A "Laid-Back" Student Body...?

College Search & Lists
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<p>‘‘They both have: top academics across the board,laid-back student body, great sports, more partyish culture than ivies, not ivies, high student satisfaction, warm weather, rivalries with top public schools, more pre-professionalism than their peers, frats(but not like they dominate the campus), etc.’’</p>

<p>What other colleges do you think offer the same well-roundness as Duke and Stanford? Correct me if I’m wrong but I can think of Emory, Rice, Vanderbilt, UVa, UNC-Chapel Hill.</p>

42

<p>

First, because the most selective schools presumably are attended by students who have the greatest range of choice. They could have chosen to attend other colleges, but did not. To the extent they are rational and well-informed, one would think they tend to choose higher quality schools. Right? </p>

<p>Second, because the most selective schools presumably are selecting for characteristics that positively affect the learning environment. They tend to select more talented, harder-working students. This (if the system is working) tends to make for livelier discussions, a richer extracurricular life, and so forth. So the student body itself is a quality factor.</p>

<p>Of course, schools vary to some degree in their selection criteria. In addition, the admissions “market” is not equally free at all schools. There may be a thumb on the selection scale for in-state applicants, for example. So the correlation has some slop.</p>

43

<p>Middlebury is NOT laid back…very competitive atmosphere…</p>

44

<p>William & Mary is a very interesting mix. Students are high achievers and take academics very seriously. Yet also, very non-conformist and not cutthroat re grades. Truly unique environment. One reason W&M is such a popular place.</p>

45

<p>Majorly laid back school is SUNY New Paltz. 6,000 undergrads. My son transferred here because of the laid back and down to earth student body. He was tired of all the over-achiever snobs at his old school. It was a welcome change.</p>

46

<p>Hamilton College</p>

47

<p>University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington is known for being extremely laid-back.</p>