<p>Hi everyone, I am a current junior and international student.</p>
<p>After being more realistic about what type of environment I liked (not just HYPS and big state universities), I've really come to like a lot of LACs. Some of the LACs which have appealed to me are Amherst, Wesleyan and Pomona.</p>
<p>However, I think I want to have a few [research] universities on my school, still with a LAC-like environment. I'm thinking something like Brown and perhaps even Dartmouth, a relatively small school with a nice campus, and a diverse and fairly intellectual student body.</p>
<p>University of Rochester, Tufts, Brandeis, WUStL, Northwestern, Rice. The Claremont college consortium isn’t a university but has a bigger feel to it than some LACs. Wesleyan is technically a university. </p>
<p>How are you fixed for money? Are you looking for merit or need-based aid? If so, that’s a more important criterion.</p>
<p>Others: Georgetown, Emory, Chicago, Vanderbilt, Tulane, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, William & Mary. (Well, some of these might not meet your criterion of being fairly diverse.)</p>
<p>Many other top ~20 or ~30 universities (including the Ivies) have some of the same LAC-like features (although I think Chicago is probably the best example). Plus you get more of just about everything at these schools than you do at a LAC (more courses and majors, more famous professors, bigger libraries, etc.)</p>
<p>That’s why, for most top students, my first choice would be one of these smaller, most selective private universities. My close second choice would be a LAC (though for most liberal arts students … if cost is not an issue … I’d choose about 30 or 40 LACs ahead of most state universities or large, urban private universities like NYU).</p>
<p>Well, it depends on exactly what you’re looking for. </p>
<p>If you are looking for a university that replicates a LAC experience in a larger environment, I think Brandeis, Dartmouth, and Wake Forest are the most notable (and perhaps only) top universities that in any way resemble LACs. W&M could also be included, I suppose. One also has less selective universities like Clark and master’s universities like U Redlands that are LAC-like. </p>
<p>In this instance, I would strongly disagree with tk21769 about top privates and LACs. There is a significant difference between Chicago/WUStL/Emory and Swarthmore/Davidson/Carleton that has nothing to do with class sizes and everything to do with overall size, focus, and mission. </p>
<p>If you are simply looking for a university with a reasonably good undergraduate focus, then I agree with tk – most of the top 20ish schools have a decent focus on undergraduates.</p>
<p>Well, there are differences, that’s for sure. Some students don’t need the extras you get with a research university, and would prefer the smaller more intimate community of a real LAC. </p>
<p>I’m personally familiar with Chicago and Carleton. Chicago is bigger (and does not give you the rural/small town/suburban setting you get with most LACs). You also can’t expect quite the same warm fuzzy student-faculty interaction at Chicago as you could at Carleton (you’d have to work at it more, anyway). In other respects, I really don’t think the focus and mission are all that different at the undergraduate level. Of course, Brandeis, Dartmouth, WF and W&M are even more LAC-like in scale and research emphasis (though in my opinion, research per se does not necessarily detract from teaching quality).</p>
<p>I’d also say look at U Chicago. The undergraduate program is small and focused on the undergrads. Classes are often 18 students and seminar oriented. At the same time, you have resources and opportunity of the grad schools if your studies take you into, paleontology research, for instance.</p>
<p>When I read the OP’s description, Dartmouth is the clear winner IMO. The LAC feel, just enough bigger so that you’re still meeting new people in years 3 and 4, an undeniable undergrad focus, few TAs, serious research and a major medical center, close prof relationships and even the LAC campus feel.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! I think I’ll be doing some more research about a few of the schools that were mentioned.
Funny since Georgetown and Chicago were schools I once considered applying to. Chicago’s demanding essay requirement and the cut-throat atmosphere turned me off, but I’ve started to reconsider Georgetown. Brown, Duke and Dartmouth are all already on my list.</p>
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No, so I’m looking for pretty generous FA, which is why I looked at some of the LACs I want to apply to.</p>