Yep, concur with everything @Waiting2exhale said. I’m kind of an Ultimate fanatic, so there’s another reason Carleton holds a special place in my heart.
The thing that struck me about the student body at Carleton is the students seemed very happy and friendly. Random smiles, greetings, offers of help, etc. They call it “Minnesota nice”, and it seems to be a real thing. There’s also a subtle quality that makes it feel just a little different than its Northeast brethren…not sure what to call it… earthiness? Relaxedness? Lack of pretension? Maybe it’s the higher percentage of public school kids, or more midwesterners? D went to a New England prep school and never felt truly comfortable there. She did two overnights at Carleton (one in the fall and again during accepted students days when she was agonizing over her final three choices) and felt totally at home.
As far as other schools we’ve visited, like I said, it’s a long list. The truth is, I liked virtually all of them. Considering just LACs D applied to, we saw Williams, Middlebury, Bowdoin and Carleton, and there wasn’t a bad apple in the bunch. She probably would have thrived at any of them. We went to Davidson, too, and like @warblersrule said, it seemed like a terrific school. Mainly got crossed off the list because the only dance studio was in the the basement of the gym and had no windows (sometimes it’s the little things…)
Just in the Minnesota/Iowa area, we also saw Macalester, St. Olaf and Grinnell. Liked all of them, too! For both of my kids, it’s helped to have a few specific areas of interest where they were looking for strength, because, otherwise, it’s awfully hard to narrow down the field. There’s a lot of great schools out there.
Quiz Bowl is big at Carleton (for a LAC). They sponsor a big HS tournament there every year. I always looked forward to taking D2 and her team every year.
Wow, thank you all SO much for all this info! It’s really helping me in my process of narrowing down the list of school I am applying to (mainly because I can’t visit them all)!
D1 is a freshman at Middlebury and absolutely loving her first few months; other schools that topped her list where she would have been very happy to attend were Bowdoin, Colorado College, and Bates. There is an endless list of amazing schools out there!
If you’re curious to know more about LACs - what helped me most was talking with my friends at those colleges. Also I went to the College Peek page, where I got to talk to people over Skype about the colleges they go to. I think they still have free trials, available, so try that out! Good luck on the application! Btw anyone know any additional information about Pomona? Like some insider info about/page about that uni??? Thanks!
Pomona is proud of its historic architecture. That whole region of Southern California finds that its architecture pays great homage to the more historic buildings, with their grand court yards and fountains, of stately Mexico. It is a great looking place.
The town had a quiet feel to it, though I don’t remember what was said about the relationship of the college to those who live in the town. That can be a significant factor for those who plan to live and play there during their time as an undergraduate.
The kids at Pomona are smart, and aware of that, but do not “hype” it.
You’re about an hour and a half away from the ocean and the train which runs up and down the coast, but the students take jaunts over when they know they have the time to decompress.
Middlebury gets my vote (surprise!). The campus is breathtaking, and its location in rural Vermont adds to its charm (although I realize this setting isn’t for everyone). It has a larger student body that most other NESCACs, which in my opinion is an asset considering the rural setting. The facilities (particularly academic and recreational) are first-rate–among the best of any college I’ve visited (and I’m seen most of the eastern LACs).
But what really separates Middlebury from the pack is its focus on internationalism. The college looks outward at the larger world beyond the hills of western Vermont, and that is reinforced through many of the college’s programs. The recent acquisition of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies gives the college a strong West Coast presence, and the C.V. Starr-Middlebury School Abroad in 16 countries adds to the international dynamic.
@arcadia, I’ll add that of all the campuses we visited, I personally thought Middlebury’s may have been the very prettiest, and their facilities are nothing short of spectacular (“Wow – Look at this science center! Dang, this library is gorgeous! How 'bout that Center for the Arts!” It was like that the whole visit).
Another school that really wears its citizens-of-the-world, global focus on its sleeve is Macalester, so if that’s your bag, definitely check out both of those schools.
Wikipedia says it’s the second oldest LAC on the West Coast. After a little research, I think first prize goes to Whitman College, in Walla Walla WA, which became a four year college in 1883 (Interestingly, Pomona, Occidental, and Whittier all clocked in at 1887 .)
Occidental is primarily known as the original alma mater of Barack Obama (after he was reportedly rejected by Swarthmore, but, before he transferred to Columbia.) It is one of the few LACs in the United States to be located within the actual city limits of a major metropolis. It has long been known for the racial and economic diversity of its student body. The bordering neighborhoods of Eagle Rock and Highland Park are two of Los Angeles’ many bedroom communities, not that different from Silver Lake or Pasadena: ethnically diverse, artsy, but not a major tourist destination. A lot of people back east confuse Occidental with one of the Claremont colleges, but, due primarily to its cosmopolitan locality it has an identity all its own.
I was going to hang up my pompoms as a Whitman cheerleader, my S graduated in '14, but the question is too good to pass up. Whitman College has a gorgeous campus in a very charming small city. Walla Walla isn’t big on night life, but has a cozy welcoming small town feel with great places to eat and hang out. The campus provides a million things to do and get involved with. It has very strong science and environmental programs, a great theater program, a phenomenal outdoor program, good Division 3 sports, high level debate and ultimate frisbee teams. At present Microsoft is helping them to design a new computer science program. The students I met and observed over 4 years of visits were very bright, energetic and friendly, and the school community was a tight knit supportive bunch. The academics are rigorous, yet most of the faculty are very helpful and accessible. The school always ranks in the top 20 Princeton Review lists of colleges with the best quality of life, best classroom experience, best teaching, etc; so it’s evident that the students are happy.
Thanks for the info @circuitrider ! It just seems to me that Occidental is nothing like a “typical” LAC so I don’t know how I feel about it. I don’t know if I should even apply there (although it would be considered a safety school for me).
Does anyone know what the community in the school is like?
My personal favorite is Harvey Mudd because I’m a big STEM guy The general engineering is also really intriguing because I have no idea what type of engineer I want to be. The Clinic program is also really really cool.
The general engineering is also really intriguing because I have no idea what type of engineer I want to be. The Clinic program is also really really cool.