Anonymous wrote:Sewanee probably receives way fewer applications than a school like Vanderbilt. It is by its nature a place fewer students will apply to because it is a smaller school, college only (no grad programs like Vandy), it is lesser known -- Vanderbilt has a bigger national reputation, and it is geographically isolated -- not in a city like Nashville that would draw more people in by itself. So comparing admissions stats to Vanderbilt is really not indicative of very much. They are two totally different schools. But if your only concern is that your child attend a school that admits a small percentage of applicants, and not so much what the actual experience will be like once he or she gets there, then keep focusing on those admissions stats. Most people at Sewanee would find that obnoxious anyway.

Well this is kinda unfair (and ill-informed). Princeton review has Vandy at #2 in happiest students. So I guess the students think their "actual experience" is quite good. Sewanee isn't listed. Go ahead ... tell me you know some kids that got into Vandy but chose Sewanee. I'm sure there must be at least one or two of those out there.

^the same applies to comparing it to Duke and Wake. I just used Vanderbilt as the example. They are very, very different schools.

Sewanee probably receives way fewer applications than a school like Vanderbilt. It is by its nature a place fewer students will apply to because it is a smaller school, college only (no grad programs like Vandy), it is lesser known -- Vanderbilt has a bigger national reputation, and it is geographically isolated -- not in a city like Nashville that would draw more people in by itself. So comparing admissions stats to Vanderbilt is really not indicative of very much. They are two totally different schools. But if your only concern is that your child attend a school that admits a small percentage of applicants, and not so much what the actual experience will be like once he or she gets there, then keep focusing on those admissions stats. Most people at Sewanee would find that obnoxious anyway.

Anonymous wrote:Niche has it at 65% - maybe they're way off
Princeton Review is at 44%
U.S. News is 41%

That's strange because I fid Niche quite accurate on all the other schools I looked at.

Acceptance rate at Sewanee is trending downward. Expect it to be below 40% this year or next.

Niche has it at 65% - maybe they're way off
Princeton Review is at 44%
U.S. News is 41%

That's strange because I fid Niche quite accurate on all the other schools I looked at.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:for the elite private schools in this area ... going to Sewanee is not a plus

WTF - Yeah, all the elite private school kids should go to the Northeast Corridor, even if you don't want to live there for 4 years. I mean, how would it look to go to a school that someone at the Club might think is inferior to a NESCAC? God forbid you got in a NESCAC and elected to go to Sewanee -- your parents would be laughed out of the Congo or at Chevy. Perhaps W&L, Vandy, Wake or Duke -- maybe Emory or Tulane, but only those. Candidly, Muffy, how could you let Biff ruin his life like that?

In all seriousness, though, Sewanee is getting a lot of good press lately and has experienced a substantial bump in terms of admissions statistics. From our look at colleges a few years back, our elite private school offspring believed the total experience offered at Sewanee - academics, social and athletic opportunities - was superior to what was seen in several of the NESCACs. But, if your filter is based upon pure perceived "prestige," an elitist approach would dictate picking a Trinity or a Connecticut College over a Sewanee or a Rhodes. And you know, an elitist would not be a good fit at Sewanee in any case.

65% acceptance rate. Tells me W&L, Vandy, Duke or Wake aren't really comparables for Sewanee.

Fall 2015, the acceptance rate at Sewanee was 41%. Still higher than W&L, Vandy, Duke or Wake. The 65% number is so five years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:for the elite private schools in this area ... going to Sewanee is not a plus

WTF - Yeah, all the elite private school kids should go to the Northeast Corridor, even if you don't want to live there for 4 years. I mean, how would it look to go to a school that someone at the Club might think is inferior to a NESCAC? God forbid you got in a NESCAC and elected to go to Sewanee -- your parents would be laughed out of the Congo or at Chevy. Perhaps W&L, Vandy, Wake or Duke -- maybe Emory or Tulane, but only those. Candidly, Muffy, how could you let Biff ruin his life like that?

In all seriousness, though, Sewanee is getting a lot of good press lately and has experienced a substantial bump in terms of admissions statistics. From our look at colleges a few years back, our elite private school offspring believed the total experience offered at Sewanee - academics, social and athletic opportunities - was superior to what was seen in several of the NESCACs. But, if your filter is based upon pure perceived "prestige," an elitist approach would dictate picking a Trinity or a Connecticut College over a Sewanee or a Rhodes. And you know, an elitist would not be a good fit at Sewanee in any case.

65% acceptance rate. Tells me W&L, Vandy, Duke or Wake aren't really comparables for Sewanee.

Anonymous wrote:for the elite private schools in this area ... going to Sewanee is not a plus

WTF - Yeah, all the elite private school kids should go to the Northeast Corridor, even if you don't want to live there for 4 years. I mean, how would it look to go to a school that someone at the Club might think is inferior to a NESCAC? God forbid you got in a NESCAC and elected to go to Sewanee -- your parents would be laughed out of the Congo or at Chevy. Perhaps W&L, Vandy, Wake or Duke -- maybe Emory or Tulane, but only those. Candidly, Muffy, how could you let Biff ruin his life like that?

In all seriousness, though, Sewanee is getting a lot of good press lately and has experienced a substantial bump in terms of admissions statistics. From our look at colleges a few years back, our elite private school offspring believed the total experience offered at Sewanee - academics, social and athletic opportunities - was superior to what was seen in several of the NESCACs. But, if your filter is based upon pure perceived "prestige," an elitist approach would dictate picking a Trinity or a Connecticut College over a Sewanee or a Rhodes. And you know, an elitist would not be a good fit at Sewanee in any case.

It does have a football team. It's Division 3, so football is not a big focus. The games are social events, but not SEC-level experiences with huge stadiums and 80,000 people in attendance or whatever. It feels more like a high school game where you know most of the people there and you spend most of the game talking to people, not watching the game.

for the elite private schools in this area ... going to Sewanee is not a plus

That was the point on applicant pool. With football Sewanee is almost 50/50. A school like Lynchburg without football is 60/40 female. Football helps small colleges get more equivalent ratios. Plus tickets are easy to come by and tailgating space is available.

Anonymous wrote:Actually the women at schools like Sewanee care a lot about a football team. Small LACs draw predominately female applicant pools. A football team at a school like Sewanee adds 100 males to the mix, making it much more likely to approach 50/50. No, there is no national TV contract but the games are fun and the tailgating pleasant. Plenty of SEC schools in the region if grand scale is mandatory.

Question the stat on predominantly female applicant pools. More than 50/50, maybe, but not 60/40 or anything that skewed. Fun fact: Sewanee was a charter member of the SEC with Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, etc. Sewanee left the SEC in the late 1930s as its size limited its ability to compete with the "Big Boys" of college football. While the football team is not a world-beater, the games are well-attended and there is a big social scene. In general, the sports teams are fairly well supported as compared to many SLACs.

Anonymous wrote:We will be visiting over spring break. What's a good route to take, and is there a recommended/fun place to do an overnight halfway there?

Depending on what route you take, you could stop in Gatlinburg. Dollywood and the tacky souvenir shops probably aren't your thing, but my kids appreciated the factory outlets.

Actually the women at schools like Sewanee care a lot about a football team. Small LACs draw predominately female applicant pools. A football team at a school like Sewanee adds 100 males to the mix, making it much more likely to approach 50/50. No, there is no national TV contract but the games are fun and the tailgating pleasant. Plenty of SEC schools in the region if grand scale is mandatory.

Anonymous wrote:does Sewanee have a football team?

Who cares?