Anonymous wrote:At a SLAC, half of your class will be in recruited sports and basically only socialize with their team — so it can feel WAY smaller than advertised.

So ignorant. Just another SLAC hater.

Knowing what I know now, I would have selected a small school over Duke. No question. DS’ experience at a SLAC has shown me what I missed.

When I started college, I was pathologically shy, and I enjoyed the anonymity of a big school. At a SLAC, there's nowhere to hide. I had a very gregarious kid at a small SLAC, and they loved it. They knew everybody. When I visited, we couldn't go anywhere in town without her running into a friend or group of friends, whether students or professors. They were always delighted to see their friends. It would have killed me to be one of five kids in a class. DC loved those small classes and their intense discussions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also be careful what you "research" on google. Much of the data you seem to be relying on are from third party sites and some of it is just plain wrong or outdated.

The vast majority of this information came directly from the schools' own websites. But you are welcome to cite any reputable sources that show my numbers are way off. In any event, an internet search is still a lot more credible than the rough number that an anonymous DCUM poster pulls from his fundament.

Anonymous wrote:You seem to be conflating the issue. "Recruited athlete" is different from "varsity athlete".

I presented the percentage of recruited and varsity athletes separately. That's the opposite of conflation.

1) Please post link from the actual school
2) You started your post talking specifically about recruited athletes at WASPs so yes, you are conflating the issues

I have one kid at a LAC and another at a midsized NU. Each likes where they are. There is no difference whatsoever in the VARIETY of resources available.

Anonymous wrote:I would also be careful what you "research" on google. Much of the data you seem to be relying on are from third party sites and some of it is just plain wrong or outdated.

The vast majority of this information came directly from the schools' own websites. But you are welcome to cite any reputable sources that show my numbers are way off. In any event, an internet search is still a lot more credible than the rough number that an anonymous DCUM poster pulls from his fundament.

Anonymous wrote:You seem to be conflating the issue. "Recruited athlete" is different from "varsity athlete".

I presented the percentage of recruited and varsity athletes separately. That's the opposite of conflation.

Anonymous wrote:6000-8000 undergrads is the best size, imo.

Have your cake and eat it too at the 5C colleges-small SLAC within the context of 7K undergrads within 1 square mile of each other with lots of opportunities to cross enroll. Add in great weather and relatively close to LA and you have near perfection!

Anonymous wrote:My kid picked small school, less than 2000 students, and it was a mistake. Fewer resources, and major not very deep so when key Prof left, there was a gap in course availability. Limited dining options and small town so only a few off campus places. Local hospital and Dr offices over a mile away and very few taxi/uber options so had to walk there when sick. Other child is in a city school of 6000. It’s been so much better.

What are the two schools?

Anonymous wrote:My LAC of about 2,300 students was too small. Suffocating experience. Too few profs & too few courses options. Rural setting.

Attended a large state university for grad school. Much better experience. The undergrads seemed much happier as well, but this could have been due to the warmer climate.

For me, attending an LAC was a waste of time, but I tolerated the experience by studying abroad and by graduating early. Essentially was a repeat of high school. Lots of cliques.

What were the two schools?

My LAC of about 2,300 students was too small. Suffocating experience. Too few profs & too few courses options. Rural setting.

Attended a large state university for grad school. Much better experience. The undergrads seemed much happier as well, but this could have been due to the warmer climate.

For me, attending an LAC was a waste of time, but I tolerated the experience by studying abroad and by graduating early. Essentially was a repeat of high school. Lots of cliques.

As D1 schools, Davidson and Colgate are probably the sportiest of LACs.

Anonymous wrote:Don't totally regret picking a top 10 university over Amherst years ago, but I sure would have gotten a better undergraduate education

Same I felt that my education at a T-10 wasn’t great.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not going to research all of the top LACs, but about three minutes on Google tells me the following about recruited athletes in the WASP schools:

Williams and Amherst, the sportiest of LACs, are usually comprised of around 30-33% varsity athletes, only 25% of which are recruited.

Pomona and Swarthmore are around 20-23% total varsity athletes, a presumably smaller percentage of which are recruited.

You seem to be conflating the issue. "Recruited athlete" is different from "varsity athlete"

I would also be careful what you "research" on google. Much of the data you seem to be relying on are from third party sites and some of it is just plain wrong or outdated.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not going to research all of the top LACs, but about three minutes on Google tells me the following about recruited athletes in the WASP schools:

Williams and Amherst, the sportiest of LACs, are usually comprised of around 30-33% varsity athletes, only 25% of which are recruited.

Pomona and Swarthmore are around 20-23% total varsity athletes, a presumably smaller percentage of which are recruited.

What does this mean? That they will value your athletic contributions if you have the ability to walk on? Do you get points for that and the admissions committee?

I'm not going to research all of the top LACs, but about three minutes on Google tells me the following about recruited athletes in the WASP schools:

Williams and Amherst, the sportiest of LACs, are usually comprised of around 30-33% varsity athletes, only 25% of which are recruited.

Pomona and Swarthmore are around 20-23% total varsity athletes, a presumably smaller percentage of which are recruited.