Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:43
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Duke, Tulane and Vandy. Midsized privates in competitive conferences.
Here’s the complete list for my kid:
Stanford
Northwestern
Duke
Notre Dame
Michigan
Vanderbilt
USC
Wake
Tulane
SMU
From this list, which schools give more that a handful of merit awards? Maybe USC (though they are reducing merit aid)? SMU? Don't know about Wake or Tulane.
For merit awards, you need to look for schools outside the T30.
SMU definitely. USC is automatic if you are NMF.
After that, Tulane is more generous with merit, but maybe for 20% of the top kids…and then it drops off a cliff.
SMU gives a bunch of merit and has the highest acceptance rate.
Michigan of course is a huge school…if that’s on the list then why not every decent school?
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:40
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Duke, Tulane and Vandy. Midsized privates in competitive conferences.
Here’s the complete list for my kid:
Stanford
Northwestern
Duke
Notre Dame
Michigan
Vanderbilt
USC
Wake
Tulane
SMU
From this list, which schools give more that a handful of merit awards? Maybe USC (though they are reducing merit aid)? SMU? Don't know about Wake or Tulane.
For merit awards, you need to look for schools outside the T30.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:37
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Anonymous wrote:Duke, Tulane and Vandy. Midsized privates in competitive conferences.
Here’s the complete list for my kid:
Stanford
Northwestern
Duke
Notre Dame
Michigan
Vanderbilt
USC
Wake
Tulane
SMU
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:30
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Anonymous wrote:Syracuse?
+1. Go Orange!
Notre Dame and Vanderbilt fit what you're describing, but both are tough admits with almost no merit awards.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:30
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Duke, Tulane and Vandy. Midsized privates in competitive conferences.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:28
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Not sure, but the University of Alabama might have a football team. If so, then it might be a good bet that the games get a lot of students attending as football is big in the South.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:27
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Teach your kid that only losers do things like that.
D3 football at LAC is like going to bad high school football and most kids at LACs hate the football players who are only there because alumni from the 1950s (when the LAC was in the Iron Bowl or whatever) would revolt if the team was killed.
Girls rugby is likely to be a rowdier scene.
D3 football at LAC is like going to bad high school football and most kids at LACs hate the football players who are only there because alumni from the 1950s (when the LAC was in the Iron Bowl or whatever) would revolt if the team was killed.
Girls rugby is likely to be a rowdier scene.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:23
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Anonymous wrote:That's not what he wants. He'll think the football culture at these schools is a freaking joke.Anonymous wrote:Look for small FBS schools…Wake and Rice come to mind, but research the list.
I assume the Wake football culture is probably pretty strong since it’s ACC.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:23
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
+1. It's this or honors colleges/programs at big publics.Anonymous wrote:Lord, I hate to agree with the FOYINE poster, but I think his assessment is directionally correct. I also agree with the Syracuse recommendation. Not a LAC, but an expensive private known for giving merit aid with a beautiful football stadium right on campus.Anonymous wrote:No schools classified as LACs by USNWR will have the game day experience of an SEC/B1G school or anything close to it. Yes, Sewanee and Rhodes have teams, but the die-hard football fans on campus don't even go to the games. They're busy watching the SEC in their dorms or Greek houses.
Your son should check out SMU and TCU. These schools are larger than LACs but much smaller and more manageable than a big state school while still offering school spirit and the crazy tailgating scene he's looking for -- plus FOYINE girls and excellent Greek life.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:22
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Not even Ivy or many Patriot D1 teams have packed football games.
You might get a big school rivalry game with some fans or a game around homecoming weekend…but it will never be the same.
You might get a big school rivalry game with some fans or a game around homecoming weekend…but it will never be the same.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:22
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
That's not what he wants. He'll think the football culture at these schools is a freaking joke.Anonymous wrote:Look for small FBS schools…Wake and Rice come to mind, but research the list.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:22
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Anonymous wrote:No schools classified as LACs by USNWR will have the game day experience of an SEC/B1G school or anything close to it. Yes, Sewanee and Rhodes have teams, but the die-hard football fans on campus don't even go to the games. They're busy watching the SEC in their dorms or Greek houses.
Your son should check out SMU and TCU. These schools are larger than LACs but much smaller and more manageable than a big state school while still offering school spirit and the crazy tailgating scene he's looking for -- plus FOYINE girls and excellent Greek life.
Lord, I hate to agree with the FOYINE poster, but I think his assessment is directionally correct. I also agree with the Syracuse recommendation. Not a LAC, but an expensive private known for giving merit aid with a beautiful football stadium right on campus.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:20
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Look for small FBS schools…Wake and Rice come to mind, but research the list.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:16
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
No schools classified as LACs by USNWR will have the game day experience of an SEC/B1G school or anything close to it. Yes, Sewanee and Rhodes have teams, but the die-hard football fans on campus don't even go to the games. They're busy watching the SEC in their dorms or Greek houses.
Your son should check out SMU and TCU. These schools are larger than LACs but much smaller and more manageable than a big state school while still offering school spirit and the crazy tailgating scene he's looking for -- plus FOYINE girls and excellent Greek life.
Your son should check out SMU and TCU. These schools are larger than LACs but much smaller and more manageable than a big state school while still offering school spirit and the crazy tailgating scene he's looking for -- plus FOYINE girls and excellent Greek life.
Anonymous
08/19/2025 10:15
Subject: Liberal Arts Colleges where football games are packed and a social event
Anonymous wrote:Notre Dame stands out, though it only gives merit to a select few.
Lol