Bowdoin, Bates and Colby have acceptance rates of around 10% - they are reaches for almost all students. Middlebury is similar. I’m not discouraging your interest (they are all really terrific schools) but want to make sure you have a realistic sense of what it takes to be admitted to one of them.
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@abby423: Another current thread: “Transfer chances, ideas, and advice” is a thread started by a graduate of a rigorous prep boarding school who seems to want to return to that type of environment after a semester in Boston at Northeastern University. The OP misses the intimacy & familiarity found at smaller schools (LACs & prep boarding schools).
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Yes, I know these are hard admits and reaches. I think for the high target I was thinking of last year’s acceptance rates since I haven’t updated my spreadsheet. I understand the reality of getting admitted!
For suggestions of excellent colleges for a pure philosophy major, this site might be helpful:
Note that some colleges not included in the site may be as good for the study of philosophy as, or better than, some of the colleges included. Nonetheless, five NESCAC LACs do appear.
If you do develop an interest in a public policy major, this site also could be helpful, especially if you will be considering highly selective colleges:
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Differences may be even more stark between the students and the local community.
For example, Colby students’ median parental income is probably about four or five times that of the median household income in Waterville.
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Yes, a lot of school’s town/gown divides can be very stark.
Colby shows signs of being at least somewhat divided on campus as well:
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Interesting list. Thank you for posting.
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I don’t want to be a killjoy and I’m all for planning ahead – but I don’t see much value in looking for colleges before you start ninth grade.
– You don’t have one HS grade and no standardized tests (which are optional with many of these schools) so you have no clue if you will qualify for any of these colleges.
–Your idea of what you want in a college may change – while a small LAC may sound ideal now, you may want something different when you are further down the road.
–Your projected major/career path may change before you start to look for a college.
Of course take the trip if you like – it could be a fun way to spend time with your parents. But please don’t get your heart set on any college yet. Give yourself a chance to learn more about yourself, to grow as a person, to explore new interests in HS.
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The OP currently may be in 9th grade, so would enter 10th grade after this summer.
My mistake …but I still think it is early to be looking so seriously…I have seen too many students box themselves in by decisions they make too early on in the process.
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I am in 9th grade right now, meaning I have completed a year of high school. (It’s actually the last day of school for me today!) I have a year of grades behind me and have an idea of standardized test scores due to Duke TIP. I agree that taking tours in middle school is too early, but from everything I’ve seen taking tours sophomore year(when I’d be seeing these schools) is reasonable.
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I know there are folks who like to visit colleges early, and it’s amazing how busy you can be by spring of junior year – which is probably the most relevant time to look (and the,earliest most schools will allow you to interview on campus). So sure, no harm in starting early… But know that there are quite a few kids who change rather dramatically even between that time and spring of senior year and whose lists change as a result. I would say the OP has at least created a list in areas most people would be happy to visit even without college visits as an excuse!
But I would ask – if you had visited high schools the summer after 5th grade, how well could you have assessed whether they’d be the right place for you for 9-12? And this is especially true when trying to understand vibe - which is arguably the biggest reason to visit as so much other information is available elsewhere?
It sounds like the OP is a strong student. Several of these schools accept fewer than 10% of their applicants and most of the applicants will also be quite strong students. They are reaches by any standards… With that said, I like your list and expect you and your family will have a good time exploring… Happy sightseeing!
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Middle to high school really is not that relevant from HS to college. HS is basically going to the neighborhood school for most families. OP came here looking for suggestions on what LACs to add, not a treatise on whether to go.
Anyway since Skidmore is not technically in NE, if you’re considering other LACs in NY, Union (near Albany) could be worth a visit, easier to get into and only 30-45 minutes from Skidmore and potentially Vassar, 2 hours from Union.
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For some students and families, high school can involve choices beyond commuting to the nearby public school, as in option for a different public school, a nearby private school, or a residential / boarding school. Indeed, these other options are probably overrepresented among posters in these forums.
This is not all that different from college choice, except that a far smaller percentage of students and families have or make those other choices for high school. However, many students going to college are still financially limited to commuting to the nearby public school.
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D20 starting looking at colleges the summer between 9th and 10th grade. She was a varsity athlete in a fall sport and knew there was no way to see very many schools with all that going on. We didn’t do a big road trip then, just browsing different schools within our local area. Serious tours started in the spring of 10th grade but she already had a list of criteria. Getting a head start left room to make second visits and do interviews the summer before senior year and still have all applications ready in October in order to take advantage of EA and ED deadlines. Yes, things change but I think a student gets a feel for a large/small, urban/rural preferences and those may not be as likely to change.
@theloniusmonk , I was responding to @happy1, who commented that it might be early for the OP to be looking at schools. Personally, I agree. But to each his own.
As for middle school to high school, I have spent much of my time here on the Boarding School forum where middle schoolers are indeed choosing high schools. And they tour in 8th grade for just this reason. I realize that’s a small segment of the population but I think most high school students can reflect on their soon to be 6th grade selves and consider how well qualified they’d have been to choose their high school. That’s all.
And great suggestions for the NY trip! I hope that the OP adds your schools to her list. Maybe even expanding to include Colgate and Bard! At this point, seeing a range of types is probably even more important than seeing individual schools.
The OP is using the trip to figure out where to apply, not attend, which kids do have some handle on in the summer before 10th grade.
“This is not all that different from college choice:”
Again, applying and choosing college are different, the OP is not, I don’t think, using this to figure out were to attend.
At the risk of upsetting the apple cart if you will, the families that do trips a little earlier tend to be better prepared. And they’re a little more critical when the tenth tour guide say, their library was the model for Harry Potter! 
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This is an issue. My older girl was a three-season athlete and did other things and it was very difficult to schedule visits. My younger one is in 9th grade and I’m tempted to start earlier (she’s also a three-season athlete) because it’s so hard to find open dates.
Wow, I feel like a slacker mom. We didnt even look at colleges till the summer before senior year. Kid ended up at a top LAC and then med school.
Some times overthinking isn’t prudent.
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