Williams
Amherst

Then
Wesleyan
Hamilton
Swarthmore
Tufts

Then
William & Mary (OOS)
Bates
Kenyon

DS at Kenyon. We're shocked how happy he is. Special culture.

Anonymous wrote:OP back--I didn't vacuum, but I did run my Sunday errands (gas, Sam's club). She was deferred at ED1 Swarthmore, which was her top choice, so we aren't holding our breath for that one. Agree that Amherst would be great, but chances of admission are low. Williams seemed very studious, maybe too studious for my DD? She liked the vibe at Hamilton a lot. We have a close relative at Kenyon who is very happy so that's definitely in the running. I know she can't go wrong with any of these so it's a waiting game now. Appreciate the input

Does your kid have the stats to get into Amherst and Williams? They're like the top 2 LACs.

UMDCP is a great choice.

Kenyon grad here.

Agree with the consensus here that Kenyon belongs in the bottom tier of this list.

Extraordinarily isolated, relatively low name recognition (except for a certain class of people in the NE and Midwest), limited academic offerings.

That said, I received an extraordinary education at Kenyon.

Went on to top 5 law school and top 10 biz school and excelled at both.

I was far better prepared than most large state school grads, and on par with Ivy grads.

The emphasis on writing, speaking, and critical thought at Kenyon paid huge dividends.

Williams and Amherst
Tufts and W&M
Wesleyan
Hamilton and Bates
Kenyon

Completely subjective rankings based on (1) academics and (2) perceived quality of life.

Tier 1:

Williams: I like the outdoorsy location, gorgeous campus, tutorials, winter study, and immense resources. I have small concerns about perhaps a grind culture though.

Wesleyan: Great all-around academics, and it seems like a fun, vibrant place to go to college.

Tier 2:

Swarthmore: Amazing academics and proximity to Philadelphia, but legit concerns about grind culture.

Amherst: Amazing academics, but something about Amherst just doesn't appeal to me.

Hamilton: I like most everything I've heard about Hamilton, but it seems somehow more isolated than even Williams.

Tier 3:

Bates: Less prestigious than others here, but students seem genuinely happy there. I like Maine. (Bowdon would be in my first tier.)

Tufts: It's a very good school and close to Boston. It just doesn't have any particular appeal to me though.

Tier 4:

Kenyon: Seems like a great school, I'm just not wild about the location. Great creative writing though. But I'd happily send my kid there if it fit.

W&M: We're OOS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LACs are only good for med or law school. Not sure how these schools would translate to a career right after college

Ignorant comment. LACs have incredible outcomes because they teach students how to think. Clearly you did not attend one.

Correct. I went to Yale. Heard of it? Most people outside of recruiters are not familiar with LACs.

I graduated from a small LAC and then got my Doctorate at Cornell. Ever heard of it? Every one of my friends that graduated with me (late ‘80s) achieved career success, at least on their terms.

Anonymous wrote:I am bored and procrastinating doing my vacuuming. My DD applied RD to the following schools and I'd like feedback on which order you would place them and why. They are listed in alphabetical order. Ignore cost in your decision making. Just interested in perceptions and speculation. If she doesn't get in to any of these, she will go to UMCP where was admitted EA, and which she is completely happy with and considering.

Amherst
Bates
Hamilton
Kenyon
Swarthmore
Tufts
Wesleyan
William & Mary (OOS)
Williams

Assuming that I was admitted to all, my slight preference would be for William & Mary due to its size & location, then Tufts, then Wesleyan for similar reasons. While not a typical opinion, I see Wm & Mary as most like Swarthmore among the schools on your list as both seem to attract students who are wired in the same manner--intellectual & hard working.

However, for another, I would rank the schools in this order:

Amherst & Williams
Swarthmore
Wm. & Mary, Wesleyan, & Tufts
Hamilton, Kenyon, & Bates (due to small size & undesirable locations, and fewer career opportunities).

I view the last three schools (Hamilton, Kenyon, & Bates) with great respect for the education offered, but would be reluctant to spend these 4 precious years in such a small, isolated community. Life is too short & I earned my undergraduate degree at a slightly larger, but similar school and it remains one of my biggest regrets in life as I later attended a large university for an advanced degree and was exposed to what I had missed.

Regardless of my opinion, this is a very personal decision based on fit & goals. Nevertheless, I cannot imagine any of Hamilton, Kenyon, and Bates being one's top choice if admitted to all of these schools and cost of attendance was not a factor.

What follows aren't rankings so much but observations:

Swarthmore: arguably the most rigorous and scholarly-minded school on this list. Also, given my priorities--a highly intellectual experience both on and off campus (which Philadelphia, with its rich history and cultural offerings, certainly provides) and access to excellent public transportation--this school would be *my* clear first choice.
Amherst/Williams: preference for one or the other depends upon whether one finds the five college consortium or Oxford style tutorial opportunities more appealing.
Wesleyan: arguably the artsiest of all the schools on this list and should be choice no. 1 for any aspiring filmmakers
Tufts: great engineering and IR, in particular. Also arguably in the best location given easy access to Boston/Cambridge just a few T stops away
Kenyon: home to the Kenyon Review and one of the best English departments in the country. However, given the present political climate, the location of this school in Ohio is a serious drawback and also, it is somewhat of a cultural oasis
Bates: a strong school attended by down-to-earth kids (relative to those at the other schools on this list anyway)
Hamilton: like Bates, a strong school but like Kenyon, a cultural oasis
William & Mary (OOS): I've heard good things about this school. That said, the election of Youngkin as Virginia's governor would give me pause

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LACs are only good for med or law school. Not sure how these schools would translate to a career right after college

Ignorant comment. LACs have incredible outcomes because they teach students how to think. Clearly you did not attend one.

Correct. I went to Yale. Heard of it? Most people outside of recruiters are not familiar with LACs.

DP. Not sure I buy that unless Yale likes ignorant AND arrogant people. 🤔 Oh, and jerks. Yikes, you're a piece of work.

Anonymous wrote:spouse and I met at a slac, our sibs and cousins attended them, and dc in ed at one, so we’re fans and have visited many:

Williams, Amherst
Swarthmore
(agree with WASP/SWAMP as the top options)
Tufts, Wesleyan - good schools but not where they were in the 80s and 90s
Hamilton, Bates
William and Mary, Kenyon

I would put Tufts same as W&M.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This would be my personal, idiosyncratic, worthless-for-everyone-else order of preference:

Amherst
Williams
Kenyon
Tufts
Wesleyan
William & Mary (OOS)
Hamilton
Bates
Swarthmore

Kenyon belongs on the bottom of the list. Swat belongs among the top. Otherwise I could buy this.

Ha! But these are my idiosyncratic preferences and I'd love to study creative writing at Kenyon and don't dig the angsty vibe at Swarthmore, so they both stay put!

This is fun.

Williams
Amherst
Swarthmore
Hamilton
Wesleyan
Bates-Tufts-W&M-Kenyon

Amherst
Williams
Swarthmore
W & M
Wesleyan
Hamilton
Tufts
Kenyon
Bates


Very personal, of course, especially for fit. D24 had Amherst #2 & Williams #4 on her RD list if she had not gotten into her ED school. Good luck!

Roughly:

Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore
W&M, Tufts, Wesleyan
Bates, Hamilton, Kenyon