LACs with the WORST locations

[Anonymous]

Hamilton. Talk about depression!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Bates - speaking from experience lol - god awful

Williams is lovely but of course very remote. Was that your issue?

isolating and claustrophobic- feels like staying at the overlook hotel from November to March. Lot of drinking during this period, especially the athletes

Sorry you or your kid got turned away.

Why do people come back with this immature, defensive response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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No one said that. And you make the institution look bad with your name calling. Personally, I would not attend the school given the board’s handling of the name issue.

Well then, I guess you would also cross Georgetown, GW, Yale and many others off your list? And don’t visit Leesburg! This level of cancel culture is just ridiculous. You can acknowledge that people had both good and bad qualities and can educate about and learn from both without pretending they never existed.

Lee was a traitor of the worst kind. And as far as I know, there's no requirement to have a college named in one's honor to be remembered in the historical record.

Lee did nothing that Washington didn't do. They'd better cancel his name from the college too.

Is the subject of this thread "which college has the worst name"? No, and the name of the college is irrelevant to the location.

Ok what??? Lee led the Confederate Army that was rebelling against the US Govt.

Yeah, and Washington led the rebellion against the British government - he was a traitor.

You earn the name "revolutionary" (instead of traitor) by winning the conflict.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most location bias is just a matter of subjective taste (e.g. hot/ cold climate, rural/suburban/urban, setting). And of course, there’s also the silly parochialism of DCUM commenters and their spoiled offspring, who think coming from Bethesda or Vienna gives them standing to write off entire states or regions. Whatever. Objectively, I think the LACs with the worst locations are those located in cities or urban neighborhoods that might have been pleasant once upon a time but are now depressed or slummy. Eg Clark/Worcester, Conn College/New London, Trinity/Hartford, Vassar/Poughkeepsie. I think it’s hard to get enthused about those settings (unless maybe you’re a sociology major…), and I think a depressing or even dangerous setting takes a greater toll on the campus-bound LAC experience than it does on the large university experience.

But many people graduate from those schools with really positive experiences, while readily admitting “oh yeah, [city name] is a pit.” I just don’t think location matters that much in the grand scheme of the educational experience, except maybe to chatty DCUM parents and a few unadaptable kids.

I can only speak about Vassar but DC just graduated from there and while students all live on campus (very little rental housing has ever been built around campus, and the college has sufficient housing)and there's not much immediately off campus, the college isn't "campus-bound" nor is the area around it "a depressing or even dangerous setting." Downtown Poughkeepsie is indeed very run down along the main streets of the old downtown, and overall, the area suffered when IBM pulled out much of its presence and other employers cut back years ago. But it's gentrifying hard in some areas, and Vassar and Marist College in Poughkeepsie are close to historic properties, the Culinary Institute, a lot of newer wineries/breweries/"town center" shops being built, etc. And yeah, students do get out to those things at times, though they're usually too busy on campus for a lot of it. Vassar's a bit of an island as a campus but it's not something that's "taking a toll" on student experience in some negative way. That's a bit dramatic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most location bias is just a matter of subjective taste (e.g. hot/ cold climate, rural/suburban/urban, setting). And of course, there’s also the silly parochialism of DCUM commenters and their spoiled offspring, who think coming from Bethesda or Vienna gives them standing to write off entire states or regions. Whatever. Objectively, I think the LACs with the worst locations are those located in cities or urban neighborhoods that might have been pleasant once upon a time but are now depressed or slummy. Eg Clark/Worcester, Conn College/New London, Trinity/Hartford, Vassar/Poughkeepsie. I think it’s hard to get enthused about those settings (unless maybe you’re a sociology major…), and I think a depressing or even dangerous setting takes a greater toll on the campus-bound LAC experience than it does on the large university experience.

But many people graduate from those schools with really positive experiences, while readily admitting “oh yeah, [city name] is a pit.” I just don’t think location matters that much in the grand scheme of the educational experience, except maybe to chatty DCUM parents and a few unadaptable kids.

I can only speak about Vassar but DC just graduated from there and while students all live on campus (very little rental housing has ever been built around campus, and the college has sufficient housing)and there's not much immediately off campus, the college isn't "campus-bound" nor is the area around it "a depressing or even dangerous setting." Downtown Poughkeepsie is indeed very run down along the main streets of the old downtown, and overall, the area suffered when IBM pulled out much of its presence and other employers cut back years ago. But it's gentrifying hard in some areas, and Vassar and Marist College in Poughkeepsie are close to historic properties, the Culinary Institute, a lot of newer wineries/breweries/"town center" shops being built, etc. And yeah, students do get out to those things at times, though they're usually too busy on campus for a lot of it. Vassar's a bit of an island as a campus but it's not something that's "taking a toll" on student experience in some negative way. That's a bit dramatic.

Disagree. It does take a toll on students, but most do not know any better as they have not attended a large university.

[Anonymous]

Bates, Kenyon, Oberlin, Connecticut College and Mt Holyoke were all crossed off my daughter’s list after visiting. We liked Vassar enough and Poughkeepsie wasn’t enough aligns turnoff to cross it off her list, it ended up as her #2 but she got into ED #1.

Bates- town is just really gritty and felt like there was a big drug problem.
Kenyon- literally middle of nowhere, it is mentioned multiple times in the presentation that you have to really want to be there because there’s nothing else there
Oberlin- just a blah little town with only a few sad shops
Conn College- weird location in town and also weird vibe
Mt Holyoke- nothing in the town. It a tiny shopping area across the street with 8 shops. Nothing else walkable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Bates - speaking from experience lol - god awful

Williams is lovely but of course very remote. Was that your issue?

isolating and claustrophobic- feels like staying at the overlook hotel from November to March. Lot of drinking during this period, especially the athletes

Sorry you or your kid got turned away.

Why do people come back with this immature, defensive response.

Probably because this entire thread is silly and immature. Anyone with half a brain understands that it is different strokes for different folks with regard to location. City, country, suburban, north south, east, west. For every person that can't tolerate hot sunny Miami, there is another that hates ice and snow. One loves urban environment, another wants remote rural beauty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Bates - speaking from experience lol - god awful

Williams is lovely but of course very remote. Was that your issue?

isolating and claustrophobic- feels like staying at the overlook hotel from November to March. Lot of drinking during this period, especially the athletes

Sorry you or your kid got turned away.

coach offered full support, non-helmet sport, so my DC was accepted as far as Im concerned - DC really wanted to like it as it was the tippy top D3 on list, until the fall overnite, which actually was friday and saturday in our case - Williams dropped entirely from consideration after this visit.. very academic kids but most were socially awkward per my DC, team felt like “land of misfit toys” - very important for my kid to have fun, well adjusted, collaborative, student body. DC wound up at Brown and absolutely loves it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Bates - speaking from experience lol - god awful

Williams is lovely but of course very remote. Was that your issue?

isolating and claustrophobic- feels like staying at the overlook hotel from November to March. Lot of drinking during this period, especially the athletes

Sorry you or your kid got turned away.

coach offered full support, non-helmet sport, so my DC was accepted as far as Im concerned - DC really wanted to like it as it was the tippy top D3 on list, until the fall overnite, which actually was friday and saturday in our case - Williams dropped entirely from consideration after this visit.. very academic kids but most were socially awkward per my DC, team felt like “land of misfit toys” - very important for my kid to have fun, well adjusted, collaborative, student body. DC wound up at Brown and absolutely loves it!

That’s hilarious considering the odd collection of kids that end up at Brown, many of whom are extremely awkward socially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Bates - speaking from experience lol - god awful

Williams is lovely but of course very remote. Was that your issue?

isolating and claustrophobic- feels like staying at the overlook hotel from November to March. Lot of drinking during this period, especially the athletes

Sorry you or your kid got turned away.

coach offered full support, non-helmet sport, so my DC was accepted as far as Im concerned - DC really wanted to like it as it was the tippy top D3 on list, until the fall overnite, which actually was friday and saturday in our case - Williams dropped entirely from consideration after this visit.. very academic kids but most were socially awkward per my DC, team felt like “land of misfit toys” - very important for my kid to have fun, well adjusted, collaborative, student body. DC wound up at Brown and absolutely loves it!

That’s hilarious considering the odd collection of kids that end up at Brown, many of whom are extremely awkward socially.

“mom, dad - I have coach support at both Williams and Brown, and choose Williams!” - said no kid ever..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bates, Kenyon, Oberlin, Connecticut College and Mt Holyoke were all crossed off my daughter’s list after visiting. We liked Vassar enough and Poughkeepsie wasn’t enough aligns turnoff to cross it off her list, it ended up as her #2 but she got into ED #1.

Bates- town is just really gritty and felt like there was a big drug problem.
Kenyon- literally middle of nowhere, it is mentioned multiple times in the presentation that you have to really want to be there because there’s nothing else there
Oberlin- just a blah little town with only a few sad shops
Conn College- weird location in town and also weird vibe
Mt Holyoke- nothing in the town. It a tiny shopping area across the street with 8 shops. Nothing else walkable

This made me laugh because I went to Bates but also crossed Kenyon and Conn College off my list for those exact reasons 30+ years ago. (Oberlin too, but it wasn't as bad as Kenyon and CC for me)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are going to school to study. You are not going on a vacation.

But it will be your home for 4 years. Don’t you want to live in a nice setting? Especially in the prime of your life?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are going to school to study. You are not going on a vacation.

But it will be your home for 4 years. Don’t you want to live in a nice setting? Especially in the prime of your life?

One kids nice setting is another's bad dream. If your kid likes rural Massachusetts, so be it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Holy Cross, WPI, Clark, Assumption, all great Woo schools worthy of a closer look. “

Assumption is in a nice part of Worcester even if the campus is rather dated. WPI is in an ok area. Clark and Holy Cross in very run down areas, though HC has a fence that insulates it from the surrounding neighborhood but Clark does not.

Nephew just graduated from AU! they just built three new buildings in his 4 years there. Nice, albeit small, school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:oberlin....

And kenyon

I have an Obie. The location is decent. It’s located in a cute little town and everything is walkable. It’s also right on the lake, so there is a beach nearby, kayaking cking, etc. Also only 30-45 minutes from Cleveland. Wooster and Kenyon have very nice campuses, but are much more isolated.

Now for all these schools, the Lake Effect is the real deal. The winters are harsh. I think it helps that most kids do winter term off campus and aren’t at the school in January.

Oberlin/Kenyon/Wooster don't get much lake effect.

Lake Erie's Lake Effect is primarily East/Northeast of downtown Cleveland. Grew up 15 miles east of downtown, twice as much snow as downtown, 15 miles further east, twice as much as we got... Further south - Akron/Canton are similar to downtown Cleveland.

https://www.cleveland19.com/story/33996575/where-is-the-lake-erie-snow-belt-in-ohio/

And... Ohio's not Minnesota. Carleton and Olaf come with -30F, blue skies, hoarfrost, and snow flurries from October to May,

Skating on the Bald Spot, xcountry skiing in the Arb, walking/running in the Natural Lands.

A friend at Carleton on May 15th, 1976... "F'ing snow in F'ing May, F."