Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 14:54     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of LACs. Make other people go to college where you think they should go to college.


lol. that about sums up the college forum.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 14:50     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They sit in that odd in-between where they're lesser-known by the general populace, but are incredibly overhyped by those in the know.

No one cares about your Williams or Amherst or Swarthmore, and they're slowly but surely becoming increasingly irrelevant in today's higher ed landscape.


I can only share my experience of having a kid who went to Grinnell. They became friends with faculty, received an education of unusual breadth and depth, explored several different disciplines, learned to thoughtfully consider and evaluate a wide spectrum of ideas, grew up immensely, became exponentially more articulate, got a fantastic research job straight out of school where their research skills and job performance led supervisors to say they wanted to hire more Grinnell grads, and got into a prestigious PhD program. More importantly, they became an extraordinarily kind and caring person. This was a kid who used to be a little abrasive. Would it have happened at a good public or large private research university? Perhaps, but I don't they'd have received the same level of nurture and adult attention, which I think drove intellectual, academic, personal, and professional growth. There are many great options out there. Sometimes LACs are an excellent fit that can transform your child. No disrespect to any other institution, but I am very grateful for the transformative effect an outstanding LAC had on my kid.


With some merit aid, Grinnell is one of the best buys in higher education.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 13:46     Subject: LACs are overrated.

LOL, why does anyone care where someone else's kid goes to college?

One of mine is at a huge public university and the other a small LAC (neither of them "elite"). Both picked the environment and programs that most appealed to them. Both doing well. I'm glad our system has a wide variety of options.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 13:45     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:I saw a discussion the other day of who should replace feckless Schumer as Senate minority leader. The two top picks--the only Democratic senators really speaking forthrightly about the state of the country--were Van Hollen and Murphy. Both LAC grads (Swarthmore and Williams). I'll take that kind of intelligence and skillset over "what random people on the street think about colleges" any day!


+1
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 12:21     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They sit in that odd in-between where they're lesser-known by the general populace, but are incredibly overhyped by those in the know.

No one cares about your Williams or Amherst or Swarthmore, and they're slowly but surely becoming increasingly irrelevant in today's higher ed landscape.


I can only share my experience of having a kid who went to Grinnell. They became friends with faculty, received an education of unusual breadth and depth, explored several different disciplines, learned to thoughtfully consider and evaluate a wide spectrum of ideas, grew up immensely, became exponentially more articulate, got a fantastic research job straight out of school where their research skills and job performance led supervisors to say they wanted to hire more Grinnell grads, and got into a prestigious PhD program. More importantly, they became an extraordinarily kind and caring person. This was a kid who used to be a little abrasive. Would it have happened at a good public or large private research university? Perhaps, but I don't they'd have received the same level of nurture and adult attention, which I think drove intellectual, academic, personal, and professional growth. There are many great options out there. Sometimes LACs are an excellent fit that can transform your child. No disrespect to any other institution, but I am very grateful for the transformative effect an outstanding LAC had on my kid.


So, your kid couldn't make it to the top 50. I understand.


Pretty obvious that you don't understand.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 12:19     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They sit in that odd in-between where they're lesser-known by the general populace, but are incredibly overhyped by those in the know.

No one cares about your Williams or Amherst or Swarthmore, and they're slowly but surely becoming increasingly irrelevant in today's higher ed landscape.


I can only share my experience of having a kid who went to Grinnell. They became friends with faculty, received an education of unusual breadth and depth, explored several different disciplines, learned to thoughtfully consider and evaluate a wide spectrum of ideas, grew up immensely, became exponentially more articulate, got a fantastic research job straight out of school where their research skills and job performance led supervisors to say they wanted to hire more Grinnell grads, and got into a prestigious PhD program. More importantly, they became an extraordinarily kind and caring person. This was a kid who used to be a little abrasive. Would it have happened at a good public or large private research university? Perhaps, but I don't they'd have received the same level of nurture and adult attention, which I think drove intellectual, academic, personal, and professional growth. There are many great options out there. Sometimes LACs are an excellent fit that can transform your child. No disrespect to any other institution, but I am very grateful for the transformative effect an outstanding LAC had on my kid.


So, your kid couldn't make it to the top 50. I understand.


DP. What an arse.


What is an arse?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 11:39     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They sit in that odd in-between where they're lesser-known by the general populace, but are incredibly overhyped by those in the know.

No one cares about your Williams or Amherst or Swarthmore, and they're slowly but surely becoming increasingly irrelevant in today's higher ed landscape.


I can only share my experience of having a kid who went to Grinnell. They became friends with faculty, received an education of unusual breadth and depth, explored several different disciplines, learned to thoughtfully consider and evaluate a wide spectrum of ideas, grew up immensely, became exponentially more articulate, got a fantastic research job straight out of school where their research skills and job performance led supervisors to say they wanted to hire more Grinnell grads, and got into a prestigious PhD program. More importantly, they became an extraordinarily kind and caring person. This was a kid who used to be a little abrasive. Would it have happened at a good public or large private research university? Perhaps, but I don't they'd have received the same level of nurture and adult attention, which I think drove intellectual, academic, personal, and professional growth. There are many great options out there. Sometimes LACs are an excellent fit that can transform your child. No disrespect to any other institution, but I am very grateful for the transformative effect an outstanding LAC had on my kid.


So, your kid couldn't make it to the top 50. I understand.


DP. What an arse.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 11:38     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They sit in that odd in-between where they're lesser-known by the general populace, but are incredibly overhyped by those in the know.

No one cares about your Williams or Amherst or Swarthmore, and they're slowly but surely becoming increasingly irrelevant in today's higher ed landscape.


I can only share my experience of having a kid who went to Grinnell. They became friends with faculty, received an education of unusual breadth and depth, explored several different disciplines, learned to thoughtfully consider and evaluate a wide spectrum of ideas, grew up immensely, became exponentially more articulate, got a fantastic research job straight out of school where their research skills and job performance led supervisors to say they wanted to hire more Grinnell grads, and got into a prestigious PhD program. More importantly, they became an extraordinarily kind and caring person. This was a kid who used to be a little abrasive. Would it have happened at a good public or large private research university? Perhaps, but I don't they'd have received the same level of nurture and adult attention, which I think drove intellectual, academic, personal, and professional growth. There are many great options out there. Sometimes LACs are an excellent fit that can transform your child. No disrespect to any other institution, but I am very grateful for the transformative effect an outstanding LAC had on my kid.


So, your kid couldn't make it to the top 50. I understand.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 11:14     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:They sit in that odd in-between where they're lesser-known by the general populace, but are incredibly overhyped by those in the know.

No one cares about your Williams or Amherst or Swarthmore, and they're slowly but surely becoming increasingly irrelevant in today's higher ed landscape.


I can only share my experience of having a kid who went to Grinnell. They became friends with faculty, received an education of unusual breadth and depth, explored several different disciplines, learned to thoughtfully consider and evaluate a wide spectrum of ideas, grew up immensely, became exponentially more articulate, got a fantastic research job straight out of school where their research skills and job performance led supervisors to say they wanted to hire more Grinnell grads, and got into a prestigious PhD program. More importantly, they became an extraordinarily kind and caring person. This was a kid who used to be a little abrasive. Would it have happened at a good public or large private research university? Perhaps, but I don't they'd have received the same level of nurture and adult attention, which I think drove intellectual, academic, personal, and professional growth. There are many great options out there. Sometimes LACs are an excellent fit that can transform your child. No disrespect to any other institution, but I am very grateful for the transformative effect an outstanding LAC had on my kid.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 10:04     Subject: LACs are overrated.

I think LAC boosters are somewhat ahead of the UVA strivers these days. UVA strivers should pick it up you are losing out.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 09:57     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:I saw a discussion the other day of who should replace feckless Schumer as Senate minority leader. The two top picks--the only Democratic senators really speaking forthrightly about the state of the country--were Van Hollen and Murphy. Both LAC grads (Swarthmore and Williams). I'll take that kind of intelligence and skillset over "what random people on the street think about colleges" any day!


The great former Congressman Ron Paul went to Gettysburg!
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 09:10     Subject: LACs are overrated.

I saw a discussion the other day of who should replace feckless Schumer as Senate minority leader. The two top picks--the only Democratic senators really speaking forthrightly about the state of the country--were Van Hollen and Murphy. Both LAC grads (Swarthmore and Williams). I'll take that kind of intelligence and skillset over "what random people on the street think about colleges" any day!
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 22:50     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Get rid of LACs. Make other people go to college where you think they should go to college.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 12:46     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Anonymous wrote:Battle of the UVA strivers v. LAC boosters.

They both deserve to be separated out from this Colleges & Universities.

They are so SPECIAL, they certainly deserve their own section.


You’re special

~ S Smalley
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 12:34     Subject: LACs are overrated.

Battle of the UVA strivers v. LAC boosters.

They both deserve to be separated out from this Colleges & Universities.

They are so SPECIAL, they certainly deserve their own section.