Why are LACs so popular now? What do you like about LACs?

[Anonymous]

Rich families like to feel special. More attention at a SLAC than a large state U.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rich families like to feel special. More attention at a SLAC than a large state U.

There’s a lot of range between Alabama and Amherst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’ll see a lot of talk of LACs on here, but most people don’t think about them (not a shot at LACs, they’re great, just unknown). Most students just want to go to their state school, which doesn’t require all the research people are putting into LACs. So, it may be unusual for those not familiar with LACs to see all this talk about them when they may not know anyone who has gone to one of these schools. They are popular with educated families on the east coast, which is the main demographic of DCUM.

Dcum isn’t really normal family discussion. It’s mostly elite schools only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rich families like to feel special. More attention at a SLAC than a large state U.

It's about the quality of the UG education. Some of us did not like being taught largely by TAs and are looking for a different educational experience for our kids. But because SLACs are small, we don't necessarily know alums or have a good sense of their particular cultures. We probably have all met any number of HYPS and large state U grads, and have a better sense of those institutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because a large percentage of students applying to LACs apply ED, so the time to decide whether this is the right type of school, and which school is the best fit for you, is right now. In the spring people will be debating the pros and cons of large schools that accept a lot of students in RD.

This cannot be more wrong. LACs are really small. The number of LACs is also much smaller than the number of national. Percentage wise, national universities have comparable % ED admits, with some schools even higher. Chicago, for one, has 70-80% ED admits.

I did not say a large % of students who apply ED, apply to LACs.

I said a large % of students who apply to LACs, apply ED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because a large percentage of students applying to LACs apply ED, so the time to decide whether this is the right type of school, and which school is the best fit for you, is right now. In the spring people will be debating the pros and cons of large schools that accept a lot of students in RD.

This cannot be more wrong. LACs are really small. The number of LACs is also much smaller than the number of national. Percentage wise, national universities have comparable % ED admits, with some schools even higher. Chicago, for one, has 70-80% ED admits.

I did not say a large % of students who apply ED, apply to LACs.

I said a large % of students who apply to LACs, apply ED.

Also incorrect.

[Anonymous]

I went to a highly-ranked LAC and a similarly highly-ranked law school (both USNWR T3). IME, the quality of teaching at my LAC was head and shoulders above my law school. 30-35 years out from graduation, I still have vivid memories of undergrad lectures, classroom discussions, and advice I received from profs. From law school? Not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bc the well-funded LACs won't be cutting budgets for student life, faculty, and everything in between for the next 4 years?

Just look at schools like Northwestern, Cornell, and Vanderbilt - the cuts will be enormous (as reported in their school newspapers). Endowment taxes, research cuts, DEI "fines" - all of it has to be covered by other funds or things get cut. Meanwhile, Amherst & Swat get a tax cut?

Every private college counselor out there is talking about the resurgence of top SLACs right now. If you aren't, you're missing something.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmawhitford/2025/07/05/these-26-rich-private-colleges-just-got-a-tax-cut-from-republicans/

Please link the articles that express this. While Vanderbilt will be hit hard by the endowment tax, neither Northwestern nor Cornell will be. However, all National Research universities may experience cutbacks in Federal grant research funds. So far, I do not believe that this has hit Northwestern, but NU might engage in some cutbacks as a fiscally prudent cautionary move.

The National Universities which will be hit by the endowment tax are:

Hardest Hit (subject to highest endowment tax) will be Princeton, Yale, & MIT.

Next hardest Hit will be: Stanford, Harvard, Notre Dame, Dartmouth, Rice, Vanderbilt, and the University of Richmond.

The final group of National Universities hit by the endowment tax will be: Emory, Duke, WashUStL, U Penn, & Brown.

Cornell & Northwestern will not be harmed by the endowment tax.

[Anonymous]

The cancellation of NSF and NIH grants are affecting every R1 university, definitely including Northwestern and Cornell.

Both schools have also been specifically targeted by the administration on top of that: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/us/politics/cornell-northwestern-university-funds-trump.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because a large percentage of students applying to LACs apply ED, so the time to decide whether this is the right type of school, and which school is the best fit for you, is right now. In the spring people will be debating the pros and cons of large schools that accept a lot of students in RD.

This cannot be more wrong. LACs are really small. The number of LACs is also much smaller than the number of national. Percentage wise, national universities have comparable % ED admits, with some schools even higher. Chicago, for one, has 70-80% ED admits.

I did not say a large % of students who apply ED, apply to LACs.

I said a large % of students who apply to LACs, apply ED.

Already pointed out that for you, also wrong. The % is comparable.

[Anonymous]

I feel like SLACs are less popular now, with kids wanting large state schools, southern schools, USC and Vandy type schools etc. It seems like only a small percentage of kids (including mine) are open to the 3000 and under campuses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't let DCUM be your gauge of what's actually happening in reality.

+1. The people here are neurotic and LACs, with their small sizes and hand holding, provide a feeling of safety.

[Anonymous]

Davidson and Holy Cross are poupular in our full pay suburb. Happy students with strong alumni networks. Met a few parents whose rising senior kids have already secured permanent job offers for class of 2026 for Holy Cross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like SLACs are less popular now, with kids wanting large state schools, southern schools, USC and Vandy type schools etc. It seems like only a small percentage of kids (including mine) are open to the 3000 and under campuses

I think this is true. --SLAC parent

[Anonymous]

For my DD, it was a combination of financial aid, educational quality, resources, and location. I'm sure she'd also be happy at a large university though.