Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 15:21     Subject: Need targets and safeties
Colleges highly valued for their classroom experience may meet your criterion of a collaborative environment:

https://share.google/9qFZvNXbPAlOmL4bq

Grinnell, for example, may be of interest.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 15:09     Subject: Need targets and safeties
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’d take a look at Union, more “stem”y than most lads and would probably be a target or likely depending on your kid’s stats.


Good suggestion!


It’s pretty Greek. They downplay it on campus tours but there’s a strong residential Greek presence.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 13:58     Subject: Need targets and safeties
Anonymous wrote:I’d take a look at Union, more “stem”y than most lads and would probably be a target or likely depending on your kid’s stats.


Good suggestion!
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 13:58     Subject: Need targets and safeties
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How about Wesleyan and Skidmore as possible targets?


Disagree about Wesleyan - it’s a reach for everyone


But a lower reach that Swat and Briwn with double the acceptance rate. So, perhaps still worth considering in the mix.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 13:57     Subject: Need targets and safeties
Most NESCACs don’t have Greek life or it’s really minimal. Wesleyan is a good alternative to Brown. Hamilton has an open curriculum.

A colleague who is phd physicist professor at a major research school told my DS to consider Bowdoin when looking at SLACs for physics and math.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 13:48     Subject: Re:Need targets and safeties
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:St. Olaf.

BTW, Mudd is great but Pomona is probably better for potential PhD math types. Williams also great for Math.

Check out Reed.


Thanks, Pomona is definitely on his reach list.

He rejected Reed because of their freshman year humanities requirement, but otherwise I think it would be a good fit.


Harvey Mudd is also a LAC that requires humanities core courses. Tell your son to take a close look at their core requirements because an important feature is that they don't believe students should just take STEM core courses, but need to fulfill humanities and social sciences courses for a well-rounded education.


“Well rounded education”. Lol give me a break. There is no engineering school especially the top ones that doesn’t require electives outside of engineering. Usually applicable Econ and business related courses
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 13:43     Subject: Need targets and safeties
Anonymous wrote:How about Wesleyan and Skidmore as possible targets?


Disagree about Wesleyan - it’s a reach for everyone
Anonymous
Post 01/03/2026 12:00     Subject: Need targets and safeties
Many people didn't know, but NYU has an excellent applied math program. No much frat culture. You should have your DC check it out.
Anonymous
Post 01/03/2026 11:58     Subject: Need targets and safeties
Macalester is a good safety for someone having the stats for Brown.
Anonymous
Post 01/03/2026 11:55     Subject: Need targets and safeties
William & Mary has a lot of vibe overlaps with Carleton and Brown, but has to compete for in-state students with UVA, so has a higher overall admit rate than you would expect. I think it's about 28% for OOS students, and would be a good target.

Ours were deciding between W&M and Carleton and ultimately went with W&M.

Also, the St. Olaf suggestion up-thread is good. It's a good "very likely" for students with competitive-for-Carleton stats, and it's right next door, so if you head to Northfield for a tour, it'd be good to check out. They have a very strong math program.
Anonymous
Post 01/03/2026 11:49     Subject: Need targets and safeties
How about Wesleyan and Skidmore as possible targets?
Anonymous
Post 01/03/2026 11:47     Subject: Need targets and safeties
It's not a target or safety, but if your DS likes the vibe at Carleton/Swat/Mudd (nerdy collaborative), and isn't big on Greek life, he'd love Tufts too. I'd take a serious look at it. But it is a reach with 10% admission rate. Even at ED rounds it's become very selective.
Anonymous
Post 01/03/2026 11:45     Subject: Re:Need targets and safeties
Anonymous wrote:I would ED1 to Carleton or Mudd. Carleton has a lower athlete percentage than Swat and Swat has gone a bit overboard with first gen, as over 25% admits and almost no overlap with their athletes (not really any more room at the inn for the ED round). I actually think Swat will be as difficult or a more difficult ED admit than Brown (but would not risk Brown ED either).

Swat is 29% male athletes overall, and first year will be higher due to attrition. https://ope.ed.gov/athletics/#/institution/details

Carleton is 22%. Still a lot but when buckets are tiny that 8% will make a difference.

Mudd is harder to say because it shares with CMC and Scripps but I would say it is lower than Carleton…


The male athletes on CMS (Mudd & CMC)'s sport team are almost 90% derived form CMC. Very few Mudd varsity athletes to take spots in ED rounds (CMC male ED admits are majority recruited athletes in contrast).

That said, Mudd is so tiny of a college (Only around 200-ish freshmen) so it's nearly impossible to get in at all.
Anonymous
Post 01/03/2026 11:42     Subject: Re:Need targets and safeties
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:St. Olaf.

BTW, Mudd is great but Pomona is probably better for potential PhD math types. Williams also great for Math.

Check out Reed.


Thanks, Pomona is definitely on his reach list.

He rejected Reed because of their freshman year humanities requirement, but otherwise I think it would be a good fit.


Harvey Mudd is also a LAC that requires humanities core courses. Tell your son to take a close look at their core requirements because an important feature is that they don't believe students should just take STEM core courses, but need to fulfill humanities and social sciences courses for a well-rounded education.
Anonymous
Post 01/03/2026 11:42     Subject: Need targets and safeties
This was my kid, who ED-ed at Carleton. Lafayette was his favorite target (it was actually a likely for him, but that was because of a legacy issue).