I think experiences here may differ. I know someone who absolutely hated attending Colby because of how cliquey they found it. I’m sure the same can be said of most smaller private schools.
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True, it may be a ymmv situation.
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I think if you attended a NE boarding school and play lacrosse, Colby isn’t cliquey at all 
Same as if you attended a Virginia boarding school and play tennis at Richmond
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Neither. 
I am an international student who graduated from a NY private day school and I’m not a very good volleyball/tennis player.
Well, when this was still hypothetical, you said
and noted that weather was a deterrent for the Maine LAC’s.
I think both schools are equally worthy, but if you felt settled that a Colby offer wouldn’t entice you to switch, I don’t see why the actualization of that possibility should change your mind.
It is a good point that business is big at Richmond (at least a quarter of each graduating class majoring in business) whereas Colby doesn’t have a business major at all (although of course they have econ). So that affects the vibe a bit. The Endeavor Program (I know you have already researched but linking for anyone else who’s curious) sounds like a really nice enhancement.
Given that your thinking has been that Colby wouldn’t entice you to switch, I wouldn’t let the dopamine hit of another offer change your mind unless there’s new information that moves the needle on the decision.
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Hi, I read all of your comments - they are really helpful. Thank you. I just got a phone call from the admission officer - they confirmed that I got into Colby. The decision deadline is June 14th. I am still deciding between the UR and Colby but generally I still lean a little bit more to UR. However, Colby has really good government program, a smaller school size, no greek life, a higher prestige in the northeast (while UR is more known in the south). Its cons are freezing weather, no business school (but a good philosophy major), and waspy environment. UR is still my top choice because of its PPEL program, but if Colby is really that much greater in philosophy and polici, I would go with Colby.
Is it greater at all ? I’m not sure anyone can definitively say that.
I’m not sure many can say that in general for the majors. Most schools are strong in these.
Check the curriculums and faculty depth. Does one stand out ?
If you say the two schools to me, I’d don’t lean that one is better. Maybe it’s just me.
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No, both are equal in that respect.
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I know graduates of Richmond and Colby. Both enjoyed their college experiences and met their spouses there. I live in the northeast and think the two schools are equal in prestige. My nephew just finished his freshman year at Richmond. He did the Endeavor program and really liked it. I think the two schools are pretty equal and you should choose whichever one you prefer.
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If you have narrowed it down to URichmond and Colby, I think the biggest differences are weather/location/setting and academic vibe.
- Would you prefer the pretty rural campus and snow/cold of Colby, or the pretty urban/suburban campus and relative warmth of Richmond?
- URichmond has a more pre-professional vibe than Colby overall – Business Admin & Mgmt is their most popular major. The vibe at Colby will be more intellectual.
So – weather/loc and academic vibe. I don’t think you should care one iota about academic rep – both are well respected.
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Thank you, this information is really helpful! I’m interested in business and all, but I eventually want to pursue academics in the future, so Colby would probably be the better fit for me. Plus, nowadays people can get an MBA anytime.
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Thank you all so much for your advice and support. I’ve decided to commit to Colby College yesterday.
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Congrats - I hope you come back and let us know how you feel about your experience there.
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