Brown University

Located in Providence, Rhode Island; Brown University is one of the original eight east coast Ivy League colleges known for their high academic standard and lengthy history.  The rest are Princeton University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania and Yale University.  Brown University was founded in 1764 under the reign of King George III as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation.  The school is highly selective, accepting only 8.9% of all applicants.  The women’s college, Pembroke College, merged with Brown in 1971, and it became co-educational.  In 1969, following a student rally in support of reform, Brown instituted sweeping changes featuring simplifying grades to A,B,C, and no credit; thus eliminating modifiers which was thought to increase unnecessary competition among students.  Brown is also in close proximity to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where students have the opportunity to take up to four courses and have the credit count towards a Brown degree.  The reciprocal also exists.  There is a dual degree program introduced in 2007 where students can pursue a five-year program resulting in a Bachelor of Arts at Brown and a Bachelor of Fine Arts at RISD simultaneously.

Brown has a need blind admissions policy, which means it does not take into consideration your ability to pay their full tuition into account during the admission process.  All loans for students whose family income under $100,000 have been eliminated, as well as all parental contributions for families whose incomes fall under $60,000.  This could account for the title conferred by the 2010 Princeton Review to Brown as the 'No. 1 College in America for Happiest Students.  Emma Watson of the Harry Potter movie series is rumored to be happy at Brown.

Students who applied to Brown University, also looked at Cornell University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.  

For more information on Brown University, visit http://www.brown.edu/.

Brown University is located in Providence, Rhode Island  02912 (401)863-1000.

Swarthmore College

Located in Swarthmore, PA; Swarthmore College was founded in 1864 by Quakers prominent in the abolitionist and women’s rights movements, including the famous Lucretia Mott.  It comes as no surprise that Swarthmore was one of the earliest coeducational colleges in the United States.  Swarthmore is part of the Tri-College Consortium, a co-op among Swarthmore College, Bryn Mawr College, and Haverford College.  The consortium shares an integrated library system and students are able to take classes in all three institutions.  Swarthmore is known as one of the “Little Ivies”, having the distinction of rank as the #3 liberal arts college in the world by U.S. News & World Report.

Another rarity is that Swarthmore is one of the few liberal arts colleges with an engineering program.   Despite its small size, Swarthmore still boasts more than 600 courses a year.  Swarthmore also has a reputation for a policy of “grade deflation”, as practiced by Princeton University.  We actually saw a student on campus sporting a t-shirt proclaiming, “Anywhere else it would’ve been an A.”  Another proud member of the rare elite schools that are “need blind”, Swarthmore has done away with loans, meeting 100% of demonstrated student need with scholarships.

Recent allegations by female students accusing Swarthmore administration of covering up the real number of sexual abuses on campus, has put a blot on the institution.  An independent investigation is ongoing.  Accusations that fraternities harbor “serial rapist” are very real and frightening for any prospective student and their families. 

Students who applied to Swarthmore College also looked at Bryn Mawr College, Williams College, and the University of Pennsylvania. 

For more information on Swarthmore College, visit  http://www.swarthmore.edu/.

Swarthmore College is located at 500 College Avenue Swarthmore, PA  19081  (610) 328-8000

Amherst College

Located in Amherst, MA; Amherst College is part of the Five College Consortium, established in 1965, which is comprised of Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  The schools are geographically close to one another and are linked by buses which run between the campuses.  Students in each of the five colleges are able to attend classes at any of the five institutions, at no additional cost. Amherst College is exclusively undergraduate, with less than 2,000 students on campus.  It is ranked as the second best liberal arts college in the county by U.S. News & World Report.

Founded in 1821, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher education in Massachusetts.  In the 19th century, when Williams College debated over whether or not to relocate to Hampshire County, those in favor of the move left Williamstown to open Amherst College.   Amherst went co-ed in 1975, admitting women for the first time in its history.  Amherst admission is highly selective, only 12% of applicants are admitted each year.  Annual tuition is through the roof at over $60,000; all inclusive.  However, Amherst remains one of the rarest of rare institutions - a need-blind admissions policy for domestic and international applicants that meets the full demonstrated need of every admitted student, eliminating loans for low-income students.  The net price of attendance is approximately $13,000 per year.

Needless to say, it is really, really hard to be admitted as a freshmen.   The small class size, the personal attention from an academic adviser charged with only five advisees, ranks Amherst one of the highest in schools for dollar spent per student.  Amherst is known as the “Singing College”, with numerous a cappella and singing groups.   Other traditions include sliding down Memorial Hill on dining hall trays after a fresh snowfall.  Some say the sport of Ultimate Frisbee was created at Amherst in the 1960s.  Amherst has many notable alums including Charles E. Merrill (1908), one of the founders of Merrill Lynch & Company and Raymond J. Teller (1969), half of the duo Penn and Teller.

We were very very impressed with our student tour guide.  He had an obvious talent for public speaking.  We also heard some students singing on the residential quad.  Campus life seems idyllic.  

Students who applied to Amherst College, also looked at Brown University, Williams College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  

For more information on Amherst College, visit  https://www.amherst.edu/.

Amherst College is located at 220 South Pleasant Street Amherst, MA  01002 (413) 542-2000