<p>Allegheny College, Meadville, PA</p>
<p>Hobart & Wm Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY</p>
<p>Fordham is a great school I wouldn’t say they accept everyone though. Last time I checked the acceptance rate was less than 50% and it is only going down. Fordham is a very intensive academic school nestled in a rich history Bronx area and a trendy NYC area. Fordham is a tier one university and is far greater than colleges in rural areas. The fact of the matter is that Fordham is contending with the top national universities and is only rising in the ranks, compared to schools in the mid west which do not participate with top national universities. Its like comparing apples to oranges.</p>
<p>This looks like a combination of CTCL schools and a number of the usual suspects from the “3.0 -3.3” thread. </p>
<p>Also, I’m not sure I understand legit “good” colleges that you know to be “outstanding.” As with CTCL schools, many of the schools listed are solid academically and a good choice for students with more modest academic profiles, but I’m not sure I’d necessarily describe any of them as “outstanding” - - not w/o clarification.</p>
<p>^^ Yes, I’ve seen a number of threads like this and they end up as lists of schools-- I’d love to know, what makes the place a “gem” to you? Never mind stats, what do you know about the place that makes it worth serious consideration? Is the faculty particularly involved, are the students smart and down to earth-- what makes the place unique?</p>
<p>The obvious problem with a “hidden gem” list is that everyone has a different standard for both “hidden” and “gem.” Not to mention posters biased toward their own/child’s alma mater.</p>
<p>good point…
i think what makes a place a ‘gem’ for me is a college that has a very intellectual student body that is committed not to having excellent grades necessarily, but to being a better person and pursuing knowledge, not just jobs. Also, I consider a college excellent if they are rigorous in their academics, the students are passionate, students have big dreams, but they are not presumptuous or elitist. And having a beautiful campus in a beautiful location doesn’t hurt either 
but people have different definitions of what makes a college outstanding.</p>
<p>any other thoughts on what makes a college ‘legit’ or’excellent’ or a ‘gem’?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>If it offers strong programs in geology…</p>
<p>I guess everyone has a different definition of a “gem” in regards to colleges, just like each of us would have a different definition of a “gem” in regards to a significant other.</p>
<p>I think a “hidden gem” as a school that provides a good education, maybe an honors program that isn’t super selective, offers a full campus experience, doesn’t break the bank, accepts kids with a range of scores.</p>
<p>Some might think a “hidden gem” is a school that is similar to an ivy, and only has super smart students. </p>
<p>However, the OP wanted schools that are not so selective or highly ranked.</p>
<p>I would say that a school that accepts about 50-75% of its applicants probably fits that description.</p>
<p>Clemson University - South Carolina</p>
<p>
Research that is advancing the boundaries of human knowledge. The undergraduate education must provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills needed to do such research after graduation.</p>
<p>It isn’t unknown, but UT-Austin seems criminally underrated on this forum.<br>
The University of Utah is a great school that is not selective nor well-known.</p>
<p>I consider St. Mary’s College of Maryland a hidden gem. I did not attend it, none of my children or other relatives have attended or plan to attend it. I did visit it. </p>
<p>O.K., so why do I list it? Because it appears to offer an education and an experience that is similar to that of many better known, more selective, much more expensive schools. I know (/know of) kids who applied there, or who attend it, who also considered very selective LACs in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. I’ve visited several of those schools. SMCM has a campus that is as impressive as some of them. Beautiful buildings, campus plan, and surrounding waterfront setting. Small classes, good students, well-qualified faculty. For in-state students, it’s about half the price of most private LACs. For OOS, it’s about $10K cheaper at full sticker. </p>
<p>This is Maryland’s “honors college” and one of the country’s few public LACs.</p>
<p>^ Oh, is Texas really underrated here on CC? I think of UT-Austin as one of the top publics, along with Berkeley, Michigan, UNC, Wisconsin. In a really cool town, to boot. It’s a shame if that is not widely recognized.</p>
<p>I thought St. Mary’s looked like my idea of a ‘hidden gem’ too… I guess I’d say a place that’s not top rated, but has lots of opportunities for the students, at least in some majors. For instance, a school with a great visual art or creative writing dept., or one where the professors devote a lot of energy to their classes and students. I know some great people in my own field, who teach at colleges with lesser names. And I think alums, or parents, would be good judges of this–if they’re ‘biased’ in favor of their own school it’s because they’ve had a good experience there and it would be great to hear about it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Are you kidding me? The CUNY system is horrible for the most part.</p>
<p>The post-WWII 4 year schools are basically community colleges (The College of Staten Island, Medgar Evans College, Lehman College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and New York City College of Technology). These schools are horrible.</p>
<p>The older, pre-WWII 4 year schools are however better (City College, Hunter College, Baruch College, Brooklyn College, and Queens college). All five of these are decent/good schools, expect for City College.</p>
<p>Hunter College, Baruch College, Brooklyn College, and Queens College are the best CUNY schools, and the only ones anyone should consider applying to.</p>
<p>However, unless you live in NYC, you SHOULDN"T apply there. These schools don’t offer dorms, and if they do they only have enough rooms for about 10% of student body. All of CUNY’s schools are commuter schools. Don’t expect a great, traditional college experience. Like I said before, DON’T APPLY UNLESS YOU LIVE IN NYC. Applying will be a waste of money.</p>
<p>Listen to me. I live in the NYC area. I have cousins and family members that went to/go to CUNY. I know CUNY inside and out. Unless you live in NYC, I wouldn’t recommend applying there.</p>
<p>FYI - - a number of the pre-WWII 4 year CUNYs now have dorms and the CUNY honors program is fantastic. </p>
<p>JerzeyJon is correct, however, that students attending CUNY schoold do not have a typical residential college experience - - but that is also true of students who attend NYU and pretty much any NYC-based school (with Columbia/Barnard being the exception).</p>
<p>University of Denver–Denver, Colorado
Dickinson College–Carlisle, Pennsylvania</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>There are 3 CUNY schools that offer dorms. However, they only have a small number of rooms to offer.</p>
<p>Queens College only has enough housing for 6% of it’s student body
City College only has enough housing for 3% of it’s student body
Hunter College only has enough housing for 3% of it’s student body</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually all NYU students are guaranteed housing, and 87% of first-year students live on campus.</p>
<p>Wofford College - Greenville, SC
Beloit - Beloit, WI
Heidelberg University - Tiffin, OH
Hiram College - Hiram, OH
Wittenberg Univ. - Springfield, OH
John Carroll - University Heights, OH</p>
<p>I find it odd that Grinnell is considered a hidden gem. It’s not “hidden.” It’s been around and well known / well regarded as far back as I can remember. It’d be like saying Carleton or Oberlin are hidden gems.</p>
<p>Then again, I suppose the definition of hidden is regional.</p>
<p>Grinnell is also very selective.</p>
<hr>
<p>Jerzey, yes the CUNYs have very limited dorm space, but that too is common among city schools - -especially ones that draw primarily from local/city residents. Even school at with national reps, 80% of the students live off campus. </p>
<p>That said, I’m not a fan of any of the undergrad NYC programs. I prefer a more traditional residential experience - - where campus activities don’t have to compete with (and lose out to) the draw of NYC. Also, since the city is sooo expensive, the diff b/c students w/ money and those w/o is more pronounced than on other campuses.</p>