Dickinson and Lehigh (we were driving across PA) thought both were really lovely. I absolutely love LACs - I went to one - it’s what feels like college to me. 
Agree about Dickinson. The buildings are beautiful, and it is one of the few colleges that feels like it is part of the town, as opposed to feeling like a park with buildings in it. Such a pretty and interesting campus.
Hi “LoveTheBard”- I see that you visited U Maryland–we had the same impression (huge size/rah-rah)
In the same mid- Atlantic geographic area: We visited University Delaware which is a really nice-sized state university which caps off at about 17,000 undergrad. It also felt much more “home-like” and easy walking distances compared with Maryland, UVA, Michigan. And yet, a beautiful campus and traditional buildings with several new buildings/residence halls, great downtown (which was a factor for us for social reasons and job opportunities :). UD had the rah-rah but in an “understated” way- lots of school pride/spirit and helpful/grounded/friendly students.
Our son is looking into colleges now and I appreciate this thread, particularly the mention of schools which may not be on our initial “radar”. Our guidance counselor tended to mention the big name schools.
Our impressions of the schools goes beyond the physical surroundings and included the communication and organization of the university. For us, a really polished-Disney like atmosphere would be alarming and artificial, setting the college experience apart from the “real world”. Remaining practical and showing our kids that college clearly has a distinct purpose --academic, is important to us.
I also liked University of Delaware when we drove through there-really attractive campus with a nice area of restaurants, bars, and shops nearby.
Interesting that many liked Dickinson’s campus – my D was really turned off by the fact that there was a road going through the campus. Hearing different opinions is what makes this thread interesting.
@happy1 – agree, that is what makes it interesting. And one kid (mine) can have conflicting responses – he liked the organization of Dickinson’s campus, but found Oberlin’s – which also has a street (really, more than one) running through campus, off-putting. Found Conn Coll’s largely self-enclosed campus somewhat claustrophobic, but enjoyed Denison’s campus, which is also self-enclosed and on a hill. Go figure.
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I'm still reading, but I may be a bit of a masochist when it comes to worrying that I might have missed a college possibility for either D... <<
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LOL @MotherOfDragons. If my kid didn’t seem so happy right now, that would totally be me. Could happen for #2.
I am still reading because DD will start looking at schools in a year and her criteria will likely be VERY different than DS16. I need to shift gears.
Future planning is the real reason I’m still reading too, @Cheeringsection (OK, a few more years to go), but overthinking and second guessing COULD have been the reason, because that’s how I roll. 
What is a pro to some is a con to others. I’ve heard of students not liking Northeastern and Boston University because train tracks (the T Green Line streetcars) run through each campus. Others students like it because it provides quick access to downtown and beyond.
I’m still reading too… We have visited 16 schools… And my kid says her list is DONE. But like @MotherOfDragons, I too worry that we might have missed some perfect hidden gem school out there somewhere!
And new parents join all of the time! I just started reading this for our S19! I’ve already gleaned lots of great info.
It’s never too late to consider and add a new school. One of my kids is attending a school that wasn’t added to the list until early November when, at the end of visiting gobs of schools and putting together the final list, we talked about exactly what the child was looking for and this school which we did not visit met a lot of the criteria so I mentioned it and it was added. Wound up being the front runner out of the 9 accepted schools after a visit in the Spring.
Same. My kid is attending a school that got added to his list after an info session in September, and which he didn’t visit until Admitted Students Day. It was the second to last school he saw after many many other visits, and turned out to be The One.
Not that anyone should encourage obsession.
Obsession? What obsession? No one here’s obsessed (says the woman with the 3,700+ post count!)
I am on hiatus until next year, when I will start looking at colleges in earnest for my S19…ha, who am I kidding? Hiatus, schmiatus. I’m a full-blown CC junkie :O)
@Lindagaf You are not allowed to go on hiatus! I have a D19, and I need other parents here like me who like to get an early start on things:)
There are times when I’m glad my youngest is entering his junior year of college. From now on I’m only talking about colleges with other people’s kids.
Of course, we’re waiting decisions on med school apps now (for middle son, not youngest), but I had to do absolutely NO research for that one. I just have to wait patiently - somehow.
@Lindagaf - Hiatus, schiatus is right…For all of our sakes, please please please stick around!!
@LoveTheBard , I have to say, that is an interesting assortment of schools. I had some of the same challenges with my middle child (who is the most picky and fastidious of my children). A lot of the same things were said, and while UCSB was not on the list, I could see us having a similar conversation:
“If Columbia were in Santa Barbara and had the museums and theater …” Grrr. If Columbia were in Santa Barbara, it wouldn’t be Columbia. If there were NY museums and theater in Santa Barbara, it wouldn’t be Santa Barbara.
I can see myself in that conversation with my kid. A saying about my aunt being my uncle if … comes to mind.