Least stressful Top 30 or so schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dartmouth College for economics--if your son likes to celebrate life frequently as Dartmouth has a very social atmosphere.

For math and/or economics with less partying than Dartmouth College, consider Bowdoin College.

University of Virginia for economics.

Vanderbilt University for economics.

Most SLACs offer a less intense environment. Hard to narrow down SLACs without knowing more about your son's likes and dislikes.

I think the problem here is that any school with big sports and fraternity culture may be highly competitive in a Biff and Muffy social skills kind of way.

A place like Wash. U. or the University of Rochester might have more bright shy people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look for schools where the current students describe the vibe as collaborative and not competitive.
Ask during tours, connect with a student opportunities, message boards/reddit.

Collaborative doesn’t mean not stressful. We asked this on every tour, as DC really wants a collaborative environment. Every tour guide emphasized how collaborative people at school are, including at CMU and MIT. I don’t doubt that people are collaborative there, but pretty sure those schools still qualify as high stress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brown is the “fun” Ivy.

Could anyone here who’s been to Brown talk about this?

I was at their summer program in parent times. The professors and classes were down-to-earth and superb. But a lot of the students were so mean I gave up on applying to any Ivies. I wonder how much overlap there was between the summer program students and the regular student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Northwestern, Emory, Vanderbilt

Northwestern is definitely not laid back in the math department. I once got a 94 on a math exam that was curved to a B-.

+1 northwestern is the antithesis of laid back. But agree with Emory, no experience with Vandy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dartmouth College for economics--if your son likes to celebrate life frequently as Dartmouth has a very social atmosphere.

For math and/or economics with less partying than Dartmouth College, consider Bowdoin College.

University of Virginia for economics.

Vanderbilt University for economics.

Most SLACs offer a less intense environment. Hard to narrow down SLACs without knowing more about your son's likes and dislikes.

Not Vanderbilt for economics.

- vandy current parent. Nashville is great, the people of Nashville are a blast. Vanderbilt is not a chill place in math/econ/medicine

Why "not Vanderbilt for economics" ?

Are you asserting that Vandy econ is intense or that it is bad ?

+1. PP, can you elaborate? Vandy is my kid’s first choice and they will likely major in economics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dartmouth College for economics--if your son likes to celebrate life frequently as Dartmouth has a very social atmosphere.

For math and/or economics with less partying than Dartmouth College, consider Bowdoin College.

University of Virginia for economics.

Vanderbilt University for economics.

Most SLACs offer a less intense environment. Hard to narrow down SLACs without knowing more about your son's likes and dislikes.

Not Vanderbilt for economics.

- vandy current parent. Nashville is great, the people of Nashville are a blast. Vanderbilt is not a chill place in math/econ/medicine

Why "not Vanderbilt for economics" ?

Are you asserting that Vandy econ is intense or that it is bad ?

+1. PP, can you elaborate? Vandy is my kid’s first choice and they will likely major in economics.

DP. I went to Vanderbilt and majored in Econ. It was great. I think the previous poster means it’s competitive.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is currently at Brown and raves about the supportive environment and how much fun she is having.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is currently at Brown and raves about the supportive environment and how much fun she is having.

Thanks. So, the current vibe must be good.

[Anonymous]

Many of the top 30 schools are the easiest grading schools out there. In some cases they have average GPAs so close to 4.0 they have little headroom left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Top SLACs.

Not the report I've heard....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of the top 30 schools are the easiest grading schools out there. In some cases they have average GPAs so close to 4.0 they have little headroom left.

At least the gentleman's B at many of them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Northwestern, Emory, Vanderbilt

Northwestern is definitely not laid back in the math department. I once got a 94 on a math exam that was curved to a B-.

Ah yes, the good ol’ negative curve. Those were (not) the days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is currently at Brown and raves about the supportive environment and how much fun she is having.

Thanks. So, the current vibe must be good.

I echo the other parent. CS and even premed students were very collaborative. My kids loved their experience there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYU. Agree. Stern may be more demanding though so if business will be a little more competitive. Avoid Cornell as very competitive (kid there now). Avoid Columbia (other kid graduated from there). Georgetown I hear is pretty competitive. Generally, avoid BU, GW, and Cornell.

This may be major specific experiences at BU, Cornell and GW. I have a kid at Cornell and friends with kids at BU and GW and this is not their experiences at all. Maybe the poster is trying to psych you out so your kid does not apply to these good schools and their kid has less competition.

My kid is at Cornell now. I was the poster. I myself went to GW. We have friends with kids at BU. So I am speaking from experience. I still know a lot of GW kids there now as a donor from various events and groups. All my kids are in college or out. Two from Columbia and one from Cornell. Please don't cast false motivations, I am only trying to be helpful.

You describe great outcomes But yet you told the OP avoid these schools? Maybe a more nuanced reply would have been more helpful. Thank you for explaining your motives. It’s not always apparent why someone is posting negative comments about otherwise great schools.

I

NP. How is it her fault for your wayward inferences? She is under no obligation to offer more details, and she frankly doesn't add much in the follow up. Pretty sly your trying to save face for your false accusation at her expense. I see you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYU. People on here with no experience will tell you otherwise, but this is the answer.

And it only costs a bazillion dollars to have the laid-back atmosphere of... Manhattan.

If you have a place to live and places to be in the day, Manhattan is actually a tranquil, old-fashioned kind of place.

Hahaha! $$$$$$ = stress for students and parents. Many parents come to regret sending their kid to NYU because of the costs of just living innNYC and Ubers to get anywhere. One complained to me that her DD needed to stay for the summer for a particular class so there was a sudden rush to find a $$ apartment sublet. With current inflation and predictions I would be concerned.