If kid isn't quirky will she fit in at a liberal arts college?

[Anonymous]

My daughter likes the small liberal arts colleges, mostly because of the smaller size and she wants to study economics. When she told the college counselor of a few (Williams, Bates, Haverford) the counselor said, "Oh no, you won't fit in at any of them". My impression is that liberal art colleges tend to have quirky kids. My DD is outgoing, sporty and smart. Will she be a total outcast? Unfortunately, she hasn't been on any of the campuses yet because of Covid. We will take a look, hopefully in the fall.

[Anonymous]

College counselors are useless. Those schools you listed are not "quirky."

Listen to your daughter - she is the smart one in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Depends - my DC isn't "quirky" but was surrounded by them in high school, so a LAC is same-old same-old, on steroids. If your DD goes to a very conservative/sheltered high school, it might be hard to fit in, but if she goes to a typical DMV area high school, she won't be surprised by anything.

[Anonymous]

lots of those schools are more preppy and sport than 'quirky.' I think either having money or being comfortable around people who have money is more of a determining factor of whether or not a kid will fit in at those schools

[Anonymous]

Bates & Williams kids are more preppy than quirky.

[Anonymous]

My impression is that many of those "little Ivy" type LACs you are thinking of are filled with preppy, sporty types with a sprinkling of quirky thrown in.

If you are searching for a campus full of quirky, you'd need to look at places like Oberlin, Sarah Lawrence, Antioch, Bard and Hampshire.

The only generalization you can make about students at LACs is that they prefer a smaller setting.

[Anonymous]

Thank you both!! She goes to a DC private but not conservative. She tends to be more conservative then most at her school. I was so mad when the counselor said that to her. Like, let her decide!!! She isn't going to like a big party/Greek life SEC school. I'm thinking the counselor assumes certain things because my DD is AA. Odd....

[Anonymous]

Yes, she will be just fine. There are enough jocks and "non-quirky" people at those schools. Agreed that college counselors are useless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, she will be just fine. There are enough jocks and "non-quirky" people at those schools. Agreed that college counselors are useless.

+1

Plenty of kids who enjoy athletics, etc., at those schools.

[Anonymous]

I think the counselor misunderstands what “liberal arts” means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you both!! She goes to a DC private but not conservative. She tends to be more conservative then most at her school. I was so mad when the counselor said that to her. Like, let her decide!!! She isn't going to like a big party/Greek life SEC school. I'm thinking the counselor assumes certain things because my DD is AA. Odd....

Yikes. This sounds kinda racist then. "You won't fit in" is not a normal thing to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you both!! She goes to a DC private but not conservative. She tends to be more conservative then most at her school. I was so mad when the counselor said that to her. Like, let her decide!!! She isn't going to like a big party/Greek life SEC school. I'm thinking the counselor assumes certain things because my DD is AA. Odd....

Report that counselor! This is MORE than a microaggression. It is overtly racist.

[Anonymous]

Oh gosh my buttoned-up, not even remotely quirky kids are/were very happy at their small LAC colleges!! All have easily found their tribes, have wonderful classes/activities, and greatly enjoy/enjoyed their campus days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lots of those schools are more preppy and sport than 'quirky.' I think either having money or being comfortable around people who have money is more of a determining factor of whether or not a kid will fit in at those schools

This. Depends on which LAC. The one I went to was about being preppy, sporty, and partying. And yes, money is the determining factor in fitting in..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lots of those schools are more preppy and sport than 'quirky.' I think either having money or being comfortable around people who have money is more of a determining factor of whether or not a kid will fit in at those schools

This. Depends on which LAC. The one I went to was about being preppy, sporty, and partying. And yes, money is the determining factor in fitting in..

Bates and Williams trend more conservative than Haverford (Quakers lead to crunch), but the student bodies are uniformly one thing at any of them. And that's with the understanding that trust fund kids and trust fund radicals aren't as different as they might think, bless their 20-year-old hearts.