<p>Help! I am trying to decide between Bowdoin, Sewanee, and Vanderbilt. I am artsy and outdoorsy, and I want a school with a good party atmosphere (ie. parties everyone attends, social drinking rather than pre-gaming for the sole purpose of getting drunk, not too cliquey). SAT: 1560/2360, GPA: 4.0. I have also visited all three schools. </p>
<p>Bowdoin: Pros: great outdoor rec, great academics, diverse student body. Cons: Social life seems abysmal! They replaced frats with "Social Houses" in 1997, and from the students I have talked to, only sophomores live in the houses and only freshmen go to the parties, and everyone pre-games beforehand. What do the juniors and seniors do? It seems very cliquey as well--reading other reviews, it seems as if you only hang out with your five or six closest friends/sports team all four years. I understand that will probably be the case at any college, but at Bowdoin it seems like people do not branch out much beyond their main friend group. Students also have a reputation for pre-gaming more so than other schools.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt: great academics, great social scene. Cons: Out of 6,000 students, I heard only 30 or so are involved in the outdoor rec club. Also, the student body has a reputation for being very homogenous and preppy.</p>
<p>Sewanee: great social scene, great outdoor rec. Cons: I'm worried it will not be academically challenging enough. Also, the student body is even more homogenous than Vandy, though less preppy. </p>
<p>Any thoughts? What do students or parents think about the social life at these schools? Thanks!</p>
<p>You might be right about the small number, sad to say. But if you do go to Vanderbilt (my son is a senior and I think it is great), why not take it upon yourself to get those numbers up? I’ve seen some of the photos they’ve posted and their outings look great. It doesn’t take long to get out of Nashville and into the countryside.</p>
<p>I have a daughter at Sewanee who is both outdoorsy and socially active, although not with your impressive scores and GPA. We have met many of her friends and have been very impressed with the seriousness and intensity that they apply to their academics but without the ugly competitiveness that you see at some schools. I think you will find plenty of students to push you. And with the strong relationships that the students and faculty establish you will find your professors asking for your best work.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt and Sewanee have very different atmospheres. I love them both. Sewage is very isolated and Vandy is in the middle of Nashville with lots of off-campus things to do and an intense SEC sports scene. Percy Warner Park is an amazing resource for anyone who likes outdoor activities, but it is not within walking distance.<br>
Congrats on your choices. I would pick Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>Sewage? That has to be one of the most unfortunate typos You are right that Sewanee has a great social scene and wonderful opportunities for outdoor activities. But I think you’re selling them short academically. It’s a wonderful school and you will have plenty of opportunity for a challenge. Sandstone is right that you will form close bonds with advisors/professors and you will be encouraged to perform your best.</p>
<p>^^^I was thinking that maybe the Sewage blooper was the result of an auto-correct, or auto-complete feature on a smart phone or an IPad. I hear they can result in some strange mistakes.</p>
<p>I know MOWC really does like Sewanee and it was not intended to be an insult.</p>
<p>Sewanee is out unless is way cheaper. What do the financials look like between Vandy and Bowdoin. This is a tough one, I think it really depends upon environment you are looking for.</p>
<p>I have a substantial merit scholarship at Sewanee that makes it half the price of Vanderbilt and Bowdoin, both of which are running around $55K…</p>
<p>Do many people go to Percy Warner Park often? Is there transportation to and from campus?</p>
<p>^^^I’m guessing the answer to that is no, but I’m not really sure. Students have bus passes, and the buses have routes near campus (at least my son took one daily when he lived downtown and commuted to campus one summer), but I wouldn’t bet that there are routes that go out to Percy Warner Park. You can probably find the bus routes online and check it.</p>
<p>Or, contact someone from the outdoor rec club you mentioned and ask where they go and how they get there, and whether there is transportation for someone who wants to get to the outdoor locales on their own.</p>
<p>Radnor Lake is also nice for outings, although the path around the lake itself is restricted to walking. Not running, not jogging, not biking, not dog-walking, just walking–the signs make that very clear! The road is not so restricted, and the other areas are not so limited. It is a lovely walk, though.</p>
<p>I have many friends at both Vanderbilt and Sewanee and think that you can receive a great education at either school. While Vanderbilt certainly has great name recognition, I think that others here have been too quick to discredit the academic rigor at Sewanee. I applied to several small liberal arts colleges and think that there are definite advantages to the close student/faculty relationships that develop in an intimate academic setting. All of my family friends who graduated from Sewanee went on to great graduate programs and have been very successful.</p>
<p>On another note, if you truly value the outdoors, the arts, and a unique social scene, then Sewanee is probably the place for you. I’ve always enjoyed time up on the Mountain. Vanderbilt by contrast has always seemed a little sterile for my taste.</p>
<p>Hey Emily, I am a current senior at Sewanee, and I had a similar worry before coming here- I thought I was going to be towards the top of my class, and maybe not academically challenged as much as I’d like. After spending a few weeks on campus, I quickly realized I was not a “big dog on campus” by any means. I made friends with students who had come for merit weekend their senior year and I learned that there is a range of academic level within the student body. No matter how high your academic level is, the class sizes are small enough that your professor will always make sure you are challenged! I can guarantee you Sewanee students aren’t bored by their classes, their workload, or by anything else for that matter. We have rigorous academics without classwork being the only thing that rules our lives- in addition to being a double major I’m also on the tennis team, in a sorority, and in a few other organizations. Let me know if you have other questions!</p>
<p>Droberson, what organizations are you in at Sewanee? Are students involved in student groups other than sororities and fraternities? What are some of the most popular organizations?</p>
<p>I am SO sorry for the “Sewage” post! That WAS an auto-correct from my iPad, and I was in an airport and didn’t notice it. I LOVE Sewanee and get up there as often as I can. My daughter is going to be the Chaplain at a summer camp up there for a month or so this summer.</p>
<p>I think upperclassmen at Vandy who have cars DO get over to Percy Warner pretty often. I know I’ve seen Vandy groups over there running and hiking.</p>
<p>I also agree that the academic rigor of Sewanee will be there. It is well-respected in this part of the country and I know a lot of top Nashville doctors and lawyers who have kids there. I also know some who have gotten the “your kid is in jail for underage drinking” call in the middle of the night. :)</p>
<p>Emily- In addition to being on the varsity tennis team, I am a tour guide and senior interviewer, as well as being a member in various honor societies and leadership societies (Omicron Delta Kappa, Sigma Delta Pi, and Sigma Pi Sigma). My freshman and sophomore years I was a member of Big People for Little People (just what it sounds like- a mentoring program with the local elementary school), and I also taught Spanish at the same school as an after-school activity. I’m also a member of the Sewanee Art Forum and the Order of Gownsmen, which is our student body government, and I am an International Ambassador for the study abroad program I went to Chile with (IFSA-Butler). </p>
<p>Big People for Little People is one of the most popular organizations outside of greek life, and many people participate in the intramural and varsity sports teams. A lot of people are involved with our Sewanee Outing Program, which works hard to offer trips to people of all different skill levels. On any given week there is a variety of climbing, hiking, caving, biking, camping and canoeing trips being offered. They also lead really awesome trips over all the breaks if you don’t want to go canoeing down the Rio Grande or snowshoe across the continental divide. You’ll rarely find a Sewanee student that does just one thing on campus- all my friends have similar lists of clubs and organizations in which they participate!</p>
<p>If i have to choose between Vanderbilt and Bowdoin, I would go to bowdoin.
Personally i’m deciding between bates and wake forest. So I’m essentially deciding between the slightly poorer bowdoin and vanderbilt in terms of rankings. I decidede Bates btw,</p>
<p>As a sewanee student with several friends in top tier schools including Vanderbilt, Yale, UNC, and Princeton I have found that none of my peers have really found themselves. </p>
<p>I think college is a place to learn, but the experience is so much more than academics and greek organizations. While these very prestigious schools prepare all of their students academically and socially for the future, Sewanee also prepares its students in these categories and also how to think critically and liberally. In today’s competitive academic setting the liberal arts is a rarity, but alas, it is a true gem. I believe it is the best and most pure (not to mention Ancient) form of education. </p>
<p>I can only speak so fondly because of the experience I have had on the mountain. Although I am not the smartest person in the room, I am able to converse, debate, and most importantly, think broadly on very important and significant issues that face us today. </p>
<p>At the University of the South you are taught the liberal arts, but you are also taught to learn about yourself. </p>
<p>I wish you luck with your college choices. YSR!</p>
<p>Um . . . this thread died well over a year ago, and it’s entitled to rest in peace. Thank you (??) Aspiritononthemtn, for creating the pro-Sewanee “undead” thread? Kind of ghoulish, and no positive reflection on your school however much you may be loving it.</p>
You are right that Sewanee has a great social scene and wonderful opportunities for outdoor activities. But I think you’re selling them short academically. It’s a wonderful school and you will have plenty of opportunity for a challenge. Sandstone is right that you will form close bonds with advisors/professors and you will be encouraged to perform your best.</p>