@homerdog: no one has mentioned “falling down drunk”. It is just that cold weather, rural LACs have limited options during the cold months which often results in indoor parties with the same folks.
@sacevos ??
@Publisher i guess I just don’t understand your posts because they don’t make sense in the context of my thread. I have my own opinions on cold LACs and I already know yours. It doesn’t help D’s search. I’ve also mentioned numerous times that we’ve been to Davidson and know it pretty well so I don’t understand why you would post details about where it is. Maybe you’re just posting these things for other readers who are reading this thread instead of having a conversation that involves me? All good I guess. I just shouldn’t respond then.
There are also plenty of things to do at a place like Bowdoin even in the winter so parties are not the only option. Ok. Time to move on! 
…and skiing, skating, sledding, hockey, broomball, snowball fights…
Regarding the buses, I think my nephew at Syracuse didn’t love having to deal with buses to get to class and back to his dorm.
I’m glad you had a great visit with your son and that your daughter was able to start pinpointing a bit better what she thinks would work well for her.
@Publisher , my kid attends a cold weather LAC and is a very happy senior. I can assure you, she does not just go to the same parties with the same people all the time. She’s done many different things on campus, and even off campus. LACs typically have a lot going on, for the very reasons you mention.
I’m not sure what you have against cold weather LACs. You seem to imply that an LAC is only worth it if it’s not in a cold climate, and even then, LACs need to be near a city or forget it. Two words: retention rate.
My son is at a university with 13,000 students. Every single weekend, he goes downtown and parties at the same bars and frat parties. I love my son, and his grades are good, but he’s doing what millions of other typical college kids are doing every weekend. And he’s doing it by choice (not my choice, for sure.) If anything, I would say that D’s tiny LAC offers a lot more variety than my son’s mid sized university. Or maybe it’s just that kids make their college experience their own?
@OCDaddy Agree with you! And Some of the cold weather lacs have really terrific outing clubs. Bates and Midd come to mind. Lots going on.
OP has asked to move on so I cannot respond. Just want to clarify that the “falling down drunk” thought was not made by me.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Let me second this suggestion that we move on. Except when I say it, it’s no longer simply a suggestion. Several posts deleted.
@homerdog, there is a lot to like about Bowdoin, its fun to see that your daughter really liked her visit there. That is why visiting (if you can) is so important! It really helps to define what works and what doesn’t for your student. I think if you are Davidson fans (as I am), your D will really like Richmond. Campus is gorgeous, food is great, academics are strong, lots of school spirit. Surrounding area is full of beautiful homes. Although it is in a city, it may not feel as hectic as BC did to your D. Despite some similarities, we found Wake to be very different than BC. Wake is smaller and felt a little more remote. Keep us posted as you continue your visits. Its been fun following the journey and will be interesting to see what her final list looks like!
I hope you can get her to reconsider. Bates and Bowdoin are more alike than different and it is easier to get into than Bowdoin - somewhat.
At least now you know LACs can remain on the table for consideration.
@xyz123a , I agree with most of what you wrote but it’s definitely not IN the city. It’s a leafy outer suburb and the campus is very much a quiet island unto itself. I have a third year there and he goes into the city quite a bit, though mostly into the nearest neighborhood called Careytown (which is fantastic). School has a shuttle that is continuous and pretty convenient but a shared Uber costs almost nothing. Dining hall is really excellent. The whole campus is gorgeous. He’ll be disappointed when he rotates back to the real world.
@homerdog Thanks for the trip update. I was curious what your DD would think of BC, as my DS seems to be in the minority amongst his peers in not falling in love wholeheartedly. (I, on the other hand, wanted my own personal do-over when we visited there during his jr. year, lol)
Keep it coming. My DS20 is in narrow-down mode, and DS22 is a totally different profile than your daughter, but I love following the journey!
I know you probably don’t want to add more schools to the list but if your DD is leaning more to an LAC, how about Franklin and Marshall?
It has a compact, pretty campus adjacent to a street with stores, restaurants and coffee shops. And downtown Lancaster with a great farmers market and lots of restaurants is in walking distance. F&M runs shuttles to PHL and BWI airports (Southwest flies into both). Amtrak train into Philly too.
Did you consider Bucknell University? It is further from a big airport but they also run airport shuttles. Lewisburg is a very cute town and Bucknell is a pretty campus (if you like brick).
@OCDaddy-totally agree! What I was trying to say(I guess not well haha) is that although the school is located in Richmond, it is not is a busy, hectic area. BC is located just outside of Boston and it feels much busier than the area surrounding Richmond. Storybook pretty campus and surrounding area and one of the best cafeterias we ate in!
@CTCape i think what she’s responding to at Bowdoin and isn’t seeing at BC is quaintness, if that makes sense. Dorms at Bowdoin are these old (on the outside), small brick buildings. Dorms at BC were giant grey ones. Much taller. Much wider. Just big. Each of Bowdoin’s academic buildings are also smaller. Just seem more accessible to her. Big stone buildings don’t feel warm and cozy I guess.
We went to the Eagles Nest to eat. It kind of looks like a high school cafeteria. Fold out tables and chairs. She just came from Bowdoin’s dining hall with giant beautiful windows and wooden booths and tables and chairs where it just feels nicer.
We really did like the kids on the student panel. They were well spoken and very proud of their school. But right now she’s responding more to the environment.
You like what you like, right @homerdog? I just worry that she’s falling for Bowdoin in particular, which if I recall is out of range. Bowdoin is a high bar in so many respects.
I’d echo @swimmom1922 for F&M as worth a look. Not a dazzling campus but not entirely without its charms, and Lancaster is a great not-so-little town. Could be a good choice at a different point on the likelihood of admission curve.
@OCDaddy i knew it was a risk to take her to Bowdoin but she hasn’t had the chance to visit her brother there yet. They are close and she wanted to see him there and he wanted to show her around. I honestly don’t think she wants to go there. She’s not a big fan of the cold and wouldn’t go out in the winter to enjoy the outdoors as much as he does. But the dorms and the food and the charm is something she liked. No real dance there either.
Maybe Colgate is her Goldilocks school. It does have a quaintness about it, gorgeous campus, charming adjacent little town and very friendly vibe. A little bigger than the typical lac, with a very strong career center and strong alumni engagement. I think a lot of what you describe as your D liking, she would find there.
I share @doschicos ’ hope that your daughter may reconsider Bates at some point - maybe if the southern schools don’t resonate with her. Bates and Bowdoin share a lot of the qualities she seems to have liked at Bowdoin, although Bates and its city may be a little less polished. It’s too bad she has a somewhat negative impression of Denison based on the other kids from her school who get in there - when I first saw Denison, it really reminded me a lot of Bowdoin (which was not at all what I was expecting in the middle of Ohio!) - beautiful college up on a hill overlooking a lovely little town. Maybe the surrounding cornfields can’t compete with the Maine scenery, but otherwise . . . I loved Bowdoin - it was maybe my favorite among all the schools we visited (my husband’s favorite was Davidson) - but reading your posts about your S19’s experience at Bowdoin have made me feel very grateful my son is at Denison - I don’t think the intensity you describe at Bowdoin would have worked well for him, whereas Denison is giving him a lot of confidence and encouraging him to stretch.