Who did you turn down for Amherst?

prezbucky
Sun, 29 May 2016 23:29:03 +0000

Amherst is clearly outstanding, a top-four LAC in anyone’s book.

I think when comparing elite LACs to elite universities – LACs vs. U’s in general – there are some fairly big differences:

Class sizes, especially in the pre-major/intro courses.

Number of courses and majors available

Emphasis on undergrad vs. grad, relatively

Anonymity vs. accountability

LACs tend to be more rural, U's tend to be more civilized (hehe)

So regarding the question of U vs. LAC, I think the most meaningful considerations revolve around personal fit: what does the student want out of those four years?

Amherst is among my top quartet of LACs, at the same level as HYPSM and other top private U’s. Like I said, Amherst vs. (for instance) Penn is a question of individual fit, not quality of teaching/academics.