<p>Maybe Hampshire. Definitely the right feel, and from talking to friends there, it sounds like it can be as hard (or not) as you want it. You don’t get grades at all, just comments.</p>
<p>Oberlin also fits, I think. Colorado College might work as well.</p>
<p>Seconding Hampshire. Verrry laid back/hippie-ish, including the profs. And part of a the Five College Consortium (with Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Smith and UMass) that allows for lots of academic exploration, plus the full-fledged party scene at U Mass, a few miles down the street. I don’t think anyone kills themselves there academically unless they really want to.</p>
<p>U of Oregon might be a good fit, like someone above mentioned. It is less academically challenging than Reed, can be a bit of a party school, and has some hippie-ness. People are pretty laid-back in the Pacific NW in general. Maybe check out some Seattle schools? Perhaps Gonzaga? If you like the outdoors - Whitman in Walla Walla, WA (not much of a party school though).</p>
<p>I have heard good things about UNC Ashville and Weselyan. Also, almost all of my hippie friends are at UIUC.</p>
<p>tim, your stats might help us guide a bit better.</p>
<p>UC Santa Cruz, Humboldt State are definitely more hippie. Both are beautiful, very woodsy, and more like 60’s/ 70’s type hippie -ish. San Diego and Santa Barbara are more party party, laid back, right on the beach- a lot of surfing, parties etc. Have fun…</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>timanderic, if you really are looking for a small liberal arts college “between hippie and preppy” (as someone mentioned) then Colorado College might be perfect for you. However, it may be a little too academically intense for what you want (with its 3.5 week, one-course-at-a-time “block plan”). It’s a work hard, play hard kinda place.</p>
<p>What’s “blazing”? Or do I not want to know (as a parent)?</p>
<p>University of Vermont (probably a safety)
University of Puget Sound
Pitzer
UNC-CH (not hipster, but pretty laid back students; probably a reach)
Skidmore
Hampshire</p>
<p>1968 in Madison is long, long gone.</p>
<p>Lewis and Clark in Portland Oregon. Perfect.</p>
<p>Do not choose Reed thinking of it as the greatest symbol of a “hippy school”. It isn’t. It’s academically demanding and intense in every way. Also, most people are disappointed to find how “un-hippy” it can be at times. Liberal-sure. Hippy-doesn’t cut it at times. People are quirky, but not just in a shallow, “I’m a chill hippy” sort of way. Anyway, I suppose this doesn’t really apply to because you want an easy, party school, but I just wanted to clear the air on this seemingly indelible impression everyone has of Reed as a “hippy school”.</p>
<p>
My sister attends UNCA, and I’m pretty familiar with the school. The hippie reputation is overblown. The town, sure; the university, not so much. UNCA draws heavily from Appalachia, and thus there is a very sizeable conservative Christian contingent (Western is similar in this respect). A lot of the students are surprisingly preppy, and bluntly put, the party scene is kind of lame. While it’s more liberal than the other UNC-system schools (except Chapel Hill), I would hesitate to call it a hippie school.</p>
<p>I suggested UNCW because it has the reputation for laidback academics/people that the OP seems to be looking for. It arguably has the best music scene outside of the Triangle, and Wilmington is a cool little city and hosts things like the Azalea Festival.</p>
<p>wow thanks alot this is a lot of help.
so far Im thinking UC Santa Cruz, Humboldt, Hampshire, Lewis and Clark, and does anyone know if pitzer would be good?
i would love more suggestions:) (ps lisa g sure girl ill be your friend haha)</p>
<p>check out Evergreen State College in Washington. You create your own majors.</p>
<p>I don’t know for sure but the Claremont Colleges, including Pitzer is not what i would associate with “hippie” type of schools.</p>
<p>^^^Pitzer is the one Claremont that could be described that way.</p>
<p>UMass.
SUNY New Paltz.
Bard.</p>
<p>Pitzer sure looked and felt like a “hippie” school when my D looked at it a couple of years ago!</p>
<p>Oberlin does not fit–it’s an extremely academically demanding school. It certainly wouldn’t be described as preppy, but students at Oberlin take academics very seriously.</p>