So I got into four really cool colleges, Bates, Colby, Carleton, and Smith.
I hope to be at a place that is prestigious, laid back, and with cool people attending it. I want to get opinions on thoughts on where I should end up? I’m a POC woman, and I want to be at a place where I can strive and grow.
I’m very familiar with Bates. It certainly will satisfy the criteria you outlined. I cannot speak to your other choices.
All great schools. 3 in one geographic area and one pretty far, one is obviously women only. Do these things matter?
Smith is many awesome things. But “laid back” is not one of its most noted.
I would say all the others are exactly as you describe.
Bates has a cool reputation.
Colby is further north. But a beautiful school with the attributes you are looking for.
I only know Carlton by its excellent reputation.
Wow, I agree, cool choices, and top, top academics at all the schools! There’s not a “wrong” choice here, only a best one for YOU. It’s been a half dozen years, so my knowledge might be a little dated, but we made multiple visits up to Colby and Bates. I liked both a lot. I might give a nod to Bates for you, based on your comments. I might give Colby the nod to a student who described their criteria, interests in a different way. Again, maybe somebody can correct me if there’s been any significant changes over the last few years.
Smith is great, and I love Northampton, one of my favorite college towns, really lots of things for college students. The campus is right adjacent to the town. The school is part of the Five College Consortium, which would give you some opportunities at Amherst, U Mass Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire. I think of Smith as having a notably political student body, if that is a positive or negative for you.
A close family member went to Carlton, and I was through Northfield last summer, but just briefly. Northfield seemed like a nice town, with a little going on, and the Twin Cities close by. I think of it as particularly strong in the sciences (and family member was a science major). Students strike me as notably academic and diligent in their studies. I know a high % go on to grad school, though I couldn’t say whether it is a higher % than at the other 3 schools. Good luck!
Agree that Smith isn’t laid back. I like Carleton the best of the bunch myself. Have you visited these schools?
All are prestigious and have cool people attending them. None are “lay back”. For a college, being “prestigious” and being “laid back” is kinda a contradiction in terms. Most of the prestige of a college is connected to the presence of high achieving students, and these are not really conducive to a college having a “laid back” atmosphere. Of course, if by “laid back” you mean “less competitive, and more collaborative” that’s something else. I think that would be true of all of them.
As others have said - there is absolutely no wrong answer here. Every one of them is an excellent college and would be an excellent choice, and the best way to choose which to attend is to visit them and see which you like the most.
What are the Net Costs of each?