SLAC vibes? Kenyon, Susquehanna, Muhlenberg, Univ of Richmond, Denison, Wesleyan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond is the best school on your list. Since your kid already got in, it's a no brainer.

Richmond is tied for DC’s top 2 and we think it’s great, but it’s not better than Wesleyan.

What is your DC's other top pick?

Mary Washington

[Anonymous]

Agree with others that Wes really doesn't fit here--way more serious intellectually than the others, no business major or minor, much more difficult admit, no fratty vibe--pretty much the opposite of Richmond and in a different class than every other school listed. Doesn't make sense to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all of these acceptances EA or RD? Didn’t realize they had all announced already?

Richmond is very fratty, pre professional- if that’s what your kid wants, it’s very good.

Agree Wesleyan is basically its opposite on all fronts.

Gotcha on University of Richmond. My kid loves their campus. Not sure if that's the kind of vibe he'll like. So Wesleyan isn't pre professional and not very fratty?

EA acceptances: Susquehanna, University of Richmond, Muhlenberg

Early RD acceptance: Kenyon

Still waiting on RD decision: Denison, Wesleyan

Richmond is really not all that fratty. It is a great mix of kids. My sophomore is very involved with great friends and opportunites and not in a frat. He was also accepted to Kenyon and Denison (as well as Davidson). Liked UR's larger size and D1 sports. The large endowment allows for a ton of cool opportunites. Great food, gorgeous campus, access to city, classes so far great. There are lot of old reputation claims on DCUM that are no longer true. Highly rec. Denison and Kenyon are great too. Kenyon much smaller and writing heavy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all of these acceptances EA or RD? Didn’t realize they had all announced already?

Richmond is very fratty, pre professional- if that’s what your kid wants, it’s very good.

Agree Wesleyan is basically its opposite on all fronts.

Gotcha on University of Richmond. My kid loves their campus. Not sure if that's the kind of vibe he'll like. So Wesleyan isn't pre professional and not very fratty?

EA acceptances: Susquehanna, University of Richmond, Muhlenberg

Early RD acceptance: Kenyon

Still waiting on RD decision: Denison, Wesleyan

Richmond is really not all that fratty. It is a great mix of kids. My sophomore is very involved with great friends and opportunites and not in a frat. He was also accepted to Kenyon and Denison (as well as Davidson). Liked UR's larger size and D1 sports. The large endowment allows for a ton of cool opportunites. Great food, gorgeous campus, access to city, classes so far great. There are lot of old reputation claims on DCUM that are no longer true. Highly rec. Denison and Kenyon are great too. Kenyon much smaller and writing heavy.

This is very good to hear about UR! Unfortunately that is all I hear about UR - the fratty reputation. How is the diversity at UR? What is your son's major? What made him choose UR over Kenyon and Denison? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids at Denison. Do you have a specific question? I’d say it’s a close-knit community where kids are smart and serious about what they’re doing—whether that’s sports, arts, or academics—but the Denison culture is inclusive and balanced rather than intense/cutthroat. Students come from all across the country. President Weinberg is fantastic and really sets the tone.

Great to hear all this! Thanks! Is Greek life dominant at Denison? Are there some classes that are so popular they're hard to get into? I've heard conflicting info on their career center. When we toured, they highlighted their career center as one of the best in the country. What's your kids' experience?

Greek life: about 30ish% of students participate. It's present, but it’s non-residential and doesn’t dominate campus culture. My kids are active in their fraternity/sorority and have had good experiences, but they also have close friends in other houses and many friends who aren’t involved in Greek life at all. It's not siloed. I think most parties are open to anyone who wants to come. It’s definitely part of campus life, but not the defining feature.

Classes: I haven’t heard my kids struggle to get what they need. Like anywhere, some professors/classes are very popular and may fill quickly, but students rank their course preferences during registration, so you just have to be thoughtful and strategic. You may not get it the first time around and of course freshmen and sophomores may not get all the classes they want at first but they will get classes they need.

Career Center: Denison's career center is nationally recognized, but I have no experience with other schools so it's hard for me to compare. Both of my kids attended Knowlton Center programs over winter break. One did the three-day Senior Career Bootcam (focused on resumes, interviewing, networking, and job search strategy), and the other did a 2.5-day Journey Program retreat, which helps students explore career paths. These programs are free for Denison students. The boot camp was at Denison and the Journey Program was at a Lodge/Conference Center 90 minutes away from Denison. They’ve also taken Denison Edge courses online over summer and winter breaks.

President Weinberg talks a lot about the importance of relationships and relationship-building, and that emphasis shows up in how the career center operates. Students are encouraged to connect with alumni, and there are tools like the "Talk to an Alumni" platform that make those introductions easier. Because Denison alumni are spread across the country and internationally, there isn’t a built-in pipeline to one specific city or industry so that makes networking especially important. The school provides access and preparation, but students have to take initiative and build those relationships.

Denison seniors exercise career-building muscles at boot camp - https://denison.edu/career/feature/161145
Podcast: Developing an Early Career Exploration Program for Sophomores (I haven't listened to this) -
https://www.gouconnect.com/podcast-episode/developing-an-early-career-exploration-program-for-sophomores-michele-doran-melanie-murphy/
Denison named a ‘dream school’ in new best-selling book - https://denison.edu/news-events/featured/159972

Hope this helps!

This is great! Thanks! Yes, it helps a lot! We were very impressed when we visited Denison! Thanks for the links! Will share with my DC.

I also have a child at Denison and we have been really happy with the school. I also think the location is ideal. Granville is an adorable town but you are only about 30 minutes from Columbus. Makes it very easy for our child to fly home. Lots of opportunities to go into Columbus for theater, museums, hockey games, experiences through the career center, etc. with the school. My child could also uber to concerts, visit a friend who was OSU on their own.

The only campus that you listed that I visited was Kenyon. Kenyon felt very isolated to me. I would have wanted my kid to have a car if they were on that campus. Student body also gave off "quirky". Felt like Denison was more diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Susquehanna is very "sweet." They are extremely generous with merit -- without knowing a thing about your specific situation, I can almost guarantee you it will come in as your kid's cheapest option.

But it's not really on the same plane academically. In my head, Wesleyan and Richmond are quite selective; Kenyon and Denison are selective, but I can never distinguish between them; and then Susquehanna and Muhlenberg are similar LACs with Susquehanna skewing a little more sporty and Muhlenberg a little more artsy.

Ha! Yes, Susquehanna is my kid's cheapest option. It is very tempting but we're looking for a good fit academically and socially. Not to be snotty, but would my kid who got into Univ of Richmond find Susquehanna too easy or will being in Susq's honors college be enough to challenge my kid and give my kid enough time to explore other opportunities (work with faculty, extra curriculars, etc)?

Susquehanna offers great opportunities to work with faculty, take on leadership positions, and while not everyone gives off the Richmond wealthy vibe, there are plenty of wealthy, private school kids that attend. Our DS went there for his sport and had a great experience. Went on to a highly ranked grad program so he’s never regretted the choice to attend there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids at Denison. Do you have a specific question? I’d say it’s a close-knit community where kids are smart and serious about what they’re doing—whether that’s sports, arts, or academics—but the Denison culture is inclusive and balanced rather than intense/cutthroat. Students come from all across the country. President Weinberg is fantastic and really sets the tone.

Great to hear all this! Thanks! Is Greek life dominant at Denison? Are there some classes that are so popular they're hard to get into? I've heard conflicting info on their career center. When we toured, they highlighted their career center as one of the best in the country. What's your kids' experience?

Greek life: about 30ish% of students participate. It's present, but it’s non-residential and doesn’t dominate campus culture. My kids are active in their fraternity/sorority and have had good experiences, but they also have close friends in other houses and many friends who aren’t involved in Greek life at all. It's not siloed. I think most parties are open to anyone who wants to come. It’s definitely part of campus life, but not the defining feature.

Classes: I haven’t heard my kids struggle to get what they need. Like anywhere, some professors/classes are very popular and may fill quickly, but students rank their course preferences during registration, so you just have to be thoughtful and strategic. You may not get it the first time around and of course freshmen and sophomores may not get all the classes they want at first but they will get classes they need.

Career Center: Denison's career center is nationally recognized, but I have no experience with other schools so it's hard for me to compare. Both of my kids attended Knowlton Center programs over winter break. One did the three-day Senior Career Bootcam (focused on resumes, interviewing, networking, and job search strategy), and the other did a 2.5-day Journey Program retreat, which helps students explore career paths. These programs are free for Denison students. The boot camp was at Denison and the Journey Program was at a Lodge/Conference Center 90 minutes away from Denison. They’ve also taken Denison Edge courses online over summer and winter breaks.

President Weinberg talks a lot about the importance of relationships and relationship-building, and that emphasis shows up in how the career center operates. Students are encouraged to connect with alumni, and there are tools like the "Talk to an Alumni" platform that make those introductions easier. Because Denison alumni are spread across the country and internationally, there isn’t a built-in pipeline to one specific city or industry so that makes networking especially important. The school provides access and preparation, but students have to take initiative and build those relationships.

Denison seniors exercise career-building muscles at boot camp - https://denison.edu/career/feature/161145
Podcast: Developing an Early Career Exploration Program for Sophomores (I haven't listened to this) -
https://www.gouconnect.com/podcast-episode/developing-an-early-career-exploration-program-for-sophomores-michele-doran-melanie-murphy/
Denison named a ‘dream school’ in new best-selling book - https://denison.edu/news-events/featured/159972

Hope this helps!

This is great! Thanks! Yes, it helps a lot! We were very impressed when we visited Denison! Thanks for the links! Will share with my DC.

I also have a child at Denison and we have been really happy with the school. I also think the location is ideal. Granville is an adorable town but you are only about 30 minutes from Columbus. Makes it very easy for our child to fly home. Lots of opportunities to go into Columbus for theater, museums, hockey games, experiences through the career center, etc. with the school. My child could also uber to concerts, visit a friend who was OSU on their own.

The only campus that you listed that I visited was Kenyon. Kenyon felt very isolated to me. I would have wanted my kid to have a car if they were on that campus. Student body also gave off "quirky". Felt like Denison was more diverse.

Great to hear about Denison. Thank you! What is your kid's major? Is your kid an athlete?

Interesting that you say that Denison felt more diverse than Kenyon. We visited Denison and Kenyon on a weekend when most students were sleeping in. Hopefully we'll get more of a sense of the campus on a weekday visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Susquehanna is very "sweet." They are extremely generous with merit -- without knowing a thing about your specific situation, I can almost guarantee you it will come in as your kid's cheapest option.

But it's not really on the same plane academically. In my head, Wesleyan and Richmond are quite selective; Kenyon and Denison are selective, but I can never distinguish between them; and then Susquehanna and Muhlenberg are similar LACs with Susquehanna skewing a little more sporty and Muhlenberg a little more artsy.

Ha! Yes, Susquehanna is my kid's cheapest option. It is very tempting but we're looking for a good fit academically and socially. Not to be snotty, but would my kid who got into Univ of Richmond find Susquehanna too easy or will being in Susq's honors college be enough to challenge my kid and give my kid enough time to explore other opportunities (work with faculty, extra curriculars, etc)?

Susquehanna offers great opportunities to work with faculty, take on leadership positions, and while not everyone gives off the Richmond wealthy vibe, there are plenty of wealthy, private school kids that attend. Our DS went there for his sport and had a great experience. Went on to a highly ranked grad program so he’s never regretted the choice to attend there.

Thanks for the feedback! What other schools were your DS considering at the time and what made him choose Susquehanna?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids at Denison. Do you have a specific question? I’d say it’s a close-knit community where kids are smart and serious about what they’re doing—whether that’s sports, arts, or academics—but the Denison culture is inclusive and balanced rather than intense/cutthroat. Students come from all across the country. President Weinberg is fantastic and really sets the tone.

+1

My (geeky) DC graduated a few years ago and had a great experience in all respects. DC is doing very well now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Susquehanna is very "sweet." They are extremely generous with merit -- without knowing a thing about your specific situation, I can almost guarantee you it will come in as your kid's cheapest option.

But it's not really on the same plane academically. In my head, Wesleyan and Richmond are quite selective; Kenyon and Denison are selective, but I can never distinguish between them; and then Susquehanna and Muhlenberg are similar LACs with Susquehanna skewing a little more sporty and Muhlenberg a little more artsy.

Ha! Yes, Susquehanna is my kid's cheapest option. It is very tempting but we're looking for a good fit academically and socially. Not to be snotty, but would my kid who got into Univ of Richmond find Susquehanna too easy or will being in Susq's honors college be enough to challenge my kid and give my kid enough time to explore other opportunities (work with faculty, extra curriculars, etc)?

Susquehanna offers great opportunities to work with faculty, take on leadership positions, and while not everyone gives off the Richmond wealthy vibe, there are plenty of wealthy, private school kids that attend. Our DS went there for his sport and had a great experience. Went on to a highly ranked grad program so he’s never regretted the choice to attend there.

He looked at Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, CNU, and UMW and a few others for his sport and looked at some bigger schools if he opted not to play.

He just really liked the campus, how friendly everyone was, how accessible professors were and felt like he would have lots of opportunities to participate in many things while still playing his sport. For him it was a great match. Obviously not as highly ranked as some schools but that wasn’t a factor in his or our decision making.

[Anonymous]

Richmond is tied for DC’s top 2 and we think it’s great, but it’s not better than Wesleyan.


What is your DC's other top pick?

Mary Washington

pp at least admit, in the end, you aren't going to allow anything other than a Virginia public in-state

[Anonymous]

Haven’t read through all the comments but UR would likely have the best job prospects post grad. Easy to tack on business double major or minor to whatever else they want to study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Haven’t read through all the comments but UR would likely have the best job prospects post grad. Easy to tack on business double major or minor to whatever else they want to study.

Curious as to why you think this especially over Wesleyan which is more highly ranked school with a lot of NYC connections.

[Anonymous]

Of your list we only visited Kenyon and Denison. I thought both were beautiful campus-wise.

Kenyon was too isolated so that was out of the running. Ultimately DC didn’t apply to Denison as they didn’t have the major DC was looking to study, program in this area was too broad.

We both liked the proximity Denison offers to Columbus for flights home and events/concerts/theater etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Richmond is tied for DC’s top 2 and we think it’s great, but it’s not better than Wesleyan.


What is your DC's other top pick?

Mary Washington

pp at least admit, in the end, you aren't going to allow anything other than a Virginia public in-state

Pp here and no, that’s just most of what DC has looked at so far (only a junior). Richmond is the current fave but all private schools are going to depend on getting some $, so we’ll see. Will be visiting several PA schools over spring break. Already looked at SMCM and DC didn’t like it as much, its fourth after W&M, which is in third. PA schools on the list include Dickinson, F&M, Lehigh, Lafayette, and Muhlenberg (spring break visits planned) as well as Susquehanna, Juniata, and Penn State (outlier — DC wants sm/med SLACs but we have family who work at Penn State and are insistent on a visit at some point).

Kenyon and Oberlin also on the list.

Do you feel better now?