college - tell me about "the best kept secret" schools - anyone have one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the originator of this thread and I want to thank those of you who shared good solid information and experiences.
DD made her choice a few weeks ago and I found so much of what you all shared to be quite helpful. And she in fact chose a school that was mentioned in this thread that we originally knew little about.

Can you please post your DD's choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don;t rule out our northern neighnor. Canada --Ontario and Quebec


Ontario ---University of Toronto

Quebec ---- McGill University

both eminent in academics and in the center of amazing cities

How difficult and expensive is it for USer's to get into and afford these schools? I know my DS would like to attend a college in a colder clime. He hates hot weather!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the originator of this thread and I want to thank those of you who shared good solid information and experiences.
DD made her choice a few weeks ago and I found so much of what you all shared to be quite helpful. And she in fact chose a school that was mentioned in this thread that we originally knew little about.

Can you please post your DD's choice?

She chose Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio.

[Anonymous]

Congratulations!

[Anonymous]

I went to Syracuse University 20+ years and LOVED it!!!

[Anonymous]

I am the PP, OOOPS, just realized I answered an older post.
Anyway, GL 2 the OP's daughter. Very exciting...

[Anonymous]

Miami of Ohio.

[Anonymous]

Tulane. Coast Guard Academy. Syracuse.

[Anonymous]

Some Southern and Midwestern schools, while not "secrets", are less known in this area and are making a push for applicants here. Tulane has been doing this for a few years now with some success, particularly as it has also been generous in giving out merit money and doesn't require supplementary essays. Hence, it's less "secret" than some other schools -- e.g., Sewanee. Similarly, Grinell has become much better known in the DC area, and on the east coast in general, but Earlham is less well known.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really great list. Second the poster who mentioned Smith College - Northampton is a lovely college town. If you are looking at the 5 college area add Mount Holyoke to your list too. Students can take classes at any of the other colleges (Amherst, Smith, Hampshire, MHC and UMass)

.

The women's colleges seem to be an interesting option right now. The admissions rates are much higher than the equivalent co-ed schools, perhaps because fewer girls are choosing women's colleges. I assume they are still providing a great education. Unfortunately my DD goes to a girls school now and refuses to look at women's colleges (she loves her school, just wants a different experience for college).

What about Hobart and William Smith Colleges? One's all boys, the other is all girls, but they're on the same campus and share classes. It's in upstate New York, which is one reason that I didn't go there, but I don't think they have a greek scene to speak of.

[Anonymous]

If you can identify one school that is a good prospect, a helpful tool for uncovering similar schools can be the Fiske guide "overlaps" feature. For each college Fiske lists other schools to which applicants to the profiled school also applied. So, for example, if you like Hobart/Wm Smith, you can look at the overlaps and see that students who applied there also applied to Union, St Lawrence, Colby Hamilton and Skidmore. While the schools on that list vary in selectivity they share similar characteristics in terms of size, location, campus culture, etc.

[Anonymous]

Wooster and Oberlin, both in Ohio. Ohio has a surprising number of great little liberal arts colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the originator of this thread and I want to thank those of you who shared good solid information and experiences.
DD made her choice a few weeks ago and I found so much of what you all shared to be quite helpful. And she in fact chose a school that was mentioned in this thread that we originally knew little about.

Can you please post your DD's choice?

She chose Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio.

Sorry PP here I posted before I saw that this was an old thread and that you had updated. Hooray for Ohio schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Villanova University - excellent interdisciplinary honors program.

DH went to Miami OH and loved it.

Party school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What about Hobart and William Smith Colleges? One's all boys, the other is all girls, but they're on the same campus and share classes. It's in upstate New York, which is one reason that I didn't go there, but I don't think they have a greek scene to speak of.

We visited last year and it is a lovely campus right on a lake. It has changed a little as it is much more of a single school now, single admissions office, etc. Girls do tend to live on one side of campus and boys on the other but I think there were some coed dorms. There are fraternities, but not sororities. My DC was accepted, with a good merit aid offer (we did not apply for financial aid), but chose to go elsewhere. But we really liked the school and it is worth a visit.