Here we go again! As we continue our case study of college lists based on astrology, we must reiterate: your astrological sign should not be a serious factor in your college search. But, we know there is an insane amount of colleges to choose from. When you’re not looking for an uber-specific program or major, how do you narrow down your list? We encourage students to focus on academic viability, program fit, and social/cultural fit. So, we thought, how would astrology help us isolate schools for each of these categories? Here, we present you with our fun and potentially helpful experiment.
So, let us zoom in on our 3rd sign of the stars. Are you progressive beyond your time? Do you daydream of more just worlds? Is your favorite pastime philosophizing about human nature or brainstorming future technologies? Those with their sun in Aquarius are known for innovation, collaboration, community building and generally making a difference in the world. They tend to excel in advocacy and social activism, philosophy, science, and psychology. If any of this sounds like you, our Aquarius-focused college list should be filled with inspiration for you to create yours.
MIT
MIT is the ideal place for you to dream up and brainstorm the future. They call their campus “a workshop for inventing the future” and prioritize hands-on learning with experiential learning programs. Your scientific instincts will be welcomed and challenged within their schools of science, engineering, and computing. And you can fuse your philosophical strategizing with your pragmatic problem-solving in their Science, Technology and Society major.
Bard
Activism and philosophy are just two of the many focuses at Bard College. Located in the scenic Hudson Valley of New York, Bard is a private liberal arts college dedicated to the public good. Curious students are encouraged to explore beyond the core curriculum, studying with leaders of academic fields. The Human Rights program combines politics, history, anthropology, economics, and media to investigate human rights as an academic question.
University of California, San Diego
UCSD’s multidisciplinary approach focuses on collaboration and innovation. Learn side by side with researchers and scholars within their 4 main disciplines: social sciences, natural science math & engineering, humanities/fine arts, and interdisciplinary studies. UCSD operates on the quarter system, meaning you will have four 10 week sessions rather than 2 semesters, a great opportunity for you to spread your interests out.
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is the perfect school for your passion for, well, technology. A place where students “invent the future,” the focus is in research at the intersection of education and technology. With 110 undergraduate programs, students have the opportunity to fully master a main subject while building major critical thinking, analysis, design, and communications skills. From Clinical Neuroscience to Meteorology, their Science and Engineering department has everything you need to build your future in tech.
Grinnell
A small liberal arts school in Iowa, Grinnell promises intellectual freedom and discovery. With only one core requirement and a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, this is a great place for you to challenge the world around you within an intellectually stimulating community. Their 27 majors offer students a focus in everything from anthropology to theater, but with the opportunity to build their own path with an advisor. Grinnell is well known for student activism both on and off campus, and has been recognized as one of the top 10 schools for participation in the Peace Corps after graduation.
Johns Hopkins
Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Johns Hopkins is a place where students are inspired and challenged both by their professors and peers. With an acceptance rate of 11%, this is a reach school for most, but it definitely deserves a spot on your list if you have the grades to match. Within 400 academic programs, students expand their awareness and tools for success after graduation. The Environmental Science majors are perfect for those interested in climate justice, with an emphasis on applied experience and a Senior Capstone research project.
Swarthmore
Swarthmore is a unique opportunity for you in Pennsylvania– it is a liberal arts school with an excellent, ABET-accredited engineering program. Dedicated to the common good, Swarthmore is a challenging intellectual environment, with 1 in 3 graduates pursuing a doctoral degree. The Engineering Department prepares students to pursue global innovation through a well-rounded and collaborative approach, where students are encouraged to work on research with faculty. And your inner dreamer will have a happy day-dreaming landscape- Swarthmore’s campus was rated the seventh prettiest in the world.
University of Chicago
With top research facilities, academia rooted in intellectual freedom, and a collaboratively competitive student body, UChicago offers a “transformative education.” Professors and graduates of this top research university are known to push the boundaries. UChicago offers over 140 institutes and research centers for students to explore big questions and investigate together.
University of Washington Seattle
An innovative public university, UW offers an impactful and boundless education. Another quarter-based school, undergrads choose between 1800 courses each quarter. Discover progressive urban planning in the College of Built Environments or prepare for a career in politics at the top-rated Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. With Engineering, Social Work, and Computer Science among some of their top programs, there is definitely a place for your inspiration at UW. (We also think you would love Seattle.)
George Washington University
Last but certainly not least, GW embodies the energy of Washington D.C. The GW experience is known for fostering inspired changemakers who get involved in local (meaning national) politics. Among many inspirational programs, you may consider their Human Services and Social Justice Major, where you receive hands-on experiences in non-profit work, receive multi-disciplinary social perspectives, and conduct independent research, all within a justice lens.
So, for those of you focused on changing the world through technology, activism, science and psychology; if you are an Aquarius or a similarly egalitarian, community centered dreamer, these schools should be a good place for you. Between hours spent reading Foucault and calling up your local senator, start drafting your college list and consider adding a few of these.
Want a guide in your pursuit of the ideal college list? Drop us a line here.