Greater Name Recognition: Denison, Dickinson or F&M?

[Anonymous]

OP - I totally understand the importance of fit and that the rankings are BS, but I’m having a hard time giving up the notion that if a student’s family is going to pay so much money it’s better to spend it on a more well-known institution.

(Though it is a shame that in this country schools with good sports teams end up being much bigger brandnames with more cultural currency than colleges that actually focus on learning.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in NJ. These schools all have the same reputation as above average regional colleges attracting wealthy students from suburban towns while being nothing special. Lehigh unquestionably is in a different league recognition and reputation wise.

Bottom line is they are all fine and I absolutely would not pick any of them based on how well they're known. They're not well known and it doesn't matter that they're not.

Are you saying that Lehigh is better than the other 3? If so, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.

Np here, but yes, Lehigh is in a different tier than F&M, Dickinson, and Denison, and more than twice the size as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in NJ. These schools all have the same reputation as above average regional colleges attracting wealthy students from suburban towns while being nothing special. Lehigh unquestionably is in a different league recognition and reputation wise.

Bottom line is they are all fine and I absolutely would not pick any of them based on how well they're known. They're not well known and it doesn't matter that they're not.

Are you saying that Lehigh is better than the other 3? If so, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.

Np here, but yes, Lehigh is in a different tier than F&M, Dickinson, and Denison, and more than twice the size as well.

If you are the NJ poster, I am surprised at your response. Ime Lehigh, Lafayette and Bucknell are all thought of similarly in the NJ/NY area (with lots of cross-applications), although yes one can pinpoint differences among the 3 and that is why ultimately some kids prefer one to the others. Now that I live in DC, I have observed that down here people seem to think of Lehigh as a distinct animal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of regional name recognition with LACs. Meaning, I suspect F&M has more NYC area recognition and Denison has more in Chicago. Not sure about Dickinson.

- Westchester native and grad of a different LAC who considers F&M the strongest of the 3

The Westchester are sends a lot of kids to PA schools for some reason, so the PA schools are widely known there. My daughter is at Lehigh, which is widely known and respected throughout NY, NJ, and PA, but no one down here has heard of it past a vague mention of their uncle so and so who went there 50 years ago for Engineering.

I am the poster you are quoting and agree. LACs like F&M, Lafayette, Union, Lehigh (I realize Lehigh no longer markets itself as a LAC but I promise you most people in the tri state area group it with the colleges I am naming) etc are very well known and regarded there.

Lehigh has never been considered an LAC. It is a mid size research university, and often looked at by the same students who look at Bucknell
or NYU in the north and Wake Forest and Emory in the south. I am not saying it is ranked the same, but it appeals to the same sort of student that wants a smaller environment but solid research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in NJ. These schools all have the same reputation as above average regional colleges attracting wealthy students from suburban towns while being nothing special. Lehigh unquestionably is in a different league recognition and reputation wise.

Bottom line is they are all fine and I absolutely would not pick any of them based on how well they're known. They're not well known and it doesn't matter that they're not.

Are you saying that Lehigh is better than the other 3? If so, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.

Np here, but yes, Lehigh is in a different tier than F&M, Dickinson, and Denison, and more than twice the size as well.

If you are the NJ poster, I am surprised at your response. Ime Lehigh, Lafayette and Bucknell are all thought of similarly in the NJ/NY area (with lots of cross-applications), although yes one can pinpoint differences among the 3 and that is why ultimately some kids prefer one to the others. Now that I live in DC, I have observed that down here people seem to think of Lehigh as a distinct animal.

I am not the NJ poster, as I stated, but I agree that Lehigh, Lafayette, and Bucknell are similar. I disagree with the poster that mentioned F&M, Dickinson, and Denison in the same regard. Those or normally sought by recruited athletes, students who are drawn to that particular school for a certain reason, or as a backup plan. Students don’t usually love both (for example) Lehigh and Dickinson. They feel like two different planets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in NJ. These schools all have the same reputation as above average regional colleges attracting wealthy students from suburban towns while being nothing special. Lehigh unquestionably is in a different league recognition and reputation wise.

Bottom line is they are all fine and I absolutely would not pick any of them based on how well they're known. They're not well known and it doesn't matter that they're not.

Are you saying that Lehigh is better than the other 3? If so, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.

Np here, but yes, Lehigh is in a different tier than F&M, Dickinson, and Denison, and more than twice the size as well.

If you are the NJ poster, I am surprised at your response. Ime Lehigh, Lafayette and Bucknell are all thought of similarly in the NJ/NY area (with lots of cross-applications), although yes one can pinpoint differences among the 3 and that is why ultimately some kids prefer one to the others. Now that I live in DC, I have observed that down here people seem to think of Lehigh as a distinct animal.

I am not the NJ poster, as I stated, but I agree that Lehigh, Lafayette, and Bucknell are similar. I disagree with the poster that mentioned F&M, Dickinson, and Denison in the same regard. Those or normally sought by recruited athletes, students who are drawn to that particular school for a certain reason, or as a backup plan. Students don’t usually love both (for example) Lehigh and Dickinson. They feel like two different planets.

Some kids can be happy on any planet and are mostly focused on academic programs they are interested in pursuing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friend went to Dickinson and then was able to get into UVA Law.

Friend's son went to U of Alabama on a full merit scholarship and is starting at Harvard Law this fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - I totally understand the importance of fit and that the rankings are BS, but I’m having a hard time giving up the notion that if a student’s family is going to pay so much money it’s better to spend it on a more well-known institution.

(Though it is a shame that in this country schools with good sports teams end up being much bigger brandnames with more cultural currency than colleges that actually focus on learning.)

You value brand names. Other people do not.

FYI, both Denison and Dickinson give merit scholarships to strong students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of regional name recognition with LACs. Meaning, I suspect F&M has more NYC area recognition and Denison has more in Chicago. Not sure about Dickinson.

- Westchester native and grad of a different LAC who considers F&M the strongest of the 3

In terms of freshmen profile, you are wrong. All three are virtually identical, with Dickinson's freshmen SAT averages slightly weaker.

https://www.niche.com/colleges/compare/?type=college&colleges=denison-university-vs-franklin--and--marshall-college-vs-dickinson-college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's like asking which country is richer, Afghanistan or Zimbabwe?

at one time, that could be answered....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of regional name recognition with LACs. Meaning, I suspect F&M has more NYC area recognition and Denison has more in Chicago. Not sure about Dickinson.

- Westchester native and grad of a different LAC who considers F&M the strongest of the 3

Interesting - thanks for posting. Grew up in Midwest so had heard of and knew folks who went to Denison. F+M seems to have more DMV than NYC recognition (I've lived in both). Trying to get DS to look at Dickinson and F+M. Denison may be too Greek, country clubby for him, though OMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in NJ. These schools all have the same reputation as above average regional colleges attracting wealthy students from suburban towns while being nothing special. Lehigh unquestionably is in a different league recognition and reputation wise.

Bottom line is they are all fine and I absolutely would not pick any of them based on how well they're known. They're not well known and it doesn't matter that they're not.

Are you saying that Lehigh is better than the other 3? If so, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.

Np here, but yes, Lehigh is in a different tier than F&M, Dickinson, and Denison, and more than twice the size as well.

If you are the NJ poster, I am surprised at your response. Ime Lehigh, Lafayette and Bucknell are all thought of similarly in the NJ/NY area (with lots of cross-applications), although yes one can pinpoint differences among the 3 and that is why ultimately some kids prefer one to the others. Now that I live in DC, I have observed that down here people seem to think of Lehigh as a distinct animal.

Having lived in both NYC and DMV, think Lehigh has broken away a bit from the other two with perception that admissions are more selective. DK if they yield admit protect to pump that rep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friend went to Dickinson and then was able to get into UVA Law.

Dickinson has a reputation as a law school feeder in general. Pretty decent percentage of their alums are lawyers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Friend went to Dickinson and then was able to get into UVA Law.

Dickinson has a reputation as a law school feeder in general. Pretty decent percentage of their alums are lawyers.

Law school admissions is numbers driven. You need a high LSAT and a high GPA to be admitted to top schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of regional name recognition with LACs. Meaning, I suspect F&M has more NYC area recognition and Denison has more in Chicago. Not sure about Dickinson.

- Westchester native and grad of a different LAC who considers F&M the strongest of the 3

Interesting - thanks for posting. Grew up in Midwest so had heard of and knew folks who went to Denison. F+M seems to have more DMV than NYC recognition (I've lived in both). Trying to get DS to look at Dickinson and F+M. Denison may be too Greek, country clubby for him, though OMMV.

I know that was true 20 years ago, don't think it's so now. Denison has come a long way in recent years.