Are the NESCACs worth the money?

[Anonymous]

I hear great things, but thought I would come to the font of all knowledge, for all things education in the USA.

[Anonymous]

Depends. How much money do you have?

[Anonymous]

If you have plenty of money sure.
If you have to take out loans, nope.
- signed NESCAC alum.

[Anonymous]

My wife and I both graduated nescacs and our two children graduated ivies and my impression is that nescacs deliver a far superior undergrad experience. Abundant opportunities to work with professors on research and loads of mentorship. Go visit and decide for yourself. I wouldn’t bankrupt myself for the opportunity but attending a NESCAC is a special experienc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My wife and I both graduated nescacs and our two children graduated ivies and my impression is that nescacs deliver a far superior undergrad experience. Abundant opportunities to work with professors on research and loads of mentorship. Go visit and decide for yourself. I wouldn’t bankrupt myself for the opportunity but attending a NESCAC is a special experienc.

LOL, ok.

[Anonymous]

NECSAC is an athletic conference of 11 schools of differing levels of excellence. The best NECSAC schools offer some of the best undergraduate education in the US. Let's momentarily set aside the USNWR ranking that stupidly splits universities and colleges into two lists, and temporarily ignore the ill-informed chatter of its DCUM groupies. The (better) WSJ ranking system places the top six NESCAC schools (Amherst, Williams, Tufts, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Wesleyan) among the top 50 in the nation. The others NECSACs aren't quite as highly ranked, with Trinity (104) and Connecticut (109) although fine bringing up the rear.

Obviously for NECSAC -- just as for Ivy or Big Ten or State U -- the finances have to work (and if $ is a concern, you'll probably want to major in something a little more marketable than say gender studies). But it's not like a NECSAC education is a lesser product that's only attractive at a discounted rate. That one even feels the need to explain that about extraordinary colleges like Williams or Amherst is just further evidence of the general uselessness of DCUM's received wisdom.

The best NECSAC schools will be (well-) known to employers, and grad schools. They may not be as well known to your father's second cousin or your grandmother's neighbor back in the old country, though, so if impressing them is a top priority and determinant of "worth the money," better to go to some huge university where a few professors have Nobel prizes and you need binoculars to see from the back of the lecture hall.

[Anonymous]

Econ majors at the top half of schools (Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Colby, etc.) have strong connections to Wall Street compared to comparable schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My wife and I both graduated nescacs and our two children graduated ivies and my impression is that nescacs deliver a far superior undergrad experience. Abundant opportunities to work with professors on research and loads of mentorship. Go visit and decide for yourself. I wouldn’t bankrupt myself for the opportunity but attending a NESCAC is a special experienc.

Would like to know to which schools you are referring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NECSAC is an athletic conference of 11 schools of differing levels of excellence. The best NECSAC schools offer some of the best undergraduate education in the US. Let's momentarily set aside the USNWR ranking that stupidly splits universities and colleges into two lists, and temporarily ignore the ill-informed chatter of its DCUM groupies. The (better) WSJ ranking system places the top six NESCAC schools (Amherst, Williams, Tufts, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Wesleyan) among the top 50 in the nation. The others NECSACs aren't quite as highly ranked, with Trinity (104) and Connecticut (109) although fine bringing up the rear.

Obviously for NECSAC -- just as for Ivy or Big Ten or State U -- the finances have to work (and if $ is a concern, you'll probably want to major in something a little more marketable than say gender studies). But it's not like a NECSAC education is a lesser product that's only attractive at a discounted rate. That one even feels the need to explain that about extraordinary colleges like Williams or Amherst is just further evidence of the general uselessness of DCUM's received wisdom.

The best NECSAC schools will be (well-) known to employers, and grad schools. They may not be as well known to your father's second cousin or your grandmother's neighbor back in the old country, though, so if impressing them is a top priority and determinant of "worth the money," better to go to some huge university where a few professors have Nobel prizes and you need binoculars to see from the back of the lecture hall.

+1

For a similar and less expensive experience, consider other LACs such as e.g. Oberlin, Grinnell, Denison, College of Wooster, Allegheny.

~NESCAC alum whose DCs had better experiences at other non-NESCAC LACs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NECSAC is an athletic conference of 11 schools of differing levels of excellence. The best NECSAC schools offer some of the best undergraduate education in the US. Let's momentarily set aside the USNWR ranking that stupidly splits universities and colleges into two lists, and temporarily ignore the ill-informed chatter of its DCUM groupies. The (better) WSJ ranking system places the top six NESCAC schools (Amherst, Williams, Tufts, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Wesleyan) among the top 50 in the nation. The others NECSACs aren't quite as highly ranked, with Trinity (104) and Connecticut (109) although fine bringing up the rear.

Obviously for NECSAC -- just as for Ivy or Big Ten or State U -- the finances have to work (and if $ is a concern, you'll probably want to major in something a little more marketable than say gender studies). But it's not like a NECSAC education is a lesser product that's only attractive at a discounted rate. That one even feels the need to explain that about extraordinary colleges like Williams or Amherst is just further evidence of the general uselessness of DCUM's received wisdom.

The best NECSAC schools will be (well-) known to employers, and grad schools. They may not be as well known to your father's second cousin or your grandmother's neighbor back in the old country, though, so if impressing them is a top priority and determinant of "worth the money," better to go to some huge university where a few professors have Nobel prizes and you need binoculars to see from the back of the lecture hall.

+1

For a similar and less expensive experience, consider other LACs such as e.g. Oberlin, Grinnell, Denison, College of Wooster, Allegheny.

~NESCAC alum whose DCs had better experiences at other non-NESCAC LACs

What’s with the bizarre Wall Street ranking plug?

Its mention, though, smacks of a good litmus test: if you are the type of person/family who thinks going to #23 Williams on that there ranking is even close to equivalent to going to, say, #19 Emory, do not — and I repeat do not — go the NESCAC route. It is just not for you. No need to discuss it or debate it further.

If, however, you are of the ilk who think Williams is superior to Emory, so much so that even comparing the two is silly (let alone ranking Williams lower), then the NESCAC’s, even the lower NESCAC’s, are indeed for you. This isn’t really a discussion issue: these are two different types of people. You know who you are, and that won’t change.

In the off chance you do not know who you are, and think this merits further discussion, my advice is not to bother: do not go the NESCAC route. So-called national universities are the default group now; enjoy your default status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NECSAC is an athletic conference of 11 schools of differing levels of excellence. The best NECSAC schools offer some of the best undergraduate education in the US. Let's momentarily set aside the USNWR ranking that stupidly splits universities and colleges into two lists, and temporarily ignore the ill-informed chatter of its DCUM groupies. The (better) WSJ ranking system places the top six NESCAC schools (Amherst, Williams, Tufts, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Wesleyan) among the top 50 in the nation. The others NECSACs aren't quite as highly ranked, with Trinity (104) and Connecticut (109) although fine bringing up the rear.

Obviously for NECSAC -- just as for Ivy or Big Ten or State U -- the finances have to work (and if $ is a concern, you'll probably want to major in something a little more marketable than say gender studies). But it's not like a NECSAC education is a lesser product that's only attractive at a discounted rate. That one even feels the need to explain that about extraordinary colleges like Williams or Amherst is just further evidence of the general uselessness of DCUM's received wisdom.

The best NECSAC schools will be (well-) known to employers, and grad schools. They may not be as well known to your father's second cousin or your grandmother's neighbor back in the old country, though, so if impressing them is a top priority and determinant of "worth the money," better to go to some huge university where a few professors have Nobel prizes and you need binoculars to see from the back of the lecture hall.

Ha!

[Anonymous]

NO

[Anonymous]

The same as private high schools- if you have the money yes, if you don't, no

[Anonymous]

As a parent of two, one at a liberal arts college that is part of NESCAC, and one who is at a larger top 20 USNWR national university, I believe that both have their advantages and disadvantages. It comes down to fit. For example, the LAC kid is slightly more quiet, dislikes the idea of Greek life, enjoys smaller classes with direct interactions with the professors (including working in a lab with these professors). The other is an engineering major and enjoys the larger course selection and cutting edge research with NIH funding. If they were to switch schools, I believe they would both be unhappy. So again, fit is important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My wife and I both graduated nescacs and our two children graduated ivies and my impression is that nescacs deliver a far superior undergrad experience. Abundant opportunities to work with professors on research and loads of mentorship. Go visit and decide for yourself. I wouldn’t bankrupt myself for the opportunity but attending a NESCAC is a special experienc.

Keep in mind that Conn College gives a substantial portion of students merit aid (it is the only one, though). Also, if you qualify for any financial aid at Williams, the student contribution includes no summer earnings whatsoever. And no work-study during the academic year, even. I believe they are the only school in the country that does this. Your kid won’t need to earn a dime during the summer or the academic year, for that matter, and can focus on academics alone. For anyone who has done work-study in college, you know this is absolutely huge. Hope other elite schools follow Williams’ lead here...