Ursinus, Bryn Mawr, Drexel

[JacksonPanther]

I notice that US News has enough subcategories to make almost any school feel elite in some area ("top public school in the northeast!"). But when I look at the overall ranking for Bryn Mawr, it was 77. Less than my alma mater Pitt at 68, which is hardly elite.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

I notice that US News has enough subcategories to make almost any school feel elite in some area ("top public school in the northeast!"). But when I look at the overall ranking for Bryn Mawr, it was 77. Less than my alma mater Pitt at 68, which is hardly elite.

A large research university and a small liberal arts college really shouldn't be ranked together. It's rather silly, as they are apples-oranges.

US News rankings are fundamentally flawed as it is. So much is driven by academically unrelated factors like admissions statistics and alumni giving, for examples. It's an exercise in hair-splitting.

Schools have also been found to fudge their numbers solely to perform higher on these rankings. They should be taken with a spoonful of salt, and they receive much more credit than they really deserve.

[Muinteoir]

Originally Posted by Duderino

A large research university and a small liberal arts college really shouldn't be ranked together. It's rather silly, as they are apples-oranges.

US News rankings are fundamentally flawed as it is. So much is driven by academically unrelated factors like admissions statistics and alumni giving, for examples. It's an exercise in hair-splitting.

Schools have also been found to fudge their numbers solely to perform higher on these rankings. They should be taken with a spoonful of salt, and they receive much more credit than they really deserve.

This is all spot on. Bryn Mawr is a highly regarded school. My brother went to Haverford and took a couple of classes at Bryn Mawr, and he reported having an enriching and rigorous academic experience there.

Also of note is that while some colleges/universities play to the numbers to increase their rankings, others refuse to report numbers out of a principled opposition to the USNWR ranking system. Reed College in Portland is one striking example of this, and the college is therefore highly under-ranked on USNWR.

Back to the OP's questions more directly. I agree with others that you have picked three very different colleges/universities. It's almost as if your student is more interested in being in the Philly area than the colleges/universities themselves, haha. I think everyone has given a decent run down of their differences.

I will say, to bridge's earlier point on climate, it will be a shock to you from the West Coast. But FWIW, coming from Upstate NY, I find Philadelphia's seasons to feel so much better balanced. To me, spring in Philadelphia is true and prolonged. Inklings of spring begin to show mid March, and the weather doesn't begin to feel consistently hot until sometime around mid June (your child will be on summer break by then, anways). Where I'm from, spring seems to last but one month. Autumns are more glorious farther north, but they are also more short lived. It can feel like autumn into early December in Philly. IMO, winter is a wash because it is more beautiful in New England/Upstate, and winter sporting is better, but Philadelphia has fewer stiflingly-cold days. So while not West Coast easy, if your child has also looked to "elite" schools in New England / Upstate NY, I think they'd have an easier transition in Philly.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

I notice that US News has enough subcategories to make almost any school feel elite in some area ("top public school in the northeast!"). But when I look at the overall ranking for Bryn Mawr, it was 77. Less than my alma mater Pitt at 68, which is hardly elite.

I take it you’re referring to the Forbes rankings, which, as others point out, shouldn’t be ranking large research universities and small liberal arts colleges together. I, too, am a Pitt UG alum, and I agree that our alma mater is not “elite,” although it’s plenty respectable as a flagship-level state university. Bryn Mawr has more cachet as a liberal arts college than Pitt does as a university.

That said, I don’t think Bryn Mawr is quite elite, but somewhere between respectable and elite. Haverford and Swarthmore are elite.