Kid goes to Davidson. The environment is friendly and kind, but kids do study a lot. Kids stress about their studies, but because of the amount of work and their own desire to do well, not student-to-student comparisons.

Fellow students and professors are happy to help. In fact, many courses have embedded student assistants who have previously taken the course, done well, and have been selected by the professor to provide additional student help. Professor office hours are generous and well attended. Some DCUM posters may see this as handholding, but it’s more like collaboration and mentoring in a fast-paced, all-in learning environment. No one is coasting because of the help. If they were, they wouldn’t be stressed!

But, again, I wouldn’t call the overall environment at Davidson stressful. Socially, it’s anything but, despite some presence of Greek life (which is pretty non-competitive and low-key, especially for eating houses).

Anyone have specific experience with Williams, Haverford, or Bowdoin? DD likes them all for different reasons - Haverford the most socially bc seems so open, but lacks some classes and clubs she wants that the other 2 have.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is the slack you are looking for.

We found students insanely competitive and award driven. TOTAL TURNOFF

+1, saw a few kids have breakdowns outside because of classes during a tour and knew it wasn’t for DD

We all know you’re responding to yourself and making things up. Seek therapy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is the slack you are looking for.

We found students insanely competitive and award driven. TOTAL TURNOFF

+1, saw a few kids have breakdowns outside because of classes during a tour and knew it wasn’t for DD

There are a lot of schools being mentioned that are pretty rigorous and hold high standards.

I’d say don’t listen to a bunch of out of touch competitive parents living vicariously through their kids college application process and hear from alums and students at these schools.

I’ve seen several schools named here that I know for a fact from alums are pretty tough and not “laid back”. SLACs down the ranking list can be pressure cookers. Rankings don’t mean much when it comes to difficult curriculum and tough grading standards. I know DCUM is caught up in the infallibility of US News rankings translating to importance/rigor/prestige but that’s a common mistake when closely inspecting one’s own rectum.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The top 15-20 SLACs are a lot of work. The classes are small and participation/attendance counts. You can’t skip classes and do well. You can’t sit in the back and not do the reading and be successful.

NP This is just not true IME. Lots of flexibility and generous grading. I went to a top 20 SLAC and have friends who went to others and who have sent their dc to these same schools.

Which ones? please name instead of talking in a cloud.

DD goes to Williams and DS goes to Pomona, neither have generous grading, but I guess their classes could be "flexible" unsure of what that means exactly. Classes are very difficult, and both spend a lot of time on their work as a math and physics/history major respectively. At Pomona, there's increasing pressure for faculty to institute strict attendance policies (More than 3 absences over the semester -> a letter grade dropped in many classes). I personally went to Yale, and, from the class tours I had time to tour, it seems just as rigorous as my undergraduate education.

For one, they don’t grade on a curve. Some schools do so kids have to fight for an A and truly be the best to get one. That is not the case at SLAC. It’s not that hard to get at least a B in many classes.

Profs can be very hands on and flexible about late papers, etc. Plenty of hand holding for a kid who reaches out (to a limit of course).

I’m not going to out myself but look at the top 20 SLAC list, including Yale (two of my co workers went there and agree), Pomona and Williams. I think people want to say they are hard, but IME the hardest part is getting in.

You mean as opposed to Harvard and Yale, where 80% of kids get an A? Even so much so that it is reported in major newspapers. That is not true at SLACs.

The majority of Harvard and Yale students entered as straight A students. Is it really surprising at the UG level there continue to be loads of A students?

Most of the high school grades are grade inflated as they are in college. Did you not read NYT article about Yale and how most everybody gets an A.

they're still taking the very best kids from this same playing field

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is the slack you are looking for.

We found students insanely competitive and award driven. TOTAL TURNOFF

Beat it, troll.

I’ve got a kid at Pomona. Per DC, it’s not competitive and there isn’t a stress culture. But the workload is massive and kids study a lot. Do with that what you will.

Agree. My sister went there and not competitive at all, but it was intense and involved a lot of studying

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is the slack you are looking for.

We found students insanely competitive and award driven. TOTAL TURNOFF

Beat it, troll.

I’ve got a kid at Pomona. Per DC, it’s not competitive and there isn’t a stress culture. But the workload is massive and kids study a lot. Do with that what you will.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The top 15-20 SLACs are a lot of work. The classes are small and participation/attendance counts. You can’t skip classes and do well. You can’t sit in the back and not do the reading and be successful.

NP This is just not true IME. Lots of flexibility and generous grading. I went to a top 20 SLAC and have friends who went to others and who have sent their dc to these same schools.

Which ones? please name instead of talking in a cloud.

DD goes to Williams and DS goes to Pomona, neither have generous grading, but I guess their classes could be "flexible" unsure of what that means exactly. Classes are very difficult, and both spend a lot of time on their work as a math and physics/history major respectively. At Pomona, there's increasing pressure for faculty to institute strict attendance policies (More than 3 absences over the semester -> a letter grade dropped in many classes). I personally went to Yale, and, from the class tours I had time to tour, it seems just as rigorous as my undergraduate education.

For one, they don’t grade on a curve. Some schools do so kids have to fight for an A and truly be the best to get one. That is not the case at SLAC. It’s not that hard to get at least a B in many classes.

Profs can be very hands on and flexible about late papers, etc. Plenty of hand holding for a kid who reaches out (to a limit of course).

I’m not going to out myself but look at the top 20 SLAC list, including Yale (two of my co workers went there and agree), Pomona and Williams. I think people want to say they are hard, but IME the hardest part is getting in.

You mean as opposed to Harvard and Yale, where 80% of kids get an A? Even so much so that it is reported in major newspapers. That is not true at SLACs.

The majority of Harvard and Yale students entered as straight A students. Is it really surprising at the UG level there continue to be loads of A students?

Most of the high school grades are grade inflated as they are in college. Did you not read NYT article about Yale and how most everybody gets an A.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is the slack you are looking for.

We found students insanely competitive and award driven. TOTAL TURNOFF

at Pomona?? no way

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The top 15-20 SLACs are a lot of work. The classes are small and participation/attendance counts. You can’t skip classes and do well. You can’t sit in the back and not do the reading and be successful.

NP This is just not true IME. Lots of flexibility and generous grading. I went to a top 20 SLAC and have friends who went to others and who have sent their dc to these same schools.

Which ones? please name instead of talking in a cloud.

DD goes to Williams and DS goes to Pomona, neither have generous grading, but I guess their classes could be "flexible" unsure of what that means exactly. Classes are very difficult, and both spend a lot of time on their work as a math and physics/history major respectively. At Pomona, there's increasing pressure for faculty to institute strict attendance policies (More than 3 absences over the semester -> a letter grade dropped in many classes). I personally went to Yale, and, from the class tours I had time to tour, it seems just as rigorous as my undergraduate education.

For one, they don’t grade on a curve. Some schools do so kids have to fight for an A and truly be the best to get one. That is not the case at SLAC. It’s not that hard to get at least a B in many classes.

Profs can be very hands on and flexible about late papers, etc. Plenty of hand holding for a kid who reaches out (to a limit of course).

I’m not going to out myself but look at the top 20 SLAC list, including Yale (two of my co workers went there and agree), Pomona and Williams. I think people want to say they are hard, but IME the hardest part is getting in.

You mean as opposed to Harvard and Yale, where 80% of kids get an A? Even so much so that it is reported in major newspapers. That is not true at SLACs.

The majority of Harvard and Yale students entered as straight A students. Is it really surprising at the UG level there continue to be loads of A students?

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is the slack you are looking for.

We found students insanely competitive and award driven. TOTAL TURNOFF

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The top 15-20 SLACs are a lot of work. The classes are small and participation/attendance counts. You can’t skip classes and do well. You can’t sit in the back and not do the reading and be successful.

NP This is just not true IME. Lots of flexibility and generous grading. I went to a top 20 SLAC and have friends who went to others and who have sent their dc to these same schools.

Which ones? please name instead of talking in a cloud.

DD goes to Williams and DS goes to Pomona, neither have generous grading, but I guess their classes could be "flexible" unsure of what that means exactly. Classes are very difficult, and both spend a lot of time on their work as a math and physics/history major respectively. At Pomona, there's increasing pressure for faculty to institute strict attendance policies (More than 3 absences over the semester -> a letter grade dropped in many classes). I personally went to Yale, and, from the class tours I had time to tour, it seems just as rigorous as my undergraduate education.

For one, they don’t grade on a curve. Some schools do so kids have to fight for an A and truly be the best to get one. That is not the case at SLAC. It’s not that hard to get at least a B in many classes.

Profs can be very hands on and flexible about late papers, etc. Plenty of hand holding for a kid who reaches out (to a limit of course).

I’m not going to out myself but look at the top 20 SLAC list, including Yale (two of my co workers went there and agree), Pomona and Williams. I think people want to say they are hard, but IME the hardest part is getting in.

You mean as opposed to Harvard and Yale, where 80% of kids get an A? Even so much so that it is reported in major newspapers. That is not true at SLACs.

is there a major difference in schools in terms of rigor, workload, etc, etc like Lafayette, Connecticut College, Dickinson and Hobart and William smith, all SLACS

Pomona is the slack you are looking for.