Anonymous wrote:It’s so strange to me that people expect actual lists of schools that produce happy young people. That’s just not the way college, or anything else in life, works. It’s a lot more complex than that, but ultimately, it helps to raise your kids to value human connection, to be content with less, and not to have overblown expectations of what college is about.

I'm the OP. I'm not looking for colleges that "produce" happy young people on an assembly line; I'm looking for schools that foster a sense of collaboration and that offer exceptional mental health resources (which I should have said in my original post). Totally concur that how kids are raised matters. But some schools are pressure cookers. (I see Swarthmore and U Chicago come up often in this regard.)

JMU

It’s so strange to me that people expect actual lists of schools that produce happy young people. That’s just not the way college, or anything else in life, works. It’s a lot more complex than that, but ultimately, it helps to raise your kids to value human connection, to be content with less, and not to have overblown expectations of what college is about.

You might also consider this Princeton Review site:

Most Loved Colleges | The Princeton Review https://share.google/YeNS7Iy54oLe2myeC

Most top schools….

Brown is known as 'the happy Ivy' and my kid has had a wonderful experience so far. Lots of kids who are engaged in clubs and activities outside of the classroom- things they're genuinely interested in, not just 'resume booster' types of activities.

Happiest student lists always seem to include:

UCLA
UGA
UVA
Vanderbilt
USC
Michigan

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Princeton Review has lists and rankings for this:

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/?rankings=happiest-students

Interestingly, many of the well-ranked schools on this list are almost never brought up on this board.

In fairness, this website is coastal-centric and usually people are asking for advice on admissions.

Kansas State, Taylor, University of Dallas...these aren't schools that require much admissions advice since they are 75%+ admissions schools...nor are they local options for many people on DCUM.

I will agree that Auburn isn't talked about much compared to University of Alabama. Certainly Emory is probably mentioned too much on DCUM.

Vanderbilt
Rice
Brown
Duke
Emory
CU-Boulder
Wisconsin
UCLA
Indiana
San Diego State
USC

Anonymous wrote:Princeton Review has lists and rankings for this:

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/?rankings=happiest-students

Interestingly, many of the well-ranked schools on this list are almost never brought up on this board.

Which schools have excellent mental health support?

All schools have happy and unhappy kids. I think the key is 1) focusing more on fit than prestige, so that your child is more likely to find programs and people that bring out the best in them and 2) making sure your child knows where to find help with any mental health challenges (ideally including you).

Princeton Review has lists and rankings for this:

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/?rankings=happiest-students

William and Mary
Midwestern SLAC’s
SEC schools

I'm wondering how and if this is measurable, beyond the "vibe" one gets from visiting a school. I feel like college has become such an industry (this board alone underscores the intensity of admissions!). I want my kid to get a good education, but more than anything, I want my child to take away invaluable lessons about happiness, balance, and values during those four years instead of getting caught up in the noise of the competitive rat-race. Which schools have happy graduates? Which schools have a healthy balance between work and life? How is this measured, and can it be?

I know way too many kids who worked so hard for some kind of elite school, thinking it would solve their problems or magically open doors, and it did none of those things. I know one teenager who took his life after being denied admission to a top college. I know others who have been admitted to psychiatric hospitals due to intense academic pressure. It all feels like too much, and I'm wondering how and where to look for communities that put these four years into healthy perspectives.