Compact Colleges/Colleges integrated with local area?

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I’m hoping the collective CC knowledge can help me!

So my daughter has made a few college visits --and she’s starting to find some elements that she prefers. A specific example below and then the question.

She visited Macalester and REALLY liked the compact campus and how it was closely integrated with the surrounding area. She especially liked the sense of community she got from the small campus, but also the chance to walk a few minutes and be at a pizza place off campus!

We also visited the University of Kansas and she disliked the ‘sprawling’ campus as she called it. Getting off campus -while of course possible, wasn’t the same experience. She felt like the university was very large (size and population wise) and while she felt she could find her crew - it wasn’t the same sense of community (for her - your mileage may vary).

She’s also definitely shown a significant preference for small class sizes with close contact with professors.

So my takeaways – looks like LAC are a good bet for her, or at most a small to midsize school.

What I need help with – the compact vs sprawling campus! Its really hard to know which campuses are small because acreage itself isn’t always a predictor. For example, some universities ‘own’ green space -but near their main campus are still integrated with the town.

SO MY QUESTION (AT LAST!) --which of the following campuses might more closely reflect a Macalester like feel vs a ‘sprawling’ University of Kansas campus feel?

NOTE - NOT A CHANCE ME THREAD AT THIS TIME! I just want input on the campus since I can’t easily find this info:

Beloit University - appears well integrated with community, small campus size
Elon University --from replies, “not much town there and campus is somewhat big”
Miami University – not compact not sprawling –

Brandeis University
Per commentary - not as integrated (sits on hill)
Mount Holyoke - per commentary NOT sprawling even though it does have acreage - dorms near Village Commons; building/dorms compact area
St Olaf from comments “Sitting on top of hill overlooking…town”
Union College - appears well integrated with community, small campus size
Connecticut College – from replies " sits on hill overlooking town" ; another person said definitely NO *actually multiple No answers on this one! DROPPING OFF LIST
Dickinson College - from replies “definitely integrated into the small town of Carlisle, with the local library, small arty boutiques, cafes, ice cream shops, mom and pop restaurants (some international cuisine) and the farmer’s market all within tree-lined walkable blocks” -another person said definitely yes!

Skidmore “slightly removed, but kids can walk into town” -another says kids can walk into town but integrated
Macalester College – this is the comparison campus! :slight_smile:

Case Western Reserve University -for this one look at map --close to Little Italy and several miles from downtown but not 'integrated;
Scripps College
Vassar College - “adjacent to a small “college town” area – 5 to 10 minute walk” and “gated off from town” -can walk into town but not integrated
Washington and Lee - per commentary, “very integrated with the charming town. Like, it is 50 or 100 feet to food etc.” additional commentary, “small town but you roll down a hill into it” (love that description)

Brown University
More input from folks: “integrated into a less busy part of the city with shopping, elegant and historic homes, fun restaurants, etc. a quick and easy walk from campus.”
Bowdoin College - not integrated; adjacent
Colby

Additional recommendations for schools that meet criteria:
Clark University (Worchester) -some say not the best part of town ( I knew that actually)
Willamette (Salem, Oregon)
Carleton
College of Charleston – this would be an excellent safety - (internal note: check NPC)
A vote for Smith College
UT Chatt

THANK YOU!

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i would not say that Brandeis is integrated into its community. it sits mostly on a hill in a working-class suburb.

Take a look at Clark University in Worcester, MA.

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Conn College is also at the top of a hill looking down over New London (and the shoreline- very pretty). Brown sits at the top of a hill looking out over the urban parts of Providence- but is well integrated into a less busy part of the city with shopping, elegant and historic homes, fun restaurants, etc. a quick and easy walk from campus. Brandeis has easy access to Waltham but is not in the thick of it if that makes sense.

Google street view is your friend. You will be able to quickly suss out which campuses sit between a highway and a river (so not part of any real neighborhood), which ones don’t have distinct boundaries (like BU which is smack dab in the middle of Boston with streets, transportation/trolley lines, major league ball park running through campus) and which ones are more neighborly…

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Thank you! I couldn’t figure out the best way to determine this but Google Street view is great! Yeah - I think she wants less ‘in your face’ city like BU and more like integrated with the ‘cute’ parts of town --which gives me hope some of the less ‘urban’ options might work.

Macalester was really the best of surburban and urban for us --cute local area but close to a major urban area. But it’s a hard target/easier reach -so I have to find some more likely options.

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For your “additional schools” list, you might take a look at Willamette, in Salem, Oregon.

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Thank you! We don’t have much west coast --and I think this is a great suggestion!

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Skidmore is slightly removed, but kids can walk into town.

Washington and Lee is very integrated with the charming town. Like, it is 50 or 100 feet to food etc.

Vassar is adjacent to a small “college town” area; not sure how long it would take to walk there – 5 or 10 min?

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St. Olaf is more of a “sitting on top of a hill” overlooking the town type of campus. It’s about a mile from downtown Northfield. Gorgeous campus though.

I was actually going to recommend the other LAC in Northfield - Carleton - for the compact campus integrated with town feel. It definitely has that feel.

Elon - not much town there and the campus is somewhat big.

Vassar - gated off from everything, does not feel like a part of a town. Although, another gorgeous campus.

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Dickinson is definitely integrated into the small town of Carlisle, with the local library, small arty boutiques, cafes, ice cream shops, mom and pop restaurants (some international cuisine) and the farmer’s market all within tree-lined walkable blocks. A public road bisects the campus and some people don’t like this but others don’t mind. The two-lane road is busy but traffic moves slowly, there are crosswalks and lights everywhere, and the road is lined with a sidewalk, mature trees and an attractive wall (I believe stone). The campus is compact and pretty. It was toward the top of my daughter’s list but she ultimately chose a mid-sized University.

I attended Miami U, a gorgeous, campus that I wouldn’t describe as compact, but not sprawling like some huge universities. Years ago it had a very cute town, which I assume has grown and changed somewhat …it has been a LOOONG time time since I have been there.

Another option: William & Mary, my D’s school, has a drop-dead beautiful campus right on the edge of a small, charming downtown and colonial Williamsburg. Things do close down early but it’s certainly place where you can run out to get a pizza. Campus is actually large for the size of the student population, with some wooded areas separating some sections of Campus from others, but many of the academic buildings are clustered (depending on her intended major, she may or may not have to walk far between classes). My D thought she wanted a SLAC but the size of William & Mary (around 6000 undergrads) has proven to be just right… small enough to be comforting, but large enough to not feel claustrophobic.

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Was also going to list William and Mary. It has a defined, walkable campus, but is next to town and the colonial district.

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Another nice thing about W&M is that all students get free long-term passes to Colonial Williamsburg, so CW is truly an extension of the campus. My D likes to visit the horses and sheep during study breaks or stroll in the beautiful gardens.

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I attended years ago, and we had passes then, too. I definitely didn’t take advantage of what I had.

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First one that came to my mind is College of Charleston - because it’s small, it’s integrated in the downtown touristy area…it literally borders.

It’s a public LAC of some sort - and depending on how strong your student is, there’s Honors…and then there are sub groups (invite only) within Honors - the Charleston Fellows and International Scholars.

Case Western is not this. It’s close to Little Italy and just several miles from downtown - but integrated - no.

Bowdoin is not this.

William & Mary is not this.

Now if you say, W&M - it borders the little tourist area - with a few cute shops and a mile down on the other side is the grocery, target, etc… OK - yes. But integrated…no.

W&L - small town - but you roll down a hill into it - restaurants, shops.

But most integrated into a city…real city like St. Paul…check out College of Charleston - yes a safety vs. this list but Fellows or Intl Scholars - which are both really great - is a reach.

You listed some schools that are not directly adjacent to a larger city area that you suggest you want. and not all are compact campuses. W&M is a very nice size and beautiful campus - but I would not describe it as compact.

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Can you actually walk to town from Connecticut College? one of my daughters toured and I thought she reported you need a bus to get to town (but passes are free?) She did like the campus in general and found the area very pretty.

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Appreciate the feedback. I THINK that College of Charleston didn’t make the NPC --but the NPC doesn’t always take into account thinks like Fellows -so I’ll relook at it! I really liked it otherwise and was disappointed it didn’t look affordable at first go round. Edited to add – another safety is really appreciated. My plan is have her apply to as many schools as possible EA - and hope she gets into one. If not, University of Kansas will go back on the list as a safety, since you can apply to that relatively late in the process.

As far as the schools not adjacent to a larger city – my daughter will have to be flexible on that unfortunately. Schools near/in bigger cities tend to be expensive (especially off campus housing) and/or super competitive – I had to add some of the smaller towns because of competitiveness and well -their excellent NPC prices. (Hence Elon and Miami - both of which are great schools but with average GPAs below hers – again not a Chance Me thread --but something that I have to keep in mind)

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What’s affordable ? How would a W&M be affordable ?

Elon? Not great with aid and nowhere near town (like you want it) - just a small strip ahd you have to drive to town and it’s not a city you are driving to nearby but a town.

Did you look at trinity in San Antonio ?? UT Chattanooga not exactly campus size what she wants - like a W&M but adjacent to a lot going on in a real city - ie downtown. Bigger than an LAC but not big. Cost will be strong vs others.

A Pitt or VCU too big I assume population wise.

What is the major again ?or hot button points ?

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D23 attends Mt. Holyoke the buildings/dorms on campus are actually in a quite compact area. The school owns a lot of acreage but I wouldn’t describe it as sprawling. D23 was the same way not a fan of a sprawling campus. The Village Commons right across the street from campus has the bookstore, a few restaurants, and some shops. D23 and friends like to go Northampton for more options she has a car but there is a shuttle available. Have her look into Smith as well which has a great campus right in Northampton.

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I have not toured Macalaster but Dickinson is a definite yes. Conn College is a no. Skidmore is walkable into town but it’s not integrated. Ditto with Vassar.

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We qualify for need based aid in such a way that many ‘high sticker price’ schools are cheaper than our state school. (It’s a whole conversation better left to another thread -but I’ve used NPC on every school here and only listed those that we can afford).

And Texas is not on the list because my daughter asked for it not to be. :slight_smile: I’ve had a lot of fun (TOO MUCH fun) in San Antonio. Haha!

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GM,

Are we talking “integrated” or “ultra close adjacent”? There are literally hundreds of colleges that are less than “a few minutes” walk from interesting food and retail.

To mention only a few LACs - Amherst, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Smith, Wesleyan, Williams, but there are countless others.

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