Higher ranked SLAC most people haven’t heard of VS. lower ranked big public everyone has heard of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP in this thread.

OP: Either choice is fine depending upon the student's preferences and finances.

Astonished at the crazed posts made by LAC supporters. Relax, it is just a discussion board--not a final judgment.

The only crazy posts are from the unhinged anti-LAC people. They are so weird.

I didn’t go to one and my kids aren’t in one, so I find their vitriol kind of fascinating.

Reading DCUM posts might lead one to believe that SLAC fanatics are members of a crazed cult. While I do not think that this is quite accurate, I do find SLAC zealots to be highly emotional and unreasonable. There is no need for SLAC folks to insult & belittle others who have different opinions and different experiences. LACs are a choice and about 5% of all college students make the choice to attend an LAC. Fine. Live & let live. No need for all the vitriol from rabid SLAC supporters. No one believes you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP in this thread.

OP: Either choice is fine depending upon the student's preferences and finances.

Astonished at the crazed posts made by LAC supporters. Relax, it is just a discussion board--not a final judgment.

The only crazy posts are from the unhinged anti-LAC people. They are so weird.

I didn’t go to one and my kids aren’t in one, so I find their vitriol kind of fascinating.

It really is fascinating. I just don't understand it. Different things work for different people. I have one at a big state U, one focused on applying to LACs. I'm sure they will both do fine. Yes, the state U has a ton of people who know the name but he still has to focus on job searching, don't just rely on on-campus recruiting, be focused in his work, make sure he's communicating his relevant projects. For DD, her favorite LAC has a strong program for her specific interest and a strong track record of job placement in that field.

I went to a mid-sized, undergrad-focused public. DH lived at home at went to the local regional U. We've both had good careers and never felt held back by the school name on the resume. I mainly got my first job because my college required a senior project and mine directly related to what I ended up doing in my first job. That kind of substantive capstone project is something I wanted my kids to look for and they will get it at both the big U and a LAC.

+1

Yeah, it’s weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP in this thread.

OP: Either choice is fine depending upon the student's preferences and finances.

Astonished at the crazed posts made by LAC supporters. Relax, it is just a discussion board--not a final judgment.

The only crazy posts are from the unhinged anti-LAC people. They are so weird.

I didn’t go to one and my kids aren’t in one, so I find their vitriol kind of fascinating.

Reading DCUM posts might lead one to believe that SLAC fanatics are members of a crazed cult. While I do not think that this is quite accurate, I do find SLAC zealots to be highly emotional and unreasonable. There is no need for SLAC folks to insult & belittle others who have different opinions and different experiences. LACs are a choice and about 5% of all college students make the choice to attend an LAC. Fine. Live & let live. No need for all the vitriol from rabid SLAC supporters. No one believes you.

Nobody is buying this, you know. Sorry, but it’s pretty obvious who the weirdos are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Davidson is one thing. A silly CTCL school is another. Don’t do that.

Not sure why people feel the need to call ctcl schools silly. They are good schools. Why the beef?

They’re not “good.” They’re average.

Sure, they're good. Have you even looked at them? My kid got into some Ivies but also applied to and considered some ctcl schools. There are some excellent schools there.

Reed is good. The rest are average at best.

St. John’s College may be many things, but average or below average it is not.

[Anonymous]

My kids and I all go to/went to state flagships.

That said, any decent recruiter is going to know the top 50 SLACs without question, as well as the big state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why but kids at SLACS seem much more likely to take a semester abroad than students at big state schools, if that is of interest. Was an incredible experience for my son and many of his high school friends from other SLACS were scattered across Europe first semester of Junior year, even those who played D3 spring sports.

Blah blah blah. You can study abroad from any school. Easily. One of my kids did it from a SLAC. Two others did it from State U. I did it from a Catholic U way back in the day.

My hunch is that a higher proportion of SLAC kids study abroad only because they feel like they’re suffocating in their small environments and feel the need to get away.

NP. I find your bizarre hatred of SLACs so fascinating. You haunt these boards, often posting immediately when the word SLAC is mentioned, and have a pretty distinctive and identifiable writing style. What happened to you that has made you so obsessed? Did your child have a bad experience?

I went to HYS/big state schools and my kids look like they’re headed to the same, so it’s not personal. I’m just kind of fascinated by how someone becomes so crazy about one style of school.

You’re confusing me with someone else. As I said, one of my kids went to a (top-ranked) liberal arts college. I’m just saying that it’s baloney that one of the advantages of liberal arts colleges is study abroad, because it isn’t. You don’t have to make up the benefits.

That detail is relevant and important.

Yes, it is, because I’d never send a kid to a liberal arts college that isn’t top ranked. No way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why but kids at SLACS seem much more likely to take a semester abroad than students at big state schools, if that is of interest. Was an incredible experience for my son and many of his high school friends from other SLACS were scattered across Europe first semester of Junior year, even those who played D3 spring sports.

Blah blah blah. You can study abroad from any school. Easily. One of my kids did it from a SLAC. Two others did it from State U. I did it from a Catholic U way back in the day.

My hunch is that a higher proportion of SLAC kids study abroad only because they feel like they’re suffocating in their small environments and feel the need to get away.

Actually, it’s a requirement at several SLACS and the kids love the experience. SLACS aren’t for everyone but they’re great experiences for some kids. I truly don’t understand why this bashing comes up time and time again. Some kids thrive in large state universities and there are great companies that recruit at them. Yes, there are also study abroad opportunities. No one denies any of these things about large universities. Other kids enjoy the small school experience and still find good jobs and end up in ranked graduate programs. College is not one size fits all and there are plenty of options out there.

You actually researched this?

It’s a requirement at exactly THREE colleges: Goucher, Soka University of America and Susquehanna. That’s it. I guess three no-name colleges (including one that’s basically a cult) qualify as “several.” I guess.

Liberal arts colleges highlight their study abroad programs as a way of reassuring applicants that there are ways to break up the monotony. No doubt about it.

[Anonymous]

My liberal arts college was on the smaller side but had an excellent career center, particularly for consulting and jobs on wall street. also great in assisting with grad school. I think it depends on what you are studying and seeking to learn - we had extensive writing in class and exams, as well as frequent speaking requirements in class, all of which were very helpful in my career

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLAC for graduate, medical and law schools, large public flagship for industry.

Vast majority of SLACs are too small to have meaningful career centers and industry recruitment.

There are several that look impressive for elite jobs - Williams, Amherst, etc. But going to an equivalent university like Brown or Dartmouth will provide better recruitment and career center support.

To be clear: Attending an SLAC is fine for those planning on going to graduate or professional schools, but not so good for those hoping to secure employment immediately after graduation from a small school. Exceptions are Williams & Amherst and a few other SLACs.

Clear but totally untrue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids and I all go to/went to state flagships.

That said, any decent recruiter is going to know the top 50 SLACs without question, as well as the big state schools.

Yes, and they will much more value a B student from, say, Bates or Wesleyan, than a B student from the University of Arkansas, LSU, or similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Davidson is one thing. A silly CTCL school is another. Don’t do that.

Not sure why people feel the need to call ctcl schools silly. They are good schools. Why the beef?

They’re not “good.” They’re average.

Sure, they're good. Have you even looked at them? My kid got into some Ivies but also applied to and considered some ctcl schools. There are some excellent schools there.

Reed is good. The rest are average at best.

St. John’s College may be many things, but average or below average it is not.

Same goes for others including Denison. PP knows not of what they speak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why but kids at SLACS seem much more likely to take a semester abroad than students at big state schools, if that is of interest. Was an incredible experience for my son and many of his high school friends from other SLACS were scattered across Europe first semester of Junior year, even those who played D3 spring sports.

Blah blah blah. You can study abroad from any school. Easily. One of my kids did it from a SLAC. Two others did it from State U. I did it from a Catholic U way back in the day.

My hunch is that a higher proportion of SLAC kids study abroad only because they feel like they’re suffocating in their small environments and feel the need to get away.

NP. I find your bizarre hatred of SLACs so fascinating. You haunt these boards, often posting immediately when the word SLAC is mentioned, and have a pretty distinctive and identifiable writing style. What happened to you that has made you so obsessed? Did your child have a bad experience?

I went to HYS/big state schools and my kids look like they’re headed to the same, so it’s not personal. I’m just kind of fascinated by how someone becomes so crazy about one style of school.

You’re confusing me with someone else. As I said, one of my kids went to a (top-ranked) liberal arts college. I’m just saying that it’s baloney that one of the advantages of liberal arts colleges is study abroad, because it isn’t. You don’t have to make up the benefits.

That detail is relevant and important.

Yes, it is, because I’d never send a kid to a liberal arts college that isn’t top ranked. No way.

Mkay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Davidson is one thing. A silly CTCL school is another. Don’t do that.

Not sure why people feel the need to call ctcl schools silly. They are good schools. Why the beef?

They’re not “good.” They’re average.

Sure, they're good. Have you even looked at them? My kid got into some Ivies but also applied to and considered some ctcl schools. There are some excellent schools there.

Reed is good. The rest are average at best.

St. John’s College may be many things, but average or below average it is not.

Same goes for others including Denison. PP knows not of what they speak.

+1
Yes, many SLACs, even CTCL schools with a 30+ ranking, can be great choices for certain students for reasons that people on the outside may never understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why but kids at SLACS seem much more likely to take a semester abroad than students at big state schools, if that is of interest. Was an incredible experience for my son and many of his high school friends from other SLACS were scattered across Europe first semester of Junior year, even those who played D3 spring sports.

Blah blah blah. You can study abroad from any school. Easily. One of my kids did it from a SLAC. Two others did it from State U. I did it from a Catholic U way back in the day.

My hunch is that a higher proportion of SLAC kids study abroad only because they feel like they’re suffocating in their small environments and feel the need to get away.

that may be the case. i also think it may be easier to do from a SLAC if there is a tradition of doing so and the schedule is set up to allow it. at some state schools, if you miss a major req, it may be two more years till you can take it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Davidson is one thing. A silly CTCL school is another. Don’t do that.

Not sure why people feel the need to call ctcl schools silly. They are good schools. Why the beef?

They’re not “good.” They’re average.

Sure, they're good. Have you even looked at them? My kid got into some Ivies but also applied to and considered some ctcl schools. There are some excellent schools there.

Reed is good. The rest are average at best.

St. John’s College may be many things, but average or below average it is not.

Same goes for others including Denison. PP knows not of what they speak.

+1
Yes, many SLACs, even CTCL schools with a 30+ ranking, can be great choices for certain students for reasons that people on the outside may never understand.

CTCL schools are not good.

You have just identified yourself as one of those who may never understand the benefits of these schools. But let’s be clear: there is insider information that you do not know.

They’re just not good. Sorry to break it to you.