Hello everyone. Any insight you can provide is welcome. I am currently deciding between the following schools, and am down to the wire because my deposit is due on May 1st. I am looking for a school with strong business and computer science programs since I am interested in a double major. I would like a school with fun traditions, great career services, a nice campus, happy students, and a healthy studying and social life balance. Overall, my highest priority is a school with a good quality of life.
My choices are the following:
Boston University Kilachand Honors
Bowdoin
Brandeis
Case Western
Colgate
Hamilton
Haverford
Lehigh Computer Science Business Honors
Middlebury
Northeastern Martinson Honors
RPI
Tufts
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
University of Wisconsin
Vassar
Wesleyan
You listed a lot of schools! It would help if you give a bit more information:
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Which ones are you seriously considering right now?
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Which ones are your favorites (and why)?
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Are all of your choices equally affordable for your family? Are finances a concern?
If you’re interested in business, you can probably eliminate half of these, because most (if not all) of the LACs you listed don’t offer business. However, many graduates of these schools do go on to have successful careers in business because of their excellent education, opportunities for relevant internships, and alumni networks. You don’t need to major in business to get a job in investment, banking, etc.
So one question to ask of yourself is: how serious are you about majoring in business, versus majoring in another discipline (like Econ) and taking advantage of other opportunities that can help you prepare for a business career? If you really want to major in business, then you can cross off Bowdoin, Colgate, Hamilton, Haverford, Middlebury, Tufts, Vassar, and Wesleyan.
Based on your preferences, Lehigh sounds like the best fit, though bowdoin, Case western, and URochester could all work well, too… but what is your parents’budget and how much does each cost your family?
To know net cost, do (tuition fees room&board) - (scholarships, grants) = $…
The questions you should be considering:
Net price at each?
What can you and your parents afford?
Admitted major at each?
Which major is your priority, how difficult is it to add a second major to the other, change major to the other, or take classes in the other subject at each?
I should have clarified that if I attend a liberal arts college, I would replace business with economics.
Fortunately, I am able to make my decision independent of finances
OK, then you just need to decide what kind of school you feel more comfortable with – and that eliminates part of the list.
Start with this: big or small? Urban or rural? Big college sports environment or not? Those kinds of categorical questions can help you eliminate some choices.
Based on your interest in computing, you might benefit from considering a data science major with economics as your chosen “applied domain.” This approach would not preclude you from considering additional majors or minors.
I would like to have relatively small class sizes and fortunately all the programs I have been admitted to offer small classes because the school itself is either small or the honors program is. I am not tied to an urban or rural school as long as there are lots of activities to do on campus or in the surrounding areas. Having a good selection of clubs and intramural sports is important to me in the decision process.
If possible, I would like the school environment to be more collaborative than competitive
You listed 17 acceptances. If you haven’t already identified some favorites among these 17 schools, I’m trying to understand why all are still in the running for you. 
Have you visited them all? Or are there some that you haven’t visited?
Business, or economics at schools where there is no business major, and computer science tend to be popular majors, so class sizes are likely to be on the larger end at the given college. The online class schedules may show the sizes. You may also want to investigate whether they tend to get completely full, or otherwise restricted in enrollment.
Do you prefer a city or small town? Big campus or small campus?
Fortunately, I am able to make my decision independent of finances. Ironically, I am currently touring Lehigh.
If a co-op program would be valued, I would add Northeastern to that list of best-fit programs, especially with honors in the mix. The combined CS+business program could cover the desired bases really well. The plan of study front-loads a strong CS skill-set, so that students are ready to hit the ground running in their first co-op, but then they get a lot of good business content as well, plus relevant co-op experiences.
I think you should go to Hamilton.
Wisconsin (I assume Madison?) has good business and CS programs, if the Midwest weather is ok with you. Big 10 school, definitely a lot of activities for you. Nice campus and nice city.
Not sure how easy it is to double major though.
What’s your impression so far? If you share, it’ll help us tell which from your list are most or least like this 
Using this aggregator, I pulled the percentage of classes by size and sorted them from the smallest percentage of classes with 50+ students to the largest percentage. If you look at the schools’ Common Data Sets you will be able to get an even greater breakdown (like how many classes of 20-29, 30-39, 40-49) as classes of 25 have a very different feel than classes of 45. I bolded the schools where you’ve indicated that you’ve been admitted into honors programs, which would likely decrease the percentage of larger classes you’d be in.
| School | Classes Under 20 | Classes 20-49 | Classes 50+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| U. of Richmond | 76% | 24% | 0% |
| Vassar | 71% | 29% | 0% |
| Colgate | 72% | 27% | 1% |
| Hamilton | 72% | 28% | 1% |
| Haverford | 72% | 27% | 1% |
| Middlebury | 59% | 40% | 1% |
| Bowdoin | 64% | 35% | 2% |
| Wesleyan | 74% | 25% | 2% |
| Northeastern Honors | 66% | 28% | 7% |
| Lehigh CS Business Honors | 45% | 46% | 9% |
| Tufts | 60% | 31% | 9% |
| Brandeis | 60% | 30% | 10% |
| RPI | 54% | 36% | 10% |
| BU - Honors | 60% | 28% | 13% |
| Case Western | 50% | 37% | 13% |
| U. of Rochester | 66% | 22% | 13% |
| U. of Wisconsin | 44% | 34% | 23% |
So as attempt to hone in on a decision, perhaps this data will help you.