I am also being recruited at the above schools but narrowed it down to Swat, Vassar, and Wes due to their access to more urban areas. Out of the three I have had the most name recognition through Vassar when it is mentioned. Wesleyan follows closely behind the latter school. Yet Swat gets blank stares amongst peers. In the end this should not be a deciding factor in picking and I am just sharing my experience. Right now I am leaning towards Vassar for various reasons. If anyone ever questions its prestige compared, just look at some of the alumni. Some include Elisabeth Murdoch and Jeffrey Soros, who chose Vassar over schools like Harvard and the other elites, seeing they are the heirs and heiresses of some of the biggest media moguls I am sure they had many other choices (like HYP)! The list goes on and on but that is just an example.
Also, Vassar athletes sometime list schools they chose Vassar over. I have seen almost every Ivy, Pomona, Swat, MIT, and the NESCACs.
@renaissance101 All three LACs you mention are well-known and respected by those who matter - grad programs and employers. The average American is quite ignorant about colleges and universities, usually knowing those institutions in their backyard, a few of the Ivies, and those schools that excel in sports at a national level.
Ignore name recognition and prestige among the hoi polloi and instead focus on what is the best fit for you and your academic and sports interests. Youāll get a stellar education at any one of them.
I wouldnāt avoid the application to Vassar (or any other excellent choice) unless the financial aid department has told you there will be no aid. When you inquire, you can mention that peer schools told you that you were eligible for aid, so you want to make sure you didnāt make a mistake on your application. My son is a happy athlete at Vassar. We never visited Carleton, but my daughter loved it from a distance. Grinnell also sounded great but was too remote from us. Swarthmore is near us. It is smaller than the others and very intense in a way my kids did not like. I would guess the others are better places to be both pre-med and an athlete. You would be best served by a collaborative environment. Good luck!
But donāt choose a school based on your impression of how prestigious it or its graduates are! Your priority should be finding a college where you can be both happy and successful, and where it is possible to balance pre-medical studies with the demands of a varsity sport - and with other activities.
āAlso, Vassar athletes sometime list schools they chose Vassar over. I have seen almost every Ivy, Pomona, Swat, MIT, and the NESCACs.ā
Iāve seen that and Iāll admit I really dislike it and find it off-putting.
I know, right? To me, it smacks of insecurity on Vassarās part (or any other college that does that ā and almost no other peer institutions do!).
OP, have you visited these schools? I wouldnāt weight a bunch of internet strangersā opinions very heavily, you know yourself best.
@doschicos It seems they have stopped doing that as I agree it is a little pretentious.
@doschicos I didnāt mean for it to sound like I was putting down Swat or Wesleyan because like you said, the people that matter know who they are. I 100% agree with that and thatās why the OP should choose the best fit, not for the āname recognitionā as that is damaging to ones experience. Once again I apologize I was just sharing my experience with these schools so far, take it with a grain of salt as I am only one person.
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Swat and Carleton take a back seat to no LAC when it comes to academics. Iām sure Vassar is a fine school also, but to say that it a better school is just flat out wrong.
Also puzzled about Swat costing more than Carleton. We found Swat to be much more generous than any other LAC with need based financial aid. Iām also not aware of Carleton giving merit money. Grinnell does, I believe.
A student can do very well for themselves at any of the schools mentioned, which range from Excellent to Outstanding. Itās really about finding the right fit.
Thank you everyone. Iāll ask vassar wether theyāll give me aid, as I have received estimates from peer schools. Even Swat has told me not to apply for aid as the most competitive batch of applicants they have there is the financial aid international students one. Sadly, I wonāt be able to visit either of them as I am an international and travelling will not be possible now. Iām leaning towards Carleton as it is sounding like the best fit among all academically. How are the girls and boys like at carleton? I heard that they are quirky? Is it so? How is the party scene?
Grinnell is sounding too rural and I donāt think so I want corn Fields right next to college. However the academics and the new science building are still fascinating me.
One update: Oberlin might give me aid. Does that influence my decision?
Kindly guide me on these questions.
^Oberlin, despite some recent controversies, is still a good college. Weāre not discussing an Early Decision choice, right? Thereās really no reason not to consider a college that will offer you financial aid.
Also, what are you being recruited for? Why are there no NESCAC schools under consideration?
^My bad. Iām still waking up in the U.S. Of course, as an athlete, this is an Early Decision choice. Never mind. Stick with Carleton.
Yes, I think Carleton is a great choice given all the factors. You will have between (US) Thanksgiving through Christmas (about six weeks!) off of school which is a nice perk for international students b/c you can have a long visit home.
Keep us posted on your final decision!
@circuitrider we are discussing ED here lol, no problem at all. I know about Oberlin controversies but I think the others(Carleton, Grinnell, Swat, Vassar) are more academically renowned. Iām still being second minded, i dont know why. Do you know about the job prospects of CS after Carleton? Just wanted to clarify that.
And, I do have some NESCAC options as well like Bates, Colby.
@AlmostThere2018 what about Grinnell? Are you so sure about carleton?
Both great! My D was accepted to both Carleton and Grinnell ā she was drawn more to the former b/c itās in a bigger town and less remote. But Grinnell does have fabulous resources, especially in the sciences, and I think it would have been great too. Grinnell has real emphasis on international students so thatās a plus ā they have goal of 20% in a few years.
I realize how hard it is to pick a college on paper since you canāt visit. I suggest reading student reviews on places like Niche and some of the Reddit sites for more student views. Also look at youtube videos that students do ā those might give you more of a flavor of each campus. Itās more important to hear from students about their experiences than parents (like me!) who have less direct information.
How much time do you have before you have to make a decision?
Even I am leaning towards Carleton because I donāt want to spend my college years next to corn fields(sorry my opinion, no offence). As people are suggesting here both are top tier schools so comparing academics isnāt worth it.
How is your D doing? Is she into socialising or wishes to focus more on academics and spend time by herself?
I have this week probably and it will be really nice if you can help me out. You really seem to be the parent that can help me solve this riddle.
My D actually doesnāt attend Carleton. It was a top choice for her, but she ended up choosing a similar liberal arts college that offered her more aid.
I wish I had more to say that could help. Have you posted on the Carleton and Grinnell sections of College Confidential?
Oh, I thought she attends Carleton.
I havenāt posted anything on Carleton or Grinnellās sections of CC. However, I have started another thread asking about the social scene.