Longhaul

Was speaking with someone re LACs. The other person felt there are some really cut-throat, pressure cooker LACs out there, but could only name one off the bat (Reed).

I thought by virture of being LAC the majority of these schools are more collaboration.

Can anyone name pressure cooker LACs?

I certainly agree some LACs are very academic focus with driven students (IMO - Swarthmore), but I wouldn't call it cut throat.

lynxinsider

My observations of most LACs have been similar to what you describe in the last sentence - the academics can bear down on you at times (i.e., pressure cooker), but there isn't a sense of competition among the students. At Rhodes what I see more of are students getting together in small groups and pulling themselves along. You can go into the coffee shop at late night and see folks who've gotten together to do their econometrics or organic chem or whatever homework.

Keilexandra

I wouldn't call Reed "cut-throat," either. Pressure cooker, yes. But in the past decade it has done a lot to improve student academic support, and the students have always been collaborative.

I hear those terms applied to Wellesley sometimes, but I'm sure an alumna will drop by soon to tell me off. I tend to take "cut-throat" rumors with a huge heaping of salt.

jrpar

I can't think of any "cut-throat" LAC's. The workload is intense at a number of LAC's (and you can't hide in a small classroom), but students aren't viewing their fellow students as competitors.

vossron

I also agree; Reed can be a pressure cooker at times, but it's the opposite of cut-throat. Students never see each others' grades (and have to ask to see their own--the culture is not to ask), there's no dean's list, the atmosphere is collaborative.

hollow

I can't say that I've had first hand experience at Reed, but I definitely agree with you regarding your statement on Swarthmore. While I visited, I definitely noticed that many of the classes, particularly in non-hard science/engineering fields, were set up to be a ring of couches where students simply talked about their beliefs and analysis of whatever assignment they receive. I feel that LACs in general seem to promote a more intimiate setting. I do recall hearing one student talk about her professor buying the class (of 7) Thai food after class. On the other hand, I think cutthroat more often applies to less-than-intimate school environments, perhaps at certain large public universities.

college_ruled

Current Wellesley student here. I find that the pressure here is largely self imposed; students don't compete against each other but with themselves. There certainly are students who decide that a B is a "great grade." Although Wellesley has a mandatory curve for 100 and 200 level classes, I have not seen this affect collaboration with my classmates.

But yes, the experience at a small, academically focused, non urban, female college is intense at times. I wouldn't be surprised if this is true at other women's and coed colleges.

Longhaul

Thanks all. You supported my thoughts.

I'm helping neice form a list of schools. Some of her "friends" have a skewed view and just spit out info without all the facts. She does NOT want cut-throat, but I think very few schools are actually cut-throat (she has a humanities focus).