<p>I'll play...</p>
<p>Williams
Swarthmore
Amherst
Haverford
Pomona
Bowdoin
Carleton
Wellesley
Wesleyan
Grinnell</p>
<p>LAC's with srong academics, Division1 athletics, and top alumni networks-Davidson, Holy Cross, Colgate, and Bucknell. HC, Colgate and Bucknell compete against the Ivies in most sports and that rivalry fosters great alumni pride. Davidson and Holy Cross are also close to major cities unlike other LAC's which have rural locations.</p>
<p>Williams
Amherst
Swarthmore
Pomona
Wesleyan (this is one of the little 3 right?)
After this I am not really sure of order---- Claremont Mckenna, Haverford, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Carleton</p>
<p>I'll play too:</p>
<ol>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>Swarthmore</li>
<li>Amherst</li>
<li>Haverford</li>
<li>U.S. Military Academy</li>
<li>Pomona</li>
<li>Wesleyan</li>
<li>Bowdoin</li>
<li>U.S. Naval Academy</li>
<li>Carleton</li>
</ol>
<p>Williams
Swarthmore
Amherst
Pomona
Middlebury
Haverford
Wesleyan
Bowdoin
Carleton
Grinnell</p>
<p>Oberlin is not top 10?</p>
<ol>
<li>Swarthmore</li>
<li>Oberlin</li>
<li>Amherst</li>
<li>Haverford</li>
<li>Carleton</li>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>Pomona</li>
<li>Wellsley</li>
<li>Dickinson</li>
<li>Kenyon</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li>Amherst College (the campus, the consortium, the academics).</li>
<li>Swarthmore College (the campus, the consortium, the academics, Philadelphia... I just found the student body a bit much)</li>
<li>Williams College (I hate the location, but can't deny it's a fantastic school)</li>
<li>Pomona College (I'd never go to school in CA, but it seems like a lovely place, and I love the consortium concept)</li>
<li>Vassar College (that would be me!)
(tie) Wesleyan University (Vassar and Wesleyan have always been synonymous to me)</li>
<li>Oberlin College (I like my "liberal" schools, I suppose)</li>
<li>Middlebury College (hate the location, but other than that, it's a great school)</li>
<li>Bowdoin College (same as with Midd)</li>
<li>Haverford College (love the location and the consortium, but not the honor code and the smallness... it's a bit TOO small)
(tie) Davidson College (it's a good school, to be sure, but I feel that it's always a bit overrated by USNWR)
(tie) Carleton College (same as with Bowdoin & Midd)</li>
</ol>
<p>And, rounding out the top 20...
13. Wellesley College (love the location and think it's a great school, but I hate the "all-girls" concept)
14. Claremont McKenna College (like the consortium, but CA doesn't appeal)
15. Macalester College (it seems underrated to me, minus the location)
16. Reed College (too out there for me, both geographically and "alternatively" speaking, but it's definitely a special place)
17. Bryn Mawr College (not an all-girls fan, but I do like the consortium and the location)
18. Hamilton College (its a good school, but I've never found anything particularly special about it)
(tie) Colgate University (a good school, just not in a good area of the country, to me)
20. Colby College (I'm just not a fan of Maine)
(tie) Grinnell College (nor am I a fan of Iowa)</p>
<p>You seem to attach a great importance to location, littleathiest. Not that it's wrong, but to an international student it seems rather surprising that some people tend to emphasize the geographic features of the campus so much while I've never given thought about it until seeing people talk about it.</p>
<p>I know what you mean impsuit... I have a friend from Singapore who was shocked to hear that I didn't even consider looking at Reed College for the sole reason that it's in Oregon. I grew up in the northeast, so am pretty attached to the eastern seaboard. In addition, I wanted to attend a college that I could drive to, because it seemed more convenient than having to fly home all the time. I'm also just not a big fan of traveling.</p>
<p>umm… i’m looking to pursue an economics major at an LAC, so any ideas on schools with a strong economics program? (im an international and need tons of aid too…)</p>
<p>claremont mckenna.</p>
<p>If you’re an international who needs a ton of aid, apply to the LACs that are need-blind to international students.</p>
<p>I Seriously Wanna Be a Pointy-Headed Intellectual Schools
- Swarthmore, Reed
(Also like: Carleton, Grinnell, St. John’s, Harvey Mudd)</p>
<p>Creative Urban/Large Town Alternatives (CULT Colleges)
3. Wesleyan
4. Macalester, Colorado College
(Also like: Barnard, Eugene Lang)</p>
<p>Nice Suburban/Small Town Consortium Schools
6. Amherst, Pomona
8. Haverford
(Also like: Claremont McC, Smith)</p>
<p>Books and Booze in the Boondocks
9. Williams
(Also like: Middlebury, Bowdoin, Whitman)</p>
<p>Awesome Hippie Colleges
10. Oberlin
(Also like: Bard)</p>
<ol>
<li>Pomona</li>
<li>Amherst</li>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>Swarthmore</li>
<li>Weselyan</li>
<li>Middlebury</li>
<li>Bowdoin</li>
<li>Claremont Mckenna</li>
<li>Vassar</li>
<li>Oberlin </li>
</ol>
<p>Did not include Harvey Mudd because it is mainly for students who are only interested in engineering/sciences and did not include wellesley because it is a single sex institution (same with scripps)</p>
<p>Strong academics, good sports, great alumni network- Williams, Holy Cross, Bucknell, Davidson, Amherst.</p>
<p>Choosing a college is all about fit, this is the best common sense top ten list from tk21769:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ranking in terms of Intellectual Atmosphere in these LACs:
- Amherst
- Williams
- Reed
- Swarthmore
- Wellesley
- Pomona
- Claremont Mckenna
- Bucknell
- Middlebury
- Colgate</p>
<p>How do you measure “intellectual atmosphere?” It’s not that I don’t necessarily agree with you and your list, but people use such phrases all the time on CC and often without having a clue about what goes on at plenty of other places that might also share these traits.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m not sure many people would say that Bucknell is more “intellectual” than Middlebury. Where’s Wesleyan? Bowdoin? Both of those less intellectual than Bucknell and Colgate? Interesting choices to say the least.</p>