Everybody dreams about joining a top-tier college or university. Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Princeton are the first choice on many wishlists. However, going to a lesser-known college in the United States with great potential doesn’t mean a disadvantage! You won’t miss out on college life essentials, such as first-class education, expanding your social network, fun, and promising career options. So why won’t you discover outstanding alternatives to Ivy League establishments?
Why should you give smaller colleges a chance?
You may wonder whether you can attend such a small but excellent college in your area. Getting in touch with expert local real estate agents could be the ideal solution for your inquiry!
America has gained a fantastic international reputation in terms of higher education. Yet, the best US states for schooling don’t feature only elite institutions but hidden gems that may have flown under your radar.
There are countless perks why you should prefer these public and private schools to their most renowned counterparts. Stand out from the crowd and have your voice heard in smaller colleges! Attendees will benefit from a more advantageous learning process as the teacher-to-student ratio is smaller.
Moreover, college dorms won’t be such a pain as in the case of mainstream and overcrowded universities where parties last till the break of dawn. Furthermore, tuition tends to be more affordable. Let’s look at our top picks for little-known colleges with exceptional potential!
Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts
Founded in 1870 as a female seminary, Wellesley College is a private women’s liberal arts institution. In the 2021-2022 school year, the college enrolled 2,460 undergraduate students. U.S. News & World Report announced that this remarkable establishment ranks number five on their National Liberal Arts College ranking. Additionally, our beloved school ranked number three on the best Massachusetts small colleges and liberal arts establishments in 2023.
Currently, Wellesley College hosts 56 departmental majors and about 150 student clubs and organizations. Quantitative Economics, Research and Experimental Psychology, Political Science and Government, and Computer and Information Sciences are its trendiest majors.
You’ll find a passionate staff of teachers who inspire their students to bring out the best in them. In addition, the extracurricular list of activities is genuinely impressive, which will further enhance your future employment chances. Also, lots of established financial firms love to recruit from Wellesley!
The tuition and fees for attending Wellesley amount to $61,000. You must also know that the acceptance rate is relatively low, namely 16 percent. Albeit, in terms the graduation, it performs extraordinarily with 92 percent. The median SAT/ACT score is 1435/32. All of these are advantages hard to beat. So why don’t you give Wellesley College a chance?
Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio
The private liberal arts college and music conservatory was established in 1833 and has accumulated an incredible reputation nationwide. It offers more than fifty majors and minors. About 3,000 students graduate from Oberlin College yearly.
Its most popular majors are the following: Music Performance, History, Neuroscience, Biological Sciences, and Environmental Studies. However, the Conservatory of Music is undeniably the most sought-after. Did you know that competition here can be fierce, as about 1,400 students worldwide apply for 120 seats annually?
Oberlin features the so-called Experimental College, an out-of-the-box student-run department. The department enables college attendees to teach classes for certain college credits. How awesome is that?
On the Academic Influence annual list, Oberlin College is the best small Ohio college, winning the top spot in the Best liberal arts colleges in 2023! Nationwide, it was ranked ninth on the Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Students. Tuition and fees amount to $60,000. Its acceptance rate is 34 percent, while its graduation rate is 82 percent. Oberlin College’s median SAT/ACT is 1315/30.
Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York
Vassar College (established in 1861) is another outstanding educational facility with rich historical background and traditions. The private liberal arts college enrolls about 2,500 undergraduate students (2021.) Suppose you’re interested in one of these majors: English Language and Literature, Computer and Information Sciences, Biochemistry, and Biological Sciences, among many others. Then, your should definitely submit your application to Vassar College!
In addition, the facility provides a fantastic self-instructional language program where you can learn and master language skills in Hindi, Portuguese, Swahili, Yiddish, Irish/Gaelic, etc. Plus, they encourage studying abroad and offer excellent scholarships.
In 2023, Vassar was ranked the third Best Small College in New York and number two on the Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Communications Degree list. Nationally, it ranked as the thirty-first Best Value School.
In a nutshell, you’d be attending a prestigious institution where you can lay the foundations of your future career. Besides, Poughkeepsie is a vibrant college town and one of the most gorgeous places to visit in New York State due to its historic architecture and breathtaking surroundings along the Hudson River.
Haverford College in Haverford, Pennsylvania
For starters, Haverford, PA, is a must-visit charming US town no bucket list is complete without. Moreover, it hosts one of our top picks regarding small colleges in the US. Haverford College. The liberal arts school was established in 1833, and it enrolls about 1,400 students from all across our nation. Haverford provides 31 majors in social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. Chemistry, Psychology, English Literature, Economics, and Computer Sciences are the most in-demand majors.
Plus, you can obtain a degree in Bachelor of Arts and Sciences. Yet, you must know that the school is considered very selective with its applicants, as the acceptance rate is merely 18 percent. In contrast, ninety percent of all students graduate from Haverford College with an above-the-average median SAT/ACT of 1440/33. No wonder Haverford College ranked number two on Academic Influence’s list of the Best Small Colleges in Pennsylvania in 2023 and eighteenth on USANews’s Best Value School list in 2022.
The honor code in Quaker-style philosophy governs life on campus. Did you know the school property hosts our nation’s oldest collegiate arboretum on 216 acres? To date, the arboretum, showcasing exquisite sculptures, Asian gardens, conifers, and a duck pond, makes for students’ favorite hangout place.
Conclusion
Whichever of these small but potent colleges you choose, you’ll receive a career-defining education supplying a firm knowledge base and skills acquisition. First and foremost, these distinguished establishments cater to the individual needs of their students. Second, you’ll enjoy greater flexibility and smaller class sizes, contributing to a more spectacular personal development.
Based on their past test scores and presence in numerous best-of lists, they genuinely have proven their worth. Undergraduates and graduates will have the best of times here!