Hello,
My son has to make a decision between these two schools. I would love to hear opinions regarding this decision from this forum. Thank you for your insights.
Has he visited? They have very different vibes. He would know pretty quickly, I would think.
Is he deciding where to ED? Since no one has to actually decide right now… If it it not completely clear to him which of these is his first choice, he should NOT ED. They are quite distinct, and I don’t see there being tons of overlap in the types of students.
^I totally agree with this. If your son is deciding where to ED, spend a full day (or better yet, a night and a day if he has friends there or is an athletic recruit) to see which one feels right to him.
Colby has a more outdoorsy vibe and while the students there are serious about their studies, it feels more relaxed. At the risk of making a sweeping generalization, Colby students seem to value balance (some play to balance the work) more whereas Swarthmore students value intensity.
Definitely check it out before you ED. I suspect one will call your name.
These are at the two ends of the barbell…