<p>Tulane University provides great academics, an accomplished student body, a real sense of service, and a great social environment. Katrina affected some of the variables that help determine ranking so right now it is definitely under the radar on CC.</p>
<p>“That isn’t to say that you can’t get a “top-notch” education anywhere–you can, it just may be “easier” (requiring less student initiative) at some places than others.”</p>
<p>Agreed, a bright, dilligent student can probably get a “top-notch” education anywhere (though there will be a lower level of peer discourse). But then there’s no point of a list - - so what is this thread asking? Is it an “A+ schools for B students” inquiry? In which case similar threads abound . . . . </p>
<p>(Also, Harvey Mudd may be less well-known than Amherst, Swatty, Williams, etc., but I wouldn’t classify Mudd or any of the Claremonts as “diamonds in the rough.”)</p>
<p>Two schools in Maryland that many of the top kids attend: University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and St. Mary’s College of Maryland.</p>
<p>Canadian schools like McGill and U of Toronto have great profs and are in great cities, and are cheaper, though bureaucracy and large classes are similR to those in big state schools in the us.</p>
<p>Many LACs outside the USNWR top 20-30 or so, but within the top (…hmm…) 100 or so, are good candidates for this category. Schools at the more selective end of this range (Kenyon, Bryn Mawr, Whitman, Macalester, etc) can be good “match” schools if you are reaching for an Ivy or other T20 university. Most of these ~100 schools offer:</p>
<p>smaller classes than the public alternatives in their states
**residential community life<a href=“they%20are%20not%20suitcase%20or%20commuter%20schools”>/b</a>
**traditional campus architecture<a href=“e.g.%20collegiate%20gothic%20&%20quads”>/b</a>
**liberal arts & science education<a href=“not%20pre-professional%20training”>/b</a> </p>
<p>So they are typically closer in atmosphere to a top-20 private national university or LAC than a public directional university or some of the private Masters universities. Most cost $40K or more; financial aid varies from very generous to limited. Even some of the LACs ranked outside the USNWR top 40 would still be among the top 1-5 schools in their states. Examples:</p>
<p>College, State (USNWR rank / stateuniversity.com rank for that state)
Centre College, KY (47 / 1)
Kalamazoo, MI (71 / 3)
Hendrix, AK (81 / 1)
Luther, IA (81 / 3)
St. Mary’s College of MD (88 / 3)
New College, FL (99 / 3)
St. John’s College, NM (187 / 1)</p>
<p>Generally off the radar, but worth looking into…</p>
<p>Augustana College [Augustana</a> College - Home](<a href=“http://www.augustana.edu/]Augustana”>http://www.augustana.edu/)</p>
<p>It offers a 3/4 pre-vet program with guaranteed admission to U Illinois Vet College</p>
<p>A full four years of Chinese—usually, you’d have to go up a notch or two to find this at an LAC</p>
<p>It offers a 3/2 or 4/2 program with the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke.</p>