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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]SLACs, even the best, are relatively easier admits compared to selective national universities. Personally, I agree that SLACs provide a great education, but I can understand why some consider them bastions of privilege for smart kids who couldn’t get into comparably good national universities. I understand that student preferences and fit are different for each student. I’m just saying that this is the “dig” that some parents would make to parents of SLAC admits. Essentially, they want to say that Harvard is better than Williams, any day. [/quote]

Admit rates and test score ranges for the best SLACs are much higher and somewhat lower, respectively, compared to the best national universities. Thus, from an admissions prestige perspective, getting into Williams is like getting into a top 15-30 national university. [/quote]

You can't really compare them unless you compare the applicant pools. Everybody's heard of Harvard, and everyone throws in their ring. Not everyone's heard of Williams, and the people who are applying to Williams are overall going to be a more competitive bunch than Harvard. A professor of mine compared the student body at top liberal arts colleges vs top universities by saying that the former had a higher floor and the latter had a higher ceiling. In other words, your average SLAC student is going to be academically stronger than your average university student, but there are likely to be more super stars at universities.[/quote]

Agreed. Parents that knock SLACs are focused on those national university super stars, better known as famous, and oftentimes, wealthy alumni. [/quote]

SLAC students are smart and interesting. They are the professor archetype. HPY students are smart and ambitious/competitive. They are the CEO archetype. Because Americans adore the rich and famous, which do you think they will allot more prestige?[/quote]

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