Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:44     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:how does Williams stay at top year after year?


US News picks weightings that give results that they want. They've decided Williams and Princeton should be at the top, so, magically, they are, year after year.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:43     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think this is hilarious. There is really nothing to debate or discuss about this list at all. They punked us all with their ties.



They established tiers, which actually makes sense.


No, it doesn't. They are all great school and kids in real life tend to choose which to apply to among them by feel and fit and location.


Sure, and the tiers do not negate any of that.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:42     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think this is hilarious. There is really nothing to debate or discuss about this list at all. They punked us all with their ties.



They established tiers, which actually makes sense.


No, it doesn't. They are all great school and kids in real life tend to choose which to apply to among them by feel and fit and location.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:39     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:how does Williams stay at top year after year?


I'm puzzled too, especially since it's not the most selective in the bunch. Pomona, Amherst, and Swarthmore are.



Just anecdata, but my impression is that there is waning interest in Williams these days due to the remote location and lack of amenities; that Amherst and Swarthmore draw more interest for location; and Bowdoin for amenities (best food and dorm rankings). I didn't know anyone gunning for Williams this cycle, but several ED applicants for the other three. Interest in Pomona, but not ED interest. This is just one school, of course.


this is not the case at our hs. williams is tops among these schools.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:39     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Everybody slobbers all over Kenyon and it’s ranked 45th. Losers

Kenyon is a fine school, especially if your kid is a writer, but who on this board slobbers over it? People barely tolerate Pomona.


There are man threads on this board where posters insist it’s as good as Grinnell. What a joke.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:37     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:how does Williams stay at top year after year?


I'm puzzled too, especially since it's not the most selective in the bunch. Pomona, Amherst, and Swarthmore are.



Just anecdata, but my impression is that there is waning interest in Williams these days due to the remote location and lack of amenities; that Amherst and Swarthmore draw more interest for location; and Bowdoin for amenities (best food and dorm rankings). I didn't know anyone gunning for Williams this cycle, but several ED applicants for the other three. Interest in Pomona, but not ED interest. This is just one school, of course.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:29     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:Everybody slobbers all over Kenyon and it’s ranked 45th. Losers

Kenyon is a fine school, especially if your kid is a writer, but who on this board slobbers over it? People barely tolerate Pomona.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:24     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It's always been weird to me that people say WASP with the exclusion of Bowdoin, when Bowdoin is every bit as good as those


Bowdoin bounces around. I believe it’s been in the top 4 before, but then bumped up around in the 6-7 range. USNews didn’t change the methodology much this year after Morse retired. Wait until a year when they mix things up again.


No, it hasn't. It wouldn't surprise me if that changes in the coming years, but that's why it's never been WASP-B before. Now I think it's up for debate!
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:24     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Rounding out the top 50:

44. Union
45T. Kenyon
45T. Sewanee
45T. Dickinson
45T. Furman
45T. Berea
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:23     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Everybody slobbers all over Kenyon and it’s ranked 45th. Losers
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:22     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:how does Williams stay at top year after year?


I'm puzzled too, especially since it's not the most selective in the bunch. Pomona, Amherst, and Swarthmore are.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:21     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It's always been weird to me that people say WASP with the exclusion of Bowdoin, when Bowdoin is every bit as good as those

Bowdoin has lower average sat scores and worse outcomes.


I think that's changed in recent years. And it is as or more selective than all of these days. Just doesn't seem to have the same cachet in the DMV, for some reason.


Because no one knows how to pronounce it.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:19     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:It's always been weird to me that people say WASP with the exclusion of Bowdoin, when Bowdoin is every bit as good as those


Bowdoin bounces around. I believe it’s been in the top 4 before, but then bumped up around in the 6-7 range. USNews didn’t change the methodology much this year after Morse retired. Wait until a year when they mix things up again.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:18     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It's always been weird to me that people say WASP with the exclusion of Bowdoin, when Bowdoin is every bit as good as those

Bowdoin has lower average sat scores and worse outcomes.


I think that's changed in recent years. And it is as or more selective than all of these days. Just doesn't seem to have the same cachet in the DMV, for some reason.
Anonymous
Post 09/22/2025 22:05     Subject: 2026 USNWR LACs
Anonymous wrote:It's always been weird to me that people say WASP with the exclusion of Bowdoin, when Bowdoin is every bit as good as those

Bowdoin has lower average sat scores and worse outcomes.