Do mid-tier LACs lack name recognition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grad schools know these schools and most LAC grads go to grad school. What matters is the education you receive.

How does SLAC online costing $50,000 per year fare against YouTube, or Coursera, or other free online courses out there? I mean, strictly in terms of education.

your basement probably lacks the lab equipment that students at any of those schools have easy access to

Are LAC students able to access these lab equipment remotely from their home - while forking over $50,000 per year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grad schools know these schools and most LAC grads go to grad school. What matters is the education you receive.

How does SLAC online costing $50,000 per year fare against YouTube, or Coursera, or other free online courses out there? I mean, strictly in terms of education.

your basement probably lacks the lab equipment that students at any of those schools have easy access to

Are LAC students able to access these lab equipment remotely from their home - while forking over $50,000 per year?

depending on the school, either yes or the school is open in person

[Anonymous]

I’d argue that not only does Bucknell have name recognition but that it also carries prestige especially with NYC finserv folks.

[Anonymous]

Child graduated from Grinnell, almost the only time people recognized it was when they thought I said Cornell. I just stopped and told people he went to a small LAC in Iowa and walked away while they pitied him.

He did get admitted to a fully funded top PhD program directly out if Grinnell, no one has heard of that school either. No worries here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Child graduated from Grinnell, almost the only time people recognized it was when they thought I said Cornell. I just stopped and told people he went to a small LAC in Iowa and walked away while they pitied him.

He did get admitted to a fully funded top PhD program directly out if Grinnell, no one has heard of that school either. No worries here.

You’ll have to be satisfied with your son being smart, educated, and successful.

[Anonymous]

I attended Wake Forest in the 90s when it was 3200 undergrads, and only had professional (law, business, medicine) grad schools. It was in the process of making the move from Regional U to National U. And even in NC, 15 miles from campus. I’d have people say: Lake Forest? Where is that again?

Most people in NC have still never heard of Davidson. Look at results 8in your kids area of interest— grad school and professional school placements, 1st job out of college, etc. after that, it’s your grad school or work history that become relevant. Not undergrad.

As PP noted— not many people have heard of Grinnell. But somehow, they manage to have amazing placement results in STEM anyway.

“What’s the most impressive magnet for my car” is a crappy way to choose a college or university. So is straight USNWR ranking. For example, my kid wants IR. So Carlton, Middlebury, WM, GW, Georgetown, Tufts, Ohio State
and American are the schools to look at. Maybe Colby, Macalaster, Wellesley. And American is a better choice for IR than many higher ranked schools.

[Anonymous]

Many schools that have name recognition have it because of athletics or just sheer size. That is very different from having it due to perception of quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many schools that have name recognition have it because of athletics or just sheer size. That is very different from having it due to perception of quality.

Very few LACs have either size or top tier athletics, so not sure that's really a differentiator of mid tier vs top tier LACs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attended Wake Forest in the 90s when it was 3200 undergrads, and only had professional (law, business, medicine) grad schools. It was in the process of making the move from Regional U to National U. And even in NC, 15 miles from campus. I’d have people say: Lake Forest? Where is that again?

Most people in NC have still never heard of Davidson. Look at results 8in your kids area of interest— grad school and professional school placements, 1st job out of college, etc. after that, it’s your grad school or work history that become relevant. Not undergrad.

As PP noted— not many people have heard of Grinnell. But somehow, they manage to have amazing placement results in STEM anyway.

“What’s the most impressive magnet for my car” is a crappy way to choose a college or university. So is straight USNWR ranking. For example, my kid wants IR. So Carlton, Middlebury, WM, GW, Georgetown, Tufts, Ohio State
and American are the schools to look at. Maybe Colby, Macalaster, Wellesley. And American is a better choice for IR than many higher ranked schools.

Including those you named.