Anonymous
03/04/2024 15:00
Subject: What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reading the Princeton thread.
And Northwestern thread….depressing.
Which T20 schools aren’t “grim” or soulless?
Looking for semi- intellectual but still social and lively.
Small class sizes key.
Where you know your classmates……
Humanities major.
Most kids at Princeton and Northwestern are quite happy and thriving. If you're going to make decisions based on the outliers, you probably shouldn't be looking at T20 schools because they will all have kids who weren't happy about their experiences.
Almost 1/3 of kids at Princeton major in computer science and engineering; add biological sciences and econ to the mix and that’s just over 1/2 of all students. This disproportion is only growing with expansion of engineering etc. Not a good place for a humanities major.
Wouldn’t that make a great for humanities major? Really small class sizes, access to professors and a ton of resources going your way since the herd has moved in another direction?
Not any more than Johns Hopkins is good for humanities majors. Sometimes life of the mind types don’t want to be surrounded by preprofessional grinder types.
Because the 'life of the mind' does not include trying to learn physics or chemistry or engineering, right? The life of the mind does not include facility with math or interest in biology, right?
Say you don’t have a humanities kid and did not major in humanities without saying you don’t have a humanities kid and did not major in humanities…
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:56
Subject: What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reading the Princeton thread.
And Northwestern thread….depressing.
Which T20 schools aren’t “grim” or soulless?
Looking for semi- intellectual but still social and lively.
Small class sizes key.
Where you know your classmates……
Humanities major.
Most kids at Princeton and Northwestern are quite happy and thriving. If you're going to make decisions based on the outliers, you probably shouldn't be looking at T20 schools because they will all have kids who weren't happy about their experiences.
Almost 1/3 of kids at Princeton major in computer science and engineering; add biological sciences and econ to the mix and that’s just over 1/2 of all students. This disproportion is only growing with expansion of engineering etc. Not a good place for a humanities major.
Wouldn’t that make a great for humanities major? Really small class sizes, access to professors and a ton of resources going your way since the herd has moved in another direction?
Not any more than Johns Hopkins is good for humanities majors. Sometimes life of the mind types don’t want to be surrounded by preprofessional grinder types.
Because the 'life of the mind' does not include trying to learn physics or chemistry or engineering, right? The life of the mind does not include facility with math or interest in biology, right?
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:50
Subject: What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reading the Princeton thread.
And Northwestern thread….depressing.
Which T20 schools aren’t “grim” or soulless?
Looking for semi- intellectual but still social and lively.
Small class sizes key.
Where you know your classmates……
Humanities major.
Most kids at Princeton and Northwestern are quite happy and thriving. If you're going to make decisions based on the outliers, you probably shouldn't be looking at T20 schools because they will all have kids who weren't happy about their experiences.
Almost 1/3 of kids at Princeton major in computer science and engineering; add biological sciences and econ to the mix and that’s just over 1/2 of all students. This disproportion is only growing with expansion of engineering etc. Not a good place for a humanities major.
Hopkins is fantastic for the humanities. You obviously know nothing about it.
Wouldn’t that make a great for humanities major? Really small class sizes, access to professors and a ton of resources going your way since the herd has moved in another direction?
Not any more than Johns Hopkins is good for humanities majors. Sometimes life of the mind types don’t want to be surrounded by preprofessional grinder types.
Hopkins is fantastic for the humanities. You obviously know nothing about it.
I know it very well, and I know some humanities departments are very good. I also know it is a terrible thing for humanities kids to be surrounded by students who are pre-med grinds. Undergraduate study is about the student experience. All top schools have good, well-resourced departments; it is not the academics that are at issue, but the campus climate created by an overwhelming majority of students with no shared intellectual interests.
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:44
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:These threads about wanting the prestige without the grind all are so funny (or sad, depending on mentality). Just pick one and move on.
This oversimplifies it. There are prestigious schools where the grind is worse than most jobs. There are other prestigious schools where the hardest part is getting in.
What are those schools? I’ve heard Yale…
DC is always underwater with work at Yale, and the expectations from professors and from the students themselves are high. But the environment is rich with stimulation, and the kids love it there. They have a good time too, without alcohol if that is not your thing.
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:43
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Kenyon, Wesleyan, Macalester, Haverford. Holy Cross, Boston College…
All great schools (several on my own DD’s list, so this is great to hear), but would these fit OP’s “T-20” requirement?
I don’t know what that “requirement” is but, yes, some of the above are top 20 SLACs. OPs criteria means that, except for the 3-4 national universities mentioned, SLACs are the way to go. Would not recommend Swarthmore (a grind) or military academies (not SLACs in any event) but all other schools on that top 20 or so SLAC list will fit the bill.
SLACs could be quite grim if they are lacking in the diversity of some top T20 schools (can't offer the same financial aid) or people find a lack of intellectual viewpoints at schools where a far-left orthodoxy has completely taken hold. In addition, some SLACs are in very cold and remote locations, which can seem isolating.
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:42
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Kenyon, Wesleyan, Macalester, Haverford. Holy Cross, Boston College…
All great schools (several on my own DD’s list, so this is great to hear), but would these fit OP’s “T-20” requirement?
I don’t know what that “requirement” is but, yes, some of the above are top 20 SLACs. OPs criteria means that, except for the 3-4 national universities mentioned, SLACs are the way to go. Would not recommend Swarthmore (a grind) or military academies (not SLACs in any event) but all other schools on that top 20 or so SLAC list will fit the bill.
My patients include a lot of military academy students. I respectfully disagree that all of them should be avoided due to "grim" conditions. In particular, the Air Force Academy and the Coast Guard strike me as places that foster a sense of wonder and even fun at times, based on my 1st person conversations with their students. These young adults seem genuinely happy.
USAFA is an excellent place for engineering and I know multiple young people who LOVE their positions in US Space Force, if that's of interest.
USNA sounds more intense for current students, but damn if they don't have close friends. I have no opinion on West Point and I'd have to agree with PP that the Marines should probably be avoided if one is looking for balance ....
OP’s kid wants to study humanities, so military academies are out. Don’t know if these schools are grim or not; my point is that they are not SLACs and don’t belong on the SLAC list.
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:34
Subject: What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reading the Princeton thread.
And Northwestern thread….depressing.
Which T20 schools aren’t “grim” or soulless?
Looking for semi- intellectual but still social and lively.
Small class sizes key.
Where you know your classmates……
Humanities major.
Most kids at Princeton and Northwestern are quite happy and thriving. If you're going to make decisions based on the outliers, you probably shouldn't be looking at T20 schools because they will all have kids who weren't happy about their experiences.
Almost 1/3 of kids at Princeton major in computer science and engineering; add biological sciences and econ to the mix and that’s just over 1/2 of all students. This disproportion is only growing with expansion of engineering etc. Not a good place for a humanities major.
Hopkins is fantastic for the humanities. You obviously know nothing about it.
Wouldn’t that make a great for humanities major? Really small class sizes, access to professors and a ton of resources going your way since the herd has moved in another direction?
Not any more than Johns Hopkins is good for humanities majors. Sometimes life of the mind types don’t want to be surrounded by preprofessional grinder types.
Hopkins is fantastic for the humanities. You obviously know nothing about it.
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:33
Subject: What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reading the Princeton thread.
And Northwestern thread….depressing.
Which T20 schools aren’t “grim” or soulless?
Looking for semi- intellectual but still social and lively.
Small class sizes key.
Where you know your classmates……
Humanities major.
Most kids at Princeton and Northwestern are quite happy and thriving. If you're going to make decisions based on the outliers, you probably shouldn't be looking at T20 schools because they will all have kids who weren't happy about their experiences.
Almost 1/3 of kids at Princeton major in computer science and engineering; add biological sciences and econ to the mix and that’s just over 1/2 of all students. This disproportion is only growing with expansion of engineering etc. Not a good place for a humanities major.
Hopkins is fantastic for the humanities. You obviously know nothing about it.
Wouldn’t that make a great for humanities major? Really small class sizes, access to professors and a ton of resources going your way since the herd has moved in another direction?
Not any more than Johns Hopkins is good for humanities majors. Sometimes life of the mind types don’t want to be surrounded by preprofessional grinder types.
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:27
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt!
Unless you are a music student, Div 1 baseball recruit or a Child Development major, no! Disagree!
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:25
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Kenyon, Wesleyan, Macalester, Haverford. Holy Cross, Boston College…
All great schools (several on my own DD’s list, so this is great to hear), but would these fit OP’s “T-20” requirement?
I don’t know what that “requirement” is but, yes, some of the above are top 20 SLACs. OPs criteria means that, except for the 3-4 national universities mentioned, SLACs are the way to go. Would not recommend Swarthmore (a grind) or military academies (not SLACs in any event) but all other schools on that top 20 or so SLAC list will fit the bill.
My patients include a lot of military academy students. I respectfully disagree that all of them should be avoided due to "grim" conditions. In particular, the Air Force Academy and the Coast Guard strike me as places that foster a sense of wonder and even fun at times, based on my 1st person conversations with their students. These young adults seem genuinely happy.
USAFA is an excellent place for engineering and I know multiple young people who LOVE their positions in US Space Force, if that's of interest.
USNA sounds more intense for current students, but damn if they don't have close friends. I have no opinion on West Point and I'd have to agree with PP that the Marines should probably be avoided if one is looking for balance ....
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:15
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Kenyon, Wesleyan, Macalester, Haverford. Holy Cross, Boston College…
All great schools (several on my own DD’s list, so this is great to hear), but would these fit OP’s “T-20” requirement?
Haverford and Wesleyan are both too 20 SLACs. Admission to Haverford, in particular, is tough. It’s a very rigorous school but it’s also super collaborative. Students at both seem happy.
Anonymous
03/04/2024 14:11
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Kenyon, Wesleyan, Macalester, Haverford. Holy Cross, Boston College…
All great schools (several on my own DD’s list, so this is great to hear), but would these fit OP’s “T-20” requirement?
I don’t know what that “requirement” is but, yes, some of the above are top 20 SLACs. OPs criteria means that, except for the 3-4 national universities mentioned, SLACs are the way to go. Would not recommend Swarthmore (a grind) or military academies (not SLACs in any event) but all other schools on that top 20 or so SLAC list will fit the bill.
Anonymous
03/04/2024 13:56
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Vanderbilt!
Anonymous
03/04/2024 13:50
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
What are those schools? I’ve heard Yale…
At least academically Harvard seems relaxed as well
Anonymous
03/04/2024 13:48
Subject: Re:What T20 school isn’t “grim” these days?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Kenyon, Wesleyan, Macalester, Haverford. Holy Cross, Boston College…
All great schools (several on my own DD’s list, so this is great to hear), but would these fit OP’s “T-20” requirement?
Of course not, but the whole point of the exercise was to tear down some actual T20 schools and boost some at the bottom of the T20 and some non-T20 schools.