Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:55
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
Anonymous wrote:US News ranking remains it’s relevance lol
Are people actually applying to schools based on the ranking?
Just be careful, folks. Rankings are one thing, but getting in is another. Admit rates are not all alike, to be sure, but posters here can tell you what is going on with them and, normalized, what the tough admits really are…
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:54
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
Anonymous wrote:My DD has good stats (1500+ SAT, A/A- grades, top rigor) but doesn't want to compete for what she calls top 20-25. Is this the list to avoid? Where do LACs fit in?
Top 25 National Unis:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
Top LACs:
1 Williams
2 Amherst
3 US Naval Academy
4 Swarthmore
5 US Air Force Academy
5 Bowdoin
It's not like the schools right below the T25 suddenly become much less competitive - your DD could still be rejected from them.
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:51
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
US News ranking remains it’s relevance lol
Are people actually applying to schools based on the ranking?
Are people actually applying to schools based on the ranking?
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:48
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
She should try Wake Forest.
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:46
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
If your daughter wants a smaller LAC environment outside the most competitive schools, she may also want to consider honors programs at larger state schools.
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:42
Subject: Re:My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
So it depends what you are asking, OP. If it is how to fit the flawed SLAC rankings in with the flawed U.S. News national university rankings (and their favoring of public universities), that’s one thing.
If it too avoid the rat race of the toughest admits, that is something altogether. Suffice to say, it will be far easier to get into a Michigan or Chicago than a Swarthmore….just sayin’
If it too avoid the rat race of the toughest admits, that is something altogether. Suffice to say, it will be far easier to get into a Michigan or Chicago than a Swarthmore….just sayin’
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:42
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
Anonymous wrote:My DD has good stats (1500+ SAT, A/A- grades, top rigor) but doesn't want to compete for what she calls top 20-25. Is this the list to avoid? Where do LACs fit in?
Top 25 National Unis:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
Top LACs:
1 Williams
2 Amherst
3 US Naval Academy
4 Swarthmore
5 US Air Force Academy
5 Bowdoin
I'm trying to figure out what your dd is looking for. I get that highly rejective schools are out, but can you be more specific than that? No schools that accept less then 10%, less than 15%? You ask about LACs; is that what she's interested in? Instead of asking what not to apply for, tell us more about your kid and what she is looking for.
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:36
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
Anonymous wrote:I would fit in the LACs like this:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
[insert: Williams & Amherst]
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
[insert: Swarthmore]
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
[insert Pomona and/or Bowdoin]
In terms of “competitive” admissions, you are seriously selling the SLACs short!
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:35
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
Anonymous wrote:I would fit in the LACs like this:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
[insert: Williams & Amherst]
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
[insert: Swarthmore]
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
[insert Pomona and/or Bowdoin]
yeah there's the top 30 ...
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:34
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
I would fit in the LACs like this:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
[insert: Williams & Amherst]
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
[insert: Swarthmore]
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
[insert Pomona and/or Bowdoin]
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
[insert: Williams & Amherst]
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
[insert: Swarthmore]
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
[insert Pomona and/or Bowdoin]
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:26
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
Good for your daughter for having a mature, realistic attitude towards the process. She will have some great options with those stats. At the same time, she shouldn’t be afraid to apply to a couple reaches in T-25 if she thinks she might regret not giving it a shot.
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:19
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My DD has good stats (1500+ SAT, A/A- grades, top rigor) but doesn't want to compete for what she calls top 20-25. Is this the list to avoid? Where do LACs fit in?
Top 25 National Unis:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
Top LACs:
1 Williams
2 Amherst
3 US Naval Academy
4 Swarthmore
5 US Air Force Academy
5 Bowdoin
Think of WASP-B as equivalent to top 10-15 (but higher than Chicago and Johns Hopkins, which are not the same caliber as the other top 10.
Thanks!
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:18
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
I don't know which LACs would make the top 25. Maybe only Williams?
It's mature for your DC to avoid the most rejective schools and to focus on the rest for fit.
Wat is she looking for - major, location, size? She has good stats and is sure to land at a great place.
It's mature for your DC to avoid the most rejective schools and to focus on the rest for fit.
Wat is she looking for - major, location, size? She has good stats and is sure to land at a great place.
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:17
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
Anonymous wrote:My DD has good stats (1500+ SAT, A/A- grades, top rigor) but doesn't want to compete for what she calls top 20-25. Is this the list to avoid? Where do LACs fit in?
Top 25 National Unis:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
Top LACs:
1 Williams
2 Amherst
3 US Naval Academy
4 Swarthmore
5 US Air Force Academy
5 Bowdoin
Think of WASP-B as equivalent to top 10-15 (but higher than Chicago and Johns Hopkins, which are not the same caliber as the other top 10.
Anonymous
09/28/2025 20:14
Subject: My DD wants to avoid applying to most competitive top 25 "usual suspects" colleges - which LACs considered part of T'25?
My DD has good stats (1500+ SAT, A/A- grades, top rigor) but doesn't want to compete for what she calls top 20-25. Is this the list to avoid? Where do LACs fit in?
Top 25 National Unis:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
Top LACs:
1 Williams
2 Amherst
3 US Naval Academy
4 Swarthmore
5 US Air Force Academy
5 Bowdoin
Top 25 National Unis:
1 Princeton University
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3 Harvard University
4 Stanford University
4 Yale University
6 University of Chicago
7 Duke University
7 Johns Hopkins University
7 Northwestern University
7 University of Pennsylvania
11 California Institute of Technology
12 Cornell University
13 Brown University
13 Dartmouth College
15 Columbia University
15 University of California, Berkeley
17 Rice University
17 University of California, Los Angeles
17 Vanderbilt University
20 Carnegie Mellon University
20 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20 University of Notre Dame
20 Washington University in St. Louis
24 Emory University
24 Georgetown University
Top LACs:
1 Williams
2 Amherst
3 US Naval Academy
4 Swarthmore
5 US Air Force Academy
5 Bowdoin