<p>My apologies for posting Northwestern and University of Chicago. I separated them from my second list because they are universities; it did not occur to me at the time not to include them because of that fact. Sorry! I realize my mistake.</p>
<p>However, NW and U of Chicago are both top tier schools in the Midwest, for those of you looking for prestige. I personally will not apply to either school, but they both have great reputations and are located in or near a great city.</p>
<p>I forgot:</p>
<p>From my research, I second Carleton as a top tier LAC.</p>
<p>Gustavus Adolphus deserves inclusion on these lists. And MN-Morris ought to be mentioned as a fine public LAC.</p>
<p>^ Oh, agreed. Can't believe I forgot either of those.</p>
<p>I would say both Gustavus and Morris would go in my third tiers</p>
<ol>
<li>Carleton</li>
<li>Grinnell</li>
<li>Oberlin</li>
<li>Macalester</li>
<li>Kenyon</li>
<li>St. Olaf</li>
<li>Earlham</li>
<li>Lawrence U </li>
<li>DePauw</li>
<li>Beloit </li>
<li>Kalamazoo </li>
<li>Denison</li>
<li>Wabash</li>
<li>College of Wooster</li>
<li>Wheaton (IL)</li>
<li>Illinois Wesleyan</li>
<li>Knox</li>
<li>St. John's (MN)</li>
<li>St. Ben's (MN)</li>
<li>Augustana</li>
<li>Cornell College (IA)</li>
<li>Gustavus Adolphus</li>
<li>Minnesota-Morris</li>
<li>Hope</li>
<li>Luther</li>
</ol>
<p>Here is a list of "peer" schools Lawrence uses for comparison: Lawrence</a> University Comparison Schools</p>
<p>and Macalester's list: <a href="http://www.macalester.edu/curricularrenewal/comparisonschools.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.macalester.edu/curricularrenewal/comparisonschools.pdf</a></p>
<p>Just working off the top of my head after scanning the above list, I note the absence of Lake Forest, Ohio Wesleyan, and Ripon that some might put "higher" than those already on the list.</p>
<p>Kalamazoo also has a list similar to the ones above that include colleges that overlap with them (bottom of page):</p>
<p>IL Wesleyan is not central Illinois oriented. Most of its students are from the chicago suburban area. Good liberal arts. Business program is not rigorous. Many minor sports for men, like soccer, are weak. Most sports emphasis is basketball and football for men.</p>
<p>My sister really loved Oklahoma City University. I don't know how selective you require your college to be, but she had a blast while she went there. College of Wooster in Ohio is supposed to be pretty good as well. I'm not exactly sure which states qualify as Midwest however. Many consider Oklahoma southwest, but I know I never have.</p>
<p>Bullet is correct. The VAST majority of the students at Illinois Wesleyan come from the Chicago area. D1 goes there and I don't find it a suitcase college at all. Students go home for long weekends or breaks, most stay every other weekend. Excellent for Music, Nursing, and Biology.</p>