What are NESCAQ schools? Why have they become so much more prestigious in recent years?

[Anonymous]

My son who is a borderline candidate to apply to a few Ivies is also being steered to look at some NESCAQ'S. I didn't even know what they were but hear they are called "little ivies". His adviser said they have all become much more competitive in recent years but she recommends we visit a few. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

It's NESCAC. I guess you're not from around here...

All of the schools are very good. Not sure why the advisor says they are becoming more competitive when Williams and Amherst have been highly competitive for decades. I went to Middlebury which has always been hard to get into but now it's really hard. It's also a really great school. All of them are worth a look.

[Anonymous]

Wow PP - way to sound like a pretentious a-hole. Why don't you just explain to OP what they are? In fact, I went to a school where people had Middlebury as a fallback and I don't know what in the hell NESCAC means.

[Anonymous]

Maybe she assumed that OP could google and find out what the NESCAC schools are?

FYI, OP, they are, along with their acceptance rates:
Amherst College 13.7%
Bates College 23.7%
Bowdoin College 14.5%
Colby College 26.0%
Connecticut College 35.2%
Hamilton College 27.1%
Middlebury College 19.2%
Trinity College 31.1%
Tufts University 18.7%
Wesleyan University 19.4%
Williams College 16.9%

[Anonymous]

Just like the Ivy League is an athletic conference so is the NESCAC. It's a group of about 10 liberal arts school in NY and New England who play each other in sports. Most are pretty selective, a few are less so. They range in size from about 1500 to 2500 students. We found them to be pretty different so i'd just research the specific schools that might be appealing.

[Anonymous]

if you are taking a look at nescac, i'd also take a look at colgate....bit easier to get into IIRC.

[Anonymous]

nescac schools also have small student bodies so you need to take the overall acceptance rate with a pinch of salt since quite a number of slots are already taken by 'hooked' recruited athletes...def the case at a place like williams.

unhooked rates are MUCH lower and since the student body is so small...it is really difficult to get in.

also take a look at places like swarthmore and haverford (if you are looking at nescac's).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if you are taking a look at nescac, i'd also take a look at colgate....bit easier to get into IIRC.

Colgate is 26% right now, so very similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow PP - way to sound like a pretentious a-hole. Why don't you just explain to OP what they are? In fact, I went to a school where people had Middlebury as a fallback and I don't know what in the hell NESCAC means.

I was actually just surprised that she hadn't heard of any of the schools as most people in this area are at least familiar with Williams or Amherst. Wasn't trying to be an ahole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:if you are taking a look at nescac, i'd also take a look at colgate....bit easier to get into IIRC.

Colgate is 26% right now, so very similar.

ah ok, thanks. didn't know it also dropped below 30-35.

[Anonymous]

Not sure the prestige has changed much in recent years. Name recognition has always been strong in the NE and mid-Atlantic - they don't draw many from the West or South.