Favorite College that changes lives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lynchburg is a hidden gem close to the DMV.

We looked at Lynchburg and Roanoke and liked the both a lot. DCUM does not!

We were just at Randolph this weekend - they are in a consortium with Lynchburg (and Sweet Briar)

Lynchburg and Randolph apparently have a couple programs where students take half their classes on one campus and half on the other.

We toured Sweet Briar. I loved it, DD was a little less enthusiastic. I know DCUM has different opinions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in the GPNW and know the schools on this list from that region pretty well--have had friends attend all of them. They're all great places for kids who dig their respective ethos. In alpha order:

Evergreen State is super hippie. Like a left coast version of UNC-Asheville only more so. Or a mini UC Santa Cruz. More intellectual than academic, if that makes sense.

Reed is intense. Like a less selective but no less ambitious Swarthmore--but with lots of black eyeliner and hard drugs. If you're not both brilliant and cynical, it's not your spot.

UPS is kind of like a miniaturized flagship. Solid for business, music, and liberal arts and sciences. Wide range of kids there, almost all of them happy.

Whitman is like west coast Middlebury but in a bigger, better town (but also way further from anything else). For kids who check the "intellectual," "outdoorsy," and "at least somewhat preppy" boxes, it's heaven.

Willamette is right next to the state capital and is a school for go-getters, across a decent range of raw intellectual firepower levels.

Which of these schools would work for a moderately conservative student who is interested in that area of the country?

UPS or Willamette for sure. Probably Whitman, too. Definitely not Reed or Evergreen State.

I second UPS for this description. Work in Seattle in non-profit adjacent to people in finance annd investment management work and the its littered with UPS grads who are down to earth, slightly conservative for this area, sporty into adulthood, and a bit more “East Coast” than my other colleagues.

Which one of those schools is UPS? I don't understand the abbreviation.

University of Puget Sound. Full disclosure: I went to one of those PacNW colleges. I agree with DP's assessments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in the GPNW and know the schools on this list from that region pretty well--have had friends attend all of them. They're all great places for kids who dig their respective ethos. In alpha order:

Evergreen State is super hippie. Like a left coast version of UNC-Asheville only more so. Or a mini UC Santa Cruz. More intellectual than academic, if that makes sense.

Reed is intense. Like a less selective but no less ambitious Swarthmore--but with lots of black eyeliner and hard drugs. If you're not both brilliant and cynical, it's not your spot.

UPS is kind of like a miniaturized flagship. Solid for business, music, and liberal arts and sciences. Wide range of kids there, almost all of them happy.

Whitman is like west coast Middlebury but in a bigger, better town (but also way further from anything else). For kids who check the "intellectual," "outdoorsy," and "at least somewhat preppy" boxes, it's heaven.

Willamette is right next to the state capital and is a school for go-getters, across a decent range of raw intellectual firepower levels.

Which of these schools would work for a moderately conservative student who is interested in that area of the country?

UPS or Willamette for sure. Probably Whitman, too. Definitely not Reed or Evergreen State.

I second UPS for this description. Work in Seattle in non-profit adjacent to people in finance annd investment management work and the its littered with UPS grads who are down to earth, slightly conservative for this area, sporty into adulthood, and a bit more “East Coast” than my other colleagues.

Which one of those schools is UPS? I don't understand the abbreviation.

University of Puget Sound

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Kalamazoo College ("K") and left after a quarter. It's a provincial LAC with a lot of students who aren't all that bright.

What year was that? Just thinking about MacArthur fellow and internationally recognized artist Julie Mehretu, National Book Critics winner Teju Cole, the recent Golden Globes and Emmy winning as well as Oscar nominated Steven Yuen, or the ever funny Daily Show reporter Jordan Klepper. Maybe you were in an off cohort. That happens at every school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Denison has so many things going for it including an amazing president, a large endowment, and a beautiful campus. It is in the quaint village of Granville but only 30 minutes away from Columbus. The students are well-rounded and are from all over.

https://denison.edu/fast-facts

+1

My DC had a wonderful experience at Denison. We loved it as parents, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Kalamazoo College ("K") and left after a quarter. It's a provincial LAC with a lot of students who aren't all that bright.

I know two very bright students there right now. One who is going on to an excellent grad school. Maybe a quarter wasn't enough for you to get a good sense of it?

STEM and med school feeder though robust theatre and arts program, including Selma Blair, Holly Hughes, Quincy Isaiah, and Lisa Kron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like CTCL always brings out the snobs.

I know kids who have gone to Ursinus and McDaniel. McD actively promotes their programs for kids with learning differences, and the kids I know who have gone there seemed very happy. I have a harder time characterizing Ursinus, but I do hear good things.

It's funny how few East Coast schools are on the list.

My friend's son went to Ursinus and had an excellent experience and did well in law school admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like CTCL always brings out the snobs.

I know kids who have gone to Ursinus and McDaniel. McD actively promotes their programs for kids with learning differences, and the kids I know who have gone there seemed very happy. I have a harder time characterizing Ursinus, but I do hear good things.

It's funny how few East Coast schools are on the list.

Maybe those who you label as snobs just have different standards and goals.

Several of the CTCL are on the brink of financial disaster.

Job placement and recruiting is not good at most of these small colleges.

Retention rates and 6 year graduation rates at many of the CTCL schools are not good.

Students can get a good education at most schools if motivated and disciplined, but the more important issue is job placement & internship opportunities.

I do not understand the focus on PhD placement for small college students as most humanities PhD struggle to find decent jobs.

CTCL is little more than a marketing organization for small relatively unknown schools most of which face significant financial hurdles.

[Anonymous]

I went to Kalamazoo and enjoyed my experience. When I look at the alumni magazine, it still seems to draw lots of kids who want to make a positive impact, even in majors like Biology and Business. But I would look at the finances of whatever school you choose, there’s a wide variation about how secure they are. For instance, Denison on one end, and Antioch on another.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Wooster Alum. It is a wonderful school, and everyone I know went on to have great Grad School (Ivy League + level) options. Great if you are pre-med. Kids from all over, including a good number of international kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like CTCL always brings out the snobs.

I know kids who have gone to Ursinus and McDaniel. McD actively promotes their programs for kids with learning differences, and the kids I know who have gone there seemed very happy. I have a harder time characterizing Ursinus, but I do hear good things.

It's funny how few East Coast schools are on the list.

Maybe those who you label as snobs just have different standards and goals.

Several of the CTCL are on the brink of financial disaster.

Job placement and recruiting is not good at most of these small colleges.

Retention rates and 6 year graduation rates at many of the CTCL schools are not good.

Students can get a good education at most schools if motivated and disciplined, but the more important issue is job placement & internship opportunities.

I do not understand the focus on PhD placement for small college students as most humanities PhD struggle to find decent jobs.

CTCL is little more than a marketing organization for small relatively unknown schools most of which face significant financial hurdles.

My DC, a Denison grad, is doing a STEM PhD as we speak. With an endowment stated to over $1 billion in 2023, the Denison endowment per student is over $400,000.

Why do you assume that students pursuing PhD are doing so in humanities fields?

[Anonymous]

Among those facing significant financial issues are Birmingham Southern College which may close.

Goucher & Antioch are both in a state of financial difficulty.

This is just a partial list as at least a dozen others are struggling financially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Kalamazoo and enjoyed my experience. When I look at the alumni magazine, it still seems to draw lots of kids who want to make a positive impact, even in majors like Biology and Business. But I would look at the finances of whatever school you choose, there’s a wide variation about how secure they are. For instance, Denison on one end, and Antioch on another.

OP: I agree, much as I appreciate Antioch's history.

I also think we can all safely disregard the poster who doesn't know what Phds are for.

A lot of small colleges also have fanatically loyal alumni. Sweet Briar was saved by theirs, and I knew a few colleges on both lists have received giant donations and have strong endowments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like CTCL always brings out the snobs.

I know kids who have gone to Ursinus and McDaniel. McD actively promotes their programs for kids with learning differences, and the kids I know who have gone there seemed very happy. I have a harder time characterizing Ursinus, but I do hear good things.

It's funny how few East Coast schools are on the list.

Maybe those who you label as snobs just have different standards and goals.

Several of the CTCL are on the brink of financial disaster.

Job placement and recruiting is not good at most of these small colleges.

Retention rates and 6 year graduation rates at many of the CTCL schools are not good.

Students can get a good education at most schools if motivated and disciplined, but the more important issue is job placement & internship opportunities.

I do not understand the focus on PhD placement for small college students as most humanities PhD struggle to find decent jobs.

CTCL is little more than a marketing organization for small relatively unknown schools most of which face significant financial hurdles.

My DC, a Denison grad, is doing a STEM PhD as we speak. With an endowment stated to over $1 billion in 2023, the Denison endowment per student is over $400,000.

Why do you assume that students pursuing PhD are doing so in humanities fields?

Because that poster thinks big state schools are the best, only likes Computer Science and Engineering for majors, and doesn't understand the "research" part of research university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like CTCL always brings out the snobs.

I know kids who have gone to Ursinus and McDaniel. McD actively promotes their programs for kids with learning differences, and the kids I know who have gone there seemed very happy. I have a harder time characterizing Ursinus, but I do hear good things.

It's funny how few East Coast schools are on the list.

Maybe those who you label as snobs just have different standards and goals.

Several of the CTCL are on the brink of financial disaster.

Job placement and recruiting is not good at most of these small colleges.

Retention rates and 6 year graduation rates at many of the CTCL schools are not good.

Students can get a good education at most schools if motivated and disciplined, but the more important issue is job placement & internship opportunities.

I do not understand the focus on PhD placement for small college students as most humanities PhD struggle to find decent jobs.

CTCL is little more than a marketing organization for small relatively unknown schools most of which face significant financial hurdles.

My DC, a Denison grad, is doing a STEM PhD as we speak. With an endowment stated to over $1 billion in 2023, the Denison endowment per student is over $400,000.

Why do you assume that students pursuing PhD are doing so in humanities fields?

Because that poster thinks big state schools are the best, only likes Computer Science and Engineering for majors, and doesn't understand the "research" part of research university.

Northeastern U., which gets so much love and devotion on this board, has a per-student endowment of $47,861 - a fraction of Denison's.

But sure Jan, tell us about how the CTCL schools are just a scam.