<p>Tx, interested, I get it. And it sounds like your knowledge of Bos. area transport is less rusty than mine. Altho, I never took the "train" into SouthStation. Rather took the green(?) line - forgotten the names but went thru Newton-Fenway etc. and could get off anywhere I wanted. Usually around Copley. Transfers become second nature - remember they're young,not old dogs like us unable to learn new tricks (lol).</p>
<p>Also, point has been made elsewhere that others on most campuses have cars to cart each other into city or to train stations (even Wellesley has that now and we weren't ALLOWED to have cars until part way through my years there).</p>
<p>Mine is in a similar situation, though the town has 35,000 people, 6 bookstores, three Indian restaurants (and a Tibetan), two bike stores, an academy of music, an art film cinema, a Quaker Meetinghouse, three pizza shops, two bakeries, a crepe place, a wool store, two art exchanges, and assorted junk shops. Oh, and it's own opera company. NONE of which she would likely access if they were 40 minutes away by car or train.</p>
<p>The most extreme example, of course, is Maize & Blue. Where would you rather be - in Ann Arbor (a great college town), or near Detroit? ;)</p>
<p>I didn't realize Northampton had 35,000 population. Wow, a virtual metropolis! Wonderful places for your D to frequent. My D spent some time there one summer, and we loved that funky town. Do the bikers still congregate near the Starbucks on Friday and Satuday nights?</p>
<p>Perhaps her positive impression of Northampton translated into her appreciation of Northfield, MN (the home of the Maize & Blue Carleton Knights). As for the Ann Arbor example - well said. S, the Maize & Blue Michigan Wolverines alum, had the best college town experience. He only left AA to travel home, to Ohio State for big football game, to London (spring break one year) to Florence (study abroad program), and to Windsor, Canada (to gamble and ...). Never stopped near or in Detroit, not even for gas.</p>
<p>My knowledge of the Boston transit system comes mostly from the map! Wife and daughter are the experts.</p>
<p>I don't think the Green Line goes all the way out to Wellesley. Now, it stops east of Route 128 (the inner beltway) near Newton. It's just a few miles from Wellesley, but I don't think it's really within walking distance. It is quite possible that Wellesley runs a shuttle bus over to the T station, though. </p>
<p>I think that, if Wellesley had been co-ed all along, it would now be the top-rated LAC and have the lowest admissions percentage. It's location has most of the top New England LACs beat by a country mile and the campus is fabulous.</p>
<p>BTW, I also agree with Mini's positive assessment of big "college towns". I think that's a great environment as well. Chapel Hill is a really nice place.</p>
<p>In the Pacific Northwest, the Univ. of Puget Sound is located in Tacoma, WA, about 30-40 minutes from Seattle. Also, Lewis & Clark is located in Portland, OR.</p>
<p>"DD is also looking for LACs or Universities near but not IN cities. Her criteria is the ability to get to the city or town EASILY without a car. For example, U of Richmond is certainly "near" Richmond....but the reality is that to get there you need a car. Ditto Davidson and Charlotte."</p>
<p>Vanderbilt, on Nashville city proper edge, walk to college town area</p>
<p>Washington University, on St. Louis edge, walk to U. City loop</p>
<p>Brunswick, ME, where Bowdoin is (arguably a better school than many discussed here) is listed by Outside Magazine as one of the nation's 40 coolest college towns (number 16, if I remember correctly). Small but with enough to do. It's also easy to get to Portland, ME, which has become <strong>tremendously</strong> more interesting in the last 5 or ten years; and though Boston is probably 1.5 hours away, it's not unheard for kids to drive in for concerts etc. The school has shuttles to Freeport (LL Bean and about a gazillion upscale outlets, plus ocean access - which Bowdoin has on its own anyway) and I believe shuttles to Portland.</p>
<p>I have relatives there -not a child - but I have visited the area many times and love it. It would be a great area to retire.</p>
<p>nedad, I agree that's a great area and that Portland, ME, has turned from an old old industrial/port city into a place with a lot of good restaurants, culture and arts, and other attractions. It's also a region that I would consider retiring to (also, however, Portland, OR) -- and indeed am starting to look for things like that.</p>
<p>nedad and mack - Absolutely true re Bowdoin, Brunswick, Portland - this is where I live. Many are retiring here and, then again, many are leaving to retire in warmer climes. As for college kids, Bowdoin has "the combo" - great LAC feel, great college town, easy access to shopping, ocean and cosmopolitan cities (Portland, Boston). If you really do decide to retire here, let me know.</p>
<p>My MIL and SIL/BIL live much farther (3 hrs by car) downeast, and we frequently stop in Portland (often fly into Portland and rent a car from there) and have seen its amazing transition. We're thinking of Maine as a year-round retirement location (currently live in Michigan--we don't mind winters) but would prefer to have the kind of things offered by a city nearby rather than getting up into the more remote areas.</p>
<p>Don't know if anyone has mentioned Goucher college yet, but it is in the best of both worlds - a beautiful campus in a suburban town right outside of Baltimore with free shuttles to downtown. Also near or in Baltimore is Loyola College of Maryland. And, Loyola University in New Orleans is another good bet.</p>