<p>I've researched these four liberal arts schools and have found mixed reviews from students who are attending these schools. I will be heading out east next month to tour Dartmouth and would also like to visit either Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Middlebury and/or Williams.</p>
<p>Would appreciate anyone's views on these schools and how you might rank them as far as academics, student body, and providing a fulfulling four year experience that will lead to great things post college. Thanks!!!</p>
<p>I live near Swarthmore, and I can tell you it's a very nerdy, academic environment. However, if you're serious about academics it'd be perfect. The surrounding are is nice, and it's proximity to Philly is an added bonus.</p>
<p>If you are touring Dartmouth, Swarthmore would be kind of a long haul away.</p>
<p>Williams and Middlebury would be good options to visit as they are just a few hours away from Hanover in the same direction so you could create a loop where you see all three.</p>
<p>Bowdoin is in the opposite direction about 3.5 hours away, so go if you have time.</p>
<p>I know the most about Midd, as I'm going there next year, but I looked into all of these schools at some point so I'm pretty familiar with them. They will all provide fantastic experiences. If you want us to recommend a specific one over the other, we'll need more information about what you want to study, what type of student you are, some of the extra-curriculars you want to get involved with, etc.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info......as for me, I would like to major in gov, pol sci, history...to get me ready for a law degree some day. I am athletic and play hs basketball. I wouldn't mind doing some kind of athletic activity in college like bb or rowing. I enjoy doing research and I consider myself to be social but am on the quieter side. I am from the midwest and also plan to apply to Northwestern and U of Chicago. </p>
<p>I hope this helps!</p>
<p>Given your interests, you might also consider Claremont McKenna. Check out their Atheneum (sp?) speakers program.</p>
<p>As far as your athletic interests, Williams and Middlebury would be the two schools I would look at more closely if you want to be involved with that in college. They are, if I remember right, the top two Division III schools overall over the years. Those two, along with Bowdoin and eight others, are part of the NESCAC (new england small college athletic association) conference, so if you did varsity athletics you'd be competing against other nescac schools. Swarthmore on the other hand is not known for athletics.</p>
<p>As far as the interests in history, gov, and poli sci, any of the schools would be excellent for that as excellence in those three departments are pretty much a core requirement for a top LAC. I don't really have any information that would indicate one being better than the other.</p>
<p>I was actually a pretty similar applicant to you, a midwestern quieter guy interested in the social sciences at top LACs. You'll do fine anywhere you end up. The best recommendation I can give is to visit the campus in the fall once the students are back and you can get a great idea of the atmosphere. Also, if you know any current students there, see if you can stay overnight with them as I found that gave me the best idea of the atmosphere.</p>
<p>Dartmouth would also be a good place to pursue your athletic interests. Its teams compete in the Ivy League, which has amazing athletes.</p>
<p>Midd, Williams, and Bowdoin are located in relatively isolated corners of New England, and tend to attract outdoorsy, athletic students, as does Dartmouth. Swarthmore is located in a suburb of Philadelphia, and has a more urban and nerdy feel. Swarthmore is clearly more distant from Dartmouth, in terms of both geography and campus culture, than the other LACs on your list.</p>
<p>Williams and Swarthmore are about as academically selective as Dartmouth. Bowdoin and Midd are slightly less selective, but not by much.</p>
<p>Dartmouth is noted for its small class sizes and commitment to undergraduate education; however, the LACs on your list match or surpass Dartmouth in these regards. Williams, for example, is well known for its tutorial classes, where enrollments are capped at two. Williams and Swarthmore are actually wealthier than Dartmouth, on an endowment-per-student basis. The LACs, unlike Dartmouth, don't support graduate and professional schools, which reduces their expenses-per-student as well.</p>
<p>One of the biggest differences is social life. Dartmouth social life is dominated by an extensive Greek system, with single-sex frats and sororities. This leads to a more gender-segregated social environment, with separate (though not necessarily equal) opportunities for male and female students. Dartmouth frat parties are legendary, though if you are on the "quieter side" this may not be what you are looking for.</p>
<p>The LACs, in contrast, are thoroughly integrated. Midd, Williams, and Bowdoin have banned Greek organizations completely; Swarthmore still has a few frats, but they don't dominate the social scene. </p>
<p>Dartmouth has NCAA Division I athletics; the LACs are all NCAA Division III. Williams and Midd rank consistently at the top of Division III, Bowdoin is competitive, Swarthmore is way behind.</p>
<p>All of these schools generate very loyal graduates, as shown by their high alumni giving rates. All of the schools on your list have giving rates between 50% (Dartmouth) and 58% (Williams). There are only a handful of other schools in the country that can count on half of their alumni to send in a check in any given year.</p>
<p>All of the schools do a great job of placing their graduates in top jobs or professional schools. For example, the Wall Street Journal recently ranked colleges for professional school placement; they put Williams, Dartmouth, and Swartmore in their Top 10, and Bowdoin and Midd in the Top 25.</p>
<p>Colgate, Hamilton, Colby would be more similar to the environment of Dartmouth, Williams, Middlebury than Swarthmore, which has more of a hard-core academic bent that is more like UChicago, Reed.</p>
<p>nick, I don't have much to add as I agree with most of what's already been written: There's a lot of overlap among Dartmouth, Williams, Bowdoin, Hamilton, Amherst. I'd also include Kenyon in the midwest.</p>
<p>They all attract smart, physically active, extroverted kids. Middlebury may be somewhat more crunchy. Swarthmore definitely less athletic and more introspective.</p>
<p>My son is a recent graduate of Williams. He had a great four years there. Loved the remote location, the mountains, the close knit community. Other points of differentiation that were pluses at Williams were Winter Study, the firstyear entry system, the tutuorials. Williams helped him land an excellent internship and a perfect post-graduate job. Now that he's preparing to apply to graduate school he has several professors who know him personally to go to for references. The alumni/ae network is astonishing.</p>
<p>His #2 was actually Wesleyan. It's more left-ish but in a good natured sense. </p>
<p>You'd get an excellent education at any of these schools and would be well prepared for law school or whatever you decide to do next.</p>
<p>nickoftime, you should really check out Claremont McKenna, it's not on the east coast, but it's very much what you're looking for. They have a physical education requirement, and offer BB and Rowing. A great deal of it's students have a huge interests or plan to pursue law school. It's also a balance of work hard play hard. I think Claremont would fit in with Williams/Dartmouth for its social/active life style.</p>
<p>I thinkw Bowdoin and Swarthmore are the complete opposite of williams and dartmouth in terms of student body. I'm not sure if you were specifically only looking at top LACs, but I think there's great variance between a school like Williams and a school like Swarthmore in terms of student body and social life.</p>
<p>Actually I would say Bowdoin is much more similar to Williams and Dartmouth (also similar Princeton, Amherst, etc) than Swarthmore (which is like Chicago) in terms of social life.</p>
<p>I would add that Bowdoin is not so isolated as the post above implies. Its more like a suburb of Portland, Maine, (about 1/2 hour on a straight, fast interstate) Portland is not huge, but it is a culturally vibrant and fun, lively city. Also, Bowdoin is nationally known for its government, and its the most popular major at the school. On a more subjective note, I visited Williams, (planning to apply early) and Midd before bowdoin, and loved them both. They were both beautifully situated, with lovely architecture and pretty nice dorms, and full of wonderful history, tradition, and opportunities for learning and traveling abroad.Midd is esp. international due to its language programs. The only negatives:Williams seemed somewhat academically pressured, Midd seemed more socially sophisticated and perhaps a bit more pressured in that way. Bowdoin is also so pretty and full of smart people. But when I got to Bowdoin I also felt a friendliness, a lack of pretense, really an openness among students and faculty, despite the school's high standing and rigor. People were not self important, they just seemed so happy and immersed in both the community and their studies. I felt at home--I think they did too. That of course is just my take on it, although I did visit with friends and family who basically agreed. If you talk to Bowdoin alums, they are literally ecstatic about the school, some even 50 years later. So that's where I applied ED and that's where Im going. But you should visit yourself to see. (BTW- Dartmouth's greek life turned me off, although the school was- yup- beautiful and I am sure the students are smart, interesting, and passionate.)Its also much bigger than midd and bowdoin, though small for an IVY.</p>
<p>All of this info has been extremely helpful and very much appreciated. It seems I can't go wrong if I am accepted at any of these schools. Hopefully, my visits next month will help me decide which school to go ED. Thanks again!!</p>