Swarthmore vs. Pomona vs. Smith

interesteddad
Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:23:54 +0000

coongratulations!

If all three were the same price (after scholarship discounts) and if there weren’t some unique program drawing you to Smith, then I would go to Pomona or Swarthmore (your choice), because these are the number one and number two per student endowment LACs in the United States and they simply have more financial resources than Smith or any other LAC. The financial resources effect every single aspect of the undergraduate experience, from class size and on and on in ways that would be too numerous to list.

Having said that, the price will probably not be the same since you have a merit scholarship at Smith and the perks of being in their merit scholars program.

I would say visit all three and then sit down with your family and weigh your preferences viz-a-viz finacials. There are no bad options here. All three are excellent schools.