<p>I'm looking at LACs on the east coast (preferably nothing south of NC). These are the features my ideal college is:</p>
<p>-small (but no less than 1,000) to medium
-not in a large city
-strong academics, but not such a heavy courseload that students "never stop studying"
-liberal political stance
-strong political science program
-selective
-can be all women or coed</p>
<p>Can anyone make suggestions of schools that fit these characteristics? Thanks!</p>
<p>There are many too many that fit ALL of these characteristics. You could basically take the top 40 in USNWR or Princeton Review and just run them down, taking out those that are in cities, and the heavy grind schools. Or you could go get yourself a Fiske or a Princeton Review guide and read about 'em.</p>
<p>Alot of good political science programs are going to be in a city (hence politics). Some recs I have are:</p>
<p>Middlebury College (VT)
Amherst College (MA)
Clark University (MA)
Bard College (NY)
Bates College (ME)
Bowdoin College (ME)
Bryn Mawr (PA)
Connecticut College (CT)
Ithaca College (NY)
Skidmore College (NY)
Smith College (MA)
Vassar College (NY)
Wesleyan University (CT)
Wellesley College (MA)</p>
<p>i know some of those may not apply to you or not be selective enough, but it's a good starting ground. private message me if u want to talk!</p>
<p>Fit all of your criteria though they are in Ohio and PA:</p>
<p>Gettysburg College (PA)
Ohio Wesleyan University (OH)
Davidson College (NC) </p>
<p>All very selective and strong schools and they are political science departments are outstanding.</p>
<p>why would you want that...just curious. Idk...a never stop studying atmosphere for 4 years. It could be good, but the human body cant be in that mode everyday...its like basic pysch</p>
<p>Hah, you're looking for the exact thing I was looking for, here's my insight for ya:</p>
<p>Williams
Amherst
Wellesley
Haverford</p>
<p>Vassar- Previously all girls and, today, 65% female, what seperates Vassar from the elite are the students. This is not a school a preps. On paper, they're stats may look the same as the kids that enroll at Williams, Swat, and Amherst, but Vassar kids are true individuals, non-conforming, open in every way, very much like Oberlin. My friend, a sophmore there tells me, that if you are a girl, there's not a lot of good guys that are interested in the lady, since out of 35%, a considerable portion is gay.</p>
<p>Swarthmore - Especially for poly-sci, you're lucky, Swarthmore, one of the top three liberal arts schools, is great in this department. The tram station is on campus, 8 minutes ride to downtown Philadelphia and UPENN, where you have access to all courses at UPENN through the school's affiliation. And yet, as much as Swatties study on this ivory campus, you wouldn't know Philly was less than 10 minutes away.</p>
<p>American University - basically liberal arts, but you have the plus of D.C. without actually being in the city. You are the top of Embassy Row, surrounded by trees, with full access to whatever programs or interships you could imagine in Washington D.C., only downside of this dream are the dorms are the worst I seen at a private college</p>
<p>Dickinson - Dickinson is an excellent school for anything law/poly-sci/government related, that and the best study abroad program in the country are it's two selling points, beyond that, not much else. Not very diverse or competitive but still a great school. like Franklin & Marshall, it may be too much of a change of scenery ( Well atleast it's not in amish country like F&M).</p>
<p>Franklin & Marshall- With all do respect to Franklin & Marshall, I'd be at this school in a heartbeat if it weren't for two thing, 1) Amish country and 2)the Frats dominating campus life. If you can get past these two thing, Franklin & Marshall could possibly be your place, one ofthe best liberal arts colleges for pre-law.</p>
<p>Colby would be a good scool to fall back on if none of the above work out, not very selective though.</p>
<p>Dartmouth
Colgate
Amherst
Williams
Colby
Middlebury
Bowdoin</p>
<p>Some of these schools (the more known ones, usually) don't have "such a heavy courseload that students "never stop studying,"" but do have students who CHOOSE to study a lot. Amherst, Williams, Smith, Wellesley, for example.</p>
<p>Oberlin, Oberlin, Oberlin!
:)</p>
<p>Don't forget Goucher and Gettysburg College.</p>
<p>Why hasn't anyone mentioned Brown?</p>
<p>Good point. IS providence a large city?</p>
<p>Perhaps Yale, while liberal, which has a greater overall balance of political stances.</p>
<p>WEll, no one mentioned Brown because the original poster requested a "LAC." I don't think that Brown is considered a LAC per se. However, it would be a good choice. Providence, is a nice quaint city and isn't that big. It has lots of nice restaurants and is very artsy due to its RISD neighbor.</p>
<p>the OP said, "but NOT such a heavy courseload that the students 'never stop studying'" Everyone thinks that s/he said the opposite for some reason...</p>
<p>Well, the students at Brown are quite accomplished, but I believe there is an essentially open curriculum with few if any requirements. This means no huge core classes which all students must take sequentially. Like Smith, you kinda just take what you want and set your own pace. Both schools are filled with motivated students, however, making the places seem like everyone has to study for at least 8 hours a day for a 2.0.</p>
<p>Aren't Amherst and Swarhmore supposed to be incredibly intense?</p>
<p>Bates and Wesleyan come to mind.</p>
<p>With respect to Cre8tive1's post...</p>
<p>Just want to clarify something about Franklin and Marshall. I have a very, very good friend who attends there, and I have visited her many times, and let me just say that the whole perception that F&M is in Amish country is completely false. It is in the middle of Lancaster, a city with tons of restaurants, movies, and fun stuff to do. But Cre8tive1 completely hit the nail on the head with regard to the frats; they DO dominate campus life. Every night is a party. There's, like, 2 people on that entire campus who don't get wasted 3 or 4 times a week. If partying/drinking isn't your thing, that's a really tough atmosphere to live with.</p>