Hi,
I’m posting on here because I don’t know where I should even think about attending school. I do have a list, but it seems that everyone around me has ‘a #1’ and I’m trying to get that.
Currently, I’m considering the following: Middlebury, Bates, Connecticut College, Amherst, Williams, Hamilton, Bowdoin, Swarthmore, Tufts, Haverford, Yale, University of Massachusetts @ Amherst (Honors Program?).
My grades and test scores are great so that’s not an issue or something I’m really even thinking about right now: I am just trying to see where I would logistically fit at college. I don’t want to mess this up because I know a few high school friends that are transferring and I do not think I will want to go through the college selection process again. My general vibe is a bit preppy but relaxed. I come from an upper-class community. I’m smart, I’m into STEM, I like being involved on campus but not too involved. I like a campus that is vivacious and connected. I don’t want anywhere too cliquey.
I think what I’m looking for is a LAC in New England/Northeast. Vassar is off the list because I’ve heard it’s nauseatingly ultraliberal and actively shames students not on financial aid. I want somewhere with a strong sense of community and identity, where it’s a campus-wide thing to go to sports games and events, where there’s a bit of competition to keep me interested and working on coursework.
If you have any schools that you would recommend to me that aren’t on my list, that’s welcome as well. It would help the most if when you answer, you say the #1 school you could see me at.
You have wonderful schools on your list. I know kids who have gone to them and really enjoyed their experiences there. I’d look for some early action schools or rolling so that you have one in the bag before year end. It can be so relaxing when that’s the case. Unassuming is early but it’s hardly a LAC. Maybe Ithaca, Wheaton, WPI,Clark, one of the numerous Catholic schools that jhave EA. Not too many up your way, but if you open it up to PA and MD, southern NY, you get schools like Susquehanna, StMarys, Goucher, Hofstra.
Not hugely important, but Have you thought about location? Or visited the schools? I’m transferring out of my school, and for me, one of the issues was the location, and the “culture” of the area. Although the towns or surrounding areas may seem to be similar on paper…amherst, ma feels really different than Brunswick for example.
@laracroft12 I genuinely haven’t thought about area too much. I kind of want the campus to be enough for me to be sufficient but then, yes, have the town around be accessible. I’ve heard from my friends that ‘bubbles’ exist on their campuses and they actively try to get off campus/out of the bubble. Distance from home isn’t an issue and I think all I really would want is close proximity to stores where I could buy the essentials for life at school and if not there then Amazon.
I’d imagine they will be less important to you than academics, but you mentioned sports. Some of your listed schools play in varsity football and ice hockey conferences, for example, while others offer fewer team sports. Do you have preferences along these lines?
This is a good list. You obviously have done your research since you have picked Yale among these LACs. Have you considered Princeton and Dartmouth? These have more of a reputation for being cliquey, but I am unsure how much truth there is to this. All are great
@merc81 Yes, I don’t intend on being on a sports team so they’d definitely be of less importance to me than academics. I don’t really mind what division the sports are in, just that the school appreciates the sports teams, I guess, and that the student body unites to support them. Stuff like that.
@ccballer I will add those to the list! I’ve obviously heard of them before but I guess I just didn’t look into them as much as the others.
As of right now, I’m leaning a bit towards Middlebury, but remain uncertain altogether. All help is appreciated!!
As an opinion, I think you’d benefit from visiting Amherst, Hamilton and Bowdoin. I think you’d see a diversity of elements across these three schools through which your other choices could then be compared.
I’d consider adding Colgate to your list especially if you are already planning on visiting Hamilton. Colgate has many of the qualities you desire with successful soccer, hockey, football and basketball teams.
I have sons at Colgate and Vassar. We have not encountered the attitude you mention at Vassar. Students there are warm and accepting. Nevertheless, it appears you have many other options which would be better fits for you. Colgate is definitely worth consideration.
@JXK239 Just a word of advice, I would not be seeking a #1, unless you are looking for an ED option. In that case, visit campus, be clear that it’s your genuine first choice, and make sure your parents are on-board to pay for it. Bear in mind, admissions are capricious, even for high-stats, full-pay applicants. Every year, many students on CC report being denied by their dream school when their stats conformed to the admitted applicant pool. There simply aren’t enough spaces for all of the qualified applicants. You should be thinking of many dream schools, not just one. Among them should be admissions matches and safeties. Aside from U Mass, I don’t see any non-reaches on your list and I agree with @Mwfan1921, honors is by no means assured for anybody. Maybe take a look at Quinnipiac potentially as a safer admit?
As for a #1, based on your description, I thought of Bowdoin first and then Williams, Connecticut College, and Amherst. If you think Vassar is overly liberal, Swarthmore as equally if not more so. Maybe reconsider. Also, while Vassar does lean left (as is the case at many LACs), I have never heard that full-pay students are treated with disdain at Vassar. There are probably in the majority, otherwise how would Vassar continue to function economically?
Even with the best academics, most of these schools are hard to get into without a hook (athlete, URM, Legacy, etc.). The one hook that is available to everyone is applying EA/ED (if your financial situation allows it), so consider trying to narrow down to one or two and apply early. Middlebury in particular seems to give a large boost to its ED applicants. Also, check out the male-female applicant ratios on the respective college data sets. Some of these schools (Connecticut College, for instance) are a more difficult acceptance for women than for men.
@Mwfan1921 I do need to get rolling with college searches, I know for a fact we have a huge trek starting in Maine and working our way down the coast planned. Thank you!
@mamaedefamilia Thank you for all of that advice. I will definitely be looking to consider schools with higher acceptance rates. And, as for the Vassar thing, the word on the street is that they really aren’t functioning economically … their last president apparently was determined on giving out too much financial aid and the new one is attempting to dial it back (quietly so). Apparently, kids have been fighting the financial aid office off the hook to attempt to get what they need on a weekly/monthly basis. There also was apparently a visit from a man at one point who has been responsible for saving other smaller colleges on the brink of financial collapse. This is just what I’ve heard from friends on campus, ones that even work with admissions and with people in administrative offices.
Since you’re concerned about the prospect of having to consider a future transfer, you might appreciate the fact that students from Bowdoin, Amherst and Hamilton are highly likely to stay at their schools and graduate within four years.
I really disagree with @Mwfan1921 about Colgate. It is a magical school which really has its act together. You should check it out and decide for yourself.
