<p>If you are a parent looking for those easier-to-get-into-and-less-known-but-very-worthwhile LAC's, you may be interested to read the article from the NY Times July 30, 2006 article whose URL is displayed below.</p>
<p>I don't have it in front of me, but I remember being very disappointed in the article. There were a lot of schools that are very well-known and very competitive in terms of admissions -- like Carleton and Kenyon.</p>
<p>Good article, thanks for posting. </p>
<p>Sort of funny that it mentioned CMC & Pomona and said, "Who outside Ca could name the other 5 in the consortium?" because there are only 5 total....</p>
<p>I have a feeling that people who read the NYTs education section probably also read USNews college edition where many of the schools on NYT list have been highighted in UsNews top 50 LACs for example ;)</p>
<p>Be glad to know that each received excellent press in the story</p>
<p>I know a lot of folks in the Northeast that have not heard of Kenyon, Whitman or Pitzer, just to use a few examples. (not to mention the OTHER Cornell...they're well known?)</p>
<p>SBMom -- I think they were including the Claremont Graduate School and Keck Institute</p>
<p>well I would agree that some on the East coast, don't look or know a lot about schools outside the New England area, but we on the west coast perhaps have a less provincial outlook? ;)</p>
<p>But seriously, I wonder if the reason more folks are familiar with the schools on the list in my neck of the woods is because parents often hire college advisors since the ones in the high schools, even the private high schools, are often stretched, and then the parents share the information they found with folks like me who wouldn't spend the $$$.</p>
<p>I think there is all this information out there already- lots of books etc Loren Popes books& the Colleges that change lives- tour, Donald Asher book...</p>
<p>But some parents have to be exposed to the same information over and over again, like the parents at my daughters high school, who are up in arms spring semester of senior year, when they * just realize* their child, doesn't have the required classes to graduate.</p>
<p>So it is probably good that some of this information is redundant for people, they are more likely to think outside of HYP</p>
<p>I dunno. I live on the East Coast, Middle Atlantic division, and my kids have multiple friends at Carleton, Kenyon, Reed, and Pitzer. And Elon and Davidson, for that matter. I don't know any kids at Miami (Ohio), but any reasonable football fan is aware of it as a good college; that's an awfully high profile for being under the radar. I didn't know about the "other Cornell" though. But I thought for an article called "20 Sleepers" it was more "15 of the usual suspects, but mainly not in the northeast, and 5 sleepers".</p>
<p>JHS, I do think your kids are unusual being from the mid-Atlantic and having friends at all of the schools you mention. I think the author stated up front that the "cognoscenti" are well aware of many of the schools listed, but they are not the Brand Name schools so over-focused on by so many.</p>
<p>I kinda agree with JHS about that. Sure, they're not namebrand among a lot of people, but what LACs are? The same people who didn't recognize the names Carleton, Kenyon, and Reed would also not recognize Williams, Amherst and Swarthmore, in my experience. Or my D's alma mater, Wesleyan, for that matter. And I live in NJ. So if they're sleepers, so are all LACs, and you might as well call it a generic article about some LaCs.</p>
<p>newmassdad: The OTHER Cornell is well-known to me--it's my alma mater!</p>
<p>(Before I became Nwestmom, I used to be Midwestgirl)</p>
<p>Whitman is a fabulous school, and our child opted to attend over Claremont McKenna. It is a school that has been nicknamed the "mini-Bowdoin" of the Pacific Northwest. It is competitive to get into, has only 1500 students, and is on a gorgeous campus! A lot of high-achieving Pacific N.W. students opt to go here; it is very competetive to get into, and the overall experience was rated outstanding in the U.S. News Survey. For outdoorsy students, it offers rock climbing, skiing, kayaking, etc and close proximity to a ton of beautiful natural resources. Student teacher ratio is around 10:1</p>
<p>I can't believe they listed Wooster College and Kenyon College, but not Denison! IMO Kenyon is not a sleeper, but pretty well-known, even on the east coast. Just because a school is in the midwest doesn't make it a sleeper! </p>
<p>Denison is a true sleeper I think (and Wooster too). But, it is a great school, a nice size, a really lovely campus, great scholarship money (!), friendly normal kids, minimal Greek scene, in a really wonderful little town but close to a city, and lots of personal attention. It may not be as selective as Kenyon, but I think it will be close eventually.</p>
<p>Also, let's face it, the snob appeal of the northeast LAC is hard to overcome for many people in the NE. It really bothers some people to get a blank look when they mention where their kid is going to college. I think that's a big hurdle for some of these families. But for the rest of us poor slobs - well, we're laughing all the way to the bank.</p>
<p>weenie, youre right in that last paragraph. my parents fell in love with W&L the first time they set foot there (just as i did). they continue to doubt my decision to go there, however, SOLELY based on the fact that not all of their (not-so) educated friends haven't all heard of it. my dad acts like it's his job to educate the "mindless masses" (as he calls them) about "the excellence of Washington and Lee, and other top liberal arts colleges." it's a real hoot.</p>
<p>Pripr to starting the hunt I could have told something about 9 of the schools. After the search I agree that seeing Whitman or Kenyon or Mac, Carleton, or Grinnell was a bit of a letdown.</p>
<p>I find it bizarre that "lesser known" LACS are receiving press in articles like these. Are the mentioned "lesser known" LACS less known than the presumably "better known" LACS?? I don't think so.</p>
<p>For example, the author boasts that Carleton's academics are on par with Will, Amh, Swat, and Wellesley. Most readers would look at this statement and muse, "What the heck are Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, and Wellesley?"</p>
<p>Mikey:
Actually you are right for most of the world. Here in upstate NY all those schools would get a blank look from about 98% of the people. (But, this is a distinctly non-status conscious, conservative area.)</p>
<p>Growing up in the Northeast I just assumed that everyone not only knew these LACs but wanted to go to one, because pretty much everyone I knew did. When we moved to the Southeast and I started talking to parents about colleges for the kids I started getting those blank looks. It took me aback. You can take the girl out of the Northeast, but you can't take the Northeast out of the girl, I guess!</p>
<p>Though not a liberal arts college, the University of Oklahoma definitely deserves its place on the NY Times article of sleeper, but gem quality schools. OU's president, David Boren, has tapped his extensive connections from his years as a Senator and Governor to boost the academics of the university (strong honors program, programs to transition freshmen to university life, etc.). Norman is its own college town with all the amenities but just 10 miles or so from the Oklahoma City border and good airline connections. East and West Coast schools get the lion's share of coverage (on CC and elsewhere), which tends to make the notable academic accomplishments of universities like OU all the more impressive. </p>
<p>Personal comment - OU has a very appealing campus with a variety of architectural styles (such as some beautiful "Old World" architecture in the main library). Except for the massive football stadium amidst that shouts "big state u", OU has many trees, quadrangles, and nooks that a college student can get very comfortable with. </p>
<p>If you are considering other Midwest or Southwest universities, give OU a hard look. Again, it may pleasantly surprise you.</p>