<p>Just like the title says: how would you compare Denison University (OH) and Hobart & William Smith Colleges (NY)? Both have a reputation for preppiness; both are not the best fit for me personally, but hey, you have to make some tradeoffs for merit aid. Any difference in grad school perception, academic rigor? Inside scoop on dorms/food/social life?</p>
<p>I have a much higher chance at a full-tuition scholarship at Denison, but HWS's open curriculum is intriguing. And both are free to apply to online, thankfully.</p>
<p>Hobart and William Smith has a better rep, but the schools are very comparable. Which ever school gives you the most aid would be the one to go to since both are very similar.</p>
<p>Yes, both are rather preppy, but I don't think Hobart has a better rep (and I recall reading something in the Hobart strategic plan about working to change it rep as the refuge of the bottom 1/3 of the prep school class). I cant' give you any first-hand info on campus life - - Dennison was never really on D's list (frats) and although D interviewed w/ traveling Hobart rep, she never visited (was accepted ED to her first choice). I do, however, recall the photos of the Hobart campus, may of which featured Lake Geneva, were beautiful.</p>
<p>Interesting. I'd been under the impression that Denison had the stronger academic rep, but obviously that's not a universal view. HWS's curriculum is definitely a plus, almost tailor-made for me (I want to double-major in two unrelated areas, one of which does not slot easily into distribution requirements.)</p>
<p>I think that Denison does have a stronger academic reptutation. I think that FA might be better at Denison, and I think that Denison has a lower sticker price. Don't know about merit aid. Both schools have very nice campuses. I think that Hobart has Frats, but WS doesn't have sororities (not sure about that). I think that Denison has a decent number of students involved in Greek life, but I think that they did away with the frat houses. Both are located in small towns, and HWS is on the water (great if you are interested in sailing, crew etc.). I think that both are preppy and have a strong share of students coming from private prep schools.</p>
<p>Denison has a higher graduation rate and a higher middle 50th range on SAT scores than HWS. (75th percentile is 1360 for Denison and 1300 for HWS). The acceptance rate at Denison is also significantly lower than at Hobart and William Smith. </p>
<p>Denison once had a bad rap for a frat boy campus culture but this is an outdated view. Its academic reputation has risen and continues to rise. Nice campus adjacent to a pretty little college town in "polo country" east of Columbus.</p>
<p>I think that both schools are now standardized test optional. I don't know what impact merit aid and submitting scores might play into standardized score statistics.</p>
<p>Hmm. Lots to think about. I know Denison has more CC advocates than HWS--it's how I heard of Denison in the first place--so anyone have input on the underdog side? Greek, prep, and drinking are all negatives for me; which school would be best for a niche student looking to avoid these?</p>
<p>I am really not sure. I think that you can find your niche at both schools, but I think that you will find prep, and frats at both schools. My guess is that drinking can be found on all campuses, with only a few exceptions. I am not sure, but you might not want to keep these schools on your list at all.</p>
<p>NEMom, You are right that the frats have moved off campus for Denison. All the old houses have been converted to dorms. DD1 lived/s in sub-free dorms to stay away form those issues. Denison's atmosphere is definitely preppy but not disgustingly so.</p>
<p>OP, I don't there IS an underdog. The schools are very similar: 2nd tier LACs, SAT optional, somewhat remote and fairly preppy. HWS doesn't have geneds or a distribution requirement, but that Denison was ever on D's list means the geneds and distribution requirment aren't that bad. </p>
<p>With two such similar schoools, if $ is a factor for your family and you are more likely to get a full-tuition grant from Denison (which starts out w/ a lower sticker price), why wouldn't you just follow the money? Is a larger room or better meal plan worth $35K?</p>
<p>^ You do have a point. Curriculum is the main attraction for HWS over Denison. Denison's geneds are pretty typical, but I would still have to take (and this is the biggest annoyance) a lab science course. HWS has essentially an open curriculum for the type of education I want to pursue (several disparate areas in depth), which is rare indeed in an academic safety/merit match.</p>
<p>Denison offers a lot more full-tuition scholarships, but I would only need to invest more time to put in an extra application--no extra fees. So the question becomes less one of finances, but one of fit. It's so hard to judge the crucial areas of fit and the would-be-nice-to-have areas.</p>
<p>So why not just put in the extra application and see what Denison offers? Also, it's hard to believe that finances do not play a significant role - - according to both your initial post and post #12, the possibility of a full-tuition scholarship is the primary reason you're even consideridng Denison. (Or did you mean the cost of an additional application was not an issue?)</p>
<p>The latter, regarding the cost of an additional application. Parents, who are plenty skeptical of lesser-known schools, will be limiting my applications likely to 10; any above that is coming out of my own (broke) pocket, so free is a definite bonus. Right now I'm leaning toward dropping HWS because I already have so many apps to fill out (will qualify for need-based as well, but at a higher cost, so I want to have options in both camps--also why I'm aiming for <$15k COA).</p>
<p>All I can tell you is that I was recently accepted to Denison under ED2 and given a scholarship about 1/3 of the tuition. A friend of mine was accepted to HWS under ED1 and did not receive any scholarship money. That said, I have better academic accomplishments so that could be a factor, but I do believe that Denison gives out many many more merit-based scholarships than HWS.</p>