<p>I am helping D finalize her list. She wants mid-size research unis, but I'm thinking to have one solid LAC on her list, just in case. She wants to major in either Japanese or environmental science. Both Vassar and Connecticut College have strong departments. We only have time to visit one. Does anyone have an opinion? Some people have told me that Conn is preppy, but others have said that the kids are great. D's stats are 800cr, 680m, 740w. GPA is 92 at competitive high school. School doesn't rank. Vassar would be a reach, Conn maybe a target? Good need-based aid is important. Thanks so much for any help.</p>
<p>macnyc-</p>
<p>we couldn't make visits to all schools that interested our S. We made a few trips to different regions of the country, but decided to wait to visit others until after the acceptances came in. </p>
<p>So, your D could apply to both, if she wants to, and visit the schools that accept her and still interest her in the spring.</p>
<h1>USNEWS College Website Compare:</h1>
<p>School Connecticut College*
Public/Private Private*
Founded 1911*
Religious Affiliation N/A*
Total Undergraduates 1,887*
Location **
City/State New London, CT*
Setting suburban*
Academics **
Student-to-faculty ratio 10/1*
Full-time faculty 162*
Classes with under 20 students 65%*
Classes with 50+ students 2%*
Graduation rate* 87%*
Cost **
Private tuition and fees N/A*
Public in-state tuition and fees N/A*
Public out-of-state tuition and fees N/A*
Room/Board N/A*
Financial Aid** **
Students receiving: 38%*
<em>*Need-based grants<br>
*</em><em>Need-based self-help aid 37%</em>
Percent of need that was met 100%
Average financial aid package $26,014*
Average need-based grant $23,748*
Average need-based loan $4,076*
Admissions **
Selectivity more selective*
Acceptance rate 35%*
Number of applicants 4,183*
Average high school GPA N/A*
SAT/ACT (25/75 percentile) 1250-1390
Student Satisfaction **
Freshman retention rate 91%*
Alumni giving rate 41%*
Students living off campus 1%*</p>
<p>=================================</p>
<p>School Vassar College(NY)*
Public/Private Private*
Founded 1861*
Religious Affiliation N/A*
Total Undergraduates 2,378*
Location **
City/State Poughkeepsie, NY*
Setting suburban*
Academics **
Student-to-faculty ratio 9/1*
Full-time faculty 277*
Classes with under 20 students 68%*
Classes with 50+ students 1%*
Graduation rate* 91%*
Cost **
Private tuition and fees $36,030*
Public in-state tuition and fees N/A*
Public out-of-state tuition and fees N/A*
Room/Board $8,130*
Financial Aid** **
Students receiving: 53%*
<em>*Need-based grants<br>
*</em><em>Need-based self-help aid 54%</em>
Percent of need that was met 100%
Average financial aid package $27,982*
Average need-based grant $22,754*
Average need-based loan $3,378*
Admissions **
Selectivity most selective*
Acceptance rate 29%*
Number of applicants 6,314*
Average high school GPA 3.7*
SAT/ACT (25/75 percentile) 1340-1450*
Student Satisfaction **
Freshman retention rate 95%*
Alumni giving rate 39%*
Students living off campus 5%*</p>
<p>More info on ** Vassar **</p>
<p>USNEWS Rank for Liberal Arts Colleges, 12
Overall score:85
Average freshman retention rate:95%
2006 graduation rate:-Predicted:87%
-Actual:91%
-Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-):+4
Faculty resources rank:13
Classes with under 20 students (2005):68%
Classes with 50 or more students (2005):1%
Student/faculty ratio (2005):9/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2005):97%
Student selectivity rank:16
Acceptance rate (2005):29%
Financial resources rank:7
Alumni giving rank:54
Average alumni giving rate (2005):39%
2005-2006 Admissions Statistics
Selectivity: Most Selective
Overall acceptance rate:29%
Early-decision acceptance rate: 42%
Early-action acceptance rate: N/A
Acceptance rate (excluding early-action and early-decision students):27% Applications, acceptances, enrolled
Total applicants: 6,314
Total acceptances: 1,803
Total freshman enrollment: 650
Proportion of freshman enrolled from early action and early decision: 38%
Male applicants: 1,947
Male acceptances:746
Male freshman enrollment: 273
Female applicants: 4,367
Female acceptances: 1,057
Female freshman enrollment: 377
Students that applied here may also have applied to:
Brown University, Columbia University, Wellesley College, Wesleyan University
Out-of-state freshmen: 78%
Qualified applicants offered a place on waiting list: 961
Applicants accepting a place on waiting list: 430
Students enrolled from waiting list: 36
Top 10 percent of high school class:67%
Top 25 percent of high school class: 94%
Top 50 percent of high school class: 100%
First-year students submitting high school class standing:68%
Average high school GPA:3.7
First-year students submitting GPA:95%
First-year students submitting SAT scores: 93%
SAT scores (25/75 percentile):
Verbal:680 730
Math: 660 720
Combined: 1340 1450</p>
<p>QuickFacts
Student-to-faculty ratio: 9/1
Classes with fewer than 20 students:68%
Number of faculty:277 full time, 29 part time
Academic calendar: Semester
Full-time faculty vs. Part-time faculty </p>
<p>Instructional faculty:277 full time, 29 part time
men:54% full time, 38% part time
women:46% full time, 62% part time
minorities:15% full time, 17% part time
international:4% full time, 3% part time
Percent of full-time instructional faculty who have earned a Ph.D. or other terminal degree:92%
Student-to-faculty ratio:9/1
Percent of class sections taught by graduate teaching assistants:0%</p>
<p>2006-2007 Expenses
Tuition and fees:$36,030
Room/board:$8,130
Minimum credits/courses per term a student can take for the full-time tuition price:12
Maximum credits/courses per term a student can take for the full-time tuition price: 18
Per-credit-hour or per-course charges:$1,390
Books and supplies: $860
Transportation: $400
Personal expenses: $1,050
Average total indebtedness of 2005 graduating class: $19,038
Percent of 2005 graduating class who have borrowed: 56%
Percent of undergraduate students receiving Pell grants:11%</p>
<p>a totally subjective answer here...we visited both. My D loved Vassar's campus but thought the kids were more funky and artsy than she liked. She seriously considered attending Conn Coll, applied and got in. Loved the campus on the water, the kids were nice but the class she sat in didn't feel as challenging as her AP history class and she wanted to major in history. The prof/class she sat in was supposed to be a wonderful class....most East coast schools have a degree of prep to them</p>
<h1>More info on Connecticut College</h1>
<p>U.S. News ranking:Liberal Arts Colleges, 39
Overall score:70
Average freshman retention rate:91%
2006 graduation rate:-Predicted:83%
-Actual:87%
-Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-):+4
Faculty resources rank:85
Classes with under 20 students (2005):65%
Classes with 50 or more students (2005):2%
Student/faculty ratio (2005):10/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2005):86%
Student selectivity rank:35
Acceptance rate (2005):35%
Financial resources rank:37
Alumni giving rank:46
Average alumni giving rate (2005):41%
2005-2006 Admissions Statistics
Selectivity: More Selective
Overall acceptance rate:35%
Early-decision acceptance rate: 67%
Early-action acceptance rate: N/A
Acceptance rate (excluding early-action and early-decision students):33% Applications, acceptances, enrolled
Total applicants: 4,183
Total acceptances: 1,477
Total freshman enrollment: 492
Proportion of freshman enrolled from early action and early decision: 42%
Male applicants: 1,554
Male acceptances:570
Male freshman enrollment: 198
Female applicants: 2,629
Female acceptances: 907
Female freshman enrollment: 294
Students that applied here may also have applied to:
Brown University, Skidmore College, Tufts University, Vassar College, Wesleyan University
Out-of-state freshmen: 85%
Qualified applicants offered a place on waiting list: 1,061
Applicants accepting a place on waiting list: 403
Students enrolled from waiting list: 80
2005-2006 Freshman Class Profile
Class rank (top 10, 25, 50)
Top 10 percent of high school class:54%
Top 25 percent of high school class: 83%
Top 50 percent of high school class: 99%
First-year students submitting high school class standing:36%
Average high school GPA:N/A
First-year students submitting GPA:N/A
First-year students submitting SAT scores: 52%
SAT scores (25/75 percentile):
Verbal:630 700
Math: 620 690
Combined: 1250 1390
Full-time faculty vs. Part-time faculty
Instructional faculty:162 full time, 80 part time
men:59% full time, 53% part time
women:41% full time, 48% part time
minorities:15% full time, 13% part time
international:12% full time, 6% part time
Percent of full-time instructional faculty who have earned a Ph.D. or other terminal degree:91%
Student-to-faculty ratio:10/1
Percent of class sections taught by graduate teaching assistants:0%
QuickFacts
Student-to-faculty ratio: 10/1
Classes with fewer than 20 students:65%
Number of faculty:162 full time, 80 part time</p>
<p>Faculty Full-time faculty vs. Part-time faculty
Instructional faculty:162 full time, 80 part time
men:59% full time, 53% part time
women:41% full time, 48% part time
minorities:15% full time, 13% part time
international:12% full time, 6% part time
Percent of full-time instructional faculty who have earned a Ph.D. or other terminal degree:91%
Student-to-faculty ratio:10/1
Percent of class sections taught by graduate teaching assistants:0%
2006-2007 Expenses
Tuition and fees:N/A
Room/board:N/A
Minimum credits/courses per term a student can take for the full-time tuition price:12
Maximum credits/courses per term a student can take for the full-time tuition price: 16
Per-credit-hour or per-course charges:N/A
Books and supplies: N/A
Transportation: N/A
Personal expenses: N/A
Average total indebtedness of 2005 graduating class: $22,542
Percent of 2005 graduating class who have borrowed: 44%
Percent of undergraduate students receiving Pell grants:9%</p>
<p>I realize the informaion (that I posted above) is only statistics/numbes, not hands-on, been there, information. But i figure information is information. For us, when my son chose his college, the more information with which to base a decision, the better.</p>
<p>conn would be a great match for your daughter. in reality, the preppy students make up a minority of the student body. students are extremely friendly and welcoming of all, and pride themselves on the sense of community around campus.</p>
<p>conn also has some very neat interdisciplinary programs involving environmental studies and international studies</p>
<p>Son is a freshman at Vassar. It is not at all preppy and from what I've seen thus far, not ultra-artsy either. We found their financial aid to be quite good. I don't think Vassar is necessarily a reach if your daughter has good writing skills (she has to submit a graded paper) and decent ECs.<br>
PM me if you have any specific questions about the school.</p>
<p>Both schools like major interest - visiting is big! Try to get there at both - will make a difference. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>True.</p>
<p>Here's the Vassar Class of 2010 Profile:</p>