American Girl dolls were — and continue to be — a staple of countless childhoods, mine included. The dolls’ personalities and stories resonated with many, making them all the more remarkable because it was easy for young girls to see themselves in them.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how much I’ve grown since the days when little me would dream of being as cool as my American Girls seemed to be. I’ve also thought about how they could tie into others’ current interests and fields of study now that everyone in the target age demographic for the dolls with me has grown into college-age.
So, without further ado, I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of which American Girl doll you’d be based on your FSU college!
Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is one of the most popular colleges at FSU, with over 10,000 students enrolled in 2023. Similarly, Samantha Parkington was one of the most popular American Girl dolls, serving as the face of the company’s logo from 1986 to 2004.
Samantha is also credited with various hobbies, including playing the piano, embroidery, painting, public speaking, and reading. This mirrors the extensive range of majors the College of Arts and Sciences offers, allowing students to explore skills across the board.
Business
Majoring in anything business-related requires good strategic skills, which makes Caroline Abbott the perfect contender for students in the College of Business. Caroline’s story is set amid the War of 1812, where British soldiers capture her father.
However, in Caroline’s Secret Message, the second installment of her original book series, she embroiders a secret map of dangerous hotspots to aid her father in his escape. Her quick wit and ability to think outside the box are crucial in all aspects of the business world.
communication and information
The College of Communication and Information is — you guessed it — all about how society communicates and interacts technologically and verbally.
Molly McIntire is definitely more of a Communications girl than anything because she’s canonically a yapper, having been deemed a chatterbox by her mother. She’s feisty, fun-loving, and social, typically the leader in her friend group.
criminology and criminal justice
While her passion may be journalism, Kit Kittredge is the prime representative of the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice. She is straightforward, ambitious, and clever. She has no reservations about speaking her mind and making it known when something doesn’t sit right with her.
Criminology and criminal justice are fields influenced by psychology and legal studies, which are perfect for Kit, considering she’s a huge people person with a genuine ability to think creatively, all while serving a lethal bob.
education, health, and human sciences
The Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences has various majors. Considering her interests and personality, Kaya’aton’my is the perfect fit for this college.
Kaya’s biggest aspiration is to become a leader of her people, similar to what studying education entails. She also resonates heavily with those studying health sciences, as she makes a point to be very active in her daily life, whether swimming with her friends or riding her beloved horse, Steps High.
engineering
Felicity Merriman is an independent and spritely girl with an immense love of horses. Her father owns a general store, which she frequently helps manage. She is curious about how things are invented and the processes that go into creating them.
Her interest in the design and production of these goods, no matter how small they may be, aligns perfectly with the objectives of the College of Engineering!
entrepreneurship
The College of Entrepreneurship instills the necessary skills to succeed in the field in all of its students. These include (but, of course, aren’t limited to) leadership, creativity, mentorship, and innovation.
Addy Walker checks off every single one of these boxes. She’s brilliant and assists in teaching her mother to read and write. She has an ever-growing desire to push forward and break boundaries, and she’s determined to help her family make a life for themselves in any way she can!
fine arts
Rebecca Rubin representing the College of Fine Arts was a no-brainer for me. She loves being in the spotlight and dreams of being an actress. Despite disapproval from her family, she wholly immerses herself in all things performance-related, especially directing.
I can also say firsthand that, having grown up as a theatre girly who owned the Rebecca doll, I adored her! I found joy in knowing she and I were alike in our love for acting and the arts, making her a perfect fit for this college.
hospitality
Kirsten Larson is a devoted, hardworking girl committed to making ends meet despite whatever qualms she may have about it. She maintains her family’s homestead, especially after the birth of her little sister. She’s also very stubborn and strong-willed, often refusing to settle until her goal is reached.
Her dedication to ensuring everything runs smoothly and effectively is ideal for the College of Hospitality!
motion picture arts and music
These intertwined colleges could only go to the most iconic pair of best friends, Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner.
The College of Motion Picture Arts specifically goes to Cécile; she’s a bold spirit who loves to entertain and perform. She has a particular knack for storytelling, perfect for those who aspire to create and share their stories through film. Meanwhile, Marie-Grace fits the College of Music. Unlike her counterpart, she’s more reserved and practical. She partakes in music lessons and has a talent for singing.
Even though they have their differences, Cécile and Marie-Grace are an inseparable duo, just like their respective colleges. After all, what’s a movie without a soundtrack? Or a song without a music video?
medicine and nursing
Josefina Montoya is empathetic and caring, hoping to become a curandera (folk healer) like her Tía Magdalena. Additionally, she’s incredibly responsible, always carrying out vital tasks to keep her family’s ranch settlement up and running.
She’s undoubtedly the ideal match for the Colleges of Medicine and Nursing because of her strong tendency to care for other people or things. Her philosophy is to heal others with her heart, believing kindness is the best medicine.
social sciences and public policy
The majors offered by the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy are all about society and the people in it, so who could be a better match than Julie Albright? Julie is described as full of energy and new ideas, which are vital for a program that depends on the ever-fluctuating nature of humans.
I see her resonating especially with Political Science, International Affairs, and Environment & Society majors. She’s incredibly vocal about things she deems unjust in her day-to-day life, notably the injustice that comes with her not being allowed to play basketball with her school’s team.
She also has a massive passion for the environment and aspires to run for president, as seen in the sixth book of her original series, Changes for Julie.
American Girls were a crucial part of my and millions of other girls’ childhoods. Even if you feel that your doll for your college doesn’t fit or just wasn’t your vibe, these dolls’ impact is unmistakable!
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