Macalester is a fine school. Is it affordable? Did she seem to like it?
They are going to be more similar than they would to a large state U, but there are still differences worth considering. Iâd suggest she visit while school is in session (many schools will host a student for an overnite stay with a volunteer host) and meanwhile she might try to see if she can arrange for coffee with students of the LACs she is considering who live in your area. She may be able to find them on a group such as Facebook or by contacting admissions.
We are local to all these options. Quickly skimming common data sets, Mac and Carleton look pretty close on racial diversity. Olaf is a little behind. None are great. But there is no shortage of purple hair, LGBTQ IDing types at any of these schools. Last time I was at Olaf, they quoted 25% of their student bodies IDs as LGBTQIA+. Mac is a really nice urban setting though (very local to us), plenty of reasons to prefer that. We know a number of high stat kids whoâve chosen Olaf because they can be generous with merit. It was on final lists for both my kids due to bottom line. My oldest in particular had stats to apply anywhere.
Iâve been on all these campuses many times, know lots of students and adults whoâve attended, both my kids applied to some of these. I think it is hard to get a sense of vibe when school isnât in session. Especially at these smaller schools. I agree with the comment about how all LACs have things in common, like all big state schools have things in common. I think if you attend 3 LAC info sessions in a row with empty campuses, it isnât too suprising it felt âthe sameâ
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How would you âvibeâ all of these LACs?
Looking for environmental studies/science with good research/internship opportunities, very LGBTQ friendly, outdoorsy opportunities, not super Greek or preppy.
Bates
Bowdoin
Bryn Mawr
Carleton
Colby
Macalester
Middlebury
Mount Holyoke
Pitzer
Pomona
Skidmore
For those criteria, Mount Holyoke, Pitzer, Macalester and Bates represent an example of a geographically diverse group of schools to consider strongly.
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Pomona checks every box. Mine was looking for something very, very similar and fell head over heels for Pomona - will be starting in a few weeks. (Coming from the midwest, where not many are familiar with the 5Câs). Pitzer also seems like a good option.
We know MANY kids at Macalaster - everyone has good things to say, but maybe fewer outdoorsy opportunities as its urban and in a cold climate.
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For a student interested in environmental studies, it might be worth mentioning that Pitzer distinguishes itself from Pomona through its xeriscaped campus.
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Wesleyan calls it permaculture:
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For the ones in MaineâŠ
Colby is exceptional for environmentally studies, and it has always attracted a very outdoorsy crowd, in part because of its location. Kids climb, ski, surf, hike, snowshoe, etc regularly through school.and on their own. The school owns properties that afford incredible research opportunities for the hardy.
In past, there were far more colby students, both preppy and crunchy, from New England prep schools who discovered their love for the outdoors at summer camp in Maine or vacationing with family in Maine, but today, that demographic is less well-represented. (I mention this because anyone who hasnât interacted with the school in the last roughly 5 years will think of its prior vibe.) It is a comfortable place for LGBTQ kids, but with a student body of about 2000 and some distance from a major metropolitan area, dating options will be more limited. Colby isnât alone in this regard, but itâs definitely a finger on the scale for a school like Macalester that has the population of a city to branch out into. The community is tight.
Bowdoinâs vibe is similar but it is a little more attractive to kids from urban areas and who may be less zealous about the outdoors part. Brunswick is a very stylish, lovely town, and that feels very consistent with Bowdoin. Both Bowdoin and Bates are closer to Portland (great little city), so it makes sense to me that kids who arenât quite as committed to being âup northâ - and what is up there - are drawn to these two.
Bates was traditionally the most granola of the bunch, and itâs hung on to part of that. It has one dining hall because it intentionally wanted everyone to have to be in the same place and have opportunities to connect. While there are artsy kids at all 3 they are probably most visible at Bates. From what you have said, your D might connect best with this one, but many kids end up clicking with several of these 3, and itâs surprising which ones.
Our family had history with Colby and Bowdoin, yet my kid ended up with Colby and Bates as front-runners. Many of his high school classmates applied to both Bowdoin and Colby but not Bates, so I would strongly recommend, if you find yourself in Maine, that you check out all 3.
I have mentioned before that many kids, loyal as they are to their Maine school, could probably be equally happy at the others. With that said, there is a smaller group for whom that is not true. Being on campus when class is in session could help in determining that for you. All 3 are beautiful schools with excellent academics, so itâs just finding the right âflavorâ for you.
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Great analysis! As the parent of a Bates grad, I agree. Bates also has excellent environmental studies.
My child applied to neither Colby nor Bowdoin. She did apply to Carleton, Kenyon, Oberlin, and others, along with Clark (definitely a good place for kids with purple hair.) She wanted a bit more of a creative vibe and mostly applied to colleges where she got a sense of that.
If you arenât familiar with Clark, it could be a good choice for a match or safety. Itâs in a city and is a bit on the larger side for an LAC.
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I think I can help with BMC as well. It is very LGBTQ friendly and very inclusive. Not preppy, greek, etc. Also not so outdoorsy. The women here tend to be serious about school and taken seriously, which is everything womenâs colleges set out to be. Because of its relationship with Haverford, there are men around, so itâs a great choice for someone who likes what womenâs colleges promote but who donât completely want a single sex school. Students here avail these of what Philadelphia offers, which is a lot, but itâs not skiing, surfing, and rock-climbing. They have a lot of traditions and tend to have a strong community. I would venture there are more social justice types here than at the Maine schools, but I canât back that up. (And the kids at the Maine schools volunteer in their local communities, so itâs not like they donât care, but BMCâs location offers many more opportunities for different types of engagement, and its Quaker roots offer encouragement to work for change.)
In recent years, I have know a couple of women here who were interesting, but not exceptional applicants, evolve with BMCâs nurture and go on to top ten law schools, etc. (This always impresses me, because itâs easy to make stand-out applicant into stand-out grads, it takes something more to see and nurture potential in someone so they can be a standout.)
I think your D would gel with the students here. The lifestyle may not be what she wants. Colby, for example, has much more of a âwork hard play hardâ ethos, with much play happening in the nearby wilderness. BMC is more âlife of the mindâ. Definitely worth checking out, especially with other urban schools on your list. Itâs also a beautiful campus. I donât know much about their environmental studies department. They do have a number of programs that they are known for (classics, art history, archeology, pre-med).
Another excellent school, and iirc, they have merit scholarships.
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Iâd like to purchase @gardenstategal 's Guide to LACs please. Nailing it!
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This post includes comments on a few of your daughterâs choices in the context of comments on other liberal arts colleges: Struggling with D21's List. ED & ED2: Amherst, Hamilton, Wellesley, Vassar - #7 by merc81.
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This thread may also be of interest to the OP:
NESCAC Spoken Here: 2023 version - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums
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Iâll throw out two that I have not seen mentioned.
Warren Wilson College is very different from traditional LACs. It is a teeny tiny work college in the gorgeous mountains outside Asheville NC with a hippie vibe. Super outdoorsy school with access to hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking right on campus or nearby. It has a working farm where students raise cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens and extensive gardens. It also has a student-run vegan cafe. It has good environmental studies, ecological forestry, sustainable agriculture, environmental education courses. It is not super selective. However it is the gayest school I have ever been to. Purple hair and LGBTQ absolutely would not stand out in any way and would only fit in more. Oh, there is no Greek life at all. Their most prominent athletic team is mountain biking.
St Lawrence University in upstate NY is the other one I wanted to mention. I donât know that much about it, but a friendâs daughter is going there this year. She is really smart and a punk rock feminist with purple hair. I donât know what the rest of the students there are like, but sheâs super cool, so if she picked St Lawrence it might be worth a look.
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I know five kids who are at/attended St. Lawrence, all of whom had a good experience. I saw one just the other day and she is a quirky girl for sure, but lovely. The other four kids are a musician, a hardscrabble inner city kid, a typical high school girl (URM), and a very sweet and nerdy young man.
I believe they give fairly good scholarships too.
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They arenât in great financial shape, unfortunately.
It is not only location. It is weather, quality of the tour guide and million other things. On our first trip to Gettysburg we were not impressed. Not the best tour guide. Something did not click⊠When DD got there top scholarship I suggested to go again. What a difference. We got in love. Tour guide and all kids we were introduced to were amazing. They did treat us like royalty. If not BS/DO program, it would be absolutely DDâs choice. She was ready to commit that day⊠
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After looking at a lot of big state Us with one kid and a lot of LACs with another. I think LACs vary more in the general personality and finding the right fit is more important. The big schools were a lot more similar.
D23 couldnât always articulate what it was about one school vs another but definitely had strong feelings about the vibe, although sometimes it took repeat visits to really get a sense.
The strongest options on her list she ended up visiting 2+ times before the final decision. She interviewed at a few and that really contributed to getting a feel for the places. At the school she ended up at she also met with a professor, sat in on a class, and had lunch with a couple students in her planned major.
Another important thing to dig into was which extracurricular activities were offered, how active different ones are, did she see a place where she could fit in. Again, at a big school, there are so many activities that this is less of a point of distinction. D23 wanted to continue instrumental music and how she would be able to do that varied quite a bit in the size and variety of ensembles.
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So true, LACs definitely have personalities and itâs worth visiting in person. Especially since theyâre small so the social life is more likely to reflect that personality. Mine visited a couple of Midwest LACs in her final decision-making process, and wow, was it eye opening. A place we thought would be amazing for her was not a fit at all (she couldnât wait to leave, and weâd booked half a day there⊠tour, class visit, lunch with students). A place she only applied to because I loved it turned out to be a delight and was in her final 2. She chose a huge school and has never looked back, but our LAC experience stood out and we still sometimes laugh about the disastrous day we spent at the first school!
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