<p>I'm looking for a school that is like Carleton College (strong focus on academics, small LAC, unpretentious) that is not located in the mid-west. Does such a school exist? Carleton seems pretty unique, but I'm just wanting to make sure.</p>
<p>Bard
Bates
Connecticut College
Haverford
Pomona
Reed
Swarthmore
Vassar
Wesleyan
Whitman College</p>
<p>I forgot to mention: Carleton's financial aid is need-based, and covers 100% of perceived need. This is another big factor that I'm looking for.</p>
<p>Most private, prestigious East Coast schools have an elitist bent not found in Midwestern and West Coast colleges. I would take a look at Marlboro, Haverford and Reed.</p>
<p>Consider Bates</p>
<p>Carleton is unique. Is there a particular academic interest you have right now? My D had a tough time finding comparable LACs on either coast that could match Carleton's reputation in the natural sciences and their success rate of grad school placements. Reed comes close, but was just one degree too much on the quirky scale for D. Consider Swarthmore with its top-notch academics (Carletonians consider their academics to be a close second to Swat). It's more ethnically diverse than Carleton, which may fit your unpretentious scale. While my D was impressed with Swat, she preferred Haverford (more quirky?). In the end though, D is very happy with the midwest culture, 1800 miles away from her coastal home.</p>
<p>Whitman does not have the intensity or cachet that Carleton has achieved and its location might always preclude that. (Personally, I love Walla Walla but it is not everyone's town)</p>
<p>If you have an interest in environmental sciences, music or theater I think the Whitman programs are at least on par with Carleton and it is definitely academic, a LAC, and unpretentious. They are interested in drawing students from beyond the Northwest. I don't know the FA factors. They do not have an endowment on the scale Grinnell does (but then you are wanting to get outside the MidWest so that is probably not on your radar...) Good luck</p>
<p>How about Bowdoin? I think Bowdoin fits your criteria.</p>
<p>bowdoin is very different than carleton... at least in terms of atmosphere (both have great academics though). I initially didnt want to go to the midwest either, but Carleton was the only school that really stuck me as both academically intense and very unpretentious.</p>
<p>Thank you for the suggestions thus far. I've looked into Whitman previously, and I think it would be a school I'd be interested. After a bit of research, Bates and Haverford sound like a pretty good matches as well.. can anyone enlighten me on the character of these two?</p>
<p>Also, can anyone give any information on Middlebury College? Does it fall victim to the East Coast syndrome?</p>
<p>whats 'east coast syndrome?'
i dont think any of the above schools have issues of 'elitism' if thats what you are referring to (maybe with the exception of bowdoin), and all have intellectual and quirky students.</p>
<p>I cannot find more current data, but my D had this info for Middlebury's entering class in fall 2003 (one year before she entered college): 51% from private schools and 49% from public schools. If this means anything on the pretentious scale for you. D loved the campus and rural location, but was uncomfortable with what she termed "the northeast vibe". I think it was more a reflection of lack of diversity rather than a culture of pretentiousness, although at a couple of northeast schools, she did experience the latter. I agree with mmaah about Whitman in Washington State. Excellent academics and very down-to-earth SMART kids. Highly overlooked school due to its Northwest location.</p>
<p>77% of Middlebury students come from outside New England. There are a lot of Midwesterners and West coasters at Midd, along with lots of international students. That being said, there are plenty of New Yorkers as well.</p>
<p>Davidson/William & Mary,Rice,Wake Forest</p>
<p>oberlin maybe?</p>
<p>I second Davidson College. Their financial aid meets 100% of need through grants and student employment. Admission is need-blind.</p>
<p>I second Oberlin. (Depending on where you live, that may or may not be too Midwest for you. New Englanders sometimes think Ohio is as far west as Kansas; West Coasters think it's next to New York, which it almost is. Take your pick.) But it's very similar to Carleton in most respects (excellent academics, strong in the sciences as well as in the humanities, financial aid meeting 100% of assessed need), except that its student body is more national and less midwestern.</p>
<p>davidson has a reputation of being pretty conservative and non-quirky. i wouldn't think it has a similar vibe as carleton.</p>