great LACs on the west coast?

mini
Mon, 08 Aug 2005 10:22:23 +0000

“You need some schools in between HYPS & BYU!!!”

Not sure what this remark means, but where I live, folks routinely turns down HYPS for BYU, including our last two purely academic admits to Harvard. And in terms of job placements, networking, etc., out here you’d do much better with a degree from BYU - the Ivy kids never come back.

Having looked at virtually all of them, and visited well more than half, my opinion, for what little it is worth, is that Whitman is the best overall LAC on the west coast. It is the one that will most remind one of those on the east coast, has hugely strong networking in the Pacific Northwest, a superb balance of academics and non-academic pursuits, and a magnificent setting in a really nice town. It is slightly less selective than, say, Pomona, but that is almost entirely due to 1) its location; and 2) the state schools aren’t yet turning away qualified applicants in droves. Its main downside, if you consider it one, is that – like many of the east coast LACs – it is not very racially, ethnically, or economically diverse, in which, among other factors, location plays a major role. On the whole, it is very, very similar to Williams.

If you want a place that is truly more diverse, with fine academics and great commitment to community service, take a good look at Occidental.