<p>I'm not really into the club scene, but at the same time I also love parties. I love hanging out with friends and my idea of a good time is going to get-togethers and going out to dinner. An ideal night for me would start with a fun dinner followed by a not-so-intense party scene. I actually really like parties but I'm more of the person on the side than the person on the dance floor. My experiences at club scenes and more intense parties hasn't been great and that isn't my thing. Embarrassingly enough, I rather be sitting in a circle playing mafia. </p>
<p>I'm struggling find a school that fits this, as I'm only seeing two extremes: alcohol/drug intensive party scenes and schools where students do nothing but study.</p>
<p>My preliminary list is: Penn, Columbia, Dartmouth, Brandeis, Tufts, Duke, Brown, WashU, Northwestern, UChicago, and Emory. What are your thoughts on these schools given my social preferences? Are there other schools you recommend?</p>
<p>Jason I think that you are missing the point of college. </p>
<p>First of all, many colleges fall into stereotypes. There are the sober schools where everyone sits in the library all day, and of course, the big southern schools where everyone joins the greek system and parties continuously for 4 years. </p>
<p>Of course, these are just stereotypes. The schools that you have listed are all very good schools, and for the most part, are mid size to large universities. The point is that wherever you go, you will find what you are looking for, I guarantee it, and if you don’t, then you just aren’t looking hard enough. </p>
<p>Even if you go to a huge greek dominated school, there will be tons of students who still share the same interests as you and would prefer a quiet party to a massive rager. Especially at the top schools that you have mentioned, I don’t think that any of them could do you wrong.</p>
<p>Charlie you hit it right on the head. OP, you really need to take Charlie’s advice.</p>
<p>At the end of the spring semester I’m going to do an overview of my freshman year (which I know will be helpful so look out for that).</p>
<p>Back to the OP, you’re never going to know for sure until you there. While each school listed has stigmas associated with them, you’ll never know until you’re actually living the experience.</p>
<p>You can’t judge an entire school before going there! No matter where you go, there will be different types of people. Buuut … stereotypes do come from somewhere, don’t they …</p>
<p>Like charlie said, most of those schools are big enough that you’ll be able to find people who share your sense of a good time. I go to one of the schools on your list, and even though I’m not into hardcore partying/alcohol, I still have plenty of fun with friends: going out to dinner, movie nights, just chilling, etc (even playing mafia at times).</p>
<p>The one thing that might be hard to find is a party scene that isn’t alcohol-heavy. At least at my school, it seems like all the parties are squarely focused on alcohol. This situation may be unique to my school, but I suspect that “parties” at most colleges are predominantly alcohol-oriented. Thoughts?</p>
<p>^Well if they’re not alcohol oriented, what would it be instead? Drugs? I’ve noticed that most college students want to get wasted in some form or another. Work hard, party hard and all that.</p>
Not always true. At my college (although it is a small LAC), it’s quite common to ask “hey, does anyone want to smoke?” at parties, even when you don’t know everyone in the group you are asking. Specific to harder drugs, I would agree.</p>