<p>based on personal biases,</p>
<p>Swarthmore
Wesleyan
Reed
Amherst
Pomona
Harvey Mudd
Bowdoin
Oberlin
Bard
Vassar
Williams
Haverford
Carleton
Wellesley
Middlebury
Smith
Claremont McKenna
Kenyon
Grinnell
Mount Holyoke
Macalester
Whitman
Bryn Mawr
Davidson
Bates</p>
<p>yeah, that’s right. I put Bard ahead of Williams.</p>
<p>I can’t agree with Williams not being in the top 5. I just think that’s ridiculous. And I don’t agree with Rutgers89 at all that the intellect of the undergrads at Swarth is “twice that” of those at Amherst or Williams. They are all excellent schools with simply different atmosphere. I do think that Swarthmore has more of an intellectually-driven feel, but if that were to decide all, places like UChicago would be on the top of National Univ. rankings… But that’s just not the case. </p>
<p>Here goes my top ten…</p>
<ol>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>Amherst</li>
<li>Pomona</li>
<li>Swarthmore</li>
<li>Bowdoin</li>
<li>Wellesly</li>
<li>Middlebury</li>
<li>Claremont McKenna</li>
<li>Wesleyan</li>
<li>Davidson</li>
</ol>
<p>where does university of richmond rank in all these?</p>
<p>I am drawn to it by a number of factors:
<p>Richmond doesn’t come close to the top 25.</p>
<p>can you specify why? according to US News, which I know isn’t great, it comes before many of the colleges mentioned above.</p>
<p>Richmond is an outstanding college. Disregard the negative commentary. If you can get a full tuition scholarship there go for it.</p>
<p>well I think Richmond is a great school too, it has a lot going for it. there’s plenty more to a school than rankings, especially ones that are just made up by random people on the internet.</p>
<p>Swatties aren’t necessarily more intellectual than Lord Jeffs or Ephs.</p>
<p>They just like to keep reminding you that they are.</p>
<p>[Gawker</a> - Help Us Pick America’s Most Annoying Liberal Arts College - bard](<a href=“http://gawker.com/news/rankings/help-us-pick-americas-most-annoying-liberal-arts-college-280270.php#c1921151]Gawker”>http://gawker.com/news/rankings/help-us-pick-americas-most-annoying-liberal-arts-college-280270.php#c1921151)</p>
<p>=)</p>
<p>My Top 10 based on Academics & Overall Quality of life (Co-Ed only).</p>
<ol>
<li>Pomona</li>
<li>Amherst</li>
<li>Claremont Mckenna</li>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>Swarthmore</li>
<li>Bowdoin</li>
<li>Middlebury</li>
<li>Oberlin</li>
<li>Reed</li>
<li>Harvey Mudd</li>
</ol>
<p>This is ridiculous… I can understand maybe Pomona over Swat(prob. not) but Amherst, Claremont, and Williams? You obviously do not know what you are talking about.</p>
<p>Hamilton anyone?</p>
<p>rutgers89: this is a subjective list, not “which LAC is most intellectual, oh it must be swarthmore” list. people are ranking schools according to their own preferences and subjective opinions. if someone thinks carleton, for example, is a “better” LAC than swarthmore, than so be it… that’s their opinion, just like you have yours. maybe someone likes a school that offers more courses or has a particular interest in which swarthmore is not the “strongest”.</p>
<p>yes, swarthmore is an impressive school, and the average SAT, etc are higher than pretty much every other LAC. that doesnt mean everyone thinks it’s the best. surely some would say brown is better than princeton, despite not having “the numbers”? </p>
<p>I, for example, cannot see why you have ranked oberlin, vassar, and bates ahead of wesleyan. to quote you in post #30, You obviously do not know what you are talking about.</p>
<p>to each his/her own…</p>
<p>awwwwww, sorry to hurt your feelings :(</p>
<p>I could only think of fifteen:</p>
<p>Dartmouth
Wesleyan
Amherst
Williams
Oberlin
Barnard
Pomona
Occidental
Swarthmore
Wellesley
Smith
The University of Richmond
Trinity
Haverford
Colgate</p>
<p>^That seems like an odd list despite the fact that some of the usual suspects are on it.</p>
<p>However, Occidental above Swarthmore? URichmond, Trinity above Haverford, Colgate? Neither Bowdoin or Middlebury on a top 15 list at all?</p>
<p>As someone who historcially seemed very informed about LACs, what are your criteria?</p>
<p>My top 25 LACs list (co-ed) would be:</p>
<ol>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>Amherst</li>
<li>Swarthmore</li>
<li>Pomona</li>
<li>Carleton</li>
<li>Bowdoin</li>
<li>Wesleyan</li>
<li>Haverford</li>
<li>Middlebury</li>
<li>Colgate</li>
<li>W&L</li>
<li>Vassar</li>
<li>Davidson</li>
<li>Claremont McKenna</li>
<li>Oberlin</li>
<li>Hamilton</li>
<li>Colby</li>
<li>Bates</li>
<li>Macalaster</li>
<li>Connecticut College</li>
<li>Reed</li>
<li>Trinity</li>
<li>Bucknell</li>
<li>Kenyon</li>
<li>Lafayette</li>
</ol>
<p>
</p>
<p>Claremont Consortium (CMC, HM, Scripps, Pitzer), West Coast location, higher SAT ranges and selectivity (due to less emphasis on socioeconomic and ethnic diversification), first founded of the Claremont Colleges, strongest and most well-rounded academically of five schools.</p>
<p>I’d put them as follows:</p>
<ol>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>Amherst</li>
<li>Pomona</li>
<li>Swarthmore</li>
<li>Wesleyan</li>
<li>Bowdoin</li>
<li>Middlebury</li>
<li>Haverford</li>
<li>Claremont McKenna</li>
<li>Carleton</li>
</ol>
<p>(Co-ed only)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Swarthmore, Williams, Amherst, Pomona</p></li>
<li><p>Wesleyan, Bowdoin, Haverford</p></li>
<li><p>Carleton, Reed, Davidson, Claremont McKenna, Vassar, Oberlin, Harvey Mudd, Middlebury, Grinnell</p></li>
<li><p>Colgate, Hamilton, Colby, Bates, Macalaster, Kenyon</p></li>
</ol>
<p>My top 20 best LACs (co-ed and not in any order besides coastal):</p>
<p>Reed
Pomona
Claremont McKenna
Occidental
Macalester
Carleton
Grinnell
Oberlin<br>
Swarthmore
Haverford
Vassar
Colgate
Amherst
Williams
Bowdoin
Bates
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Davidson
Brandeis</p>
<p><a href=“Co-ed%20only”>QUOTE</a></p>
<ol>
<li><p>Swarthmore, Williams, Amherst, Pomona</p></li>
<li><p>Wesleyan, Bowdoin, Haverford</p></li>
<li><p>Carleton, Reed, Davidson, Claremont McKenna, Vassar, Oberlin, Harvey Mudd, Middlebury, Grinnell</p></li>
<li><p>Colgate, Hamilton, Colby, Bates, Macalaster, Kenyon
[/QUOTE]
</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I agree with this one quite a bit, actually.</p>
<p>gellino - Occidental gets bonus points for having the perspicacity to grant Obama admission before anyone knew who he was. Conversely, Swarthmore gets a demerit for not seeing what they had before rejecting him.</p>