Lafayette, Muhlenberg, Clark, Wooster, Dickenson, Denison, Elon??

College Search & Selection
1

<p>All of these fine colleges are on my daughter’s short list, but we’re confused about the differences between them. They seem to all compete for the same students, and all tout their beautiful campuses, involved professors, internships, and healthy merit discounts (!).</p>

<p>She’s interested in education, math and international studies. While she’s attracted to the small classes of a LAC, she's wary that “a small school in the middle of nowhere will feel boring." </p>

<p>We expect to visit these schools in the fall (though I’m a skeptic that a visit really provides a full picture, and often is biased good or bad depending on the tour leader, the weather that day, the nice prof they talk with, or the cool kid they happen to meet in the dining hall.)</p>

<p>Where to turn for insight? Perhaps some of you have already gone through this. I’m cross-posting this question on each college's forum, since I'd think posters tend to check the one or two school sites they know best. </p>

<p>Should she just go with the best price among the schools to which she’s admitted, or are there real differences that could make a big difference in her college experience? Thanks for your thoughts.</p>

2

<p>Hi - my son was accepted at Clark (he didn’t apply to the others) so can only speak for it. I think Clark is truly a hidden treasure. Involved students who seem very passionate and same for the professors and staff we met at accepted students day. I was particularly impressed with their international offerings. There are a lot of them and they seem very well organized about it all. I liked too how nearly everyone we met wasn’t pushy about Clark - more “this is who we are and a good match for you is most important”. It was completely refreshing. </p>

<p>We know several people who’ve gone to Clark or who are there and all LOVE it which I think says a lot. My son chose to not attend Clark in part because he’ll be playing golf for the college he will be attending but I firmly believe had he not been accepted where he is going, he’d be Clark bound in the fall. Clark was extremely generous with merit and need-based financial aid as well. We felt so positive about Clark.</p>

3

<p>When my D1 visited Dickinson, it was raining cats & dogs. Poured the whole day. And she still really liked it, enough to apply in their EA cycle. After going back for accepted students days, that sealed the deal and she had a great four years there. I think it says something that even in awful weather she could see what a good school it would be for her… so don’t worry too much about the weather! I would suggest that you have your D try to attend a class and eat in the cafeteria if possible during all her visits (helps her get past only meeting one student on the tour). It is also a good idea to keep an open mind (don’t get set on one school) until after attending accepted student days (usually with an overnight and more than one class, better chance to get a feeling for the campus). My D2 ended up re-ordering her schools after after attending accepted student days last spring at her top choices. </p>

<p>One thing about that “nice prof they talk to”… at all of these schools, it is likely your kid WILL get to have and know that prof because of the small size! My D sat in on a class on her 1st visit to Dickinson with a prof who four years later was her senior thesis advisor. </p>

<p>Of your daughter’s interests, Dickinson is particularly strong in international studies. They have a lot of international students and very strong study abroad. One reason my D picked Dickinson is that she wanted to study in a country where there are very few formal programs. Dickinson was the most flexible college we visited in allowing her to do this.</p>

<p>One area where you might find some differences between schools is in the education certificate (not sure if that is the right word?) programs. If your D is hoping the teach in a specific state when graduating (say, PA), you want to look at what each college will do to prepare her to meet the state requirements. My D looked at this at Dickinson when she was thinking about teaching, but decided not to pursue it because: (1) she knew she didn’t want to teach straight out of college, but maybe someday in the future; and (2) she felt like completing the requirement for it would limit her ability to do some other things she wanted to do (study abroad for a semester and take advantage of the Washington Semester as well, both of which she did junior year). </p>

<p>I think they are fine at math as well, but my D was not focused on the “quant” side of things so did not take many classes in that area.</p>

<p>One other thing my D did was an unpaid semester part-time internship at the Army War college, working on some kind of training materials update. So that is a possible advantage of the Dickinson location.</p>

<p>My D also found the network of alumni to be strong and helpful. She found a job with a consulting firm in DC post-graduation through an older student she kept in touch with after that student graduated.</p>

<p>Good luck to your D, they are all good choices. I do think visits (now and after acceptance) can help her distinguish between them.</p>

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<p>I have one daughter who is a rising junior physics major with a lot of time in the English Department at Denison. She is still SO happy with her choice – though not a “typical” Denisonian, not a partier, not an athlete, not preppy, she has found a warm and supportive group of friends from across disciplines and has had amazing opportunities for faculty interaction and support. Another daughter will start at Muhlenberg in the fall and her brother will matriculate at Ursinus. We looked at Dickinson and Wooster as well. They certainly all have a great deal in common and offer a quality small LAC education, but we found in our visiting that there did seem a different “feel” or texture or culture to each campus. Happy to say more if you want to PM me. The lovely thing about your daughter being attracted to such fine, fairly similar schools, is that you can comfortably leave the choice about fit to her (and the schools) within whatever range the financial aid offers allow.</p>

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<p>I have one daughter who is a rising junior physics major with a lot of time in the English Department at Denison. She is still SO happy with her choice – though not a “typical” Denisonian, not a partier, not an athlete, not preppy, she has found a warm and supportive group of friends from across disciplines and has had amazing opportunities for faculty interaction and support. Another daughter will start at Muhlenberg in the fall and her brother will matriculate at Ursinus. We looked at Dickinson and Wooster as well. They certainly all have a great deal in common and offer a quality small LAC education, but we found in our visiting that there did seem a different “feel” or texture or culture to each campus. Happy to say more if you want to PM me. The lovely thing about your daughter being attracted to such fine, fairly similar schools, is that you can comfortably leave the choice about fit to her (and the schools) within whatever range the financial aid offers allow. Cross-posting in both Muhlenberg and Denison with my reply as well.</p>

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<p>We live in Carlisle, where Dickinson is located, and S is interested in Lafayette. I can see where on paper these schools would seem similar. They have very different vibes though. The fact that Lafayette has an engineering program makes a big difference and lately Dickinson has a “crunchy granola” kind of feel. Plus, even if your daughter isn’t into sports, the fact that Lafayette is division I and Dickinson is division III makes a big difference in campus character.</p>

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<p>These are all great schools. I’d try to compile as many “data points” as you can–admitted students’ stats (to see where your daughter might fall in the student body), youtube videos with interviews of students and clips of campus activities, and each college’s reporting of outcomes for its graduates. (What percentage get jobs right out of college? How many go on to grad school?) We also looked at professors of faculty in departments our son was likely to consider, to get an idea of their background and qualifications.</p>

<p>I also would recommend not trying to visit all of these schools in the fall, unless it is very easy for you to do so. An overnight at a couple of her top choices after she is admitted in the spring can tell her a lot more about what she wants to do for the next four years.</p>

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<p>Is your D a senior?</p>

<p>Visit some now.</p>

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<p>Hello John,</p>

<p>My name is Taylor, and I am a rising junior neuroscience major (as well as a tour guide) at Lafayette. In case you are curious, I made my account on this site back in high school, and “captaincluess” is a misnomer now!</p>

<p>I suggest you look at my Lafayette Questions and Answers forum on this website. It has a ton of information that has collected over the past 2 years or so.</p>

<p>While all the schools you listed are small liberal arts schools, there are certain distinct aspects of Lafayette that make it stand out among the others on your list.</p>

<p>First, Lafayette is both an engineering school AND a liberal arts school. So, why does this matter to your daughter? Well, this feature of Lafayette creates a a dynamic of strengths between both the math & sciences, AND the social sciences & humanities. As such, Lafayette facilitates the development of skills pertinent to both sets of disciplines (since as you probably know, the ways of thinking and approaching problems differ vastly between the STEM fields and the non-STEM fields). Seeing as your daughter is interested in both math and international studies, this would be very useful to her. In the “real world,” it would be extremely beneficial for her to know how understand people (and situations) through multiple perspectives—especially if she plans on working in international affairs. </p>

<p>Secondly, you might want to know that Lafayette is about to construct a brand new building dedicated to the study of international affairs. Called the Oeschle Center for Global Education, it will be completed right around the time your daughter would be starting at Lafayette! It will be equipped with the latest “smart” classroom technologies and state of the art facilities. Check it out here—<a href=“http://www.gundpartnership.com/Oechsle-Center-for-Global-Education-Lafayette-College”>http://www.gundpartnership.com/Oechsle-Center-for-Global-Education-Lafayette-College&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If your daughter studies at Lafayette, she will also have the opportunity to “cross train her brain” (as Lafayette puts it). In other words, not only could she double major in math and international affairs, but she could also pursue interdisciplinary projects between the 2 majors (perhaps even an honors thesis). The fact that Lafayette is strong in both disciplines would really bolster the experience for her.</p>

<p>Extracurricularly, Lafayette has over 250 clubs and organizations that your daughter can join to pursue both her interests. In fact, there is a residence hall, Grossman House, that is a specialty residence hall just for students interested in global events (which she could live in starting her sophomore year). If that is not for her, she could also live on other “specialty interest floors” in which residents share a specific interest. If she wanted to start one of her own (like a math interest floor!) she most certainly could!</p>

<p>The only program Lafayette does not offer in full is one in education. We do offer a few courses specifically in education (I think 3, but I’m not sure), but there is no major or minor in it. However, nowadays many educational professionals do not need education degrees–they just need sufficient education and experiences that enhance their ability to share knowledge.</p>

<p>To acknowledge your concern about being in the 'middle of nowhere," Lafayette really is not in a desolate area. It is the vibrant town of Easton, which is home to many fun places, including the oldest running Farmer’s Market in the country (a lot of fun to go to on Saturdays in the Fall), as well as the state theater, and the crayola factory! Additionally, Lafayette is conveniently located halfway between NYC and Philly (about an hour and a half away from each).</p>

<p>While I do not know a great deal about the other colleges on your list (I did look at Muhlenberg during my search though) , I do know that Lafayette is the only one that touts both math/science and social science/humanity strengths. With the new global education center underway and all the extracurricular offerings at Lafayette, Lafayette would be a great place for your daughter. </p>

<p>I strongly recommend you visit the campuses, but like you said every visit is biased since it’s only 1 tour! Therefore, I also suggest that you sign your daughter up to be hosted by a Lafayette student for a whole day, as spending a day with a student is a great way to get a sense of what it is like to go there. I do not know if the other schools offer this, but I know Lafayette does, so you can call the admissions office at (610) 330-5100. Many tour guides are very happy to host students (myself included)!</p>

<p>If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to post again on this forum, or on my questions and answers forum. Alternatively you may email me at <a href=“mailto:brownt@lafayette.edu”>brownt@lafayette.edu</a>. </p>

<p>I wish you the best of luck in the college search, and I hope this information helps!!!</p>

<p>Taylor</p>

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<p>I don’t know these schools very well. So I can’t comment on them. I know that our D looked at LAC’s and found them too small for her (Her dad and I both went to a LAC and loved it, but she wanted the energy of a bigger campus). The reason she chose Elon was the fact that it was bigger with more to offer, while still holding to liberal arts values (among other things: rigor, engaged learning, the fact that they handle her food allergies WAY better than any other school we looked at . . ). And, when she went to campus she immediately said “THIS is what I imagined college feeling like” and after spending time in the cafeteria and around campus she said “I feel like I’d fit in with this type of student” (The ones at other schools were “too nerdy”, or “too serious” or "too “party animal” or “not smart enough” or “too intellectual” or “too grunge” or “not happy”. . . etc.) Elon was just the perfect match for her.</p>

<p>Don’t discount the value of a campus visit. I’ve been through it with 2 kids now and each campus definitely has a “vibe” to it regardless of weather, tour guide etc. Both my kids often would tour a campus and know halfway through the tour that this was not the place for them, or whether they could see themselves there for 4 years. College has so many parameters. Our strategy was to narrow it down based on paper (reviews, programs etc.) and then visit. When you go, spend time where students are – go to the cafeteria, a concert if there is one on campus etc. Sit in on a class if possible. Ask students about their experiences with professors. Talk to professors in the major you are interested in. The visit will fill in the gaps with some of those intangibles.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>John, I totally agree with Supruwoman, I think that there are very big differences between the schools. The fact that you have the possibility to visit these schools while they are in session in the fall is a big advantage. They aren’t all the same, though the ‘marketing’ might lead you in that direction. The visits won’t tell her what it REALLY is like, but it will give her a feel and especially let her know what really doesn’t fit. There are definitely guidebooks and forums, but the guidebooks often should really similar and what we found was that the guidebooks served more to discourage away from a school than encourage toward a school. I think that the most important thing to do is really look at the school as much as you can, explore their website, read student blogs, visit, and watch the videos available. Remember forums such as CC only represent the poster and the statistical distribution is often not representative. If after all the exploration that your daughter does (it is her search with your guidance), she truly is open to all of the schools she’s applied to, then going with the school that is the best bargain is probably a decent idea. Keep in mind the one tangible intangible is the strength of the alumni network, why tangible? Because if you make use of it, it really can pay off…why intangible? Because, you have to make use of it or it doesn’t matter.</p>

<p>Of the schools you mention, I am familiar with all but Clark, though know some of them better than the others. Taylor has given you an excellent overview of Lafayette and I can tell you my older son loves it. He was also admitted to Muhlenberg, but didn’t find the two schools to be even comparable, nor did my younger son. There is definitely a difference in size between some of these schools and locations could really be make or break for your daughter as the Lehigh Valley is certainly not ‘in the middle of nowhere’. Denison, or Wooster may be a bit different.</p>

<p>Good luck in the search. It was a special time in our house even with the stress through the application time period.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your responses, and for following the forum over here (got yelled at by CC for multiple identical posts, so lesson to the wise.) </p>

<p>I think we’ll visit some of these schools this summer (daughter will be a senior in the fall), but campuses are pretty boring during the summer, and it might just reinforce my daughter’s concerns about a small school not having enough to do. </p>

<p>Do you think these schools are comparable academically? There are some differences in the 75/25 SAT numbers, but differences of +/- 20 points isn’t a lot. And who can trust the US News Rankings? How does one determine the strength of the alumni network?</p>

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<p>I do not know the statistics for each school offhand (you can probably find them all online), but I am pretty sure all the schools on your list have negligible differences in terms of academic requirements. US News and World Report rankings seem to be SO important to everyone, but at the end of the day it really isn’t a good way to “judge” a school. Every college has so many facets to it, and to sum up every academic program, every extracurricular, every office, and every other aspect of a college with a single number ranking. Don’t put a huge value on such rankings. Sure, they help to give you an IDEA (i.e. #100 probably doesn’t offer an education at the same caliber as #10, but the difference between #10 and #15 is probably negligible), but nothing more.</p>

<p>Given the list of schools you have, I would say the best method of choosing a school is by the “feel” of it (which you’ll get by visiting), and by examining what programs and activities each school has that are pertinent to your daughter’s interests. The schools on your list have similar overall academic quality.</p>

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<p>My daughter considered many of these schools, and 3 of them were among her four final choices (Dickinson, Allegheny, and Elon). She ultimately chose Dickinson, even though it more expensive than the other 2 schools, although slightly cheaper than the 4th finalist, Trinity College. She will start Dickinson this fall, so I can’t speak to her actual experiences there yet. </p>

<p>I think Dickinson is the strongest academically of Dickinson, Allegheny, and Elon, with Allegheny a close second. </p>

<p>To assess the alumni network, first look for information provided by the colleges themselves on their websites. Also, Payscale has graduate salary data, although it has its weaknesses. (In particular, it is somewhat misleading to include LACs which offer engineering on the same list as LACs that don’t, since engineering salaries tend to be higher than other majors.)
[Liberal</a> Arts Colleges by Salary Potential ? PayScale College Salary Report 2012-13](<a href=“http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report-2013/liberal-arts-colleges]Liberal”>http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report-2013/liberal-arts-colleges)</p>

<p>Dickinson is the most selective of these 3 schools. The campus facilities were kept very up-to-date, with new buildings and improvements to existing buildings. Dickinson is known for its international focus. Among these 3 schools, Dickinson seemed to have the most diversity, both in terms of ethnicities and international students represented, but also in terms of student interests. We spoke to a recent Dickinson grad and asked what type of student would fit in there, and the answer was that she couldn’t imagine any type of student who wouldn’t be able to fit in. Although Carlisle is not big, it is a very cute town with student amenities available, so campus didn’t feel particularly middle of nowhere. During a local admissions event with alumni, they emphasized that Dickinson provides a “useful” liberal arts education, with good career opportunities. The Payscale data on graduate salaries shows Dickinson doing quite well, especially if one considers how many of the schools above it offer engineering, which tends to have higher salaries. The alumni network seems very strong, and the college publishes good information about graduate job placement.<br>
[Dickinson</a> College - Life Beyond the Limestone Walls 2013](<a href=“http://www.dickinson.edu/news-and-events/beyond-the-limestone]Dickinson”>http://www.dickinson.edu/news-and-events/beyond-the-limestone)</p>

<p>Elon has the prettiest campus, with lots of new buildings, and the best food. Of the 3 schools, I think it is the one where the students have the most fun. Students there seem to have a good balance between academics and activities. It is “preppier” than the other schools. 15 or so years ago Elon was a much less selective school, which I
think means that the alumni network will be less well established, but will improve quickly.</p>

<p>Allegheny is generous with merit aid. Its academics seem strong relative to its selectivity level. The acceptance rate is pretty high, but I think that is because of a self-selecting applicant pool. I considered the location a real negative - Meadville wasn’t very appealing, and the weather is very cold and snowy. The campus is very pretty on the outside, but I thought the building interiors seemed not as up-to-date as those at Dickinson or Elon. The students were very welcoming, and my daughter really liked the people she met during an overnight visit. It was very hard for my daughter to turn down a generous merit scholarship from Allegheny, but for various reasons specific to her situation felt that Dickinson was a better fit. </p>

<p>Each family has different financial constraints which impact whether financial considerations outweigh other considerations. Good luck for your daughter’s search. If you are visiting colleges in the fall, be careful to keep application deadlines in mind, especially those that offer Early Action. In most cases, when non-binding EA is available, it is the better application choice - typically better odds of acceptance, plus learning the decision earlier. Dickinson and Elon both offer EA, and Allegheny offers a priority application with an earlier notification date.</p>

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<p>No, I don’t think you can trust the USNWR rankings. They are a major profit machine for a news outlet that would be dying or dead without them. Almost all of their “metrics” are subjective.</p>

<p>What I have observed so far with my son at an LAC is that the alumni networks tend to be more regional, and the faculty networks tend to be more national. For instance, my son’s college seems to have a number of faculty who got their PhDs at University of Chicago and UNC-Chapel Hill, both of which are far away. But perhaps because of the professors’ connections to these institutions, an unusual number of students seem to wind up there for grad school. This of course is a subjective observation but so is much of the USNWR outside of the dollar value they might be able to find for alumni giving to the schools.</p>

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<p>We visited three of the schools and I agree with the others, that each LAC has a distinct vibe. Two people could reasonably choose two different schools based on their interests and where they feel most comfortable. My D has a wide variety of interests including chemistry, psychology, music and was looking for a school where she could follow all of her passions in one way or another.</p>

<p>We structured our college search such that we did a first round of visits and then returned to her two top choices where she interviewed on campus and shadowed a student for a day (she interviewed with two other schools closer to home.) The extra time we spent on campus made her feel confident about her top choice of college – she applied ED to Lafayette, had a wonderful freshman year in every respect, and couldn’t be happier.</p>

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<p>I am the parent of a recent Lafayette alum (class of 2011) and a Lafayette alum myself. I also have a D who is a rising senior at Elon. So I can speak to these two schools.</p>

<p>First, Majors: If she is interested in education, Elon is the clear choice. To the best of my knowledge Lafayette does not offer an Education major (although they may have cross registration with other Lehigh Valley colleges - none of which is terribly nearby). Elon has a well respected undergrad and graduate school of education. International Studies - Lafayette has a good International Affairs Dept and a lot of kids go abroad. Elon, however, leads the nation in the percentage of students who study abroad. It’s easy for Elon students to go abroad more than once, because of their 4 - 1 - 4 schedule. Elon runs nearly three dozen 3 week study abroad courses during the January/Winter term. Many kids do both a winter term abroad and a semester abroad. It’s even possible to do 3 study abroad experiences. I don’t know how Elon’s International Studies program is as a major, though. Math: I don’t know much about as a major, but off the top of my head I’d give the nod to Lafayette. They have a lot of engineers, and a strong math department would accompany that. They also offer a combined Economics/Math major.</p>

<p>Social - is your daughter interested in Greek life? If yes, Elon is her choice. Greek life is strong there, about half of the girls are in sororities. Lafayette has sororities but their administration has made no secret of their desire to eliminate Greek life for several years. A new president was just inaugurated this week, we’ll see if the attitude toward the remaining Greeks changes. Lafayette limits the number of girls who can join sororities - two years ago they only allowed enough spaces for half of the girls who wanted to pledge to do so. Elon’s recruitment system requires there to be enough slots for everyone who wants to go through sorority recruitment to find a house (as a result, each of their 9 sororities has over 100 sisters). On the other hand, if your D thinks Greek life is NOT for her, then Lafayette is a much better choice - Greek life is fairly dominant at Elon. (Don’t let anyone tell you Lafayette is dominated by Greeks - that was true 30 years ago but NOT any more).</p>

<p>Socially, Lafayette is probably a more “intellectual” school than Elon. There are parties to be found at both schools, but I feel like the party scene is larger and more visible at Elon. Elon kids are very social - they like joining and running things. That’s not to say that Lafayette students are hermits - they aren’t by any means. But I feel like they’re more likely to be in the library on the weekend than Elon students. It might be the high percentage of engineers (25 - 30%) that makes it seem somewhat more studious.</p>

<p>Neither school is “in the middle of nowhere.” However neither is in a big city. Easton, PA is not a terribly cultural place. College Hill and the area immediately around the square are fine, but just a few blocks from the square the neighborhood becomes “iffy.” There is easy bus service to NYC and Philadelphia, each about 90 minutes away. Burlington, NC has every chain restaurant in existence, and a large outdoor shopping mall (Alamance Crossing). The side of Burlington between Elon and the interstate is very suburban, with lots of shopping and restaurants. The other side of Burlington has some significant poverty, but it’s not really near the college though. Elon is 30 minutes from Greensboro/High Point and 45 minutes from Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill.</p>

<p>Elon is about $15k less expensive than Lafayette. However Lafayette has deep pockets and offers significant financial aid. Elon’s financial aid is much more limited - but with a much lower full cost, your net cost could still end up cheaper than Lafayette.</p>

<p>At Lafayette, my son had 2 “lecture” classes (Psych 101 and Econ 101) of 50 - 75 students. As he progressed toward his senior year, his class sizes were usually in the teens. (He had a Spanish class with 8 kids). My daughter at Elon has never had a large lecture class - Elon doesn’t do them. However most of her classes are in the low - mid 20’s. Every professor has known her by name within a few weeks though. I’d say both schools have professors who truly care about teaching undergrads. Lafayette has no grad schools at all, and Elon’s are limited to education, business, health sciences and law, and it operates more like a LAC than a university.</p>

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<p>all great choices.</p>

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<p>LOL at Intparent’s post, re: raining cats and dogs during the Dickinson visit. 33 years ago I visited both Dickinson and Gettysburg on a day when it was pouring rain - and I HATED Dickinson in the rain, but I loved Gettysburg, it didn’t feel so dreary to me (red brick vs. gray stone). That rainy day impression sealed the deal for me too, and I applied to Gburg ED! It really is all in the eyes of the beholder! :)</p>

<p>Now I am a parent of an Elon student. I’m a huge fan of the school and its fabulous president, Leo Lambert. But these are all fine schools. I liked what I read about Allegheny, but I have to agree with another poster that the location is terrible (IMO). As both my kids have said, why would I want to drive 7 hours to end up in cold and snowy NW Pennsylvania, when we can drive 7 hours and be down south where the weather is nicer and the culture is different than at home??! (We are from Philly.) Allegheny also does not have a secondary ed accreditation program, you have to finish out the requirements via a 3/2 masters program with Pitt (I believe). We had a really nice visit at Muhlenburg, but the campus is very small and nowhere really to walk to (restaurants, etc.) S did not like the feel of Lafayette. Agree with other posters - visits will make the choices much clearer! Good luck!</p>

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<p>Bumping this thread because I discovered it while I was researching some of these very schools, especially with regard to potential merit money.</p>

<p>I agree that, if possible, it’s important to visit each at least once, and if they become contenders perhaps even a second time. My son’s favorite schools we’ve visited thus far have been Haverford, Swarthmore and Lafayette, the former two being highly selective (actually uber selective in Swarthmore’s case) and only offering need-based aid. He also really liked Franklin & Marshall (which I believe has gone to purely need-based aid as well). He didn’t care for Dickinson, which on paper I would have thought would have been a good match. </p>

<p>And, for what it’s worth, he detested Lehigh and won’t even consider applying there! And it wasn’t a size thing, because he really liked Villanova (although he felt it was “too Catholic” for him) and the University of Delaware. I think, depending on the particular kid, there’s a “vibe” issue that is comprised of many things (perceived level of intellectualism, “preppiness,” pretentiousness, balance between hard sciences and softer sciences/humanities, etc.) that you can’t really know until you spend a little time there.</p>

<p>For those who have been drawn to Lafayette or Trinity (or Bucknell or Union for that matter) because of the unique offering of engineering within a liberal arts environment, were any of the schools being discussed here good alternatives because of the merit money that was offered to you or your children?</p>

<p>All of these schools have Phi Beta Kappa chapters, so I think it’s safe to say they’re all high-quality in general.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>