Anonymous
Post 10/14/2025 09:52     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Don't be afraid to throw in a lot of applications to schools sight unseen.


My daughter applied to 3 midwestern schools sight unseen. One wound up in her top choices.


+1 DS matriculated to a college he'd never visited. Loves it.
Anonymous
Post 10/14/2025 09:51     Subject: Re:What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:Not exactly close, but if you made the 3 hour drive to PA you could check out Penn State for the large school experience. You could also look at Bucknell and one of the many small LACs in the central PA area.


No need to go that far when you could visit U. MD, AU, Georgetown, GW, and Loyola MD.
Anonymous
Post 10/14/2025 09:17     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We have visited a LOT of SLACs and I don't think we have any type-y ones in the DC area.

Maybe on your next family trip, look for one in the area and check it out. That's what we did a few years back. We were up in NYC for a fun trip and looked on a map for a nearby LAC. Saw Sarah Lawrence so booked a tour. Turned out DC LOVED it, it went on their college list and then we started looking in earnest at LACs.

I've been to Marymount and UMW and they are not the same at all.


The problem is that SLACs and LACs actually vary widely. Why would you consider Sarah Lawrence an archetypal school vs. any other school, for example?

OP, if smaller schools are of interest, there are a lot of them within two hours of DC, in VA, MD, and PA. Pick a few.


Yes there is variety of course, but after going to sooooo many Northeast SLACs, there is a lot of similarity amongst them. And you just don't get that feel down here in the DMV. My kid even jokes that they are all the same and the tour guide we just had even acknowledged that in deciding between LACX v LACY they were "basically the same school."
Anonymous
Post 10/14/2025 08:59     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
I never know which meaning of SLAC people are using.

It apparently means both selective and small.
Anonymous
Post 10/14/2025 07:49     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are so many schools to check out nearby. Don’t forget about Shenandoah in Winchester for a LAC. You could also check out JMU for a state school.

URichmond would be great for a SLAC. Along the way, you could look at UMW and Randolph Macon.

Here is the website for VA private colleges and Universities https://cicv.org/colleges/

Another LAC that many people forget about is Washington College on the Eastern Shore of MD.


+1 good example of a rural-setting LAC (which is a lot of them).

For the big research university/big football/college town setting (which UMD is not), I think JMU is the best nearby example.


Also St Mary's of Maryland for SLAC
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 21:42     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:St. Mary's in MD (sibling to W&M across the river in VA. Cue....the W&M fans to come in to say no it is nothing like W&M)


I’d say SMCM is more similar to UMW than W&M.

This.


SMCM lists UMW as one of its peer institutions. They do have a lot in common in terms of school profile, plus being a public liberal arts college.
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 14:56     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:Don't be afraid to throw in a lot of applications to schools sight unseen.


My daughter applied to 3 midwestern schools sight unseen. One wound up in her top choices.
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 14:02     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Don't be afraid to throw in a lot of applications to schools sight unseen.
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 14:00     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
I wouldn't Op. Geography matters. Traditions and politics and the feel of the place can't be replicated.
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 13:57     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Another Maryland LAC is St. Mary’s of Maryland. I’ve got a kid there and it’s a nice place to visit (it is small, rural, and on the water front in a historic site).


It’s a public LAC, but it does fit.

I have a friend who is a W&M grad who thought the setting of SMCM was similar. She took her son to visit pretty much all the MD schools, public and private. He landed at Frostburg, which she was surprised by, but he seems happy there.

I tend to like campuses that are contained and have similar architecture throughout. My daughter and I visited Meredith in NC and Randolph in VA, and I thought they were adorable. Tiny schools, but each one had its merits.

I honestly thought Radford had a nice campus, though the surrounding area left much to be desired. And so many overlook ODU, but of the campus tours we did, they put on a great show.


Yup! A public LAC! We were prepared to pay for a private college if that is what my kid chose, but public tuition is a relief.
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 13:53     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:St. Mary's in MD (sibling to W&M across the river in VA. Cue....the W&M fans to come in to say no it is nothing like W&M)


I’d say SMCM is more similar to UMW than W&M.

This.

DC is looking at all three. UMW is currently top choice, followed by SMCM and then W&M. Just didn’t really click with W&M on the tour (cue sad mom face — it’s top of *my* list for DC 😂).
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 13:49     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:Another Maryland LAC is St. Mary’s of Maryland. I’ve got a kid there and it’s a nice place to visit (it is small, rural, and on the water front in a historic site).


It’s a public LAC, but it does fit.

I have a friend who is a W&M grad who thought the setting of SMCM was similar. She took her son to visit pretty much all the MD schools, public and private. He landed at Frostburg, which she was surprised by, but he seems happy there.

I tend to like campuses that are contained and have similar architecture throughout. My daughter and I visited Meredith in NC and Randolph in VA, and I thought they were adorable. Tiny schools, but each one had its merits.

I honestly thought Radford had a nice campus, though the surrounding area left much to be desired. And so many overlook ODU, but of the campus tours we did, they put on a great show.
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 12:51     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Anonymous wrote:St. Mary's in MD (sibling to W&M across the river in VA. Cue....the W&M fans to come in to say no it is nothing like W&M)


I’d say SMCM is more similar to UMW than W&M.
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 12:48     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
Another close option for a larger state school is University of Delaware. Really easy to get to!
Anonymous
Post 10/13/2025 12:47     Subject: What are the most type-y local schools?
St. Mary's in MD (sibling to W&M across the river in VA. Cue....the W&M fans to come in to say no it is nothing like W&M)