<p>I lead ton's of EC's, 2050 first time taking SAT (march 2014) but it'll probably go up and I haven't taken the ACT yet, debate Awards, music Leaderships, All County, JV Lacrosse, tons of job experience 6hrs a week. I have a 3.87 UW GPA and a 4.22 W GPA at the consistently ranked best public school in NJ. I know, I know, I know everybody has these qualifications, I'm not special haha spare me I get it. I'm looking for a school with the following criteria.
1. Old, very old, pre 19th century preferably. Old. Old. Old.
2. Iconic, I spent a summer in Oxford, I want quads and buildings like that, it just seems old and awesome. I want a very traditional place with some prestige but not necessarily as competitive as the top 20 schools. So awesome quads, traditional architecture.
3. Somewhat near the north east of the U.S, I'm from NJ and I don't want go too far.
4. Ranked #50-#15 best schools. Pick your ranker, I like US News, but any will work.
5. Not too far from society (i.e a somewhat large metro area)
6. Somewhat prestigious name. (doesn't have to be that prestigious, but you know)
7. Preferably small, but big is fine.</p>
<p>top 5% of the class btw, George Washington University Book Award winner. 21/372 student ranking.</p>
<p>Tufts!! </p>
<p>Tufts is a good place. The things is, most of the old schools are the most prestigious ones (your Ivies, MIT, the likes), where no one can count on an acceptance. If you’re looking in engineering, RPI might be good too. Williams and Middlebury also aren’t bad ideas(most LACs would fit your criteria).</p>
<p>Rather than consider flat-out ranking so much, you should look at acceptance rates and average tests scores/ GPAs for admitted students. Tufts’ admission rate is %17 this year… as low as or lower than at least a few higher ranked schools (Tufts is upper 20s in USNWR). </p>
<p>One major criterion is missing: how much can your parents afford? Have you run NPC’s already and shown them the results? Will you need need-based aid, merit aid?</p>
<p>Tufts is on my list but its on the reach end of it. They don’t like my high school very much, but my GPA is far above the accepted average from my high school, the only problem is the my SATs are way behind. My SATs are pretty bad for Middlebury and Williams as well. Most LACs definitely would be reach for me I think but IDK. @violet1996 @gondalineNJ @philhicks7</p>
<p>I was thinking William and Mary.</p>
<p>bumpbumpbumpbump</p>
<p>Realistically, your list makes an impossible set of demands, since there are so few US colleges founded before 1800 that are not in the Ivy League. William & Mary and Rutgers were founded before 1800, but Rutgers is not exactly what you’re looking for, and W&M isn’t exactly in a metro area, though it’s not in the middle of nowhere.</p>
<p>Also, your list of demands comes off as very superficial. It’s all about prestige, size, and appearances - nothing about the people who go there, the majors offered, residential life, relationships between students and professors, etc. In other words, Shallow, very shallow, pre-19th century shallow. Shallow, shallow, shallow.</p>
<p>William & Mary or Vanderbilt</p>
<p>Dickinson College, Franklin&Marshall, Lafayette, Washington of Maryland, College of Charleston, Moravian, Transylvania, Union, would all be colonial-era colleges. If you can expand to colleges founded before 1860 you’d have even more of a choice.
They’d make a good list of matches and safeties for you. </p>
<p>Are you seeking a certain dominant architecture on campus, like Colonial, Gothic, etc.? My kid just fell in love with a school she toured and I think it had a lot to do with the solid Gothic buildings all over the small campus. Yes, it would be a great fit for many other reason, but she digs the Gothic.</p>
<p>(Have to smile at my seeing Transylvania listed on CC for the first time. My grandma attended.)</p>
<p>@MrMom62 it isnt about prestige… obviously prestige is something anybody wants in a college. the people that go is a factor that isnt immediately obvious to the average college confidential forum user that hasnt had experiences at every college that could possibly fit the criteria… small colleges generally foster better relationships with professors and students… let’s think realistically. I think most students would choose a school for prestige without regards to the type of kid that goes there. The fact of the matter is, employers love a name, parents and relatives love the name, they love the transcript and the personality too, but the name is something you can’t discount at all. The world is shallow. Sorry. </p>
<p>Lehigh/Boston College/Richmond </p>
<p>This is tough. Most of the oldest are Ivies. U. Of Delaware is Colonial and not a reach. Haverford, Swarthmore are highly competitive but small, relatively old and near Philly. Georgetown. </p>
<p>I think Bates and Bowdoin are SAT optional and both have very nice campuses and certainly are highly ranked.</p>
<p>How about Trinity in Connecticut? USNWR #36 for national liberal arts colleges, roughly 34 percent acceptance rate, 2400 students. A NESCAC school (these are sometimes referred to as “Little Ivies”). Founded in 1823, Gothic architecture.
<a href=“Trinity College (Connecticut) - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_College_(Connecticut)</a></p>
<p>(Cut and paste the link, I can’t seem to get it to post properly)</p>
<p>Sewanee is Gothic and gorgeous. Lots of tradition (students in the Order of the Gownsmen wear academic robes to class). Not in the NE but has plenty of students from NE and mid-Atlantic states. 45 minutes from Chattanooga. Best known in the south & southeastern US, but respectably ranked on various lists FWIW.</p>
<p>bumpbumpbump</p>