<p>Not sure if you guys remember The Big Chill. That's my idea of a great undergraduate experience.</p>
<p>A well-rounded, university that places an emphasis on undergraduates, offering something for everyone is the University of Southern California. </p>
<p>USC offers challenging classes through a variety of majors and minors. Students can study in the liberal College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences or in any of the many renowned professional schools specializing in engineering; architecture; policy, planning, and development; cinematic arts; business; communication; theater; music; education; and journalism. There are many student organizations catering to a variety of interests. School spirit is linked to the strength of athletic programs, the world-famous Trojan Marching Band, and a picturesque campus home to the Trojan Family of united students and alumni. In the heart of LA, the university offers exposure to the creative capital of the world. USC offers many research opportunities for undergraduates and 22 libraries. It's global reputation is strong, as it is home to the largest population of international students of any university in the US.</p>
<p>USC is not undergrad focused at all.</p>
<p>I always find it funny when people claim that a research university (like Cal, Chicago, Coumbia, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, Michigan, NU, Penn, Stanford etc...) are "undergrad focused". That is not to say that undergrads are short-changed, but undergrads are definitely not the center of attraction at such universities.</p>
<p>no offense alexandre, but you can hail grad programs all you want...but prestige is still reflected in what undergrad university you were accepted into...can't really deny that...no matter how bitter you are about not getting into one of those afore mentioned schools.
:(</p>
<p>I was admitted into 10 undergraduate institutions, including 4 Ivies, Cal, Chicago, Duke and Northwestern. I am not bitter whatsoever.</p>
<p>I don't see how what Alexandre said merited that reaction at all. In fact Cali, I am not even sure you read Alexandre's post.</p>
<p>Almost all of cali's now 25 posts reflect the same type of reaction, negativity and lack of manners. </p>
<p>If not a troll, he's pretty close</p>
<p>Come on, its a discussion. No need to be rude to others right :)</p>
<p>Cali, whats with the attacks? Aint cool, seriously...</p>
<p>Someone mentioned UVa as a candidate. Maybe I'm wrong but from what I hear its dominated by greek life there, hows that supposed to make a good college experience???</p>
<p>da<em>mad</em>cow,
At many colleges across the country, Greek life is an important part of the school's social life. Many times, the fraternities and sororities are the largest providers of social life on a college campus and often are active in the community service activities at a college. </p>
<p>While not for everybody, Greek life can make for an excellent college experience for many students, including at some of the nation's most selective, including Dartmouth, U Penn, Duke, Wash U, Cornell, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Emory, and Vanderbilt. Not to mention their prominence at many of the nation's top public schools, eg, U Virginia, William & Mary, U North Carolina, U Michigan, UCLA, and UC Berkeley.</p>
<p>Greek life is very low key at W&M. They throw good parties but its not extremely exclusive. Nothing compared to UNorth Carolina or UVirginia.</p>
<p>Mine would be:
Univ of Virginia
Vandy
Notre Dame
Duke</p>
<p>I am to lazy to read this entire thread, but it seems like the people at the beginning define their "best experience" based on how preppy, rich, and full of arrogant jocks go to the school. those lists are definitely the top 5 for that! Who wants to go to a darn Country Club for 4 years?</p>
<p>I think Northwestern has a really amazing undergrad experience. Big sports environment, greek life is there if you want it, solid programs in almost everything, nice suburb of Chicago, lots of different kids (theater/premed/journalism), all around solid bet. It's really popular at my HS. </p>
<p>I think Yale and Harvard have pretty good ones too. Great education, good support network, and in Harvard's case a sweet town. (Plus tradition, I mean can't be beat).</p>
<p>Stanford seems almost like most people's version of paradise if you ask me.</p>
<p>Slipper: You're quite incorrect. USC is very much focused on undergraduate education - far more so than most of its peer schools.</p>
<p>If you read USC President Stephen Sample's annual addresses to the USC faculty, you'll see his major focus has been, and will continue to be, "redefining the scope and character of undergraduate education."</p>
<p>With that in mind, I think USC offers an unsurpassed undergraduate experience.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Greek life is very low key at W&M. They throw good parties but its not extremely exclusive. Nothing compared to UNorth Carolina or UVirginia.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>doctorb, your comment above is questionable. Please try to get your facts straight when you post.</p>
<p>According to W&M's web site, "nearly 30% of all undergraduates are involved in the 26 groups that make up fraternity and sorority life at the College . . ."
<a href="http://www.wm.edu/studentactivities/greek/%5B/url%5D">http://www.wm.edu/studentactivities/greek/</a></p>
<p>According to UVA's website, "approximately 30%" are involved in Greek life there. <a href="http://www.virginia.edu/ofsl/faq.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.virginia.edu/ofsl/faq.html</a></p>
<p>At UNC-CH, "17% of Carolina undergraduate students are members of fraternities & sororities (the national average for state schools is 15%-18%)." <a href="http://newstudents.unc.edu/content/view/58/33/%5B/url%5D">http://newstudents.unc.edu/content/view/58/33/</a></p>
<p>Since "the national average for state schools is 15-18%," by all accounts, both W&M and UVA (both at ~30%) seem to be much more heavily Greek than other state schools. This would certainly include UNC, where only 17% of students are involved in a fraternity or sorority, leaving a significant percentage of the ~17,000 undergraduate population who do not join (~14,000). </p>
<p>Every time you make a comment about W&M on any of these threads, you constantly compare the school to UVA and/or UNC. You obviously feel the need to do that, and that's fine, but would you do your homework and get your facts straight before constantly making these inaccurate comparisons?</p>
<p>"At many colleges across the country, Greek life is an important part of the school's social life. Many times, the fraternities and sororities are the largest providers of social life on a college campus and often are active in the community service activities at a college"</p>
<p>I agree, I got loads of friends at frats and sororities, and theyre really nice people. The existence surely helps, but at some others the DOMINATION of Greek life actually ruins the social life, making it harder to break the barrier between the communities.</p>
<p>It doesnt apply to all school, but this is exactly what I heard about Rensselaer and MiamiU's greek system.</p>
<p>I can't speak to the Greek scene at RPI or U Miami, but you hopefully will give those in the Greek scene a fair shake. Also, Greek life is just one aspect of the social life of a school and this is the case with nearly all of the schools that I referenced. Schools and students associated with the Greek scene often get unfairly painted here on CC as being part of some neanderthal group. Greek life is sometimes a turnoff for me as well (particularly one that is very cliquish and heavily alcohol laden), but generally speaking the fraternities/sororities are probably more good than bad on most college campuses and add a fun social element to many schools, whether you are a member or not.</p>
<p>jack- Go party at UNC or UVA any time from wed through sun and compare with W&M. There is a reason Ted Kennedy went to UVA law vs Harvard</p>
<p>so true doc. W&M is very laid back socially.</p>