What type of kid attends Sewanee?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sewanee probably receives way fewer applications than a school like Vanderbilt. It is by its nature a place fewer students will apply to because it is a smaller school, college only (no grad programs like Vandy), it is lesser known -- Vanderbilt has a bigger national reputation, and it is geographically isolated -- not in a city like Nashville that would draw more people in by itself. So comparing admissions stats to Vanderbilt is really not indicative of very much. They are two totally different schools. But if your only concern is that your child attend a school that admits a small percentage of applicants, and not so much what the actual experience will be like once he or she gets there, then keep focusing on those admissions stats. Most people at Sewanee would find that obnoxious anyway.

Well this is kinda unfair (and ill-informed). Princeton review has Vandy at #2 in happiest students. So I guess the students think their "actual experience" is quite good. Sewanee isn't listed. Go ahead ... tell me you know some kids that got into Vandy but chose Sewanee. I'm sure there must be at least one or two of those out there.

Seriously, though, if you are caught up in the admission statistics comparison approach to college selection, you are probably not Sewanee material anyway. If you are looking for that place that challenges you, develops you and creates an environment where lifelong friends are made, then give it a look. YSR!

[Anonymous]

I think the kids looking at Sewanee seriously, are also looking at small (and elite) liberal arts schools throughout the country.

[Anonymous]

People self-select out of applying to certain types of schools:

1. Single sex schools
2. Military academies
3. Schools that are REALLY small
4. Schools in Rural areas, etc.
5. Christian schools

So for any of these types of niche schools, you probably have a lot of strong students who decide it's not for them, as well as a number of students who do. If Mt. Holyoke takes 15 percent and Harvard takes 5 percent, does that many that "Harvard is three times as good as Mt. Holyoke and the students there are three times better". Only if you're an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People self-select out of applying to certain types of schools:

1. Single sex schools
2. Military academies
3. Schools that are REALLY small
4. Schools in Rural areas, etc.
5. Christian schools

So for any of these types of niche schools, you probably have a lot of strong students who decide it's not for them, as well as a number of students who do. If Mt. Holyoke takes 15 percent and Harvard takes 5 percent, does that many that "Harvard is three times as good as Mt. Holyoke and the students there are three times better". Only if you're an idiot.

^ actually, yes. I do think Harvard is three times better than Mt. Holyoke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sewanee probably receives way fewer applications than a school like Vanderbilt. It is by its nature a place fewer students will apply to because it is a smaller school, college only (no grad programs like Vandy), it is lesser known -- Vanderbilt has a bigger national reputation, and it is geographically isolated -- not in a city like Nashville that would draw more people in by itself. So comparing admissions stats to Vanderbilt is really not indicative of very much. They are two totally different schools. But if your only concern is that your child attend a school that admits a small percentage of applicants, and not so much what the actual experience will be like once he or she gets there, then keep focusing on those admissions stats. Most people at Sewanee would find that obnoxious anyway.

Well this is kinda unfair (and ill-informed). Princeton review has Vandy at #2 in happiest students. So I guess the students think their "actual experience" is quite good. Sewanee isn't listed. Go ahead ... tell me you know some kids that got into Vandy but chose Sewanee. I'm sure there must be at least one or two of those out there.

I'm the PP you responded to. I think you misinterpreted what I said. I don't mean that students at Vanderbilt aren't happy. I'm sure they are; it's a great school in many ways. What I meant was that it is a very different school from Sewanee, and their admissions stats are inherently different. That, and as a general matter, focusing solely on the percentage of applicants accepted at any given college seems short-sighted because it's not an indicator of what the student's experience will be if he attends. I get that it's a statement of how elite a school is thought to be, but that's really all it is. If a school seems perfect for your child, but they accept 30% of their 2,000 or less applicants, do you advise her not to attend because Harvard takes 5% of their 20,000 (or whatever) applicants? That wouldn't make sense. That was my thinking but I didn't state it that way before. My only point was that it seems more beneficial to focus on the experience offered by the particular school, not the admissions stats. I just used Vandy as the example for admissions stats -- I wasn't saying Sewanee is a better school than Vanderbilt or vice-versa. They are completely different schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sewanee probably receives way fewer applications than a school like Vanderbilt. It is by its nature a place fewer students will apply to because it is a smaller school, college only (no grad programs like Vandy), it is lesser known -- Vanderbilt has a bigger national reputation, and it is geographically isolated -- not in a city like Nashville that would draw more people in by itself. So comparing admissions stats to Vanderbilt is really not indicative of very much. They are two totally different schools. But if your only concern is that your child attend a school that admits a small percentage of applicants, and not so much what the actual experience will be like once he or she gets there, then keep focusing on those admissions stats. Most people at Sewanee would find that obnoxious anyway.

Well this is kinda unfair (and ill-informed). Princeton review has Vandy at #2 in happiest students. So I guess the students think their "actual experience" is quite good. Sewanee isn't listed. Go ahead ... tell me you know some kids that got into Vandy but chose Sewanee. I'm sure there must be at least one or two of those out there.

I'm the PP you responded to. I think you misinterpreted what I said. I don't mean that students at Vanderbilt aren't happy. I'm sure they are; it's a great school in many ways. What I meant was that it is a very different school from Sewanee, and their admissions stats are inherently different. That, and as a general matter, focusing solely on the percentage of applicants accepted at any given college seems short-sighted because it's not an indicator of what the student's experience will be if he attends. I get that it's a statement of how elite a school is thought to be, but that's really all it is. If a school seems perfect for your child, but they accept 30% of their 2,000 or less applicants, do you advise her not to attend because Harvard takes 5% of their 20,000 (or whatever) applicants? That wouldn't make sense. That was my thinking but I didn't state it that way before. My only point was that it seems more beneficial to focus on the experience offered by the particular school, not the admissions stats. I just used Vandy as the example for admissions stats -- I wasn't saying Sewanee is a better school than Vanderbilt or vice-versa. They are completely different schools.

But Vandy IS a better school. By any objective measure. Including happiness of the students. Not everyone can get in there though, so you may have to look at places like Sewanee.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you understand what an objective measure is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think you understand what an objective measure is.

Enlighten me. Name any meaningful objective measure where Sewanee rates higher than Vanderbilt.

[Anonymous]

Percentage of students receiving Fulbrights. Percentage of students receiving Rhodes scholarships.
Smaller faculty student ratio.

[Anonymous]

And just because someone purports to rank "happiness" does not make it so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sewanee probably receives way fewer applications than a school like Vanderbilt. It is by its nature a place fewer students will apply to because it is a smaller school, college only (no grad programs like Vandy), it is lesser known -- Vanderbilt has a bigger national reputation, and it is geographically isolated -- not in a city like Nashville that would draw more people in by itself. So comparing admissions stats to Vanderbilt is really not indicative of very much. They are two totally different schools. But if your only concern is that your child attend a school that admits a small percentage of applicants, and not so much what the actual experience will be like once he or she gets there, then keep focusing on those admissions stats. Most people at Sewanee would find that obnoxious anyway.

Well this is kinda unfair (and ill-informed). Princeton review has Vandy at #2 in happiest students. So I guess the students think their "actual experience" is quite good. Sewanee isn't listed. Go ahead ... tell me you know some kids that got into Vandy but chose Sewanee. I'm sure there must be at least one or two of those out there.

I'm the PP you responded to. I think you misinterpreted what I said. I don't mean that students at Vanderbilt aren't happy. I'm sure they are; it's a great school in many ways. What I meant was that it is a very different school from Sewanee, and their admissions stats are inherently different. That, and as a general matter, focusing solely on the percentage of applicants accepted at any given college seems short-sighted because it's not an indicator of what the student's experience will be if he attends. I get that it's a statement of how elite a school is thought to be, but that's really all it is. If a school seems perfect for your child, but they accept 30% of their 2,000 or less applicants, do you advise her not to attend because Harvard takes 5% of their 20,000 (or whatever) applicants? That wouldn't make sense. That was my thinking but I didn't state it that way before. My only point was that it seems more beneficial to focus on the experience offered by the particular school, not the admissions stats. I just used Vandy as the example for admissions stats -- I wasn't saying Sewanee is a better school than Vanderbilt or vice-versa. They are completely different schools.

But Vandy IS a better school. By any objective measure. Including happiness of the students. Not everyone can get in there though, so you may have to look at places like Sewanee.

Vanderbilt is a higher-ranked school, yes. But the fact that it accepts a smaller percentage of its applicants does not mean that it is a better school than another for every person who applies to it. At least that's the point I was making above.

One interesting factor of note: Sewanee has produced the same number of Rhodes Schokars as Vanderbilt (26). So per capita, substantially more from Sewanee because it's a smaller school. Personally I think that says more about the student body than the institution itself, but interesting nonetheless.

[Anonymous]

But Vandy IS a better school. By any "objective measure." Including happiness of the students.

If you think happiness is an objective measure, you need to go back to college and learn what "objective" means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

PaleoConPrep wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

PaleoConPrep wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK Paleo,

Today's your day. Are you Sewanee bound??

Good luck

I was deferred. Told them "no thank you" and have withdrawn my application. No big deal. I'm headed to St. John's (Annapolis) I didn't want to play the waiting game with Sewanee. St. John's is a better fit for me academically.

Good luck Pale. St Johns is an amazing place. You should thrive there. Just curious. What do you think sunk you at Sewanee? Scores? demographics? Politics?

PaleoCon here
I don't think anything "sunk" me per se. I was deferred, not rejected. I think the main reason was probably lowish GPA. As I said, it's no big deal. I'd argue that academically, St. John's is just as strong ( if not stronger) in the Humanities than Sewanee.

Congratulations, Paleo! I hope you love St. John's. Check out the croquet team while you're there; those guys are top-notch!

Confusing post. Does St. johns accept "low" GPA? Sewanee is an up and coming school. Seems strange to be deferred. Playing the waiting game. Hm...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've seen a lot of Sewanee threads on DCUM recently. What type of kid attends and thrives at Sewanee? What other schools do kids who apply to Sewanee apply to?

You've seen a lot of Sewanee threads on DCUM because Sewanee is making a concerted effort to attract bright, high achieving students from our area and NE who would otherwise be attending a SLAC in New England. It's a good strategy which should help raise the school's already going national profile.

[Anonymous]

I think you Sewanee boosters need to give it a rest. It's a third tier lac with a decent regional reputation.