Schools for a Cerebral, Liberal Jock

Parents Forum
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<p>Another vote for Amherst and Williams and I'd add Hamilton, Colgate and, Kenyon for excellent academics and well supported athletics. </p>

<p>Most colleges lean to the left. These five are less stridently liberal than some others, but a student "Interested in politics, currently working for a very liberal candidate" would find plenty of like minds.</p>

<p>
[quote]
my husband and I both attended huge public schools and are concerned about large classes and other shortcomings

[/quote]

I'm a Michigan alum and although it's a wonderful school I had the same misgivings on my son's behalf. He went to Williams and had a great experience.</p>

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<p>I can't think of a single LAC with the sort of athletic experience this poster is looking for.</p>

<p>Is Penn State on your list?</p>

23

<p>I'll say it again: Dartmouth, Dartmouth, Dartmouth.</p>

<p>It's like an LAC -- somewhat bigger -- very very sports-minded, and very politically active. It also excels in math.</p>

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<p>Our cerebral, liberal jock found a home at Duke.</p>

<p>He's working his you-know-what off in the engineering school and is very active in the IM sports scene.</p>

<p>Unless your S has to have a strong football school for his D1 sports experience, Duke may be worth a look!</p>

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<p>Oh---regarding the huge-ness of UM: have you looked at the Residential College there? I found it to be the best of both worlds. There is also the Honors College.</p>

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<p>Wisconsin &Texas (austin is supposed to be a great college town)</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I can't think of a single LAC with the sort of athletic experience this poster is looking for.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Maybe I'm not clear on the sort of athletic experience np's son is looking for. True you won't get a stadium that seats 100,001 fans, but the sports participation, support and enthusiam at these LACs is quite intense. </p>

<p>Dartmouth is a good suggestion. I'd also add Bowdoin.</p>

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<p>neuroticparent,
What kind of athletic rah rah are you talking about?<br>
Shoot, my kids go to UF which is about as crazy fanatical mouth-frothing fan-manship as you get, but it's not a liberal school, nor medium sized. Are you interested in primarily football and basketball powerhouse over-the-top, crazy-in-love, bring-the-stands-down type spectator sports, or rather, being able to go to sporting events and have a good time even though the team isn't ranked? There's a difference to some kids. </p>

<p>J schools at UNC and UF are still good, but probably way too big for what you're looking for.</p>

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<p>Here's another strong thumbs up for Dartmouth, and agree on Michigan (the res college is definitely worth looking into) What about region of the country? Does your S have a preferred region NE, SE, W, NW or Midwest? That might help us give more suggestions. I disagree that LACs as a whole have support and enthusiasm, my LAC a million years ago couldn't get anyone to attend and watch sports events except for the boyfriends/girlfriends of the players. Sad but true. Maybe the University of Denver - but not sure if all the traditional sports are available. Agree on Williams re: sports and school spirit.</p>

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<p>The top ones from Pac 10 (Stanford, Cal, UCLA, USC), Big Ten (Michigan, Wisc, Northwestern), and ACC (Duke, Virginia)!</p>

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<p>Stanford is perfect if he can deal with a lot of agony in the football department. I think they won a game this year, which may be better than last year. All other sports are incredible, and there are lots of IM opportunities.</p>

<p>You can't beat USC for football. The school of engineering and film/drama are amazing, don't know about international relations.</p>

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<p>But it [USC] is not nearly as "cerebral" as Dartmouth, Stanford, Williams and other colleges mentioned above.</p>

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<p>I spent the last two years looking for the right college experience. Some that I visited -- Mich, MSU. Syracuse, Lehigh, Northwestern, CMU, Case, Kalamazoo, F&M, Kenyon, Oberlin, Wooster, Colgate, Villanova, Pomona, and many NESCAC schools. Knew I couldn't get into HYP and soon learned I liked the NESCAC 's best. Although some better than others and am now attending one of them.</p>

<p>As each day goes by I am reassured that I made the best decision for me. The residential experience is great -- I am meeting kids from all over the world. Academics are excellent. And I can still be an athlete -- D3 competition here is less intense then it was at my high school.</p>

<p>The first school I visited was UM. Thought it may be the one. We are in-state and many of my friends attend. Spent the weekend with one of my high school friends and his brother, an RA (soph) who was enrolled in the Honors college. Knew then I couldn't deal with the numbers or mazes, or feeling that it was an extension of my high school/area where I live.</p>

<p>Many of my friends are there because they were rejected from the Ivies, Duke and/or Stanford and could not justify the costs at schools like WashU, Northwestern, or Georgetown where they got in and found comparable to Mich. Why not -- Mich is a great school, with a good reputation, and relatively cheap to attend in-state.</p>

<p>My friends who now attend love MI. They still hang mostlywith the kids from the area. Surprisingly most find the school relatively easy. Everyone moves off campus their second year. A few join fraternities or sororities. Those who got into Honors say it's probably limited to the first two years. They come home often, sometimes for just a few hours (if only to do laundry) since it's relatively close. </p>

<p>There are a million books out there that will point you in the right direction and visits will reinforce your needs. The bottom line is there is a school for everyone and until you shop and compare you may not know what you want.</p>

34

<p>I think USC bills itself as an LAC with a large university feel. With the 4.0, 2100 SAT kids they have been admitting, it probably is a bit more cerebral than it is reputed to be. The school spirit there is incredible. UC Berkeley is another to consider... a surprising amount of school spirit with a nationally ranked football team and plenty of cerebral students but no LAC feel to it. Stanford is great, if your son can get in there.</p>

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<p>Colgate, Holy Cross, Dartmouth.</p>

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<p>^^I don't know if USC "bills itself as an LAC with a large U feel". If anything, most other privates are closer to LACs than USC. With almost 17,000 undergrads, USC is huge for a private.</p>

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<p>liberal = berkeley</p>

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<p>OK, I was looking for D1 schools with big time sports, including football.
He has to look at Dartmouth, Colgate and Williams, and Duke. I suspect he will find Williams too small, if Mich was energizing to him. Dartmouth or Duke might be the perfect compromise.
Dartmouth has real appeal to political types, every Presidential campaign comes through there. Duke has successful D-1 sports that, according to my friend's D who is there, is accessible to everyone with a tent. I live in the heart of SEC world, and the difficulty for students in getting tickets to games, esp football is a new wrinkle.</p>

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<p>Has anyone mentioned Stanford?.........and Duke</p>

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<p>Several times, tommybill.</p>