Do mid-tier LACs lack name recognition?

[Anonymous]

Agree with much of the comments on this thread. Lesser name recognition of LACs has zero to do with their rank, and much to do with their small size and alum base. I suspect many more people nationally (and even more so internationally) know Syracuse over Smith, Penn State over Pomona, U of Washington over Williams, you get the idea .

For whatever it is worth, I attended one of those LACs and it has always been positively known among my NYC and DC employers.

[Anonymous]

95% of people don’t know Amherst or Williams, let alone “mid tier” so who cares? (Yes, I know people in DC do, but I’m talking about the real world).

[Anonymous]

Perhaps the lack of name recognition among the proles is what makes the typical alumni network for any SLAC rabid and effective.

[Anonymous]

Having gone to Penn, I've spent the past couple of decades meeting people who are sure that I mean Penn State. Everyone who matters to my career knows Penn, but thre rest of the world not so much.

I wouldn't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Oberlin. And among the DMV UMC in my neighborhood and other kid’s school, 40% have never heard of it and another 40% have, but have no idea where it is. Maybe 20% of people could get to “small college in Ohio, known for music and science” on their own. So now, when Certain people ask, I’ll often just say they’re “at Oberlin, a small college near Cleveland”.

Life’s too short for me to GAF what my random neighbor with preschool aged kids thinks about my kid”s college choice. The people who need to know know (like grad school admissions). I have a neighbor with a daughter at Haverford. They don’tfcorrect their relatives who think it’s Harvard.

We have a lot of first gen Asian parents in our neighborhood or school. I think that’s parent of it. I have definitely dealt with some “I’m sorry your child failed at life” attitudes— especially among 1st gen Asian parents do toddlers.

Mine is an Obie too and most people I’ve told seem to know it but I totally agree that I couldn’t GAF if they do or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just about ALL LACs lack general name recognition -- even the "top" ones.

Who cares. That is not why most people pick their school, I would hope.

I wasn’t saying I cared. Just stating a fact in response to OP’s assertion that it’s just the mid tier that people don’t know. It doesn’t matter whether the LAC is #1 or #30, the general public won’t know LACs. No value judgement on LACs. My kid goes to one and loves it.

[Anonymous]

My kid goes to a top SLAC that most people in everyday encounters haven’t heard of. Whether people have heard of it or not is turning out to be a real social indicator. It’s actually quite fascinating from a sociological perspective.

I, on the other hand, had to google the term “Division 1” a few years back to understand why some neighbors were excited about their kid being recruited by “Division 1” schools.

[Anonymous]

I went to an actually mid-tier LAC (Beloit) and have never had to explain it in non-social situations. All my employers (nonprofit sector) had heard of it, and the grad school I went to respected it. Sure, at dinner parties in DC I sometimes got blank stares, but not as many as you might expect.

But TBH it rarely comes up. Once you’re older than 25 people don’t care where you went to college and it’s not a topic I really mention socially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oooh, just this week, I had a resume from a Swarthmore student who listed Swarthmore’s USNews rank on his/her resume. I snickered.

Oh yikes that’s kinda cringey

That would go into the bin if I was doing the hiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oooh, just this week, I had a resume from a Swarthmore student who listed Swarthmore’s USNews rank on his/her resume. I snickered.

Oh yikes that’s kinda cringey

That would go into the bin if I was doing the hiring.

Agreed.

You could imagine trying to manage and mentor them. Never happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:95% of people don’t know Amherst or Williams, let alone “mid tier” so who cares? (Yes, I know people in DC do, but I’m talking about the real world).

People who matter probably do know of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid goes to a top SLAC that most people in everyday encounters haven’t heard of. Whether people have heard of it or not is turning out to be a real social indicator. It’s actually quite fascinating from a sociological perspective.

I, on the other hand, had to google the term “Division 1” a few years back to understand why some neighbors were excited about their kid being recruited by “Division 1” schools.

+1

Most people ar polite. Some are crass and tactless, and your discussion goes like this:

Them: Where is Larla applying for college?

Me: she’s interested in schools like Bowden, Bates, Middlebury, Colby

Them (sneering): What are those?

Me: small liberal arts schools in the NE

Them.. Never heard of them. Why is she applying places in the middle of nowhere that no one has ever heard of? I thought your DD was doing well enough to apply EA for UVA or WM. She should do EA for UVA. My kid did EA for UVA. What Larla’s GPA? Above or below 4.2? SATs? At least 1500? ...

(By this point, the mother has moved to full blown superiority/ “I’m sorry your child has let you down. Her failure to apply for and get into UVA has brought dishonor on your family” mode)

Meanwhile, all she has shown is she doesn’t know what Bowdoi is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid goes to a top SLAC that most people in everyday encounters haven’t heard of. Whether people have heard of it or not is turning out to be a real social indicator. It’s actually quite fascinating from a sociological perspective.

I, on the other hand, had to google the term “Division 1” a few years back to understand why some neighbors were excited about their kid being recruited by “Division 1” schools.

+1

Most people ar polite. Some are crass and tactless, and your discussion goes like this:

Them: Where is Larla applying for college?

Me: she’s interested in schools like Bowden, Bates, Middlebury, Colby

Them (sneering): What are those?

Me: small liberal arts schools in the NE

Them.. Never heard of them. Why is she applying places in the middle of nowhere that no one has ever heard of? I thought your DD was doing well enough to apply EA for UVA or WM. She should do EA for UVA. My kid did EA for UVA. What Larla’s GPA? Above or below 4.2? SATs? At least 1500? ...

(By this point, the mother has moved to full blown superiority/ “I’m sorry your child has let you down. Her failure to apply for and get into UVA has brought dishonor on your family” mode)

Meanwhile, all she has shown is she doesn’t know what Bowdoi is.

Response: It's unfortunate that your college counseling was so limited. I guess tthat doesn't surprise me. Usually only the very best students are informed about SLACs. But don't worry, I'm sure Larla will do just fine at UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid goes to a top SLAC that most people in everyday encounters haven’t heard of. Whether people have heard of it or not is turning out to be a real social indicator. It’s actually quite fascinating from a sociological perspective.

I, on the other hand, had to google the term “Division 1” a few years back to understand why some neighbors were excited about their kid being recruited by “Division 1” schools.

+1

Most people ar polite. Some are crass and tactless, and your discussion goes like this:

Them: Where is Larla applying for college?

Me: she’s interested in schools like Bowden, Bates, Middlebury, Colby

Them (sneering): What are those?

Me: small liberal arts schools in the NE

Them.. Never heard of them. Why is she applying places in the middle of nowhere that no one has ever heard of? I thought your DD was doing well enough to apply EA for UVA or WM. She should do EA for UVA. My kid did EA for UVA. What Larla’s GPA? Above or below 4.2? SATs? At least 1500? ...

(By this point, the mother has moved to full blown superiority/ “I’m sorry your child has let you down. Her failure to apply for and get into UVA has brought dishonor on your family” mode)

Meanwhile, all she has shown is she doesn’t know what Bowdoi is.

I ignore this type of stuff but admit that I did once let a particularly annoying mom get under my skin, and let her know that my kid turned down UVA and William and Mary for his SLAC but that I get that “not everyone can financially afford that so in state is a great option for most people.” I am not proud of this snotty remark but she did deserve it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:95% of people don’t know Amherst or Williams, let alone “mid tier” so who cares? (Yes, I know people in DC do, but I’m talking about the real world).

People who matter probably do know of these schools.

How do you define “who matters”?