I’m looking to add a couple of schools to my apply list. does anyone have any recommendations for liberal arts schools to look into? in particular, I’m looking for small classes, close relationships with professors, strong academics, and a fun but smart campus atmosphere. A pretty campus is a really big plus as well!
for reference, I have a 3.6 uw (4.4 w) GPA with a strong upward trend, extremely rigorous courses in a prestigious super competitive magnet program, lots of extracurriculars and leadership, 32 ACT, I’m a fairly competitive student, but I don’t necessarily care to go to a super prestigious school like Amherst or Williams
schools I already like and will probably apply to: Centre, Kenyon, Denison, Wooster, Rhodes, Bard, Macalester
any recommendations and reasoning behind recommendation is welcome! thanks!
@BatesParent2019 makes a good list. I would add Sewanee, University of the South to that. Beautiful school with an impressive list of Rhode Scholar alums.
Add Grinnell - it’s comparable to Macalester in academics, also offers merit aid, if that matters, and has a pretty campus in the town of Grinnell (which is very small - but about 45 min from Des Moines and Iowa City). No distribution requirements either, which is a plus for many people.
Consider Oberlin too - about 45 min from Cleveland. Bigger than Grinnell with 1,800 students plus another 600 in the music conservatory. A music performance every day of the year.
Other possibilities: Hendrix, Lawrence and Beloit.
Heading further west… Colorado College is an amazing LAC with a unique block plan schedule- one class at a time for 3.5 weeks followed by a 4.5 day block break in between each block. Top notch academics, fantastic professors, very chill vibe, adventurous student body.
Also consider Whitman in Walla Walla, WA- gorgeous location, excellent academics, great community.
If you like Bard, you may also want to consider Lewis & Clark College, a hipster school on the outskirts of Portland. Gorgeous campus, strong academics, and encourages interaction with the outside world (I’m interning with two seniors at two LACs and both complain about how stifling their schools feel after a few years). Occidental shares many similarities with Macalester.
The Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) seems to be less familiar to many frequent CC posters than the NESCAC. The ACM includes Carleton, Macalester, Grinnell, Colorado College, Lawrence, and Beloit (14 colleges in all). Judging from the OP’s original list, s/he might want to look at more of these ACM schools.
Check out Northwestern College (Iowa) It’s a small Christian Liberal Arts school in NW Iowa featuring small classroom sizes, close relationships with professors (many will invite you over to their homes at some point) and strong academics!
