<p>Why does everyone want to get into top national universities like ivies (HYSP) and no one wants to go to top liberal arts colleges (Like Amherst, Williams, Pomona)... I think top liberal arts colleges have the best undergrad experience... But why do people want to go to ivies instead colgate or colby or middlebury... Are ivies more "famous" or better than those schools?</p>
<p>Thats a wierd question... Is harvard, princeton, yale, and ivies better than colgate? Ofcourse, I would jump right on an ivy if I could have the chance. Depends really what you want to do in life but ivies are usually better.</p>
<p>They are neither better nor worse, just different. The Ivys are much better known because they are so much bigger, play some Div. I sports, etc. You will have a different experience at Swarthmore or Williams than you will have at Princeton or Harvard. But the quality of education will be essentially the same. Other folks only want to go to schools with national or international name recognition, regardless of the type of experience they will have. </p>
<p>Fortunately, we live in a country with a wide variety of choices for students seeking higher education. Choose the one that is right for you and don't worry about what everyone else is doing.</p>
<p>It really depends on what someone is looking for. Do the ivies have more name recognition than the top LAC's absolutely. Do the ivies provide an overall 'better undergrad" college experience? It depends on what the individual is looking for. </p>
<p>If you are looking for schools that are primarily focused on undergrads and undergrad education (pretty much all classes taught by professors and no TAs/ Fellows), Princeton and Dartmouth are the top 2 ivies that provide this experience. Otherwise, you would be looking at LACs where Amherst Williams and Swarthmore are considered the little ivies as be top LACs. the quality of education that you will get at the ivies or the top LACs are pretty comprable.</p>
<p>While the LACs do provide smaller classes and more focus on undergrad , the larger schools overall offer more opportunities for research. That is not to say that if you are looking to do something specific ex; art history/ museums, then hands down, you would definitely want to choose Williams.</p>
<p>After all has been said and done it is a matter of personal preference.</p>
<p>
Depends really what you want to do in life but ivies are usually better.
I know.... Liberal Arts colleges suck!!!!! Who would want to go to Amherst college when they can go to harvard! I don't even think 1/2 the people here know what amherst college is (they mistake for UMASS Amherst) while every single person in the world knows what Harvard University is... Go ivies! Boo Amherst, Williams, Wellesley, Bowdoin,...!!!!!</p>
<p>I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not. Someone help me.</p>
<p>its not................</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>Do you get out much?</p>
<p>Harvard is the oldest and one of the most famous schools in the world... Everyone has heard of harvard...</p>
<p>My parents doesn't even know what Williams College is (#1 liberal arts colleges).... Which means they aren't that good</p>
<p>^^^ there still good school but harvard owns.</p>
<p>Harvard is by far not the oldest school in the world...just the oldest in the US</p>
<p>Depending on the field, research opportunities can be even better for undergrads at LACs. There are no grad students to compete with, and the profs form close relationships with the undergrads. Being a big fish in a small pond can have real advantages.
At colleges as well as universities, your experience has more to do with what you make of it than with the school itself.</p>
<p>If a person is accepted at both williams and harvard, why the hell would they ever want to go to an unknown college like williams that 99% of the world hasn't heard of... (I didn't hear about it until last week LOL!)</p>
<p>go-vibe, please get off these boards.
Come back when you're ready to accept the fact that the most prestigious schools aren't always the right ones.</p>
<p>I'm sorry, I've been brainwashed by Asian Parents and a lot of asian competition...</p>
<p>lmao a top ranked LAC versus a top ranked ivy...i'd say go to the top ranked LAC undergrad, then do like most of the students and go to Harvard for grad school. That makes things easy.</p>
<p>I had to decide between Williams and Harvard recently and I ultimately chose Harvard for a variety of reasons. Prestige and name was not one of them. Williams has turned out some remarkable people- to say it "sucks" only shows your ignorance. If you get to into Harvard, you can be sure that I would not be hanging around you.</p>
<p>so why did you choose harvard if williams had remarkable people and it wasn't for prestige and name?</p>
<p>Maybe 'cause Harvard Econ is #1 and its grads can do whatever they want?</p>
<p>go-vibe....i'm a music and engineering dual-concentration candidate. Williams doesnt have an engineering department. Plus as a musician, I would prefer to be near Boston, as opposed to being in Williamstown. </p>
<p>As for remarkable people...Harvard does too.</p>
<p>The last I checked, I was on your side of the argument go_vibe. </p>
<p>Accepted Already...getting a econ degree from Williams ain't too shabby either.</p>