Colby is the most sought-after LAC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colby has a higher yield than Williams. Enough said.

Not buying....got data?

FYI, from https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

Percent admitted who enrolled
Williams 47%
Colby 50%

Thx!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a free app with no supplemental essays, so its application numbers are inflated. If you visit and you're full pay (and remotely credible academically), you'll be admitted. Fail either of those conditions and you need a big hook.

This.

Colby is the Northeastern of SLACs.

Of course there are bright kids there, no one would deny that. But the admissions rate is not a reliable indicator of that.

People should look at the question differently: the SLACs are all very aware/emphatic about their particular identity and school culture. When a school does not have supplementals, it eliminates their one opportunity to recruit and select for kids who are the right match. Take Colorado College for an extreme example: it relies on the supplemental to ensure that students understand and want the very unusual Block Plan.

I have read only page one of the thread but just want to add that I am a college proff who prefers the education offered at SLACs to the one provided by major research institutions, even though my own degrees are from HYP. A student who wants it will get a fantastic education at almost any small liberal arts college. The commitment to teaching, and the pedigree (for those who care about that) among the professors is truly impressive. But the differences in the culture among the colleges is enormous -- and something prospective students should investigate and understand. Since Haverford was mentioned and put down, I want to say that Haverford has a MUCH more intellectual vibe than Colby. Some people may like that, some may not, but it is worth pointing out.

Agree that acceptance rate does not mean much. But not fair to single out Colby when most schools are trying to boost stats. For example I don't think Williams requires a supplemental essay.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have ideas on how to get in? It's becoming more competitive than williams at DC's hs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have ideas on how to get in? It's becoming more competitive than williams at DC's hs

Apply ED and be full pay. Not rocket science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have ideas on how to get in? It's becoming more competitive than Williams at DC's hs

Highly unlikely that it is more competitive than Williams.

It's pretty straightforward for kids in the bay area...solid grades plus full pay equals admit. Much harder to get into Amherst, Bowdoin, Middlebury and Williams for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have ideas on how to get in? It's becoming more competitive than Williams at DC's hs

Highly unlikely that it is more competitive than Williams.

It's pretty straightforward for kids in the bay area...solid grades plus full pay equals admit. Much harder to get into Amherst, Bowdoin, Middlebury and Williams for us.

20% acceptance rate to Williams from DC’s high school, meanwhile, 8% for Colby. Similar stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who wouldn't want to go to Colby?!

Great. Now post pictures that were taken in early February.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It definitely could be a top 5 lac, but the US News is mostly a wealth ranking (leading to WASP again and again year over year, even though they're stagnant and do not represent the rising stars in LAC education). US News keeps a lot of poor quality schools around that peaked a long time ago but have good financial resources, such as Haverford.

Utterly false. Colby has high application numbers because it’s free - a marketing trick employed solely by struggling schools to drive up numbers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Way too cold and remote.

+1 Students will experience a new level of cold at this small school.

Nice athletic facility, beautiful Autumn season, same faces everyday everywhere. Kids miss out on a lot of life due to the weather and due to the smallness. Tough environment after a year, maybe two.

I really hate it when people opine on life at a LAC when they don’t have any experience. A very high portion of kids at small rural liberal arts schools love their experiences and don’t feel they miss out at all. I bet a comparison of reunion attendance at any of the NESCAC schools beats almost all other US colleges, save Princeton.

Well, I do have experience at both a fairly isolated cold-weather LAC and I wish that I had gone elsewhere. Attended a large university for grad school & loved it. Kids really do miss out on a lot that life has to offer at small, cold weather, isolated schools. And,no,not just tailgate parties and football as the social options are plentiful and varied as are the academic options.

Small, rural LACs can be a good experience for those who like smallness and want to continue the high school/prep school/boarding school type experience. Not intended to be a criticism as the intimacy is attractive to some--but it does come with a lack of privacy and very limited social & academic options.

All this shows is that some schools are not the right fit for some students. Your college was not the right fit for you, that doesn't mean it's not the right fit for someone else. A student who goes to a huge school also misses out, just on different things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have ideas on how to get in? It's becoming more competitive than Williams at DC's hs

Highly unlikely that it is more competitive than Williams.

It's pretty straightforward for kids in the bay area...solid grades plus full pay equals admit. Much harder to get into Amherst, Bowdoin, Middlebury and Williams for us.

20% acceptance rate to Williams from DC’s high school, meanwhile, 8% for Colby. Similar stats.

This is not happening...Colby is a good school and we are glad that your kid got in but stop the nonsensical pumping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who wouldn't want to go to Colby?!

Great. Now post pictures that were taken in early February.

Fair enough but most students choosing universities in these climates are usually pretty intelligent and know the weather. Would you caution the same for Harvard, MIT, Dartmouth, Northwestern, UChicago?
They are young and the bitter cold don’t bother them as much as us old folks. Plus they are likely having more sxx than us to keep them warm. Just stop already and get over yourselves with this bitter cold stuff, it’s only 4 years for most and some even choose to stay.

[Anonymous]

Next year’s projected acceptance rate of 1.4% puts Colby in the Ivy League. Students are going to have a tough time choosing between Colby and Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the class of 2029, Colby College had over 20,000 applications-that is almost 0.75 to double that of all the WASP colleges, and its acceptance rate is comparable to the most competitive lacs Pomona and Swarthmore! Is Colby going to climb the ranks as the most prestigious liberal arts college? It has the endowment, outcomes, and now application total to back it!

Colby does not have any supplemental essays and it requries zero interviews or videos. That is why it garners so many applications. Similar to why Northeastern gets so many applications, it's easy to apply. Almost like checking a box. They are trying to artificially get their admission rate down by focusing on tactics to increase the denominator (# of total applications).

Contrast that to another fairly competitive LAC (Claremont Mckenna) that isn't looking to increase total number of applicants at the expense of fit. They vet very thoroughly, they ask for 2 supplemental essays, and request either a video asking where you answer a 3rd prompt or strongly recommends doing an interview with a member of their community. My DS did all 4 things. It takes a lot of effort to apply.

Carleton also has multiple supplemental essays and an interview.

Colby is following the Northeastern model of "check the box" application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the class of 2029, Colby College had over 20,000 applications-that is almost 0.75 to double that of all the WASP colleges, and its acceptance rate is comparable to the most competitive lacs Pomona and Swarthmore! Is Colby going to climb the ranks as the most prestigious liberal arts college? It has the endowment, outcomes, and now application total to back it!

Colby does not have any supplemental essays and it requries zero interviews or videos. That is why it garners so many applications. Similar to why Northeastern gets so many applications, it's easy to apply. Almost like checking a box. They are trying to artificially get their admission rate down by focusing on tactics to increase the denominator (# of total applications).

Contrast that to another fairly competitive LAC (Claremont Mckenna) that isn't looking to increase total number of applicants at the expense of fit. They vet very thoroughly, they ask for 2 supplemental essays, and request either a video asking where you answer a 3rd prompt or strongly recommends doing an interview with a member of their community. My DS did all 4 things. It takes a lot of effort to apply.

Carleton also has multiple supplemental essays and an interview.

Colby is following the Northeastern model of "check the box" application.

+1

I'm sure Colby is a great school, but I doubt it would make many top ten LAC lists and be rated #10, much less #1 like OP is trying to say lol.

I think the actual top 7 LACs are these ones: Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swat, Bowdoin, CMC, and Wellesley.

Next tier would be: Harvey Mudd, Carleton, Davidson. That rounds up the top ten LACs.

Arguably, 1-2 next tier could also push up higher: Barnard, Middlebury, Hamilton, Haverford, Smith. Maybe Colby could fight its way into this group. But certainly not the top 7.

Following that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a free app with no supplemental essays, so its application numbers are inflated. If you visit and you're full pay (and remotely credible academically), you'll be admitted. Fail either of those conditions and you need a big hook.

+1