Which colleges were the "hot" colleges several decades ago?

[Anonymous]

If you lived in VA several decades ago (1980's-90's), the hot colleges would most likely have been an in-state public like UVA, William & Mary, or JMU. There just wasn't the same demand back then for out-of-state, high-status schools except among the very elite.

This area has seen huge demographic change in the last few decades. Immigration has skyrocketed, post 9/11 defense spending has increased incomes and raised the standard of living, technology and social media raises awareness about out of state schools. It's a different world.

[Anonymous]

The other, probably most important factor was that 30 years ago colleges didn't cost proportionately what they do today. It was actually easier to attend and afford college back then, for more people.

[Anonymous]

University of Chicago was so not hot in the 80s, it was an easy admit. Brown was hot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:University of Chicago was so not hot in the 80s, it was an easy admit. Brown was hot.

Yes I remember Brown being very sought after and those who got in, highly thought of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you lived in VA several decades ago (1980's-90's), the hot colleges would most likely have been an in-state public like UVA, William & Mary, or JMU. There just wasn't the same demand back then for out-of-state, high-status schools except among the very elite.

This area has seen huge demographic change in the last few decades. Immigration has skyrocketed, post 9/11 defense spending has increased incomes and raised the standard of living, technology and social media raises awareness about out of state schools. It's a different world.

I remember in 1985 visiting UVA because it was then considered a hot commodity. I don't think it is now though, mostly because of all the horrible scandals.

[Anonymous]

I would say the biggest movers from then vs now are Vanderbilt, Northeastern, Northwestern, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Tufts, WashU, and USC. None of these schools were considered "elite"- heck, Mudd wasn't even founded until 1955.

The schools which have fallen in reputation are Oberlin, Kenyon, Reed, the Seven Sisters, Brandeis, Lawrence U, Knox, Beloit, and Occidental. Brandeis used to attract students comparably as strong as UChicago and Stanford. Reed's US News perception seriously affected it- it used to have the highest SATs of any college, period, but now it's ranked about 41 for SAT/ACT averages. The Seven Sisters all became considerably less selective after top universities and elite LACs went co-ed in the 1970s; some have fallen greatly in rankings like Bryn Mawr (top 10 LAC back then, currently ranked 31). Occidental used to be considered the best LAC on the West Coast- now all 5 Claremonts outrank it on the US News list. Note that all these schools are fantastic schools, but they just don't have the glamour they used to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They haven't changed much. Ivies, seven sisters, little ivies, Grinnell, Carlton, Reed, Oberlin, MIT, Stanford, Claremont Colleges

I grew up out west in the 70's and never heard of the Claremont Schools until more recently. Stanford and Berkeley were the stars out west. The seven sisters? Not so popular anymore. They are still excellent but not many college kids want single sex education anymore.

I never heard of the Claremont schools till I started reading this forum. Still not sure which colleges are included, except for Harvey Mudd, and that's a name you don't forget after hearing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you lived in VA several decades ago (1980's-90's), the hot colleges would most likely have been an in-state public like UVA, William & Mary, or JMU. There just wasn't the same demand back then for out-of-state, high-status schools except among the very elite.

This area has seen huge demographic change in the last few decades. Immigration has skyrocketed, post 9/11 defense spending has increased incomes and raised the standard of living, technology and social media raises awareness about out of state schools. It's a different world.

I'm a Va resident who graduated in the 90 and I agree with this list except I would add Tech as well. I do wonder about JMU though, is it just me or does it seem that JMU is not as desirable to VA residents as it once was?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They haven't changed much. Ivies, seven sisters, little ivies, Grinnell, Carlton, Reed, Oberlin, MIT, Stanford, Claremont Colleges

I went to Carleton in the 80s and it was practically unknown on the east coast (although there were a number of people from this area in my class). Reed and Grinnell were even less known. Definitely not "hot".

This is a great example of how regional this stuff is. I'm from California and could not have named most of the Ives at the time I was applying to colleges, but I knew all the Claremont Colleges. I went to a highly ranked non-CA school for grad school and had CA employers ask why I couldn't get into a UC. East Coast and West Coast don't have the same ideas about hot schools.

I've now lived in DC for 15 years and still have never heard of the little Ivies (?) or Grinnell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you lived in VA several decades ago (1980's-90's), the hot colleges would most likely have been an in-state public like UVA, William & Mary, or JMU. There just wasn't the same demand back then for out-of-state, high-status schools except among the very elite.

This area has seen huge demographic change in the last few decades. Immigration has skyrocketed, post 9/11 defense spending has increased incomes and raised the standard of living, technology and social media raises awareness about out of state schools. It's a different world.

I remember in 1985 visiting UVA because it was then considered a hot commodity. I don't think it is now though, mostly because of all the horrible scandals.

Evidence to the contrary would be the soaring number of applicants. But don't let facts stand in your way, hater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They haven't changed much. Ivies, seven sisters, little ivies, Grinnell, Carlton, Reed, Oberlin, MIT, Stanford, Claremont Colleges

I grew up out west in the 70's and never heard of the Claremont Schools until more recently. Stanford and Berkeley were the stars out west. The seven sisters? Not so popular anymore. They are still excellent but not many college kids want single sex education anymore.

I never heard of the Claremont schools till I started reading this forum. Still not sure which colleges are included, except for Harvey Mudd, and that's a name you don't forget after hearing it.

If you're still not sure, you could solve that issue by googling and finding out. Not that hard to do.

[Anonymous]

There are 5 Claremont Colleges. They're tiny, even for LACs, but they're located right next to one another in a beautiful suburb of Los Angeles. They share resources like dining halls and libraries to give students the high-touch LAC experience with the resources of a larger school. Students can take courses across the colleges and attend social and career events at any of them. They're extremely desirable at the moment with four having acceptance rates under 15%. They are all ranked in the top 35 among liberal art colleges by US News and in the top 25 among liberal art colleges by Forbes. Pomona is usually the highest ranked and was more selective than half the Ivy League by acceptance rate last year; it attracts a comparably smart student body. Claremont is one of the only pre-professional liberal art colleges, and their graduates report the 4th highest median income of any college/university in the country. Mudd has outcomes and a student body as great as Caltech and MIT's undergrad population and generally has the highest salary of any college or university in the country. Pitzer is one of the top producers for Fulbrights and other service-based awards/fellowships. Scripps is considered the best women's college outside of the East coast and generally the second or third best after Wellesley and Smith.

[Anonymous]

You might find this interesting:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/868388-are-you-familiar-with-us-news%C2%92-top-25-national-universities.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of Chicago was so not hot in the 80s, it was an easy admit. Brown was hot.

Yes I remember Brown being very sought after and those who got in, highly thought of.

Brown is still that way in California and NE. Only clueless striver wannabes dismiss it. 5% acceptance rate., hipster vibes, grade inflation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of Chicago was so not hot in the 80s, it was an easy admit. Brown was hot.

Yes I remember Brown being very sought after and those who got in, highly thought of.

Brown is still that way in California and NE. Only clueless striver wannabes dismiss it. 5% acceptance rate., hipster vibes, grade inflation.

Brown can't be dismissed now, but it wasn't that hot in the 80s. It wasn't until they dropped requirements so they could recruit JFK Jr, George Harrison's kid, and other kids of celebrities that it got hot. I knew 2 kids who went in the 80s and it was the easiest Ivy to get into then--easier than Cornell. The Price of Admission has a funny story about Brown's president visiting George Harrison's mansion in Britain to recruit the son and wondering why the gardener joined them for dinner--it was George.