Starting to rethink my college list... And need some recommendations

College Search & Selection
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<p>Lately I've been having second thoughts about some of the colleges on my list. I'm looking for a top LAC, but I'm having trouble finding one that really seems to have the right "vibe" for me. So I'd like a few recommendations.</p>

<p>A little about me and what I'm looking for: I'm kind of weird, but not in an actively-trying-hard-to-be-different sort of way. I'm nerdy. I love hanging out with quirky people, but people who are actually quirky, not ones who are just trying too hard to be noticed. I want an intellectual environment, somewhere where I can find people to have intelligent discussions or debates with any time, inside or outside of class. I don't want to go somewhere too preppy - Nothing against preps, but I don't fit in with them. But on the other end of the spectrum, I'm also not a hippie or a hipster. I don't want somewhere with too high a population of hipsters who'll look down on me because I'm not cool enough for them. I'm not particularly artsy myself, but I enjoy spending time with artsy people, and I want to get involved with theater. I don't want to go somewhere too jocky or sporty. Also, I'd prefer to be in the Northeast.</p>

<p>There are plenty of schools that appeal to part of what I'm looking for, but I'm having trouble coming up with one that I really think I'll feel like I belong at. (e.g. I like Vassar but it's not as intellectual as some others, Hamilton, Middlebury, and Amherst are too preppy, Bowdoin is to jock-y, stuff like that). Obviously I'm being very specific and it might be hard, but does anybody on here have any thoughts as far as a college that might be best?</p>

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<p>Swarthmore, Wesleyan, Haverford</p>

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<p>Care to explain why?</p>

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<p>Good luck. No school will be give you all of that.</p>

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<p>If you are restricting yourself to the NE, you are going to get a lot of preppy and hipster/artsy. The vibe your are describing is more prevalent in the Midwest: Carleton, Grinnell, Oberlin (a bit hippie but not much). Not much prep, lots of quirk and nerdiness. I’d agree that Swarthmore and Haverford might fit the fil - but that’s Mid-atlantic. Pomona isn’t especially quirky but it might work as well.</p>

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<p>I think the trouble is that you don’t know the “vibe” until you are actually enrolled!</p>

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<p>I’d say Swarthmore and Vassar are the best bets. And if you are female, perhaps a women’s college such as Wellesley.</p>

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<p>I agree with M’s Mom’s list. Add Lewis and Clark (OR). Reed may be too hipster.</p>

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<p>Since the OP stated the Northeast (not just New England), I’ll stick with my recommendations of Swarthmore, Haverford and Wesleyan for their intellectual vibe and not too preppy/not too hipster student body.</p>

<p>Should you be willing to consider the Midwest, I would agree on Grinnell and Carleton, and add Macalester and Kenyon to the list.</p>

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<p>Okay, thanks. =) I think I might move Swarthmore to the top of my list. The key is convincing my mom to drive me 5 hours for a visit… To be honest, my favorites out of all of the colleges I’ve heard of are Pomona and Macalester, but anywhere I’d have to fly to instead of drive wouldn’t really be much of an option.</p>

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<p>How about Tufts?</p>

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<p>NN, Have you actually visited any of these schools or are you just reading guidebooks at this point? There is, of course, some truth in stereotype, but it’s exaggerated and no student body fits into such a narrow pigeon hole.</p>

<p>I would first toss the “preppy” descriptor. It’s fairly worthless as even prep schools aren’t preppy any more in the narrow definition. Artsy and sporty are reasonably valid – schools often do encourage one or the other, but (and there is always a but) all schools have 20+ sports teams and hundreds of athletes and all schools have art, theater and music departments. </p>

<p>Jock-y also has to be taken in context. Many of the schools located in the Northeast encourage an outdoorsy active life style. This may or may not be for you, but maybe you should approach your search from a rural/suburban/urban viewpoint.</p>

<p>Quirky, if you mean intellectual outlook, not green hair and piercings, is prevalent at all of the academically rigorous colleges, some just more pretentious than others.</p>

<p>All LACs in the Northeast lean left politically, but some are in-you-face activist and others are middle road, not particularly engaged in political correctness. Schools on the far left of the continuum – like Swarthmore, Wesleyan and Haverford – may be too activist or just what you’re looking for. Schools toward the middle (but still liberal) – like Williams, Amherst, Pomona – may have the right degree of involvement or may be too politically apathetic for you.</p>

<p>You don’t mention your financial situation. This will be enormously impactful on your list.</p>

<p>In my opinion, eastcoast schools that are most like Pomona and Macalester are the ones that you consider too preppy: Hamilton, Middlebury, Amherst. These are less political, yes, but preppy in the narrow minded conservative outlook, no. I’d add Williams to that list; it has a “preppy” reputation, but actually offers one of the best environments for the arts – music, theater, art studio and art history. </p>

<p>Try to spend some time on campus and make your own judgments.</p>

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<p>Well, I visited Amherst today and I just really didn’t get the feeling that I would fit in there. Just not the right sort of vibe. I liked Hamilton better when I visited back in the winter, but I’m still gonna visit a bunch more.</p>

<p>I’m okay with an outdoorsy sort of lifestyle, what I don’t want is somewhere like my high school where everybody’s way too worked up over varsity sports.</p>

<p>Quirky intellectually is good, but I also like green hair and piercings. =P How about both?</p>

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<p>Visit as many as you can. That’s the best way to get a feeling of what’s best for you. My son who was looking for a strong arts focus ended up at Williams. He also liked Hamilton and Wesleyan. If you are female, you should take a look at Smith.</p>

<p>You don’t get people “worked up over sports” at small LACs the way you do at big state universities, but some student bodies are more active than others in team sports and individual athletic pasttimes.</p>

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<p>i think Vassar may be more of a fit than you think, re-think it</p>

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<p>I recommend staying overnight at some of these schools. I spent the night at Hamilton earlier this year, and came to realize that the “preppy” stereotype is not very prevalent on campus. The visit helped me understand the social dynamic of the school, and it led me to apply ED. I’ll be attending Hamilton next year, and I couldn’t be more excited.</p>

<p>If you want quirkiness, Hamilton does have some, but I also recommend Carleton (if you can find your way to Minnesota), Macalester (ditto), Vassar, Grinnell, Colby or Williams. Many of the NESCACs have done well to shake their preppy reputation. You never know unless you visit.</p>