Which of the T20 schools have the least driven, intense, goal-oriented students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know what school this is so I can tell my DS. He is hooked and in contention for many t20s (4.0, valedictorian probably, 1580, great ECs), but I know he also wants to have fun in college. He's already taken UChicago off his list because he has not heard great things about the social atmosphere there. Any other ones he should avoid?

Hooked how?

Legacy

[Anonymous]

Surprised to read that Notre Dame's transfer acceptance rate is 43%.

U Chicago = 21%.

Northwestern = 15%.

University of Virginia = 40%.

U Penn = 8%.

WashUStL = 26%.

UNC = 45%.

BU = 54%.

William & Mary = 60%.

Georgetown = 14%.

Tufts = 28%.

USC = 27%.

Scripps College is very social = 25%.

[Anonymous]

We - I mean parents and their generation - have made college about ROI and jobs. So, our kids followed our lead. Now, the same parents wonder why their kids aren’t intellectually curious. Time to look in the mirror.

[Anonymous]

Some of those transfer rates are outdated. Check the common data sets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is clear all the angry bitter adults attacking OPs teenager in this thread aren’t on T20 campuses now, because if they were, they would know that there is deep concern among the faculty about precisely what OPs child is reporting.

OP, I suggest your child find a faculty mentor to talk with. She isn’t alone in her concerns, but transferring might not be the answer either. The faculty is very familiar with the problem she’s identified and will be a resource for her. It may take a few tries, but I would counsel her to talk to her professors.

oh geez. how is an adult supposed to help a college freshman learn to socialize? ffs. so much helplessness. maybe this kid needs to come home and go to community college.

I mean you are the one calling a teenager you don’t know names. Maybe you aren’t really best positioned to speculate about adults who know how to help their students. It doesn’t seem to be a skill set you’d have.

Um it’s actually OP calling an entire school of teenagers “grinds” and “Tracy Flicks.”

I never called OP’s child any names. I just think it’s important to own your choices & circumstances & preferences and not blame others.

OP used the parenthetical phrase "holds nose" in addition to calling other students "grinds" and "Tracy Flicks"--which comes across as very juvenile. Plus, OP is unable to articulate the issue well.

.

“Holds nose” parenthetically address “top credentials.” Saying your kid has top credentials would seem important to ward off the ppl who say the kid is dumb/underserving. That didnt work. Holding nose was a shorthand way to acknowledge that it’s problematic to assign ranking to a teen’s resume

Can’t win with the stressed parents of DCUM

Academics are not the problem. Where did the other academically advanced kids that she likes socially decide to enroll? Look there.

I’m OP. I’ll answer this ^^. Yale, Chicago, swarthmore, Brown, Yale, Georgetown.

That is my kid’s high school actual friend group (vs random kids in graduation class).

Can't believe this list would have wildly different vibe at one vs the other but she should apply to all and go visit her friends where she gets in.

Unless they have the same complaint as OP, presumably they have found a group for some social time and she can see what she thinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprised to read that Notre Dame's transfer acceptance rate is 43%.

U Chicago = 21%.

Northwestern = 15%.

University of Virginia = 40%.

U Penn = 8%.

WashUStL = 26%.

UNC = 45%.

BU = 54%.

William & Mary = 60%.

Georgetown = 14%.

Tufts = 28%.

USC = 27%.

Scripps College is very social = 25%.

A number of publics have guaranteed admissions for transfers that meet criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of those transfer rates are outdated. Check the common data sets.

Yes, they could be as much as 2 years old. I used a published source for the data "College Transitions 2023 edition".

I am not going to research CDS for one who is unwilling to disclose pertinent information as it would likely be an exercise in futility.

[Anonymous]

DC is a first year at Brown. Very, very smart and reasonably social kids. School tends to attract authentically intellectually curious types. Quirky in a good way types. Brown is more STEM focused (at > 50%) than it was even 10 years ago. Pragmatically pre-professional. Strong pipeline to Silicon Valley, which surprises people with an 80s and 90s frame of reference. Rigor and great professors without taking itself too seriously. Lots of late night “why are we here” and “is there any true altruism” discussions. Hip, chic social vibe which is right for DC but may not be for everyone. Most refreshing aspect of kids I’ve met via DC is that they generally are not box checker types and a large portion deliberately chose Brown via ED (over other top schools) even if they were deferred ED but admitted RD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surprised to read that Notre Dame's transfer acceptance rate is 43%.

U Chicago = 21%.

Northwestern = 15%.

University of Virginia = 40%.

U Penn = 8%.

WashUStL = 26%.

UNC = 45%.

BU = 54%.

William & Mary = 60%.

Georgetown = 14%.

Tufts = 28%.

USC = 27%.

Scripps College is very social = 25%.

A number of publics have guaranteed admissions for transfers that meet criteria.

+1. UVA and WM don’t surprise me. For financial reasons, and because admission as freshman is so hard, lots of kids do the 2 years of community college route, which is guaranteed admission at a certain GPA. UNC probably has something similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carleton

OP said T20.

Idiotic and ignorant. Carleton is a top 10 SLAC, but you’re clueless about any college that’s not a national university.

Amherst, Williams, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Barnard, Wellesley, Swarthmore, Middlebury, Harvey Mudd, Grinnell, Bowdoin and many others come before it on top SLAC lists but yes its a good SLAC, however never ranked on ANY T20 list.

+1
Carleton is not a school most people have ever heard of. PP sounds triggered.

A person who’s never heard of Carleton—or Swarthmore, Amherst, Williams, etc.—tells me that that they and/or their parents weren’t privy to certain elite circles. Truth.

Ok, snob. Sure, among certain circles, Carleton is known. Not among the general populace. And notice, I was not referring to Swarthmore, Amherst, Williams, etc. Though those are definitely better known, but again, only among a certain set. Which is not 95% of the population. Truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carleton

OP said T20.

Idiotic and ignorant. Carleton is a top 10 SLAC, but you’re clueless about any college that’s not a national university.

Amherst, Williams, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Barnard, Wellesley, Swarthmore, Middlebury, Harvey Mudd, Grinnell, Bowdoin and many others come before it on top SLAC lists but yes its a good SLAC, however never ranked on ANY T20 list.

In the current US News National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking, Carleton is tied for #6.

1. Williams
2. Amherst
3. Pomona
4. Swarthmore
5. Wellesley
6. Bowdoin, Carleton, US Naval Academy

Claremont McKenna is tied for 9th, Middlebury for 11th, Grinnell for 15th, Barnard for 18th, Harvey Mudd for 29th. Perhaps the PP who said it is "never ranked on ANY T20 list" prefers a different ranking system, but US News isn't exactly obscure.

It is also listed as #1 for Undergraduate Teaching for National Liberal Arts Colleges by US News.

The fact that it flies under the radar ("a school most people have ever heard of") actually supports its place in this discussion. And while its physical location is lovely, some people write it off because it is located in Minnesota. Ultimately, students aren't there because they think people will be impressed by the name on the diploma. Instead, it fits a lot of what OP was looking for, a place with students with "top credentials that would nonetheless have a lot of fun kids who don't take themselves seriously."

Ah, we have a Carleton booster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me think l hope my kid chooses to go to school in Canada, where I’m from originally. Much easier to get into a great school, and pretty much everyone has a great time. Not a pressure cooker. (I hope it’s still like that!!)

Working hard at a academic pursuits is a great time for some of these students. Some of them like it. They are are finally in an environment where being a nerd is an asset instead of a liability.

This. I’m having a hard time with this thread. College is supposed to be for studying. OP seems to want the “top credentials” for their kid, with none of the effort.

OP I’m sure your kid can find an easy major and the stoner crowd, and enjoy some Gentleman’s Cs.

“Stoner crowd”? That’s what you think of kids who are able to enjoy themselves while also attending excellent schools? Okaaaay…
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is a first year at Brown. Very, very smart and reasonably social kids. School tends to attract authentically intellectually curious types. Quirky in a good way types. Brown is more STEM focused (at > 50%) than it was even 10 years ago. Pragmatically pre-professional. Strong pipeline to Silicon Valley, which surprises people with an 80s and 90s frame of reference. Rigor and great professors without taking itself too seriously. Lots of late night “why are we here” and “is there any true altruism” discussions. Hip, chic social vibe which is right for DC but may not be for everyone. Most refreshing aspect of kids I’ve met via DC is that they generally are not box checker types and a large portion deliberately chose Brown via ED (over other top schools) even if they were deferred ED but admitted RD.

I know some current Brown students that are disappointed with the social life. This kinda explains why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carleton

OP said T20.

Idiotic and ignorant. Carleton is a top 10 SLAC, but you’re clueless about any college that’s not a national university.

Amherst, Williams, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Barnard, Wellesley, Swarthmore, Middlebury, Harvey Mudd, Grinnell, Bowdoin and many others come before it on top SLAC lists but yes its a good SLAC, however never ranked on ANY T20 list.

In the current US News National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking, Carleton is tied for #6.

1. Williams
2. Amherst
3. Pomona
4. Swarthmore
5. Wellesley
6. Bowdoin, Carleton, US Naval Academy

Claremont McKenna is tied for 9th, Middlebury for 11th, Grinnell for 15th, Barnard for 18th, Harvey Mudd for 29th. Perhaps the PP who said it is "never ranked on ANY T20 list" prefers a different ranking system, but US News isn't exactly obscure.

It is also listed as #1 for Undergraduate Teaching for National Liberal Arts Colleges by US News.

The fact that it flies under the radar ("a school most people have ever heard of") actually supports its place in this discussion. And while its physical location is lovely, some people write it off because it is located in Minnesota. Ultimately, students aren't there because they think people will be impressed by the name on the diploma. Instead, it fits a lot of what OP was looking for, a place with students with "top credentials that would nonetheless have a lot of fun kids who don't take themselves seriously."

Most people don’t consider the top 20 SLAC list topic schools. I mean Colby, a top 20? Come on.

+1
It’s just silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is a first year at Brown. Very, very smart and reasonably social kids. School tends to attract authentically intellectually curious types. Quirky in a good way types. Brown is more STEM focused (at > 50%) than it was even 10 years ago. Pragmatically pre-professional. Strong pipeline to Silicon Valley, which surprises people with an 80s and 90s frame of reference. Rigor and great professors without taking itself too seriously. Lots of late night “why are we here” and “is there any true altruism” discussions. Hip, chic social vibe which is right for DC but may not be for everyone. Most refreshing aspect of kids I’ve met via DC is that they generally are not box checker types and a large portion deliberately chose Brown via ED (over other top schools) even if they were deferred ED but admitted RD.

I know some current Brown students that are disappointed with the social life. This kinda explains why.

How so? How are they disappointed with the social life? What were they expecting and what are they actually experiencing? Genuine question.