<p>I have visited a number of LACs in the northeast. I think Colgate has a beautiful campus, top 5 in my opinion (I also thought Bates and Middlebury were very pretty). D is rising senior and is non drinker/non partier. She usually enjoys hanging out with just a few friends. She is not an athlete, but enjoys shooting hoops and downhill skiing on occasion. She is very diligent and is an extremely hard worker. I think she would do as well at Colgate as any other LAC in the Northeast as I think they usually share a similar culture except for the super competitive schools like Middlebury, Williams, etc.. which might have a bit less partying. Do you think Colgate might be right for her, or do you have another school you think might be a better fit for her. I don't think she would get into Middlebury, Williams, etc but might get into Colgate, Bates, Colby, Franklin and Marshall, etc... Thanks for your thoughts.</p>
<p>Colgate is big enough so that she can find “kindred” spirits or fellow students with similar interests as her. Even though Colgate has a reputation to be a party school, there are some students who really don’t drink or party there.
What interests her?</p>
<p>Thanks, that’s what I thought. Her interests include social justice, community outreach, debate, spoken word poetry, movies, concerts, etc…</p>
<p>“Her interests include social justice, community outreach, debate, spoken word poetry, movies, concerts, etc”</p>
<p>It may be better for her to be at a school like Vassar which is in the suburban area of Poughkeepsie (Arlington) - a small city. The campus is beautiful and has its own lakes and a farm. Vassar also has volunteer/internships in Poughkeepsie. Vassar has an arts focus so the poetry and movies, concerts are plentiful.</p>
<p>Another option would be Tufts - slightly less emphasis on the arts but certainly social justice opportunities in the Boston area.</p>
<p>“Diligent hard worker” or smart and athletic pretty much sums up the Colgate students I know. My daughter was exactly that – a top (but not the very top) student in her very tough private high school and a good athlete who people liked very much. She was admitted to Wesleyan, Middlebury, Vassar, Colby and a few others but chose Colgate as the more beautiful, traditional type of college she preferred. She got a first-rate education there and played club rugby for four years. And she made many good friends. In short, she loved Colgate.</p>
<p>As for non-partying, that is perfectly possible to do at Colgate but much like most other colleges, there will also be a lot of drinking and partying on the weekends. I also attended Colgate years ago, and I’m a non-drinker. When I was there I went to many parties and just nursed a beer all evening while having a great time just non-alcoholically. So it’s possible, and I had no problem whatsoever. Or I just stayed put and worked. Even on Saturday night, it is possible to work for long hours! I have no idea if other small LAC’s have more or less drinking. I know of a few of the top LAC’s where there is just as much as at Colgate and a few where there is more of a drug culture, as well. None of that appeals to me, but I trusted my daughter to make good choices – and (mostly) I think she did.</p>
<p>A lot of your choice will come from where your daughter is admitted, but the schools you list are all very good, and I imagine she’d make friends, get a good education, and have a great time at any of them. To me, Colgate is a very special place in many ways, and a few of the schools others mention I wouldn’t want to attend for various reasons – too big, too urban, too self-consciously “hip,” and so on. Colgate is a good, well-rounded college with first-rate academics and athletics. I’ve found that most other schools, including some of the ones you mention, compromise on something they don’t choose to be good at. Colgate somehow manages to be good at most things.</p>