Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Bowdoin's acceptance rate is artificially deflated because of their need blind policies for international students. They get about 3000 excess applications from international students because of this policy. The same issue holds for Williams, Amherst, the Ivies and other need blind for internationals schools. About 42-45% of Bowdoin's applications are international in a typical year. Domestic applicants have a 12% acceptance rate.

If you normalize of financial aid you will find that all of the top SLACs have a 10-12% admissions rate and the rate for the Ivies is 7-10%.

This is an interesting way of looking at it. Amongst WASP, Amherst is the only one that is Need Blind for internationals. So by your logic its acceptance should actually be higher than what it seems to be.

Not true, Pomona is need blind for some international applicants abroad and all international applicants who went to school in the US. Swat and Bowdoin are completely need blind.

What does that even mean and why wouldn’t they just go fully need blind then

You would need to ask them why but in a nutshell they are need blind for near neighbors like Mexico, Canada, Caribbean as well as for non-citizens who went to school in the US like the children of H1b holders. Need aware other wise.

[Anonymous]

By and large, the WASP LACs have much more in common than they do differences. There's not going to be meaningful distinction in academic quality, student quality, resources, etc. But I still think of them in pairs.

Williams and Amherst are older, more remote, have more sports culture, and skew a little toward pre-professionalism.

Swarthmore and Pomona are newer, adjacent to major cities, are a little more counterculture, and skew a little more academic.

Each school has special offerings that the others don't: Williams has tutorials, Amherst has the open curriculum, Swarthmore has the honors program, and Pomona has the 5C Consortium.

I think there are great reasons to pick one of these schools over another, but generalized prestige/quality isn't one of them. In any event, the type of kid who prioritizes prestige/branding is probably going to be more inclined to attend a T20 university over any LAC.

Last, ED will not offer much, if any, advantage at any of these schools. ED to one of them if it's your DC's unequivocal first choice; but don't do so just because you think you'll miss out on an advantage. In the last couple admissions cycles, high stats kids have done pretty well in RD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst boosters typically punch up and highlight comparisons to ivies; Bowdoin Wes Middlebury punch up with comparisons to Williams and Amherst. Rarely if never do you hear Williams or Amherst booster saying “we are just as good as Bowdoin or Middlebury!”

One thing about Pomona boosters: they don’t go there at all. They don’t need to, being in California. That’s part of the reason Pomona is so on the rise, with no end to that trajectory in sight.

Pomona to me is more of a direct peer or West Coast version of Haverford - not any of the upper nescacs

But Pomona doesn’t compare itself to east coast SLACs. They don’t care because they don’t have to. It is a sign of strength. East coast SLACs can compare themselves to Pomona all they want — a sign of weakness.

of course they do, have you ever heard of IPEDs? They even include Oberlin and Trinity as peers

what's your point? so does swarthmore. williams includes grinnell and haverford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By and large, the WASP LACs have much more in common than they do differences. There's not going to be meaningful distinction in academic quality, student quality, resources, etc. But I still think of them in pairs.

Williams and Amherst are older, more remote, have more sports culture, and skew a little toward pre-professionalism.

Swarthmore and Pomona are newer, adjacent to major cities, are a little more counterculture, and skew a little more academic.

Each school has special offerings that the others don't: Williams has tutorials, Amherst has the open curriculum, Swarthmore has the honors program, and Pomona has the 5C Consortium.

I think there are great reasons to pick one of these schools over another, but generalized prestige/quality isn't one of them. In any event, the type of kid who prioritizes prestige/branding is probably going to be more inclined to attend a T20 university over any LAC.

Last, ED will not offer much, if any, advantage at any of these schools. ED to one of them if it's your DC's unequivocal first choice; but don't do so just because you think you'll miss out on an advantage. In the last couple admissions cycles, high stats kids have done pretty well in RD.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst boosters typically punch up and highlight comparisons to ivies; Bowdoin Wes Middlebury punch up with comparisons to Williams and Amherst. Rarely if never do you hear Williams or Amherst booster saying “we are just as good as Bowdoin or Middlebury!”

One thing about Pomona boosters: they don’t go there at all. They don’t need to, being in California. That’s part of the reason Pomona is so on the rise, with no end to that trajectory in sight.

Pomona to me is more of a direct peer or West Coast version of Haverford - not any of the upper nescacs

But Pomona doesn’t compare itself to east coast SLACs. They don’t care because they don’t have to. It is a sign of strength. East coast SLACs can compare themselves to Pomona all they want — a sign of weakness.

of course they do, have you ever heard of IPEDs? They even include Oberlin and Trinity as peers

what's your point? so does swarthmore. williams includes grinnell and haverford.

News flash: IPEDs comparisons are just filler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By and large, the WASP LACs have much more in common than they do differences. There's not going to be meaningful distinction in academic quality, student quality, resources, etc. But I still think of them in pairs.

Williams and Amherst are older, more remote, have more sports culture, and skew a little toward pre-professionalism.

Swarthmore and Pomona are newer, adjacent to major cities, are a little more counterculture, and skew a little more academic.

Each school has special offerings that the others don't: Williams has tutorials, Amherst has the open curriculum, Swarthmore has the honors program, and Pomona has the 5C Consortium.

I think there are great reasons to pick one of these schools over another, but generalized prestige/quality isn't one of them. In any event, the type of kid who prioritizes prestige/branding is probably going to be more inclined to attend a T20 university over any LAC.

Last, ED will not offer much, if any, advantage at any of these schools. ED to one of them if it's your DC's unequivocal first choice; but don't do so just because you think you'll miss out on an advantage. In the last couple admissions cycles, high stats kids have done pretty well in RD.

+1

Good summary but classifying S and P as “newer” is a little odd. 19th century.

Put Bowdoin in your W and A paragraph, where it fits perfectly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By and large, the WASP LACs have much more in common than they do differences. There's not going to be meaningful distinction in academic quality, student quality, resources, etc. But I still think of them in pairs.

Williams and Amherst are older, more remote, have more sports culture, and skew a little toward pre-professionalism.

Swarthmore and Pomona are newer, adjacent to major cities, are a little more counterculture, and skew a little more academic.

Each school has special offerings that the others don't: Williams has tutorials, Amherst has the open curriculum, Swarthmore has the honors program, and Pomona has the 5C Consortium.

I think there are great reasons to pick one of these schools over another, but generalized prestige/quality isn't one of them. In any event, the type of kid who prioritizes prestige/branding is probably going to be more inclined to attend a T20 university over any LAC.

Last, ED will not offer much, if any, advantage at any of these schools. ED to one of them if it's your DC's unequivocal first choice; but don't do so just because you think you'll miss out on an advantage. In the last couple admissions cycles, high stats kids have done pretty well in RD.

+1

Good summary but classifying S and P as “newer” is a little odd. 19th century.

Put Bowdoin in your W and A paragraph, where it fits perfectly.

Jesus. Stop with trying to lump Bowdoin in with WASP. You sound pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst boosters typically punch up and highlight comparisons to ivies; Bowdoin Wes Middlebury punch up with comparisons to Williams and Amherst. Rarely if never do you hear Williams or Amherst booster saying “we are just as good as Bowdoin or Middlebury!”

One thing about Pomona boosters: they don’t go there at all. They don’t need to, being in California. That’s part of the reason Pomona is so on the rise, with no end to that trajectory in sight.

Pomona to me is more of a direct peer or West Coast version of Haverford - not any of the upper nescacs

But Pomona doesn’t compare itself to east coast SLACs. They don’t care because they don’t have to. It is a sign of strength. East coast SLACs can compare themselves to Pomona all they want — a sign of weakness.

of course they do, have you ever heard of IPEDs? They even include Oberlin and Trinity as peers

what's your point? so does swarthmore. williams includes grinnell and haverford.

News flash: IPEDs comparisons are just filler.

In what way? INteresting that you say that given that the peer lists are chosen by the schools themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst boosters typically punch up and highlight comparisons to ivies; Bowdoin Wes Middlebury punch up with comparisons to Williams and Amherst. Rarely if never do you hear Williams or Amherst booster saying “we are just as good as Bowdoin or Middlebury!”

One thing about Pomona boosters: they don’t go there at all. They don’t need to, being in California. That’s part of the reason Pomona is so on the rise, with no end to that trajectory in sight.

Pomona to me is more of a direct peer or West Coast version of Haverford - not any of the upper nescacs

But Pomona doesn’t compare itself to east coast SLACs. They don’t care because they don’t have to. It is a sign of strength. East coast SLACs can compare themselves to Pomona all they want — a sign of weakness.

of course they do, have you ever heard of IPEDs? They even include Oberlin and Trinity as peers

The custom comparison group chosen by Pomona College includes the following 7 institutions:
Amherst College (Amherst, MA)
Carleton College (Northfield, MN)
Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH)
Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, PA)
Trinity College (Hartford, CT)
Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT)
Williams College (Williamstown, MA)

This is such a strange grouping

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst boosters typically punch up and highlight comparisons to ivies; Bowdoin Wes Middlebury punch up with comparisons to Williams and Amherst. Rarely if never do you hear Williams or Amherst booster saying “we are just as good as Bowdoin or Middlebury!”

One thing about Pomona boosters: they don’t go there at all. They don’t need to, being in California. That’s part of the reason Pomona is so on the rise, with no end to that trajectory in sight.

Pomona to me is more of a direct peer or West Coast version of Haverford - not any of the upper nescacs

But Pomona doesn’t compare itself to east coast SLACs. They don’t care because they don’t have to. It is a sign of strength. East coast SLACs can compare themselves to Pomona all they want — a sign of weakness.

of course they do, have you ever heard of IPEDs? They even include Oberlin and Trinity as peers

what's your point? so does swarthmore. williams includes grinnell and haverford.

News flash: IPEDs comparisons are just filler.

In what way? INteresting that you say that given that the peer lists are chosen by the schools themselves.

And they mean nothing. Literally filler filling a piece of paper. Mere words. Colleges frequently assess their true competitors, internally — and this has no relation to colleges arbitrarily mentioned an this silly form.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By and large, the WASP LACs have much more in common than they do differences. There's not going to be meaningful distinction in academic quality, student quality, resources, etc. But I still think of them in pairs.

Williams and Amherst are older, more remote, have more sports culture, and skew a little toward pre-professionalism.

Swarthmore and Pomona are newer, adjacent to major cities, are a little more counterculture, and skew a little more academic.

Each school has special offerings that the others don't: Williams has tutorials, Amherst has the open curriculum, Swarthmore has the honors program, and Pomona has the 5C Consortium.

I think there are great reasons to pick one of these schools over another, but generalized prestige/quality isn't one of them. In any event, the type of kid who prioritizes prestige/branding is probably going to be more inclined to attend a T20 university over any LAC.

Last, ED will not offer much, if any, advantage at any of these schools. ED to one of them if it's your DC's unequivocal first choice; but don't do so just because you think you'll miss out on an advantage. In the last couple admissions cycles, high stats kids have done pretty well in RD.

+1

Good summary but classifying S and P as “newer” is a little odd. 19th century.

Put Bowdoin in your W and A paragraph, where it fits perfectly.

Jesus. Stop with trying to lump Bowdoin in with WASP. You sound pathetic.

You mean WASP-B? I corrected your typo.

[Anonymous]

How about BOSWAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst boosters typically punch up and highlight comparisons to ivies; Bowdoin Wes Middlebury punch up with comparisons to Williams and Amherst. Rarely if never do you hear Williams or Amherst booster saying “we are just as good as Bowdoin or Middlebury!”

One thing about Pomona boosters: they don’t go there at all. They don’t need to, being in California. That’s part of the reason Pomona is so on the rise, with no end to that trajectory in sight.

Pomona to me is more of a direct peer or West Coast version of Haverford - not any of the upper nescacs

But Pomona doesn’t compare itself to east coast SLACs. They don’t care because they don’t have to. It is a sign of strength. East coast SLACs can compare themselves to Pomona all they want — a sign of weakness.

of course they do, have you ever heard of IPEDs? They even include Oberlin and Trinity as peers

The custom comparison group chosen by Pomona College includes the following 7 institutions:
Amherst College (Amherst, MA)
Carleton College (Northfield, MN)
Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH)
Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, PA)
Trinity College (Hartford, CT)
Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT)
Williams College (Williamstown, MA)

This is such a strange grouping

Not remotely. All LACS that offer strong educations. In fact it's pretty close to DC's final list. Many can look beyond the meaningless, rigid rankings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst boosters typically punch up and highlight comparisons to ivies; Bowdoin Wes Middlebury punch up with comparisons to Williams and Amherst. Rarely if never do you hear Williams or Amherst booster saying “we are just as good as Bowdoin or Middlebury!”

One thing about Pomona boosters: they don’t go there at all. They don’t need to, being in California. That’s part of the reason Pomona is so on the rise, with no end to that trajectory in sight.

Pomona to me is more of a direct peer or West Coast version of Haverford - not any of the upper nescacs

But Pomona doesn’t compare itself to east coast SLACs. They don’t care because they don’t have to. It is a sign of strength. East coast SLACs can compare themselves to Pomona all they want — a sign of weakness.

of course they do, have you ever heard of IPEDs? They even include Oberlin and Trinity as peers

The custom comparison group chosen by Pomona College includes the following 7 institutions:
Amherst College (Amherst, MA)
Carleton College (Northfield, MN)
Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH)
Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, PA)
Trinity College (Hartford, CT)
Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT)
Williams College (Williamstown, MA)

This is such a strange grouping

Not remotely. All LACS that offer strong educations. In fact it's pretty close to DC's final list. Many can look beyond the meaningless, rigid rankings.

It’s an arbitrary and meaningless grouping: colleges just pick a few others, almost out of a hat. There is no empirical basis for any of it required by IPEDs (say, cross-admits etc.). It means nothing except to people, like on this thread, who don’t know any better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about BOSWAP.

If only Oberlin had not gone downhill the last generation or two. Another vowel is desperately needed.