<p>
[quote]
But Liberal Arts Colleges are not neccessarily politically liberal, which is the problem.
[/quote]
Some are, some are not. I'm not sure why that's important or what your point is. My kids are more comfortable at the LACs that PR calls "birkenstock-wearing tree-hugger" schools. That's part of the choice, too, and why we each have our own ranking system/bias.</p>
<p>LAC's with good combination of academics/athletics-Holy Cross, Davidson, and Colgate. All 3 have very strong alumni networks with giving rates of 50%. Holy Cross and Colgate also have historical ties with Ivy League in most sports-well over 100 years.</p>
<p>Those schools have division 1 sports but not "strong" sports. They don't compete with the best state schools on a day to day basis, and none of them play division 1 football.</p>
<p>Opinion:</p>
<ol>
<li>Wellesley</li>
<li>Amherst</li>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>Swarthmore</li>
<li>Wesleyan</li>
<li>Claremont</li>
<li>Middlebury</li>
<li>Bard</li>
<li>Haverford</li>
<li>Oberlin</li>
</ol>
<p>Each offers something unique... Honorable mention: Sarah Lawrence.</p>
<p>Colgate hockey and lax aren't "strong"?</p>
<p>hell yea colgate is strong</p>
<p>Hate to burst your bubble, but hockey and lacrosse are not major sports. I live in Minnesota, the state of hockey, and go to a school that has won the state title twice in the past decade. Outside of small pockets of the country, hockey and lax are minor sports which is why they don't get primetime ESPN coverage. A huge game will make it onto ESPN 2 during the day on saturday, but the exposure is minor. For a school to have "strong" sports it should really be nationally competitive in either football or basketball. Unfair? Yes. Reality? Yes as well.</p>
<p>Juju, Bard>Haverford, Carleton, Grinnell, I think not. Bard isn't a top 20 school. It's a nice place, I visited, not top ten. Again we see somebody with a bias against schools in the midwest. You only include Oberlin which is in Ohio, practically out East.</p>
<p>An LAC sports program doesn't have to be in DI to have a bigger overall impact on the rest of campus. The same number of students on a football team represent twice, maybe even three times the percentage of the student body at Wesleyan as at Duke. Put all the helmet sports at Wesleyan together and they may represent ten percent of the student body. I don't think there are 600 wrestlers, soccer, lacrosse and football players at Duke, are there?</p>
<p>No. However, football isn't nearly as big a part of campus life at, say, Wesleyan as it is at Ohio Statem or as Basketball is at Duke. If you want to actually play, by all means go to an LAC. But the programs aren't as strong or as vital to campus life as at a major D1 school. Helmet sports may be ten percent of the student body, but there are no fans, so the percentage of dukies involved in basketball in any way, fans included, is greater than at a Wesleyan, that's why the program is stronger.</p>
<p>Kind of back-tracking to something said about a page ago, although the book "Choosing the Right College" is very geared towards the more conservative, it's a really, really thorough book. I'm a pretty liberal person, and though I often laughed when reading the book because of the blatant prejudices, I found their descriptions of the academics at all of the schools extremely helpful. Unlike other books I read, it really researched the academic set up of each school - something often hard to find spelled out easily for you on websites or in pamphlets.</p>
<p>As for my ranking, it would all be extremely biased based on where I've applied and it'll be entirely based on fit. Though I do agree, at least partially, with many of the lists already posted.</p>
<p>ferrisbueller:</p>
<br>
<p>But the programs aren't as strong or as vital to campus life as at a major D1 school.<</p>
<br>
<p>Apologies for hijacking this thread, but I'm not willing to cede that either. If by "vital part" you mean, are the athletes objectified and put on a pedestal the way they were portrayed in "Charlotte Simmons"? Obviously not. But, I think the average Wesleyan student is more likely to know an athlete off the field, have heard them speak up in class, know something about them outside of their athletic interests -- partied with them, jammed with them -- than the average Dukie.</p>
<p>Ferrisbueller, I don't live in Minnesota (there are hockey fans outside of Minnesota you know) but I think hockey is a major sport. Colgate hockey is big time. Take a look at the team roster and schedule. One of the best-attended events on the Colgate campus each year is the Colgate-Cornell hockey game - students line up for hours to get into the game.</p>
<p>Sorry to hijack the thread; certainly not relevant to rankings.</p>
<p>We just visited UVa, W & M, W & L, Emory and U. of Richmond over Mardi Gras break. There was nothing to not like at Richmond unless seeming to be too perfect is a flaw. Other than the prestige factor, anyone want to comment why some of the other schools might be the better choice.</p>
<p>I noticed in recent years that UR is getting the highest number of applicants from my old prep-school (very prestigious mid-western day-school). One year they got 22 out of about 125 kids. So it must not be the prestige: My old school is all about prestige. My daughter spent a month at UR for Governor's School one summer and didn't think much of it. It is certainly a safe community in a relatively safe part of town (compared to, for instance, VCU) but the impression I get is that it's an extension of a private high-school. I've never heard anyone complain about that but by itself that's a pretty good self-selection criterion.</p>
<p>i agree about UR.<br>
what do you think about trinity in hartford, as far as top 30? its had its up and downs for sure, and recieved some negative publicity in the ny times a couple months ago, which might hurt its numbers down the road.</p>
<p>Most of the students we visited with over their lunch seemed to know that UR was the place for them on their first visit and were still pleased with their choice. Although we couldn't help but overhear the conversation at the next table. A young lady was telling a 30ish looking lady why she wanted to transfer and that it didn't have anything to do with Rush (which made me think it had everything to do with Rush).</p>
<p>I know that at Wesleyan students are more likely to know an athlete personally, but athletics are simply not more important to their campus than Duke's. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the Colgate/Cornell game is big but you can't call it a major sport when it's pro games don't get played on ESPN because when they did their ratings were lower than PBA Bowling. Seriously. I love liberal arts colleges, I'm going to one next year, but the sports culture is less integral than at a large university. This may be a better system since, exactly like you said, the athletes are members of the community rather than being put on a pedestal. However to call them stronger just isn't true. Also, Colgate hockey is 15-19-4 with a 7-12-3 league record. This isn't exactly "big time."</p>
<p>Which brings up the importance of Greek Life in selecting a LAC. My kids gravitated to those schools with the least amount of Greek presence; "none" was their preferred level of Greek life. Again, to each their own but it is a factor you should consider, one way or another. Relative influence of Greek life seems to go hand-in-hand with schools where students say if you don't have a fake ID you have no social life. Make your own decisions.</p>
<p>I liked what I saw at UR regarding Greek Life. I saw zero display of fraternities or sororities on clothing, etc. When asked about sororities the girls replied that they were in Theta but that it was no big deal at UR and that they didn't even require letters. The table was a mix of two different sororities and one non-greek. They said it was just an added fun thing more like a club. They said maybe it meant so little because they don't have houses. Appeared to be one of the few healthy greek situations. If their assessment is correct.. maybe because no parents are involved. Simply a fun support group to take or leave. Ahhh... the place did seem almost too perfect.</p>