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What You Need to Know About NESCAC Schools
By
Zach Skillings
Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Growth Product Manager. During his time as a Scholarships360 writer, he specialized in college admissions, striving to answer important questions about higher education. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.
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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Scholarship Services at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Let’s say you’ve decided that you want to attend a liberal arts college, and perhaps you wouldn’t mind going to school in the northeast. If that’s the case, then you’ll definitely want to know about NESCAC schools.
What is the NESCAC?
The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) is a group of liberal arts colleges and universities in the northeastern United States. The conference dates back to 1971, when its members were brought together out of a shared philosophy regarding college athletics. NESCAC schools believe that while athletics are an important part of the college experience, they shouldn’t take a higher priority than academics.
Along with their shared beliefs regarding sports, NESCAC schools are also known for their top-notch liberal arts programs. In fact, every school in the conference is considered a “Little Ivy” because their academics are so highly regarded. Here’s a list of all the NESCAC schools, broken down by acceptance rate.
| School | State | Acceptance Rate | Undergraduate Enrollment | Tuition |
| Bowdoin College | ME | 9% | 1,909 | $61,528 |
| Colby College | ME | 8% | 2,299 | $63,520 |
| Amherst College | MA | 7% | 1,898 | $64,100 |
| Bates College | ME | 14% | 1,790 | $61,066 |
| Williams College | MA | 9% | 2,138 | $61,770 |
| Tufts University | MA | 11% | 6,747 | $73,616 |
| Middlebury College | VT | 13% | 2,751 | $62,460 |
| Hamilton College | NY | 12% | 2,071 | $62,670 |
| Wesleyan University | CT | 16% | 3,006 | $73,084 |
| Trinity College | CT | 31% | 2,491 | $49,264 |
| Connecticut College | CT | 40% | 1,915 | $63,005 |
What do NESCAC schools have in common?
Athletics
Simply put, NESCAC schools believe that athletics should take a backseat to academics. However, this isn’t to say that these schools don’t value athletics. The belief is that students can learn just as much on the field as they can in the classroom.
Sports are viewed as part of the student’s education and should be played purely for the love of the game. This differs from the philosophy of large universities like the Big 10 schools, where emphasis is placed on winning championships and generating revenue.
Meanwhile, NESCAC schools maintain that athletics should never get bigger than academics at the collegiate level. In keeping with this philosophy, the NESCAC abides by restrictive rules. For instance, athletic scholarships are not awarded, and sports seasons are shorter than average.
Little Ivies
Since NESCAC schools place such a high priority on academics, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’re all considered “Little Ivies.” The Little Ivies are a group of academically competitive and highly selective schools known for their rigorous liberal arts programs. As members of the Little Ivies, it goes without saying that NESCAC schools are some of the most prestigious colleges in the nation.
Keep reading: What are the little ivies?
Small Student Bodies
Unlike many Ivy League colleges and Public Ivies, NESCAC colleges have very small student bodies. With the exception of Tufts University, which enrolls nearly 6,000 students, every other school has an undergraduate population hovering around 2,000. This is an attractive feature for anyone seeking a small campus culture.
Check out: Top liberal arts colleges in the US
Undergraduate Focus
Most NESCAC schools focus exclusively on undergraduate education. This means that they only offer bachelor’s degrees rather than master’s degrees and doctorate degrees. As such, most schools in the conference are actually labeled as colleges instead of universities. Tufts University and Wesleyan University are the two exceptions.
Don’t miss: Top colleges for students in 2025
Key Takeaways
Frequently asked questions about NESCAC schools
How are liberal arts colleges different from regular ones?
What sports does the NESCAC have?
What is the best NESCAC school?