<p>And no, I don’t mean eccentric as in everyone is into math/science, but just are havens for eccentric kids. Every school has a bit of everything, but which ones really stand out?</p>
<p>According to studies, there are fifteen distinctive characteristics that differentiate a healthy eccentric person from a regular person or someone who has a mental illness (although some may not always apply). The first five are in most people regarded as eccentric:
* Nonconforming attitude
* Creative
* Intense curiosity
* Idealistic
* Happy obsession with a hobby or hobbies
* Known very early in his or her childhood they were different from others
* Highly intelligent
* Opinionated and outspoken
* Noncompetitive
* Unusual living or eating habits
* Not interested in the opinions or company of others
* Mischievous sense of humor
* Single
* Usually the eldest or an only child</p>
<p>I’m asking because, though Brown is my first choice, I’m trying to find some other ones that would fit me. So please post some, regardless of selectivity, like from the most to least. </p>
<p>Cities or near cities would be great too!</p>
<p>Reed College is arguably the best highly-noncomformist school in the country… its academics are superb (it has the highest Rhodes Scholars/student ratio in the country, if I remember correctly) and its students are also known as being eccentric.</p>
<p>Hmm, I would say U.Chicago is definitely a haven for the smart eccentric types. You should look into it. Not sure about other places though.</p>
<p>I’ve heard University of Chicago is pretty eccentric. A ton of the colleges listed under “CC top liberal arts colleges” are rather eccentric.</p>
<p>^omah hayy! I agree with claire1016. CC is on top of things when it comes to the top LAC’s</p>
<p>CalTech or Harvey Mudd?</p>
<p>U of Chicago is another on my list. I’d like to be well away from CA.</p>
<p>The New School in New York City! It’s definately “different”, but different in a good way. It seemed very eccentric, stylish, and very open-minded. Definately check it out.</p>
<p>Shimer College in Chicago</p>
<p>Reed, UChicago, Swarthmore, Grinnell, Macalester, Beloit, Shimer, Deep Springs (if male), Carleton, Hampshire and Marlboro.</p>
<p>Definitely Carleton.</p>
<p>Wesleyan (10 char)</p>
<p>Vassar is eccentric…in a artsy-everyone-thinks-they’re-different kind of way.</p>
<p>Oberlin!</p>
<p>Some of the places you guys mentioned aren’t exactly “near” cities…and by near, I assume you mean a suburb at least.</p>
<p>Agreed, Vassar is eccentric and wonderful. Emerson and Skidmore also have some quirky types. I would not recommend Bard because it is REALLY in the middle of nowhere and my tour guide appeared to be on drugs.</p>
<p>Haha it’s funny, all that criteria basically fits my oldest brother. He went to Haverford. It’s a train ride away from Phili. He truly loved it there. But I wouldn’t say the anti-social part of the criteria exactly fits him.</p>
<p>SUNY New Paltz- very artsy, creative, liberal environment.</p>