How would you rank NESCACS academically?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Williams, (Minor drop), Bowdoin, Amherst - these are the schools when the mom tells her coworker they respond oh wow they must be very smart

Then middlebury, tufts, (drop), Wesleyan, Hamilton (larger drop) bates, Colby (huge drop) trinity, conn coll

Williams

Amherst & Bowdoin

Middlebury & Tufts

Colby & Bates

Conn College & Trinity College

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Williams, (Minor drop), Bowdoin, Amherst - these are the schools when the mom tells her coworker they respond oh wow they must be very smart

Then middlebury, tufts, (drop), Wesleyan, Hamilton (larger drop) bates, Colby (huge drop) trinity, conn coll
[/quote]

As the parent of a DC currently at a NESCAC school with cousins currently at two other NESCACs (all in different tiers), this is the first ranking I’ve seen on here that actually agrees with what I hear back from the kids. Assume that “rank academically” means rank accounting for academic achievement of student body, quality of faculty, and financial and instructional resources.

A few miscellaneous observations:

Williams, Amherst, and Bowdoin applicant pools overlap a lot with Ivies;

In the upper tiers the schools have distinctive academic subject strengths that should be considered in deciding best fit. For example Williams has strong math department, Bowdoin is strong in biology, etc.;

Hamilton takes many strong but not stellar students from private schools;

Tufts has many academically impressive students now, way more than back in the day;

Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby all have a strong community service ethos and can be a great place for a kid so inclined. I think this can be just as important a part of education as academics.

[Anonymous]

Tier 1. Amherst & Williams
Tier 2. Bowdoin & Middlebury
Tier 3. Tufts & Wesleyan
Tier 4. Hamilton & Colby
Tier 5. Bates
Tier 6. Trinity & Conn

[Anonymous]

Historically, Bowdoin and Middlebury have danced around each other in the rankings. In the 90s, Bowdoin was higher ranked. Midd overtook Bowdoin in the early 2000s.

The same kids apply to both schools (along with Williams and Amherst). It used to be that those who didn't get into A&W often ended up at M&B. That's no longer the case.

It's become a total crap shoot, as any parent of a kid who went through the last admissions cycle would tell you. Kids are getting into Dartmouth and WL or rejected at Colby. You could say it's yield protection, but who knows. No wonder schools are relying more heavily on ED rounds. Bright kids, mostly full pay, with great test scores who want to be there? Sounds like a win-win to me.

Worth noting that Amherst and Williams saw declines in application numbers for the class of 2027, while Bowdoin and Midd had record numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Historically, Bowdoin and Middlebury have danced around each other in the rankings. In the 90s, Bowdoin was higher ranked. Midd overtook Bowdoin in the early 2000s.

The same kids apply to both schools (along with Williams and Amherst). It used to be that those who didn't get into A&W often ended up at M&B. That's no longer the case.

It's become a total crap shoot, as any parent of a kid who went through the last admissions cycle would tell you. Kids are getting into Dartmouth and WL or rejected at Colby. You could say it's yield protection, but who knows. No wonder schools are relying more heavily on ED rounds. Bright kids, mostly full pay, with great test scores who want to be there? Sounds like a win-win to me.

Worth noting that Amherst and Williams saw declines in application numbers for the class of 2027, while Bowdoin and Midd had record numbers.

This
Lets' not talk about formal glories.
Admission for class of 2027 shows very different pictures than what parents used to remember.

Williams and Amherst is clearly on their way down.
Colby is shooting up and neck to neck with Bowdoin and Midd.
Hamilton, Bates and Wesleyan are right behind it and very close.

Basically, they are all the same.
No significant tier exist here anymore.

https://www.ivywise.com/blog/college-admission-rates/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Williams, (Minor drop), Bowdoin, Amherst - these are the schools when the mom tells her coworker they respond oh wow they must be very smart

Then middlebury, tufts, (drop), Wesleyan, Hamilton (larger drop) bates, Colby (huge drop) trinity, conn coll

That's a very outdated view of these school.
My DS just went through college admission this year and there are no large/huge drop between those schools anymore.
Midd, Tufts, Wes, Ham, Colby, Bates were all considered reach for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Historically, Bowdoin and Middlebury have danced around each other in the rankings. In the 90s, Bowdoin was higher ranked. Midd overtook Bowdoin in the early 2000s.

The same kids apply to both schools (along with Williams and Amherst). It used to be that those who didn't get into A&W often ended up at M&B. That's no longer the case.

It's become a total crap shoot, as any parent of a kid who went through the last admissions cycle would tell you. Kids are getting into Dartmouth and WL or rejected at Colby. You could say it's yield protection, but who knows. No wonder schools are relying more heavily on ED rounds. Bright kids, mostly full pay, with great test scores who want to be there? Sounds like a win-win to me.

Worth noting that Amherst and Williams saw declines in application numbers for the class of 2027, while Bowdoin and Midd had record numbers.

This
Lets' not talk about formal glories.
Admission for class of 2027 shows very different pictures than what parents used to remember.

Williams and Amherst is clearly on their way down.
Colby is shooting up and neck to neck with Bowdoin and Midd.
Hamilton, Bates and Wesleyan are right behind it and very close.

Basically, they are all the same.
No significant tier exist here anymore.

https://www.ivywise.com/blog/college-admission-rates/

No, admission rate has nothing to do with it.

Bowdoin is test optional. Colby is test optional and has no fee to apply. Middlebury has no supplement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams, (Minor drop), Bowdoin, Amherst - these are the schools when the mom tells her coworker they respond oh wow they must be very smart

Then middlebury, tufts, (drop), Wesleyan, Hamilton (larger drop) bates, Colby (huge drop) trinity, conn coll

Williams

Amherst & Bowdoin

Middlebury & Tufts

Colby & Bates

Conn College & Trinity College

As things stand today and not 20 years ago
Williams/Amherst
Colby/Middlebury/Bowdoin
the rest

[Anonymous]

Bowdoin is test optional. Colby is test optional and has no fee to apply. Middlebury has no supplement.

All NESCACs are test optional and have been since COVID. Williams has no supplement this year, so we'll see what happens with their application numbers.

[Anonymous]

every RD matriculant at NESCAC schools were rejected by an ivy - with exception of the bottom of the barrel schools CC, Trinity, Colby and Bates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:every RD matriculant at NESCAC schools were rejected by an ivy - with exception of the bottom of the barrel schools CC, Trinity, Colby and Bates

Objectively untrue, especially considering how many of these schools fill a large proportion of their class via ED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams, (Minor drop), Bowdoin, Amherst - these are the schools when the mom tells her coworker they respond oh wow they must be very smart

Then middlebury, tufts, (drop), Wesleyan, Hamilton (larger drop) bates, Colby (huge drop) trinity, conn coll

Williams

Amherst & Bowdoin

Middlebury & Tufts

Colby & Bates

Conn College & Trinity College

As things stand today and not 20 years ago
Williams/Amherst
Colby/Middlebury/Bowdoin
the rest

Saw this ranking posted today on a separate thread. A year old, so fairly current:

https://collegejaguar.com/nescac-schools-ranked-academically/

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Tier 1. Amherst & Williams
Tier 2. Bowdoin & Middlebury
Tier 3. Tufts & Wesleyan
Tier 4. Hamilton & Colby
Tier 5. Bates
Tier 6. Trinity & Conn[/quote]


Tiers 3 and 4 should be swapped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:every RD matriculant at NESCAC schools were rejected by an ivy - with exception of the bottom of the barrel schools CC, Trinity, Colby and Bates

Objectively untrue, especially considering how many of these schools fill a large proportion of their class via ED.

the point being made is about RD - who cares about ED - those kids only applied to one school and had no other choice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:every RD matriculant at NESCAC schools were rejected by an ivy - with exception of the bottom of the barrel schools CC, Trinity, Colby and Bates

Objectively untrue, especially considering how many of these schools fill a large proportion of their class via ED.

the point being made is about RD - who cares about ED - those kids only applied to one school and had no other choice

Wow, that's some logic there.