<p>I am looking for a small LAC college (3000 or fewer students) that is not out in the boondocks but reasonably close to a decent metropolitan city (like Boston, Providence, Philly, NYC) that is also well known for their pre-med program. I also want a great looking campus and great student community.</p>
<p>so i take it you've looked at tufts and looked away not wanting</p>
<p>Tufts has an enrollment of 5000 which is a little bigger than I would prefer but it is one that is definitely on my radar. It is also a slight reach. The campus was OK but not overly impressive.</p>
<p>And who was the genius who thought of the nickname "Jumbos"?</p>
<p>Amherst is within a couple of hours of Boston...</p>
<p>Clark, WPI in Worchester. Hampshire, near Amherst.</p>
<p>Also, Holy Cross has only gotten better over the yrs.</p>
<p>How strong is Holy Cross for pre-med compared to other similar schools?</p>
<p>holy cross has a really strong premed program</p>
<p>I remember seeing them in the NCAA basketball tournament last year. I will take a closer look at HC. Thanks for the suggestion.</p>
<p>Look at the connecticut LAC trifecta.</p>
<p>Connecticut College:
40 minutes to New Haven
45 minutes to Hartford
45 minutes to Providence
90 minutes to Northampton
90 minutes to Boston
2 hours to New York</p>
<p>Trinity College:
40 minutes to New Haven
0 minutes to Hartford
90 minutes to Providence
1hr 15mins to Northampton
1hr 45 mins to Boston
2 hours to New York</p>
<p>Wesleyan University:
30 minutes to New Haven
30 minutes to Hartford
90 minutes to Providence
90 minutes to Northampton
1hr 45 minutes to Boston
1hr 45 minutes to New York</p>
<p>Regarding the Jumbos</p>
<p>When Jumbo, PT Barnum's gigantic African elephant was killed by a train at the turn of the century, the animal's skin was given to Tufts, and it was mounted and displayed for many years, until it was destroyed by a fire sometimes in the last 25 years or so.</p>
<p>MADad: Thanks for that bit of history! For some reason I had never heard of that nickname until very recently and I am born and bred in Mass. Now I know the whole story! Wild! Literally ;-></p>
<p>Franklin & Marshall in Lancaster, PA is a little off the beaten track but both Baltimore-Washington and Philadelphia are within striking distance.</p>
<p>My cousin went to Franklin and Marshall and it looked OK but not terribly impressive especially for a school founded in the 1700s. I also was not a big fan of Lancaster, Pa which is a good couple hours to DC or Philly.</p>
<p>You need the appropriate courses, good GPA and MCAT's for med school. You don't need an especially strong department.</p>
<p>Look at Wheaton College, half=way between Boston and Providence and close to both, like a half hour away. Brandeis.</p>
<p>Holy Cross's campus is one of the nicest I have seen. It is a registered arboretum, mixing classical and modern architectural styles. The campus has won numerous awards for architecture and landscaping, including two first-place prizes for the best-landscaped campus in the nation.</p>
<p>Bryn Mawr and Barnard are excellent top 30 LACs and are slightly more obtainable than top 10 Swarthmore, Wellesley or Haverford. Ursinus and Muhlenberg deserve mention.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions. Am planning to head down the Mass Pike this weekend to tour Holy Cross. Sounds like it might be a great match for what I am looking for. The size sounds like what I am looking for and not too far from Boston.</p>
<p>BostonBaby: Be aware that there are 5 Division 1 sports in play at Holy Cross on Saturday:</p>
<p>Football vs Lafayette 12:00 PM (Division 1-AA)</p>
<p>M Soccer vs Lafayette 2:00 PM </p>
<p>M Ice Hockey vs Canisius 4:00 PM </p>
<p>W Volleyball vs Colgate 5:00 PM </p>
<p>M Basketball vs Hofstra 7:00 PM</p>