Who is WASP (Williams, Amherst, Swat, Pomona) for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

[Anonymous]

I attended a similar SLAC years ago. I wanted a close community, a place where I'd see familiar faces every day and feel part of something more intimate. I also didn't want to swim in huge classes. I got what I was looking for, and I have no regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

Williams outcomes are as good as HYP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it's for excellent sheep who want the prestige of a "name brand" but also are very sensitive and need to be coddled by small class sizes, outside of large cities, and don't want to be intimidated by urban enviros, or large class sizes. they need protection and affirmation but despite having progressive identities tend to progress into largely boring, conservative career paths.

Nothing screams intellectual rigor like flattening thousands of students into a single caricature because their choices don’t match your personal fantasy of what “real” ambition looks like.

It’s adorable, really, just like the harmless little barnyard animal in your comment. You’ve built this entire psychological profile out of thin air, sprinkled in some condescension, and called it insight. A true masterclass in confident oversimplification.

But hey, if painting everyone else as pampered, insecure prestige-chasers helps you feel like the lone rugged truth‑teller in a world of “excellent sheep,” who am I to interrupt the performance.
Carry on. The projection is doing laps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

Williams outcomes are as good as HYP

maybe 20-30 years ago, not today

signed,
Parent of ‘24 Williams grad (econ major)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

Williams outcomes are as good as HYP

maybe 20-30 years ago, not today

signed,
Parent of ‘24 Williams grad (econ major)

Then your child is underperforming, it happens. Typical top SLAC grad does every bit as well as Ivy grads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

Williams outcomes are as good as HYP

maybe 20-30 years ago, not today

signed,
Parent of ‘24 Williams grad (econ major)

Then your child is underperforming, it happens. Typical top SLAC grad does every bit as well as Ivy grads.

I like LACs but grads of research universities do make more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

Williams outcomes are as good as HYP

maybe 20-30 years ago, not today

signed,
Parent of ‘24 Williams grad (econ major)

Then your child is underperforming, it happens. Typical top SLAC grad does every bit as well as Ivy grads.

I like LACs but grads of research universities do make more.

No they don’t. Averages are skewed higher because of engineering students. Econ for Econ, Bio for bio it’s just not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

Williams outcomes are as good as HYP

maybe 20-30 years ago, not today

signed,
Parent of ‘24 Williams grad (econ major)

Then your child is underperforming, it happens. Typical top SLAC grad does every bit as well as Ivy grads.

No, it means child is not an athlete; they get all the best jobs. Reason enough for an unhooked to choose a lower Ivy or Ivy+ over Williams….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it's for excellent sheep who want the prestige of a "name brand" but also are very sensitive and need to be coddled by small class sizes, outside of large cities, and don't want to be intimidated by urban enviros, or large class sizes. they need protection and affirmation but despite having progressive identities tend to progress into largely boring, conservative career paths.

Nothing screams intellectual rigor like flattening thousands of students into a single caricature because their choices don’t match your personal fantasy of what “real” ambition looks like.

It’s adorable, really, just like the harmless little barnyard animal in your comment. You’ve built this entire psychological profile out of thin air, sprinkled in some condescension, and called it insight. A true masterclass in confident oversimplification.

But hey, if painting everyone else as pampered, insecure prestige-chasers helps you feel like the lone rugged truth‑teller in a world of “excellent sheep,” who am I to interrupt the performance.
Carry on. The projection is doing laps.

Even without counterargument, the PP you are responding sounds ridiculous and desperate. And my kid is not even primarily interested in SLAC, nor do I have any ties to one. There is a certain level of stupidity some people reach where their arguments look so bad that they actually make the other team look good, and the anti SLAC poster has reached this level and then some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“WASP” has never been heard of. What is that?

Yeah, why these four and not another set of four or a combination of a few of these with others? And why P which is all the way on the west coast whereas the 'WAS' are east and even that S is not in New England. Explanation anyone??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

Williams outcomes are as good as HYP

maybe 20-30 years ago, not today

signed,
Parent of ‘24 Williams grad (econ major)

Then your child is underperforming, it happens. Typical top SLAC grad does every bit as well as Ivy grads.

No, it means child is not an athlete; they get all the best jobs. Reason enough for an unhooked to choose a lower Ivy or Ivy+ over Williams….

Not true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at WASP and a kid at HYP. There's no doubt that from bragging to friends, HYP is the mic drop. And my kid LOVES it. But he's also a very outgoing person who makes things happen. Will apply to 20 internships, will jump up to make a speech, will cold call professors he doesnt have a class with etc. He does just fine in a school that requires a bit of aggression.

My kid at WASP has a lot more than comes to him. Professors who will contact him and say, why not apply to xyz .. I can make an introduction. He's taken music lessons in his free time (offered for free). He has more time in some ways and also freer in his choices to try the newspaper or do stand up. You dont have to be good at this one thing to try it there, you can try things for the first time.

IOW, I have two kids who found their fit. They offer different things. Outcomes will be what you make of your time

These are just two kids with different personalities. Premeds, pre law, math/cs students at LACs are no less aggressive

+1, lacking ambition is a character flaw, not a facet of an institution.

Williams outcomes are as good as HYP

maybe 20-30 years ago, not today

signed,
Parent of ‘24 Williams grad (econ major)

Then your child is underperforming, it happens. Typical top SLAC grad does every bit as well as Ivy grads.

I like LACs but grads of research universities do make more.

No they don’t. Averages are skewed higher because of engineering students. Econ for Econ, Bio for bio it’s just not true.

Claremont McKenna is the lac with grads that make the most in economics and it’s 5th while having to essentially cheat by having a majority of the college major in economics and having a specialty and resources nearly 100% dedicated to economics.

LAC grads fair worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“WASP” has never been heard of. What is that?

Yeah, why these four and not another set of four or a combination of a few of these with others? And why P which is all the way on the west coast whereas the 'WAS' are east and even that S is not in New England. Explanation anyone??

They’re the top 4 lacs. It’s not really anything crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“WASP” has never been heard of. What is that?

Yeah, why these four and not another set of four or a combination of a few of these with others? And why P which is all the way on the west coast whereas the 'WAS' are east and even that S is not in New England. Explanation anyone??

Never heard of HYPSM?