Anonymous wrote:Trying to understand this better. Having now toured and read, it seemed to be academically and reputationally a notch or two above WashU, Emory, Georgetown, Vanderbilt and Tufts. I mention these as comparisons as they are mid size “good” schools. Would it then be a peer school of Duke? Lower Ivies? Academically similar to the best SLACs such as Williams or Amherst?

Your list of mid-size but good schools is looking at schools that draw more strongly within their loosely-defined region vs. nationally. But you don't have any West Coast examples.

I don't think your kid will feel this "notch or two" when enrolled. Kids don't spend their time finely assessing the qualifications of their classroom peers.

Small SLACs (big high school sized) are going to be different in feel from a mid-size broad university. Especially if in a rural area where the school dominates the town.

Lower Ivies is a bogus concept. Don't know which schools you intend to place where but the ones I guess you might be thinking of will also be a different experience than Northwestern. Primarily because Midwestern culture is different from NYC/East Coast urban culture.

Northwestern's peer schools consist of a group that doesn't include the University of Chicago. I'd say, also, that Northwestern doesn't particularly resemble highly regarded LACs, such as Williams, Vassar, or Hamilton.

The reaches/high reaches for DS are northwestern, Duke, Vanderbilt and Penn based on what he wants to study, his preference to be in or near a city, mid size private and sports vibes). I think these schools are academically similar.

Anonymous wrote:You'll find once actually applying that you're thankful for any top school acceptance and worrying about this is futile.

+1000

Anonymous wrote:Us news peer reputation score
NU- 4.4
Vandy- 4.3
Emory, Rice- 4.2
WashU- 4.1
Tufts-3.8

So it seems like Tufts and if you're being strict WashU aren't peers. The others are.

Why does WashU get a 4.1?

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is a good peer — 1) top tier academics, 2) near major city center, 3) athletics program in top DI league. Emory, WashU meet the first two of those. Duke meets 1 and 3.

Replace WashU with Rice

Vanderbilt is a good peer — 1) top tier academics, 2) near major city center, 3) athletics program in top DI league. Emory, WashU meet the first two of those. Duke meets 1 and 3.

You'll find once actually applying that you're thankful for any top school acceptance and worrying about this is futile.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - you lost me at “lower ivies”. WTF??

Northwestern alum here and people at NU don’t talk or think like that so doesn’t sound like a good fit for you.

To be fair, northwestern wasn’t a very hard admit til about 10-15 years ago. So maybe they do talk like this now?

Gotta go back more than than 10–15 years to find a time when NU wasn’t a hard admit.

Anonymous wrote:Us news peer reputation score
NU- 4.4
Vandy- 4.3
Emory, Rice- 4.2
WashU- 4.1
Tufts-3.8

So it seems like Tufts and if you're being strict WashU aren't peers. The others are.

+100

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of people who get into Emory but not Northwestern but not Many for whom it’s the other way around.

Of the schools listed Tufts is clearly the odd one out. But this board is obsessed with Emory.

Anonymous wrote:Northeastern

They actually have very similar stats on the major metrics such as retention rate, outcomes, etc.

There are a lot of people who get into Emory but not Northwestern but not Many for whom it’s the other way around.

Such a pointless thread. Why is this important to you? It's what your kid values and what field they want to study and which school is a better fit for your kid. My kid was accepted to Northwestern this cycle. Liked the school enough when he toured, but is studying engineering and chose Georgia Tech because he liked it more. That's how college decisions work.

Northeastern