Anonymous
Post 05/25/2022 08:57     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:These are the most recent numbers I could find, which are for this year’s freshman class. Except Villanova, most have not posted next year’s yet.

VILLANOVA (6800 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 31% admit rate dropped to 23% for next year’s class.

FORDHAM: Rose Hill (6000 enrolled, 13:1 S:T) - 53% admitted
ST. LOUIS (7400 enrolled, 9:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
FAIRFIELD (4500 enrolled, 12:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
PROVIDENCE (4000 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 59% admitted
DENVER (5400 enrolled, 10:1 S:T) - 63% admitted

NB - S:T means Student:Teacher ratio


OP here.
Thank you! These are helpful!


You’re welcome. Those are the only Catholic colleges east of the Rockies with acceptance rates under 65% and higher than Villanova’s 23%. They represent the next tier that you’re looking for. A couple have had acceptance rates in the 40s in the last few years if I’m not mistaken - Fordham and Providence. They all also have enrollments between 4000-8000, or roughly in the same neighborhood as Nova. They all have student:faculty ratios between 9:1 and 13:1, which is higher than the top LACs but lower than state schools and all but the most elite private research universities. So, what you’re getting for your money is smaller classes and better access to professors than those bigger schools. One of the things that gives Catholic college campuses a different vibe than a lot of other privates IMO is not the influence of religion, which is waning, but the lack of Greek life.


University of Denver is not Catholic.


Yes. It was founded by Methodists, but is not religious today. Good school though, and with old roots.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 22:31     Subject: Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Marquette
St. Louis University
University of St. Thomas (MN)
Dayton
Xavier
Fairfield
Creighton
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 22:30     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:These are the most recent numbers I could find, which are for this year’s freshman class. Except Villanova, most have not posted next year’s yet.

VILLANOVA (6800 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 31% admit rate dropped to 23% for next year’s class.

FORDHAM: Rose Hill (6000 enrolled, 13:1 S:T) - 53% admitted
ST. LOUIS (7400 enrolled, 9:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
FAIRFIELD (4500 enrolled, 12:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
PROVIDENCE (4000 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 59% admitted
DENVER (5400 enrolled, 10:1 S:T) - 63% admitted

NB - S:T means Student:Teacher ratio


OP here.
Thank you! These are helpful!


You’re welcome. Those are the only Catholic colleges east of the Rockies with acceptance rates under 65% and higher than Villanova’s 23%. They represent the next tier that you’re looking for. A couple have had acceptance rates in the 40s in the last few years if I’m not mistaken - Fordham and Providence. They all also have enrollments between 4000-8000, or roughly in the same neighborhood as Nova. They all have student:faculty ratios between 9:1 and 13:1, which is higher than the top LACs but lower than state schools and all but the most elite private research universities. So, what you’re getting for your money is smaller classes and better access to professors than those bigger schools. One of the things that gives Catholic college campuses a different vibe than a lot of other privates IMO is not the influence of religion, which is waning, but the lack of Greek life.

University of Denver is not Catholic.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 22:22     Subject: Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Fairfield and Providence

Marquette
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 21:23     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:These are the most recent numbers I could find, which are for this year’s freshman class. Except Villanova, most have not posted next year’s yet.

VILLANOVA (6800 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 31% admit rate dropped to 23% for next year’s class.

FORDHAM: Rose Hill (6000 enrolled, 13:1 S:T) - 53% admitted
ST. LOUIS (7400 enrolled, 9:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
FAIRFIELD (4500 enrolled, 12:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
PROVIDENCE (4000 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 59% admitted
DENVER (5400 enrolled, 10:1 S:T) - 63% admitted

NB - S:T means Student:Teacher ratio


OP here.
Thank you! These are helpful!


You’re welcome. Those are the only Catholic colleges east of the Rockies with acceptance rates under 65% and higher than Villanova’s 23%. They represent the next tier that you’re looking for. A couple have had acceptance rates in the 40s in the last few years if I’m not mistaken - Fordham and Providence. They all also have enrollments between 4000-8000, or roughly in the same neighborhood as Nova. They all have student:faculty ratios between 9:1 and 13:1, which is higher than the top LACs but lower than state schools and all but the most elite private research universities. So, what you’re getting for your money is smaller classes and better access to professors than those bigger schools. One of the things that gives Catholic college campuses a different vibe than a lot of other privates IMO is not the influence of religion, which is waning, but the lack of Greek life.


I should note that University of Dallas does have an acceptance rate of 54%, so it is one other Catholic that is relatively selective, but it is a small LAC of 1400, not in the same enrollment range as Villanova, which is what I was looking for.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 21:15     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:These are the most recent numbers I could find, which are for this year’s freshman class. Except Villanova, most have not posted next year’s yet.

VILLANOVA (6800 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 31% admit rate dropped to 23% for next year’s class.

FORDHAM: Rose Hill (6000 enrolled, 13:1 S:T) - 53% admitted
ST. LOUIS (7400 enrolled, 9:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
FAIRFIELD (4500 enrolled, 12:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
PROVIDENCE (4000 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 59% admitted
DENVER (5400 enrolled, 10:1 S:T) - 63% admitted

NB - S:T means Student:Teacher ratio


OP here.
Thank you! These are helpful!


You’re welcome. Those are the only Catholic colleges east of the Rockies with acceptance rates under 65% and higher than Villanova’s 23%. They represent the next tier that you’re looking for. A couple have had acceptance rates in the 40s in the last few years if I’m not mistaken - Fordham and Providence. They all also have enrollments between 4000-8000, or roughly in the same neighborhood as Nova. They all have student:faculty ratios between 9:1 and 13:1, which is higher than the top LACs but lower than state schools and all but the most elite private research universities. So, what you’re getting for your money is smaller classes and better access to professors than those bigger schools. One of the things that gives Catholic college campuses a different vibe than a lot of other privates IMO is not the influence of religion, which is waning, but the lack of Greek life.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 20:58     Subject: Schools that are one step below Villanova?

New Englander here. If looking north around Providence and Holy Cross, Merrimack might fit the bill. We have a few other smaller Catholic colleges up there are not as well known out of the region as well.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 20:53     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Did anyone mention Creighton?


OP here

That's definitely one I've been thinking of recommending to him!

I've also seen Dayton mentioned here a few times--his older brother will be starting at Dayton this fall! We (older brother, Dh, and I) are really excited about Dayton--but our sons have both mentioned that they'd prefer not to go to the same school. It's possible that will change in the next 2 years, but for now I'm looking at other options.


Look at Xavier then which is about 50 minutes from Dayton.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 18:11     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone mention Creighton?


OP here

That's definitely one I've been thinking of recommending to him!

I've also seen Dayton mentioned here a few times--his older brother will be starting at Dayton this fall! We (older brother, Dh, and I) are really excited about Dayton--but our sons have both mentioned that they'd prefer not to go to the same school. It's possible that will change in the next 2 years, but for now I'm looking at other options.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 18:05     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Did anyone mention Creighton?
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 17:50     Subject: Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Fordham
Loyola of MD
U of Dayton
Xavier in Cincy
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 17:43     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:These are the most recent numbers I could find, which are for this year’s freshman class. Except Villanova, most have not posted next year’s yet.

VILLANOVA (6800 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 31% admit rate dropped to 23% for next year’s class.

FORDHAM: Rose Hill (6000 enrolled, 13:1 S:T) - 53% admitted
ST. LOUIS (7400 enrolled, 9:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
FAIRFIELD (4500 enrolled, 12:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
PROVIDENCE (4000 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 59% admitted
DENVER (5400 enrolled, 10:1 S:T) - 63% admitted

NB - S:T means Student:Teacher ratio


OP here.
Thank you! These are helpful!
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 15:35     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

These are the most recent numbers I could find, which are for this year’s freshman class. Except Villanova, most have not posted next year’s yet.

VILLANOVA (6800 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 31% admit rate dropped to 23% for next year’s class.

FORDHAM: Rose Hill (6000 enrolled, 13:1 S:T) - 53% admitted
ST. LOUIS (7400 enrolled, 9:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
FAIRFIELD (4500 enrolled, 12:1 S:T) - 56% admitted
PROVIDENCE (4000 enrolled, 11:1 S:T) - 59% admitted
DENVER (5400 enrolled, 10:1 S:T) - 63% admitted

NB - S:T means Student:Teacher ratio
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 14:37     Subject: Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:No one has mentioned Fordham (unless I missed it), which in recent years has been an easier admit that Villanova. I agree with the mentions of St. Joe's too.


I think someone mentioned it early on. Totally agree, it's a great school.


OP here.
I just went to google maps to do a virtual "walk" of the campus and there's a guy (looks like a maintenance worker? He's leaning against an official university vehicle) flipping off the google maps camera. Right between Rose hill Gymnasium and Walsh Training center.

I will look more into Fordham, though. Thank you!


OMG! Sign of the times. Don't let this dissuade you. It's one of those schools that's not for everybody, but it's very good.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2022 14:29     Subject: Re:Schools that are one step below Villanova?

Anonymous wrote:Notre Dame is a step below Villanova - even if they don’t think so. Haha.


+1. Go 'Cats!