Looking for Good LACs with Division 1 Sports

<p>I am looking for a good LAC that is relatively small (<5000) with a Division 1 sports program. I want excellent academics but I also want a great sports program that I will be able to follow as a student and as a fellow alumnus. I plan to major in economics and plan to get an MBA eventually. I also do not want to be out in the middle of nowhere trapped on a frozen isolated college campus hours from civilization.</p>

<p>I am in the top 10% of my class and my SAT is:
M 780
R 690
W 730</p>

<p>So far I have put together the following list:</p>

<p>Wake Forest
Holy Cross
William and Mary
Colgate
Bucknell
Lafayette</p>

<p>I need some safeties and would be interested in comparable schools to the above list.</p>

<p>Also look at Davidson and Richmond.</p>

<p>I would strongly urge you to look at Rice.</p>

<p>Davidson has good B-Ball.</p>

<p>Furman and Wofford of the Southern Conference. Lehigh of the Patriot League, is not a LAC but neither are Wake Forest and William & Mary. The U.S.N.A. & U.S.M.A. are now being listed as LACs by U.S. News.</p>

<p>Well.....you present some interesting thoughts. You have an amazing math score. That will serve you very well in economics or econometrics. For economics I am very partial to U Chicago. Its not a Div. 1 sports school however, though its in Chicago...and EVERYONE I know who lives in Chicago loves it. Thus the alternative would be Northwestern which meets your sports interests and is also very strong in economics. Its cold, but its also Chicago (northside). Emory in Atlanta is also an option, as they are strong in economics and math. And frankly, I would drop an application into Princeton. Your scores are not out of the woods for them and they are superb at Economics and Math. </p>

<p>I would LOVE to see you at Fordham. Its in New York, its a gorgeous campus, the kids are all VERY tight, good Div. I sports in all areas....even Water Polo. I know kids at Fordham with PERFECT 2400 SAT scores who got full rides. It has a highly respected College of Business Administration and its graduates work on wallstreet or go to graduate school. Wallstreet employs LOTS of economists...many of whom become high 6 figure and even some 7 figure analysts for major investment houses. Fordham would likely throw money at you. </p>

<p>Another school in the SoCon that is outstanding and has a superb economics program is Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. An absolutely stunning campus. Warm climate, Div I sports. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>I mention Fordham and Furman based on your own selection of Colgate, Bucknell, Lafayette and Holy Cross. Both are very similar to those schools and would love to have you, I am sure.</p>

<p>Holy Cross and Davidson.</p>

<p>poi's suggestion of Davidson was a great one. Many Davidson students participate in sports as well as watch them. For example, you can waterski on Lake Norman. The town of Davidson is very nice and has a small town feel to it, but the area around Davidson is growing at a tremendous rate, and there's lots to do in the area.</p>

<p>Perhaps of interest to a future MBA, Charlotte is the 2nd</a> largest banking city in the US in terms of assets.</p>

<p>Being from the NE, I have heard a lot about the Patriot League schools such as Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, and Bucknell and of course Rice, Wake Forest, W&M and Davidson in the south. I thought Lehigh was largely an engineering school?</p>

<p>Fordham is really much bigger than what I was looking for but based on your enthusiasm I may take a second look.</p>

<p>I had never heard of Wofford or Furman! Furman looks like a Patriot League school but located in a much better climate in SC! Many thanks for the input.
Being a lifetime northerner I am a little hesitant about the culture shock of going to a southern school but I do hate the NE winters! THANKS ALL</p>

<p>While the Patriot League schools have a well deserved strong academic reputation, I have heard a lot of great things about Davidson and would check it out seriously. I seem to recall that Davidson promised to meet all financial need requirements with no loans if I am not mistaken.</p>

<p>Historically, Lehigh is best known for it's engineering and wrestling prowess but it also has a large Arts and Sciences college where the majority (40%) of undergraduates matriculate as well as a BusinessWeek Top 20 undergraduate Business and Economics college. You can take your golf clubs to Furman and Wofford and play on their campus golf courses year round. Furman, Wofford, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State all have strong football teams that compete for the Southern Conference title as well as NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as I-AA) supremacy. Furman, Lehigh and Colgate are the only three private schools to play in this football championship game and Furman is the only one to have won the championship.</p>

<p>posts thus far have covered just about all I can think of....couple more ideas....</p>

<p>Richmond...LAC, D1, with just short of 3,000 undergrads, business classes w/ reknowned leadership program. Perhaps closer to the safety end of your list.</p>

<p>on the other end of the spectrum from safeties, I'd throw in Dartmouth....D1, less than 5,000 undergrads, but colder than **** and in the middle of nowhere.</p>

<p>JHU also comes to mind, slightly less than 5,000, university with LA curriculum like the arts & sciences portions of the Ivies, Rice, Wake, etc....BUT its D1 only for lacrosse, D3 otherwise.</p>

<p>btw, Davidson is very strong in feeding to the Washington DC business community from what I am told, but it is relatively small (~1600) compared to the other schools on your list. Sports are highly valued there.</p>

<p>The three schools, all of which are private universities, hosting NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision football (formerly known as I-A) with the smallest undergraduate student bodies: University of Tulsa (2,689 undergrads), Rice University (3,075 undergrads) and Wake Forest University (4,180 undergrads).</p>

<p>Vandy is a little bigger than you want; but great academics and the South Eastern Conference.....sports (especially football) don't get any better than the SEC.</p>

<p>Sometimes culture shock is good for you! Its only bad if its a closed and cliquey society that shuns outsiders. Furman, Davidson, Wake are not that way. </p>

<p>As for Fordham being too large, you have to examine the facts a little closer. It has two campuses: One at Lincoln Center with about 1,700 undergrads. Its the "urban" feel. Not where the economics kids are, from what I know. And then Rose Hill-Bronx, which is the main campus. Its gorgeous! All gothic. Lots and lots of movies filmed there, including A Beautiful Mind. Rose Hill has about 3,700 undergrads. Neither campus is imposing in the size of the student body. In fact, Fordham students are very tight. They go into Manhattan together in groups. They stick up for each other like glue. Lots of sports at Fordham....water polo, crew, soccer, football, basketball, baseball, cross country, volleyball etc....all at Div I level. They frequently play Ivy League teams. Of course, its my bias. And you are not me. But visit campus in the Bronx and you will be amazed. Talk to kids. They are friendly and respectful and well behaved. Its not a party school...they work really hard. They have their fun too, but school comes first.</p>

<p>Any of the schools mentioned here would be good fits it seems to me. But its you who has to decide that, and a campus visit is the best way to do that. Good luck.</p>

<p>and one more plug for Fordham if you will allow me:</p>

<p>Fordham grads include: Vince Lombardi, Denzel Washington, Alan Alda, Geraldine Ferraro.</p>

<p>Holy Cross and Colgate are traditional rivals-have played over 70 football games between the 2 schools. HC and Colgate are the only 2 schools that play Div1 football, basketball, and hockey. HC has large athletic facilities for a small school-Football stadium capacity over 23,000, and brand new baseball stadium about 3,500. Colgate is more rural while Holy Cross is in a mid-size city 1 hour from Boston. Both schools have very strong alumni networks with giving rates over 50%-comparable to the Ivies.</p>

<p>LACs with NCAA Div. I men's and women's ice hockey: Colgate and Holy Cross (Patriot League), St. Lawrence and Union (ECAC). Colorado College and Merrimack have men's Div. I hockey but no women's ice hockey. LACs with NCAA Div. I men's and women's lacrosse: Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lafayette (Patriot League), and Siena. Hobart has Div. I men's lacrosse and William Smith has Div. III women's lacrosse. V.M.I. has men's Div. I lacrosse but no women's lacrosse.</p>

<p>Holy Cross has a lot of Div1 sports teams for a small school.</p>