<p>Again, thanks to all who have contributed to our research so far. </p>
<p>Now we're seeking names of schools that are well known and respected on the national level (or even the international level) but that are realistic options for most good students. However, we're not looking only for places that would be Safe for nearly everyone. Those are fine, too, but we especially want your suggestions of colleges and universities with name recognition that Ivy and "elite" caliber students are almost certain to get into and that would be realistic choices for many solid but not necessarily stupendous students. Examples might include University of Wisconsin, Fordham University, Syracuse University, Ohio State ... For smaller schools, there's Ithaca College, Beloit College, Lafayette College, Goucher College ...</p>
<p>As always with these subjective evaluations, no parsing, please. And, this time, you don't have to have first-hand experience with the schools you submit, since the whole point is reputation.</p>
<p>Thanks, Jaddua. I would consider these colleges to be much more selective than the list we’re after, but I do recognize that in-state students view them as more realistic choices than the Ivies and their ilk.</p>
Came here to post this. CWRU has a 75%ish acceptance rate and is stellar in many academic areas. It’s also quite generous with merit-based aid–can’t speak for need-based.</p>
<p>Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. The president, Dr. Lowry, is a Pepperdine-bred man who has completely changed the school around. He has brought on board many prominent teachers recruited from highly ranked schools (some Harvard fellows, Pepperdine Faculty and Staff, etc.). Over the last few years he has also worked on the 2010 Initiative in which the school’s campus beauty was overhauled. Many new facilities and events create a great community feel. The newest addition being the Pharmacy School, the first Pharmacy School in Middle Tennessee, which has brought the school even more attention and upped the undergraduate school’s selectiveness (the Pharmacy School, itself, is very selective in its admissions approach).</p>
<p>They have a strong reputation regionally and though they don’t have an extremely selective approach to admissions it truly does not reflect in the students. This is because most students, as is, are top of their class and have great standardized test scores (the average being something like 3.4 GPA/26 ACT). The incoming classes have significantly multiplied as word has gotten out and the school has earned more national spotlight, with the Class of 2013 being the largest in the school’s history. Financial Aid is great (merit and need) with most of the incoming class receiving various scholarships.</p>
<p>The school has a very solid relationship with Vanderbilt, especially on their Lipscomb/Vanderbilt nursing partnership. Also, Vanderbilt Law is known to look keenly upon Lipscomb grads, as they are very well acquainted with the curriculum of the school and have a plethora of extremely successful Lipscomb/Vanderbilt Law alumni.</p>
<p>University of Michigan
Clemson
Lehigh
Tulane
University of Miami
Penn State
Boston University
University of Rochester
Skidmore College
Marist
George Washington University
American University
Indiana University
Bucknell
University of Illinois-Urbana
Syracuse
Northeastern University
Purdue
Fordham
Wake Forest
Sarah Lawrence
Drexel
College of Holy Cross
Villanova
Providence College
Lafayette
Mt. Holyoke
Muhlenberg
Occidental
Virginia Tech
Wheaton (MA)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Pittsburgh
University of Richmond
St. Lawrence University
Union College
University of Vermont
Ithaca
Bates
Clark
Colorado College
Dickinson
Fairfield
Franklin and Marshall
Hobart and William Smith
Furman University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Elon University
James Madison University</p>
<p>Have had relatives or friends happily attend these colleges and tell me about them – all are repsected but not neccessarily those sort of “brand name” schools with super low aceptance rates: </p>
<p>Brandeis Univeristy – secular jewish, good rep, sort of near boston, serious intellectual life </p>
<p>Bard – between NYC and Albany, small, sort of hipster, unuusual, very artsy kids attend, serious academics, also an instant admissions program (if it still exists) where you go for a day do some work and can be admitted that day </p>
<p>Fordham – strong Jesuit education, in NYC (The Bronx), serious students for the most part, many of whom are pre-professional</p>
<p>St. Lawrence University – great campus spirit, upstate New York near Canadian border, very supportive of its students, high quality education, outdoors life, tends to the jockish and frattish but everyone can find a place</p>
<p>I contemplated Brandeis when brainstorming my list but with its 32% admit rate, I’m not sure it meets the criteria of a sure bet for an elite college applicant. Great school though. On the other hand, maybe it should be on the list…as I did have some schools with pretty low admit rates like Lehigh (Lehigh had been one of my D’s safety schools back when she applied to college and she was a top school type applicant, though its admit rate has dropped in the ensuing years!).</p>
<p>^^yup, a couple of them are “reachy” but serve the purpose of the thread (although I know a couple of kids who were admitted to Ivy and deferred/waitlisted at UMich two years ago…)</p>
<p>Brandeis accepted my d early decision but I would not call it an easy in. SAT1400, gpa 4.2-captain of 3 sports, science scholar. Brandeis is well known as an easy in-but only for ivy league rejects!</p>
<p>Howard has an excellent reputation but is a match for most average applicants. Although I realize HBCUs are not attractive to many people on CC, it was the school I immediately thought of.</p>
<p>I can think of some other schools but wonder if they truly are known nationally or if they are known more by those in that region of the country:</p>
<p>Rollins College
Belmont University
College of Charleston
Wagner College
Webster University
Southern Methodist
Scripps
Macalester
Ursinus
Lewis and Clark
Trinity College
College of Wooster
Whitman
Conn College
Gettysburg
Dennison
Lawrence University
Santa Clara University
University of California-Santa Barbara
University of Maryland
University of Delaware
University of Connecticut</p>
<p>Honestly, I think at this level of school “well known and respected on a national level” depends on where you live. I’d say at least half of Sooz’s list has no name recognition value out here in CA. </p>
<p>My list would include University of Colorado and University of Arizona.</p>
<p>Then I’d put Lewis and Clark and Willamette in the same class as Muhenberg and Dickensen, i.e., well respected locally, but far less well known nationally.</p>
<p>University of Texas at Austin is a great school with a 45% admittance rate. You’re much better off if you’re IN Texas, obviously (the current law is anyone within the top 10% of their class is in - will soon change to 8%), but out of state students with solid qualifications should feel pretty good about applying.</p>