If there are 3000 colleges in the country, and we are using the term “middle tier,” this implies that there are three tiers. This would mean that the top 1000 colleges are in the top tier. However, this being CC, why don’t we call the top 100 the top tier?
I’d be perfectly fine with top 100 being top tier, but convincing some CCers that top 100 is top tier will be difficult . It was described earlier in this thread ( not by me) that a school with an acceptance rate of 50% is middle tier. Try getting some CCrs to agree that Clemson and Bama are in the same tier as the Ivies or near Ivies will be extremely difficult IMO.
^I certainly wouldn’t agree with that statement. But then again, I certainly don’t agree with the notion that SUNY Purchase and CUNY Baruch (with acceptance rates in the 30s) are even on the level of either of those two schools, thoughtless the Public/near Ivies.
@snoozn UofR does give respectable merit awards. NMFs get 1/2 of tuition granted, for example. And if you have an alumni connection, there are Meliora scholarships.
Convincing CCers that there is little difference between #22 and #25 is close to impossible.
@pickpocket I admitted my error up thread earlier .
@LBad96 , some small universities really are like LACs, but with grad students. Wesleyan and Clark both fit that criteria. And re socially awkward, perhaps that’s why some, like my D, like it:-) What’s fun to someone else may not appeal to you. Also, I am really tired of the “dangerous” neighborhood stuff, and there are lots of other threads devoted to that topic, but Clark is no more dangerous than any other college, and certainly safer than some, such as Duke and UCLA. I wouldn’t have let my kid apply anywhere that’s unsafe. I checked all the crime stats well before application time. Rundown area, certainly, but not necessarily unsafe. Yes, I know about the murder in the park. Cities have murders, unfortunately. Anyway, not cheerleading for Clark, my kid didn’t choose it, but this is how misinformation continues.
I find this site http://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/compare/details has good info on campus crime rates to consider.
As far as what constitutes middle tier, I’m assuming that people are still (sigh) relying on USN&WR. Even though we all know how the numbers are games by so many schools (Northeastern, GW, Vandy, UChicago, etc.); how the algorithm weights weird things; how the numbers weigh only the inputs an no outputs, etc. etc. etc.
But Malcolm Gladwell explains it better–
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/02/14/the-order-of-things
You failed to mention that you were rejected by Clark based on your posting history.
@Dustyfeathers the term “middle tier” suggests a ranking system. while us news is far from perfect, for the purposes of this thread, it’s as good as any other. I’m sure gladwell is perfectly capable of picking apart any and all ranking systems.
@Massmomm that’s funny, I was thinking, this being cc, 30-100 would be considered middle tier!
@quietdesperation I was thinking 15-30!
^ ha!!!
Exactly my point earlier @quietdesperation and @TomSrOfBoston
I started this thread because if I would’ve posted on some of the schools selectivity that I’ve encountered on the original selectivity thread , I most likely would’ve been laughed off the other thread.
@Lindagaf I think you mean USC? UCLA is surrounded by Westwood and Bel Air.
Of course you have to be careful wandering too far from campus. Just to the west you could find yourself in Brentwood, but crime has gone down since OJ Simpson sold his mansion there and moved to Las Vegas, and if you go too far east you’ll cross into the notoriously crime ridden neighborhood of Beverly Hills where gangs rule the streets around Rodeo Drive. You have to watch out for the Dolce & Gabbana and Armani gangs, especially if you’re wearing white after Labor Day, but the female gangs like the Louboutins are pretty easy to outrun in their heels, 
um, that’s exactly what I implied. 
@LBad96 Better to state your rejection explicitly given your extremely negative opinion of Clark and its students.
“Middle tier” is somewhat vague, but here goes…
Santa Clara University – when I was in HS this was a safety for kids in CA. In fact, one kid I knew who only applied to 2 UCs and didn’t get into either was able to get into SCU months after the application deadline. It surprised me when I hear good (not amazing) students around here who say they won’t even apply to Santa Clara after checking Naviance. It’s always been a good, solid school, but I think it’s much harder to get into now.
Pitzer – I was surprised to see their acceptance rate so low when compared to it’s rankings (yes, I do know that the rankings are quite flawed, but nonetheless I was surprised.)