Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second the recommendation of Davidson. Enrollment is now around 2000 students with almost all living on campus. It has top notch academics with a strong economics department and a very well connected, high achieving alumni network. It's pretty campus looks like it could fit well in New England and is only 20 minutes outside of Charlotte in a cute (and safe) college town with strong town/gown relations. Awesome climate (winter temps in the 60s not unheard of) compared to the New England schools and a Lake Campus on Lake Norman for the students to enjoy. Great school spirit and traditions plus Division 1 sports with basketball being the big draw. Admissions wise it is very competitive with an acceptance rate around 17% but is, for now, an easier admit than some of the elite NESCACs.

Not OP but Davidson sounds like a potential fit for my cold weather adverse rising HS student who is looking at smaller LACs. Anyone know what the political leanings are among the student body at Davidson? Appears the school has longstanding ties to the Presbyterian Church not that it in and of itself means a lot these days.

Davidson College used to lean conservative, now it is right in the middle or a bit to the liberal side.

Anonymous wrote:Mount Holyoke for a female.

It would be helpful to know whether OP's student is male or female, and more information about preferences / likes-dislikes.

The University of Richmond has about 2,900 undergraduate students. Offers pre-professional majors (business, accounting, and healthcare) as well as a major in "Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law". Offers a significant number of merit scholarships.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second the recommendation of Davidson. Enrollment is now around 2000 students with almost all living on campus. It has top notch academics with a strong economics department and a very well connected, high achieving alumni network. It's pretty campus looks like it could fit well in New England and is only 20 minutes outside of Charlotte in a cute (and safe) college town with strong town/gown relations. Awesome climate (winter temps in the 60s not unheard of) compared to the New England schools and a Lake Campus on Lake Norman for the students to enjoy. Great school spirit and traditions plus Division 1 sports with basketball being the big draw. Admissions wise it is very competitive with an acceptance rate around 17% but is, for now, an easier admit than some of the elite NESCACs.

Not OP but Davidson sounds like a potential fit for my cold weather adverse rising HS student who is looking at smaller LACs. Anyone know what the political leanings are among the student body at Davidson? Appears the school has longstanding ties to the Presbyterian Church not that it in and of itself means a lot these days.

Clarification--rising senior in HS.

Anonymous wrote:Second the recommendation of Davidson. Enrollment is now around 2000 students with almost all living on campus. It has top notch academics with a strong economics department and a very well connected, high achieving alumni network. It's pretty campus looks like it could fit well in New England and is only 20 minutes outside of Charlotte in a cute (and safe) college town with strong town/gown relations. Awesome climate (winter temps in the 60s not unheard of) compared to the New England schools and a Lake Campus on Lake Norman for the students to enjoy. Great school spirit and traditions plus Division 1 sports with basketball being the big draw. Admissions wise it is very competitive with an acceptance rate around 17% but is, for now, an easier admit than some of the elite NESCACs.

Not OP but Davidson sounds like a potential fit for my cold weather adverse rising HS student who is looking at smaller LACs. Anyone know what the political leanings are among the student body at Davidson? Appears the school has longstanding ties to the Presbyterian Church not that it in and of itself means a lot these days.

Mount Holyoke for a female.

Another vote for Carleton and McAlister. for Midwest options. Reed for similar outdoorsy vibe.

And yes to W&M if you are VA. I went to Williams and got the same private school, tight community vibe when my DS was at W&M - for about half the price!

Second the recommendation of Davidson. Enrollment is now around 2000 students with almost all living on campus. It has top notch academics with a strong economics department and a very well connected, high achieving alumni network. It's pretty campus looks like it could fit well in New England and is only 20 minutes outside of Charlotte in a cute (and safe) college town with strong town/gown relations. Awesome climate (winter temps in the 60s not unheard of) compared to the New England schools and a Lake Campus on Lake Norman for the students to enjoy. Great school spirit and traditions plus Division 1 sports with basketball being the big draw. Admissions wise it is very competitive with an acceptance rate around 17% but is, for now, an easier admit than some of the elite NESCACs.

For back ups: bucknell, Franklin and Marshall, skidmore, conn college.
For safeties: muhlenberg, college of Wooster, st Lawrence

Anonymous wrote:My DC only wanted to apply to small schools too. It was really important to have at least one larger school that would accept more students on the list. There just are not enough spaces at these tiny colleges, and there isn't a lot of predictability in how they select their classes. W&M was a good suggestion by a PP -- bigger but not huge.

I was the PP who suggested Wm & Mary.

Are you familiar with honors colleges at large state universities ? Basic idea is to create a small school within the setting of a large university. Important if seeking merit grant scholarship money.

Also encourage your son or daughter to look at small colleges within a specific university. The School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) at Northwestern University might be of interest. Students at Northwestern can major in another college within the university. Easy to switch schools if the student desires to do so.

Will your daughter or son be comfortable in a very cold, rural, isolated environment ? Is your student okay with old run-down towns ? May not seem important now, but spending 4 academic years at a small, cold, rural, isolated LAC in an undesirable location should be taken in consideration when selecting schools.

Colby, Bowdoin, Tufts, William & Mary, are all solid schools. Davidson College (about 1,800 students) in North Carolina has a beautiful setting, nice weather, and outstanding academics.

Lots of merit scholarship grants available at large state public universities' honors colleges (essentially a small college set within a large university which gives a student the best of both worlds).

My DC only wanted to apply to small schools too. It was really important to have at least one larger school that would accept more students on the list. There just are not enough spaces at these tiny colleges, and there isn't a lot of predictability in how they select their classes. W&M was a good suggestion by a PP -- bigger but not huge.

Go get the Fiske guide. Come back once you've read it.

As a resident of Virginia, the University of Virginia and the College of William & Mary should be considered.

How strong is the student's desire to study economics ? Any career in mind ?

Vassar

Anonymous wrote:Are there any others you might add to the list? Any more mid-Atlantic or western /pacific NW? Undecided major, strong academically, leaning toward economics, social sciences. Very early in process. Thanks for any ideas.

There is not enough information shared by the OP in order for readers to make appropriate recommendations for this student.

"Undecided major ...leaning toward economics, social sciences" narrows the list to a few hundred schools.

OP: This is an anonymous forum. What do you and your student want, need, and fear about the college or university experience ?

Any specifics with respect to academic qualifications ? Extra-curricular activities ? Geographic preferences or restrictions ?

Size of student-body (small-medium-large-open to all).

URM ?

Swarthmore, Amherst, Haverford, Villanova, BC