This is a really interesting thread, full of insights. I thought I would add my impressions from various visits over the years to help others.
Up:
Vassar - Beautiful campus and really diverse, interesting student body that doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you have a preconceived view of Vassar based on old stereotypes, take a fresh look. The administration has done a lot to transform the school. Not perfect in every way – activism can go over the top sometimes – but a very appealing choice.
Brown - An Ivy League school that holds onto a unique identity. The core campus feels like a liberal arts college. I found the relatively low-key vibe and beautiful campus to be very appealing. Almost impossible to get in even for kids who have the stats.
Williams - A lot has been said about the school’s remote location, but in every other respect, this school is a gem. The academic programs are outstanding the students are focused and intense, but don’t seem to take themselves too seriously (unlike their rivals to the East!)
Bowdoin - The campus is beautiful and it is in a very appealing location. It’s a school with a lot of tradition and history and the students are smart and focused, although some can be intense. I’ve seen some other comments about Bowdoin campus tour guides being snobby, but the student body overall is pretty well rounded and low key so its odd that the admissions office seems to choose snobby kids to represent the school.
Villanova - Didn’t know much about the school before we visited. Very appealing campus in the mainline section of Philly. Students seem very well rounded and have a lot of school pride. Seems very hard to move between different undergraduate schools after admission, which was a minus.
Pomona - A terrific school on almost every measure, but it has become almost impossible to get in.
No Change:
Bates - I liked Bates a lot. I thought the campus was very nice; the administration has done a great job of updating facilities the last few years and the students seem well rounded and happy. My family was less impressed - didn’t feel Bates had anything special to recommend it.
Colby - I wanted to like Colby a lot and liked it pretty well, but not enough to be a fan. I found the location quite remote - like being in a Thomas Hardy novel! Not a lot of diversity and kids seem mixed on the experience there.
Hamilton - A really beautiful campus with a first-class science facility. Kids seemed down to earth and focused. Quite a remote location and not much diversity, racial or otherwise.
Tufts - Wanted to like it, but was a bit disappointed. The students and faculty really make this place shine, not the campus and surrounding area, which are underwhelming.
Down:
UVA - A terrific place . . . for graduate school, unless one is able to get in-state tuition, which could tip the balance. Felt a bit overwhelming, but that observation is coming admittedly from someone who likes smaller schools in general.
Amherst - Could not get over the arrogance and found the campus very small and claustrophobic. Kept wanting to say “Don’t you think that most of the kids visiting your school today are in the range to be admissible to your school? Why are you pushing them away except to feed your own sense of elitism?”
Wesleyan - Could not get over the unappealing campus and sketchy area surrounding, despite strong student body and curriculum. Recent stories about drugs and frats are a turn off.
Claremont McKenna - An odd school. It’s a school that seems to be confused about what it wants to be. It struck us as mainly a speciality school for kids interested in economics or politics. Kids studying other subjects must feel a bit like fish out of water. Many parts of the campus look like old California motels. It’s clearly benefitting from its location and proximity to the other 5C colleges.
Colgate - We really wanted to like this school and that is partly why we were disappointed when we visited. It’s a relatively small campus set on a serious hill. The students seemed competitive in a way that did not strike us as being very healthy. The admissions office is trying too hard to pump numbers etc. to position the school as a peer of other schools (can you please just give us the stats for the class you enrolled rather than admitted?)