<p>I've been reading and have posted on the recent southeastern colleges thread. Roanoke, a school which is been on my radar for a couple of years, but to which D1 did not apply, is again in-play. </p>
<p>While the school looks good on paper, an earlier thread contained a number of negative reviews, describing the campus as consevative, with a signf contingent of born again students, lacking in racial diversity and one where a presumably northern student's "urban quirkiness and liberal politics" were not appreciated. Also, on the southeastern college thread, a poster who commented favorably on McDaniel College (in MD), warned of possible racial issues at Roanoke, though admittedly generalizing about schools in VA.</p>
<p>I know that visiting is the best way to judge the "feel" of a campus, but we can't visit every school on the prelim list, and I'd like a better sense of whether Roanoke should remain in play.</p>
<p>It's not the quirkiness or liberal politics that will make your son feel out of place. IMHO, it's the urban thing. Roanoke is in a very small town in southwest Virginia. My son loves it and is fairly quirky and definitely from the Northeast. I doubt there is anyone of his religion on campus. He doesn't care, neither do any of his friends. Son is one of the funniest people I know and a huge fan of Jon Stewart and Steven Cobert. In HS he was in both the marching band and a ska band. Not a frat kinda guy.</p>
<p>It is lacking in racial diversity but since my son's school is 93% white, anything less then that is an improvement for him. Overall, there is a lack of racial diversity in private colleges around the US. I encourage you to have your son apply (the on-line application was free and the easiest one for my son to do) get the financial info and then decide. My son was invited to attend a local event sometime in the winter in Philadelphia where we heard more about the school in a small group setting and met the regional admissions person. A lot can change between the fall when applications are sent in and the spring when the decision is due.</p>
<p>Kathiep, ater reading the south-east colleges thread, I searched for your earlier posts on Roanoke and that's where I found the concerns listed in my original post. </p>
<p>I know that your son is from the north-east and has been happy at Roanoke. But at least a couple of times you have said Roanoke was more diverse than your son's 97% white highschool. That may be why Roanoke's 4% black enrollment - - in conjunction with its southern locale and "the urban thing" - - doesn't immediately set off your radar, the way it does mine. It is also why I worry that my city kid, with a different need/desire for racial diversity, might not settle in as quickly, easily or happily as your son did. </p>
<p>We may apply and then, depending on the outcome, visit. OTOH, I am anxious to winnow down the prelim list intelligently - - otherwise we're looking at 20+ applications and supplements.</p>
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My son has been at Roanoke for 5 weeks now and we just visited him for Family Weekend. To say he is disappointed so far is an understatement. He is in a dorm with all Lacross players that are drunk out of their minds most of the time. They come back from parties most days at 5 am and start throwing trash cans down the hall and punching in doors, signs, anything punchable. The couple that lives on the floor might as well not even be there because they do absolutely nothing, neither do the RAs. The campus police have shown up twice and issued citations but this is still constantly going on. I feel we were extremely misled as to the character of this school. It's very preppy, greek and lacrossy (if that's a word). If my son would have known this, this school wouldn't have made the list. Most kids he's met don't seem to care too much about academics, just partying. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT SO FAR. I know it's still early in the year so we're waiting to see if it gets any better and he is definitely going to switch dorms.
<p>nyc, I understand where you are coming from and I realize that my son doesn't miss diversity because he's never really experienced it. I am NOT saying that as a good thing. I think meeting people with different backgrounds and lifestyles is a good thing. However, it was the merit offer that was the clincher and diversity was low on his priority list.</p>
<p>NEmom, I remember talking to that Mom after that post and even had my son read the thread. He knew the dorm she was talking about and offered to talk to her son and introduce him to his friends. The son was not interested and I understand because it may have seemed too much like Mom was interfering. From what my son said, the lacrosse kids have the rep on Roanoke campus that football players have at other colleges. He also said that it's usually pretty easy to transfer roommates or rooms in second semester. Even so, it also bothered me that that actually happened at all and it sounded like the people in charge were letting it happen and I have no answer for that. Son did say that the particular guy that we're discussing was probably placed there because they were doing renovation on another dorm and I believe it was done and opened either in the Spring or this fall.</p>
<p>Kathiep, I hope my post didn't sound harsh. I know that you weren't saying that the lack of diversity was a good thing - - either at Roanoke or at private colleges in general. I was just explaining my heightened concern. I really appreciate your describing your son's high school and religious background, so that I had more of a context for comments.</p>
<p>NEmom, I remember your posts from the earlier thread and I was hoping you would weigh-in, especially if you had any recent info. I found the post about the lacrosse roommate troubling, but I believe those posts were from a couple of years ago. I'm hopin for additional and more recent accounts.</p>
<p>nyc, and kathiep, the only info that I have gotten is about a year old. I spoke with an admissions counselor about this. I was told that athletes are housed along with non-athletes. My son tells me that at the school he attends it is the same, but athletes are never seen. He says that they are out the door at 5:30am and return usually at 11pm. They never create a disruption. I did visit Roanoke, and from the very FEW people that I came across I got the feeling that this school is a cross between preppy and crunchy granola. It might not be accurate at all, but I am basing the feeling upon the few people I came across within a couple of hours spent on the campus. BTW, the campus is beautiful. We were very very impressed with the small class sizes that we saw as we walked through the halls and poked our heads into some classes.</p>
<p>Another thing that I find to be a big plus, especially for someone used to being in a more urban environment, or seeking it, is that Roanoke, the city, is a short ride away.</p>
<p>You know, NYC, your original post could be considered offensive. Whether or not you like born-again students, the idea that any group of students on the whole is a group to be avoided shows a certain type of narrowmindedness and judgementalism. If you had said you didn't want to go to a school with a large percentage of Asians, African-Americans or women, no one would even bother to respond to your post. Actually, I think you might find that there are a fair number of people who are born again who are also fun, make good friends and don't need to be avoided. to each his own, I guess. I guess being from New York is no guarantee that you would be liberal or tolerant.</p>
<p>We visited my S at Roanoke this past weekend for Family Weekend. He is a freshman there and absolutely loves it. The small class sizes are a real plus for him- profs are very accessible. So far, we're really pleased. Roanoke was by far his top choice. </p>
<p>In terms of the diversity- his floor appears to be very diverse. It is a typical "rowdy" freshman dorm- but not really any problems with excessive drinking or a lack of respect for others. When we were there the dorm was very clean; son said it was usually that way. It doesn't seem he's had any of the problems mentioned in an earlier post. </p>
<p>The campus is small; Roanoke is not far and there is bus service on the weekend. School is probably not the best for a student seeking a booming metropolis. Student groups are very active- plenty of opportunities to meet students with similar interests if frats/lacrosse etc. aren't your scene. </p>
<p>Plenty of religious services on campus. Tolerance appears to be the rule. </p>
<p>Because the campus is so small, I don't want to talk too much about my son- but if you have any questions, etc. please feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>Momzie, I don't think that my interest in campus demographics is unique or offensive. I do not think that all born-again students ought to be avoided, but I do worry that a campus with a particular concentration might not be the right fit. I have similar concers regarding the percentage of in-state students, the percentage of students in frats/sororities, the percentage of commuters and the percentage of students residing off-campus. </p>
<p>When D applied to college, she was concerned about the percentage of female students at coed schools; she didn't want to attend a college with a dramatic gender imbalance. Nor was she interested in attending a HBCU.(fyi - - applicant families don't have to ask about the percentage of black, Asian or Latino students; those figures are posted on Princeton Review, Peterson's and often even the colleges' own web sites). Both factors were valid considerations.</p>