<p>
</p>
<p>Despite what people might think, Princeton and Dartmouth are quite liberal. The vast majority of students at these schools will be liberal.</p>
<p>Not on the coast, but St. Louis University meets most of the other criteria.</p>
<p>Without trying to offend - the thought spectrum on campus should be diverse, not black and white on issues, but willing to explore possibilities of positions.</p>
<p>From what we have heard about the “more liberal” campuses like Brown, Wesleyan, Vassar & Bard, if you hold dissenting views, you will not be heard - your “voice” will be overpowered by the majority. The student body just is what it is and self-selects these campuses to belong and feel comfortable.</p>
<p>While Princeton & Dartmouth might not be over the top conservative, our visits confirmed the general view that both lean more to center than all the way over to the left. Kid just felt more likely to find others willing to engage on topics and hear views. Actually is just independent on political spectrum.<br>
Does any of this ring true or make sense to others?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Have you visited? I’m not sure I’d write off a school based on (possibly uninformed) hearsay.</p>
<p>Visited 2 of the 4 and kids we met seemed to confirm what guidebooks already state about these schools.</p>
<p>I chose my suggestions will that criterion in mind. My kids are both very left leaning, but they didn’t want a campus that had a “party line” of PC correctness, even though they shared most of those opinions. So I can understand what you’re asking for.</p>
<p>Not sure if you’re objection is true of all the schools you listed, but I get the idea.</p>
<p>I’m getting stuck on the size combined with the location. I might say Georgetown, but it really isn’t any easier to get into, and it’s out of your area I think. Ditto Villanova as out of the area.</p>
<p>OP is looking for schools 5000-10000 size and no heavy Greek influence. If that’s the case then Dartmouth should be out. Frankly, with that kind of size, your kid will find all kinds of people, from super conservative to very liberal. Schools like Colgate and Trinity will be more homogeneous due to their size.</p>
<p>I thought I heard OP say not too isolated - Colgate is out in the stix!!!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I was thinking the same thing. There are not many 5000-10000 undergrad private colleges in the NE that I am aware of (granted I am from the West 
)</p>
<p>Trinity is small.</p>
<p>I know the OP wants to stay in the East, but if willing to look West - Claremont McKenna College sounds exactly like what they’re seeking. Post 18 is just about lifted from the college marketing material… (which is accurate.)</p>
<p>Yes, the 5000+ student body really does make it hard. Princeton sounds ideal for him, but you certainly need some other ideas as it’s a long shot.</p>
<p>Would your son consider the west coast, and would he consider getting his size from a consortium instead of from the college? It sounds to me like Claremont McKenna would be a good social match for him, and because of the consortium, he would be in an overall environment of 5000 students. It would be warm in October, but mild most of the year. He would have diversity of thought, a physically active student body, strong academics, students with a wide range of interests, a cooperative learning environment, the vast cultural opportunities of Los Angeles, the beaches, and sailing as well, a little farther south. (Sailing is a popular sport in SoCal, and I’d be surprised if he couldn’t find some fellow sailing enthusiasts in Claremont.)
Like I said, it’s in the west, so it may be out on that basis alone, but it seemed worth mentioning.</p>
<p>Oh how funny. I was busy writing this while Spirit Manager had the same idea, but was quicker to the punch. But, yeah.</p>
<p>As a parent, you should be warned if he decides to try a school on the west coast. He may fall in love with the weather and the outdoor lifestyle, and never return east. ;)</p>
<p>Tufts, maybe?</p>
<p>Moonchild - Sailing is offered at CMC as a physical ed credit class (and PE is required of all students to graduate!) The sailing course is one of the most popular. I really do think the OP should take a serious look at CMC.</p>
<p>You should also get a college guidebook called Choosing the Right College. In some parent thread on CC there is a thread to it, but I lack the ability to search a thread or put a link to it. It reviews top US colleges and gives a green yellow red light based on the pc factor. They base their criteria primarily on the availability of the opposite view point and availability of the old-fashioned core curriculum.
Another place that came to mind as I was typing was Carnegie Mellon. About 6,000 students, not a pressured greek life, easy to get in or out.</p>
<p>I’d say Lehigh, Bucknell, U Rochester, Holy Cross, American and Fordham, Tufts and Georgetown. </p>
<p>None match up to your request perfectly, but all are pretty close.</p>
<p>Lehigh is “suburban” but close to downtown bethlehem - the campus is sprawling but it could feel too urban. Same with Rochester & Holy Cross - small cities but not right downtown.</p>
<p>American and Georgetown are both in a city, but I wouldn’t call either “urban” especially American. It’s really in a suburban-type neighborhood in northwest DC but it’s walkable to the metro and downtown access. Georgetown is on the edge of the city and would remind me more of princeton. But they are both probably further south than you want.</p>
<p>Bucknell a little smaller than the target and more rural than the others.</p>
<p>Tufts - harder to call a safety given the admit stats, but for the right kid it comes close.</p>
<p>Fordham - a contained, tree-covered, quad-filled campus, but in the bronx.</p>
<p>Georgetown is also no one’s safety.</p>
<p>Cornell might be an option. It might be too big, but there are many, many different points of view there and its acceptance rate is healthier than Princeton or Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Choosing the Right College has the emphasis on Right. It’s a right wing book. That isn’t saying it isn’t useful, but it has a strong bias. Speaking as a professor, I think the idea of education it forwards is old-fashioned and is fighting straw dogs.</p>
<p>But by all means, look into it, and if you find it helpful, than the book has done its job.</p>
<p>Oh dear, I can see that my last sentence could be read as snide. I didn’t mean it that way. Sometimes the internet is so difficult. I was just giving my perspective on the book, but all I care about here is that your S gets into a good school for him. I do not mean to politicize the thread.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions. They’re all being looked into so this has been a great help! </p>
<p>Does anyone have any input on Denison or Miami University of Ohio? Both offer merit aid options and may meet some of the outlined criteria. Not sure about student bodies - would the campuses be described more as party schools?</p>
<p>Loved looking into Fordham - appears to be a school looking to climb the academic tiers by seeking top students with great merit awards? Is this a place for pre-professional focus or academic exploration?</p>
<p>Tufts - great school, but very expensive without non-need based financial aid. Not sure if we “price-out” for it, meaning that state flagship with honors program would afford similar opportunities at better value.</p>
<p>Cornell - agreed that large campus makes finding niche possible. Again, concern is that it does not have “middle-class” financial aid policies like Princeton. You either are full-pay or have “need.” Not much for those in the doughnut.</p>
<p>Would appreciate other thoughts.</p>
<hr>
<p>To the person who placed tags on the thread - cute. Real helpful, I’m sure.</p>
<p>Middle son was in at P and D, and had emory on his list as another school with like similarities. Also Colby, Duke, Georgetown and Rice. Will second Fordham, received a large merit scholie from there. Son’s top picks came down to p’ton, u penn’s M&T program and west point. Son’s only west coast school was CalTech.</p>
<p>Another poster MiamiDAOhio(?) i think, had her daughter attend Miami Uni in Ohio on a full-tuition scholie as well and her daughter is now in medical school having incurred no undergrad loans. She says her daughter loved her 4 years there tremendously.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Miami can be a party school but it’s large enough you can avoid that element if you want. Denison is not much of a party school. Students have to live on campus for all 4 years (seniors get dibs on the apartment style housing). Granville, the local town, is very picturesque (like a New England village).</p>