<p>""No one really applies or has heard of any of those smaller schools like Williams, Amherst, yet."</p>
<p>Methinks we have a flamer here! </p>
<p>A guidance counselor from a supposed "top school in MA" who does not advise top students to apply to Amherst would have to be on drugs or on the take.</p>
<p>My kid has applied, but I would be shocked if he got in, since it's one of his two "reach" schools. Very competitive, very good reputation, right up there with the best, as is Williams. My son's guidance counselor said that in his opinion, Williams was even more selective than some of the Ivies, as he has never had a student get admitted there! We have a small public HS that does not rank, so maybe Williams does not like that, but the HS has had several Ivy-bound graduates in the past.</p>
<p>Moonmaid, both Amherst and Williams admit students from a number of schools that don't rank. I haven't seen the stat, but I suspect 30-40% of the admitted class comes from schools that don't rank.</p>
<p>"an elite university is a university whose alumni all make 6 figures or more a year, ie Harvard"</p>
<p>"did you just say "Bu is one of the best schools in the Northeast" and "has great profs" and "good academically"? Sorry hunny, none of those are true. BU is definately not that good of a school, and I would be ashamed if I went there. Plus, their housing sucks (I live in Boston so I know what I'm talking about)"</p>
<p>"^If you have such low SAT scores, you don't deserve to go into anything better than community college. SAT scores is the most important part of your application and shows that you are not really smart or motivated."</p>
<p>
[quote]
Columbia has a swim test just in case all the bridges and boats collapsed in manhattan and you needed to swim to brooklyn or something... The engineers don't have too though
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'll be. I've lived in NYC my whole life, worked at the WTC when they had the bombing in 1993 and on 9/11 and I have never heard anything like this in all of my life.</p>
<p>What's that quote again by Mr Lincoln??</p>
<p>Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.</p>
<p>your </p>
<p>
[quote]
Its a top school in MA so everyone's applying to ivy league, MIT, stanford, etc
[/quote]
is not serving you well. If your parents are paying for this education, I would demand a full refund.</p>
<p>I brought up the quotes by the OP to show where he is coming from....and it is really sad that his school is so narrow in scope...to mostly just apply to the "ivies" is foolish....also his disdain for those that don't apply to ivies is just ignorant</p>
<p>and to put down so many other schools is just odd</p>
<p>Actually, sybbie, while the OP has said some pretty ridiculous things, that is the story they tell at Columbia about the swim test (which you must pass to graduate). Engineers are supposed to be able to build a bridge or a boat and are exempt from this requirement. It's just a silly reason they give, just for fun (though I'm not sure of the origins of this story), but the swim test is real.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I'll be. I've lived in NYC my whole life, worked at the WTC when they had the bombing in 1993 and on 9/11 and I have never heard anything like this in all of my life.
[/quote]
Actually, idiot, thats what the admissions representatives at columbia said during the information section... I'm not exaggerating it... Please don't assume next time</p>
<p>
[quote]
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
<p>looks like you would be the idiot or at least geographically challenged to quote something that obviously makes no sense. Oh yeah, I forgot you live in Ma and did not know about a school in your own state so how could I expect you to make a stretch and actually know something about NYC.</p>
<p>You would have one really good swimmer getting from on the west side to crossing the east river to get to Brooklyn.</p>
<p>I guess if the engineers had build a brige in an emergency to get off of the island of manhattan, since the closest body of water to Columbia is on the west side of manhattan (hudson), that would be quite a feat to get the bride to take them to brooklyn since crossing the hudson would take them to Jersey :eek:. guess no one thought about that when they put out the urban legend.</p>
<p>Since you are such a believer in everything that everyone tells you, I really can get you a good deal on that bridge in brooklyn ;)</p>
<p>I think the story does say NJ, not Brooklyn. As much as I don't really want to defend the OP, his original quote "swim to Brooklyn or something" implies that he was just mentioning that little story, and wasn't bothering to overanalyze it and remember every tiny detail, since it's just a stupid story.</p>
<p>Guess it is safe to say that anything having to do with storytelling, recall or logical reasoning may not on his list of potential professions.</p>
<p>However, Op has demonstrated that sometimes when one's arrogance is showing (as it was in his original question) you never know what else is also peeking out.</p>
<p>well there are a number of reasons. in the New England area, esp. MASSACHUSETTS, Amherst, as well as Williams (number 1 LAC in country), are very well thought of and known. It's basically every east coast parent's dream to have their child go to one of these places. </p>
<p>because it is a LAC it can offer many things that large research universities cannot. for one thing, there is more one on one attention, academics are catered more to the COLLEGE student (not graduate student), it is small enough to foster excellent alumni relations. </p>
<p>basically, Amherst is a great school. it DOES have an international reputation</p>
<p>Well, some people i know that live in Portland (The same city where REED is at) have no idea where or what REED College is so i guess i kind of feel you. However, it is not possible to be on CC and not know that Amherst is one of the best colleges in the world.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I guess if the engineers had build a brige in an emergency to get off of the island of manhattan, since the closest body of water to Columbia is on the west side of manhattan (hudson), that would be quite a feat to get the bride to take them to brooklyn since crossing the hudson would take them to Jersey :eek:
[/quote]
sybbie, have you seen Narnia? The Columbia legend reminds me of the scene when they're at a river trying to get away from wolves.</p>
<p>Lucy: Don't beavers build dams????
Mr. Beaver: I'm not THAT fast, dear.</p>