group seminars. Also look at schools for number of kids who write a senior thesis.

New poster. This, above, OP, especially as your student is heading for law or business and not creative writing. Seek out colleges that require a lot of writing of undergrads from the START -- not just once they're juniors and taking mostly classes for their major. That's why a SLAC/LAC with small classes/seminars from freshman year onward is likelier to require more real and frequent writing than a massive university with gigantic undergrad lecture classes the first couple of years.

Is your DC doing a lot of writing in high school? A freshman in college who has had little sustained writing experience in HS can end up floundering or getting overwhelmed when hit with writing expectations at a college level. Be sure your DC takes every opportunity really to polish up written work, seek feedback from teachers (beyond just a grade), maybe work with an outside writing tutor if there are concerns (since you ask for a college to "transform" the student I"m wondering if there's a need there--?).

I was a history major at Middlebury and we had to do a ton of writing, including a junior and senior thesis. Most of the kids in my major went on to law or business school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs, Ivy, Berkeley, Michigan, Chicago, UVA.

Really? How many professor advised and graded papers are written by the typical Berkeley student?

Quite a few! Signed, Berkeley grad

[Anonymous]

My dd is a freshman at College of Wooster. I have seen her writing improve dramatically from first semester to second semester (and she went in as a pretty good writer). First semester freshmen take a seminar class where they have to write different types of papers on one topic. Wooster also has their senior year independent study project which they tout pretty heavily during admissions season. Juniors do a smaller version. Dd is taking a class with a professor she aldi had first semester and told me she felt good about the test. She said first test first semester she answered each question in paragraphs. Now she understands the teacher wants pages. The papers she is writing are of the caliber I wrote senior year. She will be a poli sci, English or history major. Hoping her writing skills will help her land a job in a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs, Ivy, Berkeley, Michigan, Chicago, UVA.

Really? How many professor advised and graded papers are written by the typical Berkeley student?

Quite a few! Signed, Berkeley grad

And how many on average for a typical graduate? Who grades and provides feedback? What is the length and what are the standards? How does that compare to Swarthmore, for example?