I’m really interested in these two schools- however, I have a few concerns:
ConnColl: My friends think it is a no-name school. My neighbors (and friends) think it is UConn. However, ConnColl is considered a “little/hidden ivy,” is this true? Is the alumni network strong? Are Bard and Gettysburg peer schools of Conn? I ask because my counselor says they’re not “academically strong.” Once again, is this true?
TrinColl: A lot of people on CC seem to always leave out TrinColl (and ConnColl!) when talking about the NESCAC schools. Is Trinity (and Conn) really not as good as the rest- I guess it might not be Williams, but it’s also considered a “little ivy,” it deserves it’s title…right?
Basically, I like these schools a lot. With a plan to go to grad school. However, people in my state think Conn is a no name school (is UCONN academically stronger…or vice versa…and how much?), and they think Trin is just a drinking school.
It seems that everyone refers to the NESCAC w/out these two schools? Why? They seem academically some of the best in the country.
There are colleges on CC that are often ignored, and others which have a set of “haters” who come out of the woodwork to trash these colleges, whenever the colleges are discussed. There are a few posters who, whenever somebody will mention Middlebury (another NESCAC) will jump out and bad mouth it, and there are people who will always emerge to denigrate Tulane, and Tufts is always trashed. Of course, no other college gets the treatment that U Chicago does. There are a huge number of threads that are started for the sole purpose of trashing U Chicago,
The only NESCACs which get unconditional love here are Amherst and Williams.
Colby also is very often forgotten, and Bates doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it should.
It partially has to do with the USNews rankings, and partly with whether there are many regulars who have students attending a college.
Colleges like Connecticut are in that place in which they aren’t highly ranked enough to get the worship that the rankings obsessed here provide, but they are too highly ranked to qualify for the Colleges Which Change Lives category.
In short, Connecticut and Trinity are two amazing colleges, and the fact that they are all too often ignored here has nothing to do with them being, in any way, “lesser” than other colleges in general, and NESCACs in particular.
Agree – they are both under appreciated, and are wonderful schools. My LAC recruited athlete liked a lot about Conn Coll – no greek life as a former women’s college, strong Honor Code, emphasis on fine arts, funding for summer internships, and a great location in between NYC and New Haven on Amtrak. When he was applying, Conn Coll didn’t do merit, so for our family, it had to come off the list.
Trinity hits other sweet spots – an urban location with a gorgeous, Gothic architectural vibe, in the state capitol so great internship opportunities for someone interested in politics etc. Strong finance connections in NYC. President is shifting the culture towards greater diversity, and Trinity now also gives merit money. Again, for our family, without merit money when my student was applying, it became a no-go. But the addition of merit money now makes these very attractive options.
Visited both of these schools twice when D20 was making her list. We had seen both on various LAC ranking lists but really didn’t know much about them but followed the suggestion from college counselor. I agree that many people confuse Conn with UConn but they really don’t have anything else in common.
Both are really pretty campuses. Conn has a terrific, peaceful Arboretum with trails and a pond, Trinity has stunning architecture. Students were warm and friendly. We found them to be good match schools with more favorable acceptance rates than some of the more well known schools (also worth noting: the more name recognition, the more applications are received and the lower the acceptance rate but that isn’t really a reflection of the quality of the school).
However, you have to understand that unless your friends are grad school admissions staffers, their knowledge doesn’t matter! The folks that make those decisions know the difference and have an idea what they are about.
My son liked both these schools and both, especially Conn, attract kids from his school every year. Trinity has made its location a positive, offering some interesting opportunities in Hartford. Conn tends to have a broader mix of kids than some of the NESCACs, so in some ways, a less distinctive vibe. The campus is lovely. They have done some creative things in funding internships to ensure students graduate with job experience.
Both are excellent schools. Don’t worry about what others think - pick what’s right for you. The folks who matter will know.
Good to hear, thank’s y’all. Realizing now that half of these friends are going to WestConn or Sacred Heart, so I don’t know why I’m taking those opinions.
However, reputation-wise, are they both rising? They somehow fell to 46 in USNEWS, which doesn’t make sense.
Also, they get an A- on Niche. That seems inaccurate, correct? Maybe an A+?
Thanks again. Conn apparently gives good money to students at my school.
You should pay attention to how you feel about these schools as they are today and whether they are a good fit for you. Both are excellent schools. One thing I learned through the admissions process is that a lot of what people think about particular schools is actually old news. Trinity, for example, gets pegged as a preppy party school, and maybe that’s what it used to be, but it has a new and very exciting president, and that changes things. My son goes to a different school that has a similar reputation based on the way it was twenty years ago. If you let that stuff influence you instead of trusting your own judgment, you can miss out on something great.
Side note: possibly considering a philosophy major- heard that Trinity College is one of the best for undergrad philosophy in the country. Can anyone back this up?