Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 13:22     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Thank you all for your thoughts! I love the idea of Carleton and it was not a school that was on our radar at all.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 09:29     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:
OP: when your daughter tours campuses have her reach out to admissions in advance to see if she could have lunch with a current student who has declared a major in a discipline she is interested in. We had a neighbor go through the process and shared that many smaller schools are happy to arrange this situation. (Best advice we got before touring schools!)

My kid ended up with multiple lunches, and they were invaluable. It really gave her a “look behind the curtain” at those schools. Don’t listen to people here saying someplace is too woke or not. The current students will provide the best intel on each school.


Excellent advice!
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 06:33     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:Most of those schools with exception of Colby probably are too woke and not up to dressing up. Most are very liberal
.


OP: when your daughter tours campuses have her reach out to admissions in advance to see if she could have lunch with a current student who has declared a major in a discipline she is interested in. We had a neighbor go through the process and shared that many smaller schools are happy to arrange this situation. (Best advice we got before touring schools!)

My kid ended up with multiple lunches, and they were invaluable. It really gave her a “look behind the curtain” at those schools. Don’t listen to people here saying someplace is too woke or not. The current students will provide the best intel on each school.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 05:43     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:Hamilton's academics and social atmosphere may suit your daughter.

Hamilton and a few other schools that have been suggested — notably Amherst and Brown — offer open curricula, should maxium freedom in course selection, including of breath courses, be of interest.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 00:56     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
I'm the one that suggested Amherst before, but I'm also wondering about some of the Catholic schools since they tend to be not-Greek and also have a mix of progressive to conservative...maybe Holy Cross, BC, Loyala, Marquette? HC or Marquette might function as a safety for her, and I think Marquette is good for pre-med.
I agree that Carleton also sounds like it could be a good fit, although I don't know about the "going out" part.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 00:53     Subject: Re:Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yale, UChicago, Northwestern, Brown, Rice, WashU, Emory, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Tufts, Lehigh, Rochester, William & Mary


My kid is pre-med at one of those schools. Most of these schools are not small where the kid is going to have discussion style classes for pre-med with relationships with professors.


I think a serious student who picked classes carefully could get small discussion classes or lab classes at Wash. U. So, I assume a student could also do that at Brown,Rice, Tufts, Chicago, Emory, Northwestern and Rochester.

The secret is probably picking something like a 300 level medical anthropology class or something else cross disciplinary.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 00:48     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:From my junior daughter as we make lists to visit this spring:

-assume competitive for all schools, realizing that list will need to be balanced (we've been through this twice before with older kids)
-Pre med, likely majoring in data science, math, neuroscience, biology, etc depending on the school but likes the idea of a liberal arts core.
-Friendly, happy kids who want community.
-Great relationships with professors, small lectures, lots of discussion.
-Size small to medium (2-10K or so)
-Kid is very mainstream in style/interests but doesn't want overwhelmingly preppy but neither do they want super artsy/LGBTQ etc. A total mix would be great.
-racial mix would be great.
-not a drinker/partier but does like dressing up for an occasional party and loves doing things and going out at night.
-prefers campus where greek life is either small or super inclusive. Does not want greek life rush stress.
-relatively gender balanced.

Ok, any thoughts?


Wash. U. and comparable schools, like Tufts and Rochester.

For a super safety: Maybe a place like St. Louis University or a SLU equivalent?
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 00:12     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Tufts is not mainstream by any stretch.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 00:10     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Case W&M Lehigh Rochester Tufts Hamilton
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 00:00     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:Most of those schools with exception of Colby probably are too woke and not up to dressing up. Most are very liberal
.


Wrong.
Anonymous
Post 02/18/2026 23:49     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
^op said kid is seeking mainstream vibe not super artsy/lGBTQ vibe. Mainstream vibe is not at Ivies(maybe Dartmouth) nor at NESCAC. Perhaps Duke, Vandy, and ND. Also for top LACs try Davidson, HC, and maybe W&L.
Anonymous
Post 02/18/2026 23:30     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
If you want gender balanced you need T15/ivies or very top LaCs. Most are 2-10k students. The ivies will be the most racially mixed, the least greek, and have small classes/caring professors.
Anonymous
Post 02/18/2026 23:02     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Carleton - happy kids, even sex ratio, incredible professors, fabulous pre-health advisor to help from summer before freshman year, collaborative (not competitive) environment, zero greek life.

The "quirky" adjective in Fiske freaked us out a bit, but honestly I have no idea what they mean. My very mainstream pre-health DD loves it.


How hard is it to get into Carleton? Jus curious

This analysis placed Carleton 58th nationally by selectivity:

College & University Rankings in 2026 https://share.google/YUOaUWjhIivSk7MCj
Anonymous
Post 02/18/2026 22:51     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:Pitt rolling
Case EA
Elon EA
W&M
Davidson
Middlebury
Lehigh
Dickinson
Brown
Amherst
Yale

(look for schools with ample grade inflation)



💯 spot on list.

And yes focus on the grades! Premed at Emory is brutal! Same at half the schools ppl are suggesting.
Anonymous
Post 02/18/2026 22:45     Subject: Help finding a school to fit this girl
Anonymous wrote:Carleton - happy kids, even sex ratio, incredible professors, fabulous pre-health advisor to help from summer before freshman year, collaborative (not competitive) environment, zero greek life.

The "quirky" adjective in Fiske freaked us out a bit, but honestly I have no idea what they mean. My very mainstream pre-health DD loves it.


How hard is it to get into Carleton? Jus curious