Haverford vs Macalester vs Wesleyan vs state schools in NC

College Search & Selection
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As it nears decision time, I wanted to thank everyone on this site for helping me through the process.

I’m going to be deciding on my own, but I figured I’d start a thread to get some opinions to leave for posterity.

Tonight, I was (unexpectedly imo) accepted to Haverford RD. Up until this point, my top three EA choices had been Macalester, UNC-Chapel Hill (instate) and Appalachian State Honors College (less prestigious than Chapel Hill, but cheaper and more intimate).

I am still waiting on Mount Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, Wesleyan, Tufts, Davidson and Yale. We’ll see!

A little background: I am an undecided major. Likely grad school. Very into the idea of attending a LAC and interdisciplinary work. The only reason I am considering my larger state unis at this point is because I will be graduating HS with my associates from a community college, which will only transfer fully to those schools.

Financials: App State is the cheapest ($13k), followed by Mac ($17k), UNC ($20k) and Haverford ($21k), although we may be appealing Haverford.

Gut feeling: For various personal and fit reasons, I still feel strongly about Macalester. However, I am now wondering if choosing it over Haverford would be a mistake given the difference in prestige and selectivity. Then there’s the fact that for either school, I’d have to give up my free credits, unlike for UNC/App State. But as an undecided major, not sure how much that would save me anyway.

I’m not asking you to decide for me. I’m just opening up the floor, and planning to post again if I earn more acceptances/viable options.

Thanks so much!

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I think your gut is good.
Mac and Haverford will both offer world-class educations and progressive environments and are part of consortia where you can easily take courses at nearby schools.
Haverford is smaller, more pastoral, more sedate, more rooted in Quakerism.
Mac is dynamic, vibrant, and electric, more urban, more plugged-in, more diverse and international.
I would choose Mac in a heartbeat.

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Re: grad school- subject? masters/PhD? goal?

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Thank you!! It’s great to be validated :slight_smile:

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Unsure at this point. Just know myself and know that I’m unlikely to stop at undergrad permanently. Debt is a factor for sure in case I decide on law school.

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Mac is a great school that would prepare you well for most graduate programs, so there’s no harm in picking it over your other options if it’s affordable and your favorite.

That said, Haverford has a bit of academic advantage with its noticeably better cross-enrollment options, which may be something to consider if you’re completely undecided about what you plan to study.

I spent a fair amount of time at Carolina as a Duke Robertson and have taught at App State. They’re both good schools, but I’d choose the former over the latter unless you’re interested in one of ASU’s particular strengths (e.g. education or environmental science). You have to be much more of a go-getter at UNC than at a LAC, but there aren’t many better options for a motivated student willing to seek out faculty mentors and research opportunities.

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Your “free credits” at North Carolina universities would actually leave you less time to decide on a major since you have to choose after a certain number (as per UNC law). So in my book they’re a big negative for an undecided student who needs time to explore what they’re interested in.
So the real choice is Macalester v. Haverford.
BTW congrats these were not easy admits this year.
Appeal FA at Haverford but otherwise Macalester would-be a front runner, especially since you like it.

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My daughter was deferred from Mac for EA. She was getting ready to pick her ED2. Her AO from Mac told her that she was so close to being accepted EA, that if she went ED2, she would surely get in.

She ended up ED2’ing Bryn Mawr. It was a really hard decision for her and those bag pipes at Mac almost got her! lol But at the end of the day, with Bryn Mawr she was getting Haverford, Swarthmore and junior year - UPenn. They also have a 4+1 Master program with UPenn. So BMC won. Both are amazing schools.

I don’t know much about UNC-CH or App. State except for what I have read on the forums. You have a great set of schools to pick from so far! Good luck! I hope you post at the end where you are going.

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Thanks so much everyone for your replies!

The Haverford cross-enrollment options are definitely a consideration. Haverford is also within one day’s driving distance of home, unlike Mac. UNC is also an odd choice for me because not only do I call Chapel Hill home, but I have a parent employed there, so independence there is a different ball game than it would be even at App State (let alone multiple states away).

Shelleen, CONGRATS to your daughter on BMC! I hope to hear from them early this week (fingers crossed they won’t waitlist me for yield protection, haha)!

Thanks for the congrats on admits!! I was pretty confidently hoping for admission to UNC + App honors, desperately hoping for admission to Mac, and did not at all expect admission to Haverford. I’m very lucky and look forward to helping my waitlisted friends out by declining other offers as early as I can.

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Do let us know what you decided, and why :slight_smile: (Or if you have other questions, don’t hesitate :p)

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Sure will! I’m also planning to update this thread with my other decisions for posterity and also if any of them make my decision harder :slight_smile: other than these schools I’ve gotten into 5 safeties (UNCA, UNCG, Miami OH, Temple, Clark U), waitlisted at Brandeis, rejected at Swat and UChicago. We’ll see how the rest go!

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Wow. Mac for $4k more a year than Appalachian State? Can you find ways to cover that cost, or will it be a huge financial leap?

If money is an issue, I believe 100% that Macalester should be your choice over the others. I do not believe Haverford, fine school though it is, is worth the extra cost over Mac. I do believe Mac is worth the extra cost over ASU.

The extra costs of UNC and Haverford over four years is quite substantial when you add it up as compared to ASU and Mac. I am sure you could receive a fine education at ASU, but for the lever all quality of education and experience, I think if you can find a way to make Mac happen, go for it.

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That’s what I was thinking! They gave me such a fantastic aid package (although I’m still not ruling out appealing Haverford, just need to talk to my mom). Mac is also a fantastic personal fit and the accepted students are great, hence the gut feeling.

The only things I’m worried about are Mac’s lesser financial stability compared to Haverford, and the fact that travel money to Mac might nearly eat $ that would be saved over Haverford/UNC.

Also no, it won’t be a huge leap. The family contribution, non federal loan cost has to creep up toward 25-30k for my parents to shake their heads.

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Macalester is in fine financial shape. I wouldn’t worry about that.

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Thank you for validating my internal feeling! Honestly, at this point, unless I get into Tufts or Yale, I’m really thinking Mac is going to beat out other schools based on the fit alone, never mind the money (which is the best situation I could have asked for)! I am such an activist type who dislikes cutthroat competition and loves languages/internationalism/being near an urban area but having a tight knit community at the same time.

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That sounds like Mac! Good luck with your other decisions.

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Thank you!!!

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@isla701 My S21 is deciding between Mac, Skidmore and Rhodes as of right now. WL at three „most competitive“ small LAC‘s also. He also seeks that collaborative non-cutthroat environment, is likely an econ or chemistry major, but really enjoys sculpture, and would like to continue exploring this without it being his major or even minor. He is not an activist, nor a fraternity type. Definitely a thinker. Will likely head to grad school. Might want to teach. Any feedback welcome.

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Congrats to your son! I didn’t apply to either Skidmore or Rhodes, but right off the bat, the first thing that strikes me is urban vs. rural. Skidmore, as far as I know, is semi-rural, whereas Mac and Rhodes are just outside of some pretty serious urban areas.

The athlete/non-athlete divide is a pretty large issue at Skidmore also from what I’ve heard. I have a friend attending Rhodes and she loves it-- it’s definitely a more moderate and varied political environment than Mac.

If anyone has any input on fine arts at these schools, please pitch in, as I don’t. I do know that Mac is great for econ!

If he can, your son should try to join the Macalester Facebook group, where he can then search for the invite links to the GroupMe and Discord. I am also happy to DM those to you. I’ve found the people to be really great-- it’s helpful to get to know the students beforehand. We had a debate about capitalism in the Discord recently, and it was resolved in a civil manner with the moderators (mostly committed students) vowing to make fair rules for the politics channel. So definitely not out of control!

The weather is also a large factor, especially with Rhodes in the mix. Definitely consider that too!

Good luck to him and others, feel free to pitch in!

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@isla701 Thanks so much! He was looking for non-urban originally but with access to at least a small town. Carleton was at the top of the list (He’s on WL). We know the Twin Cities well, have family there and coming from New England so weather not a concern. The neighborhood of Mac is not what I consider typically urban due to the neighborhood feel and several nearby colleges. And it has a tremendous upside with all of the nearby internships, research opportunities and being part of the consortium there.

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