<p>Thanks for that input interesteddad. I didn't mean to offend anyone by saying they were "stuck-up", that is just the mentality I got from others on this board.</p>
<p>No offense. I just wanted to set the record straight, because "stuck up" couldn't be further from the truth. It's definitely frowned upon to flaunt wealth or social status or grades or SAT scores or whatever at the school.</p>
<p>The "work hard" part is true. Swarthmore is manageable, but there are more suitable choices for someone looking to "cruise" through college. I don't think Swarthmore students work any harder than hard working students at other top schools. It's not like engineering or bio at Swarthmore is any harder than engineering or bio at any other top school. But, on average (from top to bottom, from the grinds to the slackers), Swatties probably work a bit harder and are a bit more engaged in their academics. It's hard to hide in small classes and the culture of the place (for students and professors) is to take academics kind of seriously. </p>
<p>I tried it both ways in my college years and found that college is actually more enjoyable if you are engaged in interesting courses. But, that's sometimes hard to picture given the amount of busy work in high school.</p>
<p>A good safety might be Northeastern U</p>
<p>Cornell is the safety ivy if you can't get into Brizzown</p>