Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are all LACs--just apply ED and have your checkbook ready !

Lehigh and BC are not LACs.

BC is VERY MUCH a LAC (just not a "small" LAC). Even School of Management students are required to take a full liberal arts core - in addition to their management core. They require 2 each of english, history, philosophy, social science, theology - that's 1/4 our your college career.

Hey Mr/Ms CAPS - I am the pp. You are incorrect, as I posted earlier. Taking a full liberal arts core does not equate to being a LAC. The core at BC is Jesuit. BC is a private, Jesuit research university. Look it up. Furthermore, LACs do not offer separate colleges for Engineering, Education, Business, etc. A university may have a Liberal Arts School, but that does not make it a LAC.

I love how you have chosen "LAC" to be something strictly defined to match your interpretation when LAC is not a term that is uniquely defined, or set in stone to match your interpretation. Others may follow your interpretation too, but there are applications of liberal arts that have nothing to do with R1, with "university vs college", with varying specialty schools, or even with gen ed.

In the end, it's clear you don't quite understand why those of us who actually went to BC would call it a liberal arts school (even the school of management). You haven't experienced it and that's fine. But we have and we'd like to inform the OP accordingly.

As a BC grad and parent who toured colleges with our children - I recognized when schools (of many varieties) were liberal arts colleges at heart vs those with general ed requirements vs those with neither.

OP - best of luck to your child. Hopefully they get into at least one of these three schools (and maybe all three!) and is happy where they land!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are all LACs--just apply ED and have your checkbook ready !

Lehigh and BC are not LACs.

Colgate offers a MAT- so technically also not a LAC.

I’m a Colgate alum and despite a few dozen people there getting MATs it is still very much a liberal arts college.

That MAT is why it's Colgate University and not Colgate College

OP, obviously your son has picked out some great reach / target schools. I’m curious - with a list like yours, what are his safeties? Would he attend a safety or try a gap year?

Anonymous wrote:To clarify a number of posts, there are the liberal arts and there are Liberal Arts Colleges (LACs). The Carnegie classification for BC is R1 research university. BC may have a core curriculum with a focus in liberal arts (hey, so do UChicago and Columbia), but it is not an LAC.

The core curriculum at BC consists of: 1 arts, 1 cultural diversity (can overlap), 2 history, 1 literature, 1 math, 2 natural science, 2 philosophy, 2 social science (econ usually covers these for business majors), 2 theology, 1 writing

Many schools have gen ed requirements that include history, writing, natural science, etc. BC's core is a little bit heavier than some, with philosophy and theology, but not terribly different otherwise.

The Jesuit core leads to a more well rounded education than one might find at the Lehigh School of Business. Also, Lehigh’s Dean is leaving and a replacement has not yet been named.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Colgate is much smaller and more rural than BC and Lehigh. I’d eliminate that one (since I would guess your son’s slight pref is medium sized and not in midd of nowhere, based on his two other too choices). Then I’d apply to BC ED1, and Lehigh ED2.

You didn’t ask this, but Franklin and Marshall would make a good back up- it is small like Colgate and similar vibe, v strong in finance/business placements, and there is a little more going on in Lancaster than a typical LAC setting.

Colgate Lehigh and BC are all smallish schools with D1 sports and active Greek (or equivalent) life. It seems like OP’s kid actually wants bro culture

Can you elaborate on BC? I know it doesn't have Greek life, but what do you mean by "equivalent"? It's actually the school I've been subtly pushing, precisely because it *doesn't* have fraternities? Is the bro culture there any different from, say, Georgetown (which I am quite familiar with)? Thank you.

This was one of the reasons I chose BC. I was very happy with it. It is a very social school but far more inclusive without Greek. Because of the way housing is set up, you really get to know your class well. Students want to live on campus and because of the seniority system you almost always live in a dorm filled with students from your own year (freshmen, sophomore, senior). For students who get 3 years housing - they choose to live off campus Junior year and return for Senior (best housing - plus another benefit that leaving campus Junior year means having no RA while you are still likely under 21 - most big parties are hosted at Junior apartments).

If $$$$$$ is at all an issue, be aware that the houses kids rent for off-campus living at BC are INSANELY expensive. Like, even worse than DC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colgate is much smaller and more rural than BC and Lehigh. I’d eliminate that one (since I would guess your son’s slight pref is medium sized and not in midd of nowhere, based on his two other too choices). Then I’d apply to BC ED1, and Lehigh ED2.

You didn’t ask this, but Franklin and Marshall would make a good back up- it is small like Colgate and similar vibe, v strong in finance/business placements, and there is a little more going on in Lancaster than a typical LAC setting.

Colgate Lehigh and BC are all smallish schools with D1 sports and active Greek (or equivalent) life. It seems like OP’s kid actually wants bro culture

DP.
Undergrad enrollment
Colgate 3130
Lehigh 7394
BC 9982

F&M 1990

BC and Lehigh are not small. My guess is that Colgate is on the small side of what OP wants, which is a medium-sized private. I agree with the PP, ED1 to BC and ED2 to Lehigh.

Lehigh’s numbers above include grad students. Undergrad population recently grew from 4K to around 5k.
- Lehigh grad

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are all LACs--just apply ED and have your checkbook ready !

Lehigh and BC are not LACs.

BC is VERY MUCH a LAC (just not a "small" LAC). Even School of Management students are required to take a full liberal arts core - in addition to their management core. They require 2 each of english, history, philosophy, social science, theology - that's 1/4 our your college career.

Hey Mr/Ms CAPS - I am the pp. You are incorrect, as I posted earlier. Taking a full liberal arts core does not equate to being a LAC. The core at BC is Jesuit. BC is a private, Jesuit research university. Look it up. Furthermore, LACs do not offer separate colleges for Engineering, Education, Business, etc. A university may have a Liberal Arts School, but that does not make it a LAC.

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Anonymous wrote:CS no hook male from FCPS HS class 2023 was offered 1/2 tuition merit from Lehigh RD. Campus tour. Can't speak to the other two.

Impressive as they are not known for merit aid.

Thank you. Yeah. We were shocked.

Did your DC accept? If not, where did he enroll?

He did not accept. He really liked the tour, however i think it was more the aesthetics (grounds, library). Decided to enroll at UMD for CS.

Smart move. Can’t beat UMD for STEM - and I say this as a Lehigh grad.

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Anonymous wrote:Hi all! Thanks for the input. Not STEM, but econ (if Colgate) or finance (if Lehigh/BC.) Reasonably high stats -- 3.92 unweighted, but mixed in with all those As is a C+ in APUSH in 11th, ughhhhh. 1500 SAT. Has consistently taken the most rigorous classes, great ECs, essays and rec letters should be strong.

We go back and forth between applying ED1 to Lehigh and probably nailing it down and being done, vs. shooting their shot at BC and Colgate -- for some reason Colgate is a tough admit from our school; 0/7 last year and 1/11 the year before. TBH I don't think Colgate is a great fit anyway, but for some reason my son is enamored with it. We are full pay so that helps at need-aware Colgate, I guess.

Full pay is a big help at any one of those three schools.

My 1500 full pay kid was denied at Lehigh two years ago. Yield protection or not (prob not, because he had mediocre grades). 1480 full pay kid WL at BC. While obviously full pay doesnt hurt, it is not as significant as some think.

Well, it goes without saying that you need the grades first and foremost. After that, high SATs and full pay most definitely give a kid an edge.

Most people I know who graduated from BC (all smart and successful) loved it and claim it was the best four years. My point, people seem to really love BC and are very happy with their education and experience. Not to mention you’re in Boston, ranked the best college town in the country. At BC, the Carroll School of Management is hard to get into, but if OP’s son wants finance he should definitely go ED1 to BC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are all LACs--just apply ED and have your checkbook ready !

Lehigh and BC are not LACs.

Colgate offers a MAT- so technically also not a LAC.

I’m a Colgate alum and despite a few dozen people there getting MATs it is still very much a liberal arts college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BC is the better school in job opportunities, network, brand. Not elite but it is well regarded up and down the East Coast. Shoot your shot ED1.

Not in STEM...

OP is looking at finance.

Anonymous wrote:BC is the better school in job opportunities, network, brand. Not elite but it is well regarded up and down the East Coast. Shoot your shot ED1.

Not in STEM...

Anonymous wrote:To clarify a number of posts, there are the liberal arts and there are Liberal Arts Colleges (LACs). The Carnegie classification for BC is R1 research university. BC may have a core curriculum with a focus in liberal arts (hey, so do UChicago and Columbia), but it is not an LAC.

The core curriculum at BC consists of: 1 arts, 1 cultural diversity (can overlap), 2 history, 1 literature, 1 math, 2 natural science, 2 philosophy, 2 social science (econ usually covers these for business majors), 2 theology, 1 writing

Many schools have gen ed requirements that include history, writing, natural science, etc. BC's core is a little bit heavier than some, with philosophy and theology, but not terribly different otherwise.

For OP, whose DC is interested in business school - there is a difference in the BC liberal arts core that requires you to spread the LA courses as noted (ensuring you are exposed broadly) vs Lehigh where you can mostly choose non-business courses as you wish (for example, never taking a philosophy or history if you don't want to). Just having gen-ed requirements is not the same as having a true liberal arts focus requirement. Whether this is good or bad in your college search depends on your own goals. At BC - these are the same requirements as students in Arts and Sciences - so it also means in your early years you are meeting friends/classmates in a way that does not pigeon hole you to just kids in School of Management. It makes for a cohesive community across all of the schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are all LACs--just apply ED and have your checkbook ready !

Lehigh and BC are not LACs.

BC is VERY MUCH a LAC (just not a "small" LAC). Even School of Management students are required to take a full liberal arts core - in addition to their management core. They require 2 each of english, history, philosophy, social science, theology - that's 1/4 our your college career.

BC has graduate schools. LACs are undergraduate institutions

Being a research university vs an undergraduate college or not is NOT what defines being a Liberal Arts school. The focus of the curriculum does.

The C is for college. Universities are not LACs

So you are focusing on the C, while Boston College is a University. You are missing the point - BC's curriculum (as with all other Jesuit colleges and universities) is absolutely a Liberal Arts school - EVEN in the Cchool of Management (which leaves not much room for pure electives, by the way) . There are many other universities where one can go to business school that will not be liberal arts.

If that's the way you look at it, almost every honors college within a giant university is also a LAC.