A parent with a student/athlete that could get into Amherst (or any NESCAC school, outside of Trinity) would be stupid not to.
The best school is the one that fits. Lacrosse is a niche sport. There is nothing, career wise, after college. Amherst, Williams, Hamilton, Middlebury, etc have the highest ROI (return of investment) per the Princeton Review, Forbes and others. They are not for everyone--academically your child has to be in the top of their class. They are expensive but the endowments at these schools dwarf the Penn State and Ohio State and Jacksonville (really, Jacksonville). You will get money.
D3 lacrosse is not intramural. Hamilton beat eventuall D2 Champ Florida Southern last year and did not make the D3 playoffs. Let's put that notion to rest. D1 outside of top tier programs is ordinary.
