<p>I'm looking for a small liberal arts college -- can even be tiny and even not well known -- with a reputation for intensive academics and smart hardworking students? May want to transfer...</p>
<p>Swarthmore would definitely meet your criteria, but you didn't mention wheher you have a geographic preference. I'd suggest you look at US News & World listings for a sense and then cross-ref with CC fora.</p>
<p>It would also be helpful if you gave some indication of what you mean by small - I have learned the hard way that some people think 2500 students is small and others mean 250....</p>
<p>Whitman is well loved. Have heard nice things about Colby, and Evergreen College is funky and well ranked. Know of one kid who loves Ripon and three who are going strong at University of Puget Sound. Might make a difference in your targeting if you listed the stuff you love (skiing? canoeing? trumpet playing?) and the stuff you hate (allergies? flat plains? long winters?) because those sorts of things can make a huge difference in your campus happiness.</p>
<p>Davidson in North Carolina, depending on your demographic preference</p>
<p>East Coast:
Haverford College</p>
<p>West Coast:
any of the claremont colleges
Occidental college
Santa Clara University
University of San Diego
Reed</p>
<p>Wellesley, if you are a female.</p>
<p>What are your stats? Any financial or geographic limitations?</p>
<p>Colgate in upstate NY... very rural and snowy in the winter if they fly by you :) Academics are great but intense due to demanding professors that grad school now looks like a piece of cake.... oh, I shouldn't jinx myself :eek:</p>
<p>Look at Kenyon College</p>
<p>If you are looking for small, can't get much smaller than Marlboro College in Vermont, which is also known for intense academics.</p>
<p>If you are female, look at Smith College.</p>
<p>St. John's - either the Annapolis or Santa Fe campuses. Both are definitely small and intense.</p>
<p>Reed and Swarthmore are nice choices, but are competitive.</p>
<p>Gettysburg</p>
<p>I've heard good things about Grinnell, Carleton, Kenyon, and Earlham. Transferring into the higher ranked LACs will be tough, since they have so few openings for transfers.</p>
<p>Bryn Mawr, Smith, Swarthmore, Oberlin</p>