LAC prestige analysis and reputation?

[Anonymous]

Hamilton is missing from this list - belongs in the Wesleyan/Davidson grouping.

[Anonymous]

just go off us news peer assessment

I don't have the current list but in 2023, the ratings were (out of 5):

4.8- Williams
4.7- Amherst
4.6- Swarthmore
4.5- Bowdoin, Pomona, Wellesley
4.4- Harvey Mudd
4.3- Carleton, Grinnell, Davidson, Middlebury, Smith
4.2- Claremont McKenna, Vassar, Wesleyan
4.1- Barnard, Bates, Bryn Mawr, Colby, Colgate, Haverford, Macalester
4.0- Hamilton, Mt Holyoke, University of Richmond

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:just go off us news peer assessment

I don't have the current list but in 2023, the ratings were (out of 5):

4.8- Williams
4.7- Amherst
4.6- Swarthmore
4.5- Bowdoin, Pomona, Wellesley
4.4- Harvey Mudd
4.3- Carleton, Grinnell, Davidson, Middlebury, Smith
4.2- Claremont McKenna, Vassar, Wesleyan
4.1- Barnard, Bates, Bryn Mawr, Colby, Colgate, Haverford, Macalester
4.0- Hamilton, Mt Holyoke, University of Richmond

I wonder how much of Harvey mudd’s score is faculty in humanities/social sciences not respecting a stem lac. For what it does, it’s the best. You won’t find a better lac for engineering, CS, physics, or math.

[Anonymous]

Just ask ChatGPT:

Top LACs and Their Closest University Counterparts

Williams College
Closest parallels: Princeton, Yale
Why: Extremely strong across the board, powerhouse in economics and math, heavy emphasis on undergrad research and close mentorship. Williams grads place into top grad schools at Princeton-like rates.

Amherst College
Closest parallels: Harvard, Columbia
Why: Open curriculum like Brown, historic prestige, and unusually strong feeder into law, medicine, and finance.

Swarthmore College
Closest parallels: MIT, Chicago
Why: Intense academics, especially in STEM and social sciences. Known for intellectual rigor and high PhD production rates.

Pomona College
Closest parallels: Stanford, Duke
Why: Strong STEM and humanities, part of the Claremont Consortium (giving it a quasi-university feel), West Coast prestige, excellent grad school/tech pipelines.

Bowdoin College
Closest parallels: Dartmouth, Brown
Why: Strong in environmental studies, government, and humanities; tight-knit community with Ivy-like outcomes, especially in law and policy.

Middlebury College
Closest parallels: Georgetown, Dartmouth
Why: Known for languages, international studies, and environmental programs; strong Washington connections, global alumni network.

Carleton College
Closest parallels: Chicago, Caltech
Why: Intellectual intensity, strong STEM programs, high grad-school placement, particularly in math, physics, and philosophy.

Claremont McKenna (CMC)
Closest parallels: Stanford, Penn, Duke
Why: Focus on economics, government, and leadership; strong ties to business/finance and policy careers; part of Claremont Consortium.

Haverford College
Closest parallels: Brown, Yale
Why: Known for ethics, social justice, collaborative environment; very strong grad-school placement relative to size.

Wellesley College (women’s)
Closest parallels: Harvard, Yale, Columbia
Why: Elite academic reputation, historic alumnae influence (Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright), extremely strong in law, medicine, and international careers.

Big Picture

The “Little Ivies” (Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Wesleyan, etc.) are broadly equivalent to mid- to top-tier Ivies in rigor and outcomes.

The Claremont Colleges (Pomona, CMC, Harvey Mudd) are West Coast analogues to Stanford/Caltech/Duke.

The main difference is scale and name recognition. If you want global name prestige, Ivies and Stanford win. If you want close mentorship and undergrad focus, top LACs often provide a better experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just go off us news peer assessment

I don't have the current list but in 2023, the ratings were (out of 5):

4.8- Williams
4.7- Amherst
4.6- Swarthmore
4.5- Bowdoin, Pomona, Wellesley
4.4- Harvey Mudd
4.3- Carleton, Grinnell, Davidson, Middlebury, Smith
4.2- Claremont McKenna, Vassar, Wesleyan
4.1- Barnard, Bates, Bryn Mawr, Colby, Colgate, Haverford, Macalester
4.0- Hamilton, Mt Holyoke, University of Richmond

I wonder how much of Harvey mudd’s score is faculty in humanities/social sciences not respecting a stem lac. For what it does, it’s the best. You won’t find a better lac for engineering, CS, physics, or math.

Booster Monm: I applauded your persistent enthusiasm!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just ask ChatGPT:

Top LACs and Their Closest University Counterparts

Williams College
Closest parallels: Princeton, Yale
Why: Extremely strong across the board, powerhouse in economics and math, heavy emphasis on undergrad research and close mentorship. Williams grads place into top grad schools at Princeton-like rates.

Amherst College
Closest parallels: Harvard, Columbia
Why: Open curriculum like Brown, historic prestige, and unusually strong feeder into law, medicine, and finance.

Swarthmore College
Closest parallels: MIT, Chicago
Why: Intense academics, especially in STEM and social sciences. Known for intellectual rigor and high PhD production rates.

Pomona College
Closest parallels: Stanford, Duke
Why: Strong STEM and humanities, part of the Claremont Consortium (giving it a quasi-university feel), West Coast prestige, excellent grad school/tech pipelines.

Bowdoin College
Closest parallels: Dartmouth, Brown
Why: Strong in environmental studies, government, and humanities; tight-knit community with Ivy-like outcomes, especially in law and policy.

Middlebury College
Closest parallels: Georgetown, Dartmouth
Why: Known for languages, international studies, and environmental programs; strong Washington connections, global alumni network.

Carleton College
Closest parallels: Chicago, Caltech
Why: Intellectual intensity, strong STEM programs, high grad-school placement, particularly in math, physics, and philosophy.

Claremont McKenna (CMC)
Closest parallels: Stanford, Penn, Duke
Why: Focus on economics, government, and leadership; strong ties to business/finance and policy careers; part of Claremont Consortium.

Haverford College
Closest parallels: Brown, Yale
Why: Known for ethics, social justice, collaborative environment; very strong grad-school placement relative to size.

Wellesley College (women’s)
Closest parallels: Harvard, Yale, Columbia
Why: Elite academic reputation, historic alumnae influence (Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright), extremely strong in law, medicine, and international careers.

Big Picture

The “Little Ivies” (Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Wesleyan, etc.) are broadly equivalent to mid- to top-tier Ivies in rigor and outcomes.

The Claremont Colleges (Pomona, CMC, Harvey Mudd) are West Coast analogues to Stanford/Caltech/Duke.

The main difference is scale and name recognition. If you want global name prestige, Ivies and Stanford win. If you want close mentorship and undergrad focus, top LACs often provide a better experience.

This is actually a pretty balanced write up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just go off us news peer assessment

I don't have the current list but in 2023, the ratings were (out of 5):

4.8- Williams
4.7- Amherst
4.6- Swarthmore
4.5- Bowdoin, Pomona, Wellesley
4.4- Harvey Mudd
4.3- Carleton, Grinnell, Davidson, Middlebury, Smith
4.2- Claremont McKenna, Vassar, Wesleyan
4.1- Barnard, Bates, Bryn Mawr, Colby, Colgate, Haverford, Macalester
4.0- Hamilton, Mt Holyoke, University of Richmond

I wonder how much of Harvey mudd’s score is faculty in humanities/social sciences not respecting a stem lac. For what it does, it’s the best. You won’t find a better lac for engineering, CS, physics, or math.

Booster Monm: I applauded your persistent enthusiasm!

I’m a booster mom for thinking that the #1 stem lac is…the #1 stem lac? Might need to go consult a dictionary.

[Anonymous]

With its location and campus feel, the closest larger college comp for Williams is pretty clearly Dartmouth to me (rather than Princeton or Yale).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:just go off us news peer assessment

I don't have the current list but in 2023, the ratings were (out of 5):

4.8- Williams
4.7- Amherst
4.6- Swarthmore
4.5- Bowdoin, Pomona, Wellesley
4.4- Harvey Mudd
4.3- Carleton, Grinnell, Davidson, Middlebury, Smith
4.2- Claremont McKenna, Vassar, Wesleyan
4.1- Barnard, Bates, Bryn Mawr, Colby, Colgate, Haverford, Macalester
4.0- Hamilton, Mt Holyoke, University of Richmond

This is spot on.

[Anonymous]

LAC people are the most tiresome bunch on this forum. The insecurity is off the charts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LAC people are the most tiresome bunch on this forum. The insecurity is off the charts!

The blithering nonsense of those who somehow believe with fact that the top SLAC students whom have stats equal to anyone somehow made an inferior choice is the grand delusion of this board. That are a vapid bunch and the willingness of SLAC supporters to bat them around is laudable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LAC people are the most tiresome bunch on this forum. The insecurity is off the charts!

The blithering nonsense of those who somehow believe with fact that the top SLAC students whom have stats equal to anyone somehow made an inferior choice is the grand delusion of this board. That are a vapid bunch and the willingness of SLAC supporters to bat them around is laudable.

The more I read, the more pathetic this gets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have worked in London, Singapore, Paris and Tokyo. The Best LACs for global prestige are:

Best:
Williams
Amherst

Next best:
Wellesley
Vassar

Swarthmore
Haverford
Smith

Pomona
Bowdoin
Carleton
Grinnell

No one in the UK knows these schools. This is pure fantasy.

UK knows Bucknell!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband & I both went to ivies for college and law school. So have most of our friends. Our DD is at Brown and our DS is considering a LAC which is new for our family.

Which of the following LACs have the most global and national prestige?

Williams: seems like the best one overall in terms of rep

Williams, Amherst, Wesleyan: "little three"

Williams, Amherst: I see them referred to as Ivy lite?

Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, Pomona: often grouped together as WASP?

Bowdoin, Middlebury: For my non-Ivy/Stanford friends, these seem like the net two highest in terms of prestige

Wesleyan: is this as prestigious as it used to be?

Carleton, Haverford: next most intellectually rigorous in terms of rep, but we prefer northeast to midwest

Oxford and Harvard alum checking in who has lived abroad in London & Dubai.

Williams & Amherst are the two LACs I'd consider the most well known and prestigious both nationally and in the UK.
Swarthmore, Pomona, Wellesley all strong academically too.
Haverford, Carleton, Bowdoin, Smith, Vassar, Wesleyan - roughly equivalent

That's it really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband & I both went to ivies for college and law school. So have most of our friends. Our DD is at Brown and our DS is considering a LAC which is new for our family.

Which of the following LACs have the most global and national prestige?

Williams: seems like the best one overall in terms of rep

Williams, Amherst, Wesleyan: "little three"

Williams, Amherst: I see them referred to as Ivy lite?

Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, Pomona: often grouped together as WASP?

Bowdoin, Middlebury: For my non-Ivy/Stanford friends, these seem like the net two highest in terms of prestige

Wesleyan: is this as prestigious as it used to be?

Carleton, Haverford: next most intellectually rigorous in terms of rep, but we prefer northeast to midwest

Oxford and Harvard alum checking in who has lived abroad in London & Dubai.

Williams & Amherst are the two LACs I'd consider the most well known and prestigious both nationally and in the UK.
Swarthmore, Pomona, Wellesley all strong academically too.
Haverford, Carleton, Bowdoin, Smith, Vassar, Wesleyan - roughly equivalent

That's it really.

Your list is off. Really.