Anonymous
Post 06/16/2026 08:32     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Anonymous wrote:Everything is a hidden gem when a parent first comes across it.


For me personally- so true! Have been impressed with every school.

But to add to the conversation, Clark University really impressed!
Anonymous
Post 06/16/2026 08:12     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
There are a bunch of really solid little liberal arts colleges in PA that most people don't know about: Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Juniata, Susquehanna, Allegheny, Gettysburg

There are also some little liberal arts colleges in PA that are NOT solid, like Albright and Seton Hill. So this post is not a general plug for PA liberal arts colleges but for the specific ones I named, that are real places of learning and deliver good outcomes to motivated students.
Anonymous
Post 06/15/2026 23:49     Subject: Re:Less popular Hidden Gems
Anonymous wrote:Denison


+1 for Denison
Anonymous
Post 06/15/2026 10:12     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Colorado School of Mines.

Not unheard of, but our feeder HS had their first kid go there this year, which baffles me. Great education, not too hard to get into, outcomes matching many "better" schools, merit aid
Anonymous
Post 06/15/2026 09:56     Subject: Re:Less popular Hidden Gems
Anonymous wrote:
Ohio University Scripps College. Niche and much more selective than OU in general, but has produced several Pulitzer winners both for journalism and photojournalism. Consistently one of the most highly ranked schools in the nation for what it does (currently #2). Beautiful school, rated one of country’s best college towns, very rural though which may dissuade some, but part of a larger university of 20,000 students. DS is so happy there and has a great future ahead of him. Please listen to your kids when they tell you what matters to THEM and what truly interests THEM when considering schools. Happiness is not dependent on status of US News school rankings.


Go Bobcats!! Great experience. Not too far a drive from DMV. Or flights into Columbus (cheap from BWI), and a university van pick-up. Love this school. DIV 1 sports, lots of school spirit. We consider it a plus that there's little greek life.


OU is also very generous with merit aid and alumni's kids get in state tuition. They have a lot of 4+1 programs and a very strong nursing and early ed program. They are ranked as an R1 university so there are lots of undergrad research opportunities for science students. Our kid mid-stats kid is going and it is going to be significantly less than Towson or UMBC in state.
Totally a hidden gem if your kid is looking for a typical on campus experience, rah-rah school and is OK in a rural area.

Anonymous
Post 06/15/2026 06:49     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Everything is a hidden gem when a parent first comes across it.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 23:42     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:St Olaf


+1

School is mentioned in nearly every thread pertaining to SLACs.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 19:40     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Anonymous wrote:St Olaf


+1
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 18:50     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Colorado State is definitely a hidden gem for the East Coasters. Great campus, happy kids, great town (Disney modeled their downtown off Fort Collins) and great environmental science, occupational therapy, zoology, animal sciences, business and engineering.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 16:57     Subject: Re:Less popular Hidden Gems
Rose Hulman--excellent undergraduate engineering school in Terre Haute, Indiana. Always highly ranked but little known in DMV
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 15:38     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Rollins!
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 13:51     Subject: Re:Less popular Hidden Gems
Ohio University Scripps College. Niche and much more selective than OU in general, but has produced several Pulitzer winners both for journalism and photojournalism. Consistently one of the most highly ranked schools in the nation for what it does (currently #2). Beautiful school, rated one of country’s best college towns, very rural though which may dissuade some, but part of a larger university of 20,000 students. DS is so happy there and has a great future ahead of him. Please listen to your kids when they tell you what matters to THEM and what truly interests THEM when considering schools. Happiness is not dependent on status of US News school rankings.


Go Bobcats!! Great experience. Not too far a drive from DMV. Or flights into Columbus (cheap from BWI), and a university van pick-up. Love this school. DIV 1 sports, lots of school spirit. We consider it a plus that there's little greek life.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 13:47     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Outside of the us, St Andrews. Alumni network in the US growing rapidly and will soon have the largest alumni network of any UK/EU school in the US.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 08:11     Subject: Re:Less popular Hidden Gems
Anonymous wrote:I think SLACs outside of the top 20 are generally for either very wealthy people from the East Coast or cater to their region. For example Rhodes College would be a coveted school for a kid from an UMC or wealthy family in Tennessee to attend. It carries very little name recognition in Texas, Seattle or Chicago. And Rhodes is an excellent school.

Nobody in California knows much about the Claremont Colleges since attending a UC and Cal State is a much better ROI. Californians would send their kid to a state school like Michigan or University of Georgia over most SLACs.


This falls really flat. Most educated Californians know about the Claremont Colleges, just most also want to go to big state schools that are cheap. Taxes are too high to be spending $100,000 at Claremont McKenna.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 08:07     Subject: Less popular Hidden Gems
Anonymous wrote:UMBC


UMBC is a good option for STEM. Especially strong in cybersecurity, not surprising since NSA is almost next door.

I have no information on other majors.