Colleges with very smart and successful students but relatively few DCUM competitive a**hole types

[Anonymous]

Every college has some smart and successful students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The top public universities: Michigan, Berkeley, and UCLA. My oldest chose Michigan over Penn and Brown for more or less the reasons OP mentioned. Kids are just as smart and accomplished but there’s less hand-holding, less snootiness and social-climbing pressure, and as far as we can tell, in many industries (outside of the ones for which being extremely wealthy or an Ivy Leaguer are the main qualifications) alumni are equally well regarded.

My concern is those big flagship universities get their top ratings based on their graduate schools. Undergraduate can be a less satisfying experience.

+1

PP omitted UVA which probably has the best undergrad experience out of all the top publics.

UVA is not top public and has many a**holes.

Rated #4 -- is pretty close to "top", I wouldn't quibble about that.

OK, but too many a**holes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son got into Yale and felt like it would be too much of a "frat-bro" environment and chose Stanford instead. After spending a weekend at Yale he told me "I feel like I'd accidentally be friends with guys who date rape girls but don't think of themselves as rapists."

DD got into Brown and chose Berkeley instead. Both kids felt like California kids are smart and strive to do well, but without pushing other people out of their way.

That is such completely disgusting and horrible thing to write about Yale.

The rumors are terrible and cruel
But honey, most of them are true

[Anonymous]

Colby has lots of a**hole types.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have not waded through this whole thread, but I recommend looking at Reed College. When I attended in the late-90s, there was zero competition over grades. The students were incredibly driven, but somehow not in competition with one another. The school eschews US NEWS rankings, latin honors, etc., which helps a lot.

I got a top-notch education. When I later attended a T-14 law school, I felt way better prepared than many of my peers who had gone to HYSP, etc.

They got some issues in Portland right now. Not so sure I'd want my kid going there. (Plus, you got to admit it's a very niche school for a certain kind of student).

My friend's child had a very bad experience there. Got into a messed up crowd: lots of drug and mental health issues.

I KNOW that is just anecdotal....but it colored my view of the place.

Also, there are very few teachers in each field/dept, so if you don't hit it off with them, you have few other options (in terms of mentors). True of any small place to be fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt, Rice, Northwestern.

I don't get all the mentions of Vanderbilt, given what the OP was asking for. Great school but definitely lots of rich douchey frat boys types and Southern sorority girls.

[Anonymous]

Life comes with rich doucy types. There is no escape. pursue a good match for your interests and get some coping skills around doche management/avoidance.

[Anonymous]

MIT, Carnegie Mellon, honors programs at a good state university eg UMD-CP if STEM
Some smaller universities and SLACs Haverford, Brandeis, Emory

[Anonymous]

Rice.
Its on our short list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UChicago

Michigan

Michigan??? LOL......Great school, great jobs afterwards, but spoiled spoiled annoying ....... not all obviously but lot's of wanabees.

[Anonymous]

Scratch Skidmore off your list. Plenty of a$$holes there.
https://www.timesunion.com/news/amp/Churchill-At-Skidmore-curiosity-might-get-you-15553968.php

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rice.
Its on our short list.

I know a smart east coast family that all go to Rice. Study engineering and have the job offers lined up when they graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Life comes with rich doucy types. There is no escape. pursue a good match for your interests and get some coping skills around doche management/avoidance.

I hope my kid majors in douche management and minors in avoidance

[Anonymous]

Earlham and Kalamazoo. Smart and successful but with midwestern and do-gooder vibe. Both slightly under the radar in a way that’s probably a blessing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have not waded through this whole thread, but I recommend looking at Reed College. When I attended in the late-90s, there was zero competition over grades. The students were incredibly driven, but somehow not in competition with one another. The school eschews US NEWS rankings, latin honors, etc., which helps a lot.

I got a top-notch education. When I later attended a T-14 law school, I felt way better prepared than many of my peers who had gone to HYSP, etc.

"eschews US NEWS rankings" ... "I later attended a T-14 law school." LOL!