<p>“I would definitely disagree that the top LACs can measure up to research U’s in the criteria you seem to value.” </p>
<p>The line between LAC and research U is not clear cut. For example, Colgate is indeed a university with graduate programs, but US News ranks it as a LAC. The same can be said for Wesleyan and Washington & Lee (which even has a law school); they are also considered LACs for ranking purposes, but are clearly universities. On the other hand, schools like Princeton, Brown, and Dartmouth have an LAC feel to them (small size and undergrad focus), sometimes more so than the actual “LACs”, and yet they are ranked as universities. Thus there is no bright line rule for saying which is which.</p>