<p>Look into Whitman</p>
<p>Take a look at Davidson. Not much skiing, but otherwise a lot to like and a lot of similarities to a place like Williams. </p>
<p>Again no snow, but for access to the outdoors and lots to do, look at Sewanee. It would also be a backup for the more selective colleges at the top of your list.</p>
<p>I second Sewanee. My S also is looking for schools with this criteria and after researching thought that Sewanne looked amazing for outdoor activities. I think there is a ton of stuff, including amazing rock climbing, right on the campus. He is also interested in Colorado College, Whitman, Vassar,Hamilton, Lewis&Clark, Bard, and Reed.</p>
<p>If you are a competitive applicant at Williams, you should have no problem getting into Colgate, Colby, Bates, and those type of schools. You and I are similar applicants in terms of taste: I applied to Williams early, got deferred to regular, then I got waitlisted regular. I also applied to Dartmouth and Middlebury: rejected by the former, waitlisted at the latter. I applied to Bowdoin as well - I got in there, but I ultimately chose Carleton over Bowdoin (pending the Williams waitlist). I would suggest that you look into Carleton as well - in my opinion, it’s “atmosphere” is similar to the atmosphere at Williams.</p>
<p>Schools with similar selectivity to William - Amherst, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Carleton</p>
<p>Schools slightly less selective - Kenyon, Oberlin, Colorado, Colgate, Colby, Bates</p>
<p>Listed below are the top 35 LACs according to US News.
They are sorted according to the US News selectivity ranking (based on admit rate, class rank, and test scores combined. ) </p>
<p>Column 1: the USNWR selectivity rank (among LACs and Universities combined)
Column 2: College Name
Column 3: Overall USNWR rank among LACs only</p>
<p>8,HarveyMudd,14
10,Swarthmore,3
14,Pomona,6
16,Williams,1
17,Amherst,2
22,ClaremontMcK,11
24,Haverford,10
27,Middlebury,4
31,Bowdoin,6
33,Carleton,8
34,W&L,14
36,Wesleyan,13
39,Wellesley,4
40,Davidson,8
43,Hamilton,21
44,Vassar,11
48,Barnard,30
50,Oberlin,22
53,Scripps,25
54,Kenyon,33
55,Grinnell,14
56,Colgate,19
56,Macalester,29
58,Colby,22
59,Bucknell,30
66,Bates,25
68,Lafayette,35
69,ColoradoCollege,24
70,BrynMawr,25
73,URichmond,30
74,USNavalAcad,19</p>
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<p>Schools with NCAA D3 Alpine Skiing
Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Middlebury, Williams</p>
<p>Schools with USCSA Alpine Skiing Programs
Bucknell, Carleton, Colgate, Colorado College, Hamilton, Lafayette, Smith, US Mil Academy, Vassar, Wellesley</p>
<p>Schools on Outdoor Magazine’s list of 40 best for outdoor recreation
Middlebury (#3), Colorado College (#13), Bowdoin (#16), Williams (#22)</p>
<p>^How did you find that selectivity ranking?</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/687793-selectivity-ranking-national-us-lacs-combined-usnews-method.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/687793-selectivity-ranking-national-us-lacs-combined-usnews-method.html</a></p>
<p>You omitted Holy Cross from your list.</p>
<p>All have great academics, but if I were you, I’d start to eliminate some of these LACs based on “social fit”. Middlebury is nothing like Williams and Dartmouth, for example. Neither is Vassar or Swat or Grinnell or a bunch of other colleges folks are suggesting.</p>
<p>i live near swarthmore & haverford, and can tell you they’re nowhere near hills/or as rural as dartmouth/williams/etc.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Care to elaborate? Midd and Williams have nearly identical social environments. Dartmouth is slightly different because of the heavy frat scene.</p>
<p>^^with or without frats, some schools have a heavy drinking/athletic culture, and according to poster mini, a Williams alum and health care professional, Williams fits that category. For a D3, a large % of Williams admits are athletic recruits. I doubt that you would find the same at Midd or Vasser. :)</p>
<p>If we’re talking stereotypes, I’ve always thought Middlebury was even more preppy and equally athletic compared to Williams. Probably the same amount of drinking, Midd has foreign languages, Williams has art history. I’m interested to know what other stereotype Midd has for anyone to think it’s the opposite of Williams.</p>
<p>bluebayou: Middlebury is known to have a heavy drinking/athletic culture just like Williams and Dartmouth. On my visit to Middlebury, I definitely witnessed that culture firsthand.</p>
<p>sry, my bad intel. I never had the impression that Midd was as far out on the drinking culture extreme as is Williams and Dartmouth. There are great parties at nearly every college, but some just take it to a whole new level. But, I’ll take your word if you say that Midd is in that camp as well. :)</p>
<p>Holy Cross is also Dartmouth’s oldest non-IVY sports rival. Dartmouth and HC have played each other in football, basketball, and other sports for over 100 years. The Holy Cross campus is close to ski areas and unlike Dartmouth, williams, and Midd, HC is close to Boston. ALL 4 schools-Dartmouth, Williams, Midd., Holy Cross have some of the highest alumni giving rates >50% in the country.</p>
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<p>My list above includes only the top 35 LACs according to US News. Holy Cross is #36. It has a USCAA skiing/snowboarding program. Whitman College, tied with HC at #36, has NCAA D3 skiing. Check out Whitman’s “Semester in the West” program. </p>
<p>I agree with those who think that Middlebury is very similar to Williams. Go visit both to see firsthand.</p>
<p>Middlebury has exact same athletic recruit thang goin on as Williams. Vasseur, for sure does not.</p>
<p>Agreed with everyone else that Midd is much closer to Williams (albeit perhaps a tad more “granola” prep) than Vassar or Grinnell. Carleton is quirky, but has a surprising number of cross-admits with Williams due to commonality in being “outdoorsy.”</p>