Looking at both these schools. Looking for:
Which one is the better fit?
I certainly like St Mary’s — a hidden gem in my opinion. I don’t know if it will fit your limited party criteria, but most schools don’t these days (if you are female, have you looked at Mount Holyoke? It probably meets your criteria).
My D is very happy at St Mary’s. We visited Washington College but she was not interested in applying because she felt that it was too conservative and preppy. I know you can only learn so much from a school visit so your opinion might differ. St. Mary’s felt much more liberal and accepting to her and that has been her experience there as a student. She has a wide variety of friends and it seems like a very warm and inclusive school.
I’m not sure if it is important to you but St. Mary’s location right on the river is amazing. While Washington College is near a river, it is not the same as at St. Mary’s where it is a one minute walk to the beach and docks where you can sail, SUP, or kayak anytime. It is great for research and environmental studies as well. The river is the social heart of campus.
About partying, I don’t think you can avoid that completely at any school. Because there is no Greek life at St. Mary’s and it is such a tight-knit community, the students do throw occasional big, all-campus invited types of parties for Halloween, Mardi Gras etc. but it sounds like a more typical weekend night for my D involves watching a movie or hanging out by a campfire on the river.
I’ve been very impressed with the academics so far. My D has gotten to know a couple of her professors very well and found out about a great internship opportunity from one. They’ve added several new majors/minors this year including business. What major are you considering? I’d be glad to answer any other questions if I can.