<p>i've always gravitated towards intelligence. 90% of my friends are all smarter than I am, yet we get along quite well and understand each other completely. It's frustrating cause admissions officers will only get to see me as a piece of paper and most likely I'll be rejected from my "reach" schools and be forced to go to a safety where I'm not going to fit in with the students very well at all. I don't want to go somewhere where the center of attention is sorority girls and frat boys. I'm fine with drinking, but I want to avoid schools where that is ALL THAT STUDENTS DO on the weekends. I don't want to go to a hippie school either, where everyone's pushing for pot and topless pools (Pitzer college- I watched a video). I know I'm not in a position to be picky (30 ACT 3.8 UW, 4.3 W) but I feel like the only place I will fit in is a small LAC that I probably have no chance at getting into. (Bowdoin, Davidson, I really like Emory U also) </p>
<p>It's kind of strange I realize, most people enjoy feeling superior and more intelligent that the people they are in class with, but that's not me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm "too good" for my safeties - no way they're all fantastic schools- but the students there, I know aren't going to be at the level of maturity they are at the schools I WANT to go to. I just know they're a stretch for me and in the end I'll probably end up having to go to a safety where I don't fit in with the student body. I just want to be able to surround myself with intelligent girls who don't want to get drunk every single night for fun, and guys that don't base a girl's worth off her appearance. </p>
<p>Has anyone else ever had (or known anyone) that's had this same problem? I just want to be around MATURE people, and please don't try to tell me there's great people at every school- I'm well aware of this. I'm also aware that at less selective schools there's always almost going to be a more prevalent hookup, drug & alcohol scene. I know there is alcohol and what not on selective campuses, however; students there are usually smart enough to know when enough is enough and how to handle themselves. Basically I just want to be around smart people with common sense. I was looking into SCU for a minute- then I watched a Delta Gamma video and a girl goes "I KNEW I wanted to join DG right when I walked in the door, like, I LOVED the outfits" <--- those are the types I'm trying to avoid. Any advice or suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks for reading my rambling.</p>
<p>Okay, maybe you just wanted to vent, but you’ve got to get the idea that you’re somehow superior than most other students out of your head (that’s the vibe I’m getting from your post). Most people’s perceptions of themselves turn out to be wrong. You’re most likely have the maturity of the average seventeen y/o kid. Guess what? There’s a to-be freshmen at Harvard who just got back a positive pregnancy test. A rising sophomore at CalTech just discovered he has herpes. Some kid with a 4.0 GPA and 33 ACT is in the hospital because of alcohol poisoning right now. Being at a ‘smart school’ doesn’t mean everyone’s actually smart.</p>
<p>I understand what you want. I wouldn’t want to be around a lot of dumb drunks myself. On the other hand, your thinking seems to be so muddled but stereotypes and judgment. It is time to expand your world.</p>
<p>My cousin went to Bowdoin and there were plenty of idiot drinking types there, too. I sat next to two girls talking, who were going to go to Emory in the fall, and they were having the most inane conversation I have ever heard about frats and drinking and living their spoiled lives. Meanwhile, these “hippy” schools you are disparaging can include the most creative and intellectual people you would ever want to meet. I wonder why you think the students at Bowdoin or Emory are going to be any more “mature” than a school where some people score less well on the SAT.</p>
<p>Stop being so elitist! There are plenty of great schools for intellectuals that don’t suit your apparent need for status. I could make a long list. Maybe you should open your mind up to new possibilitites.</p>
<p>If you want to surround yourself with smart women, and you are a woman yourself, then work your way through this list: [The</a> Women’s College Coalition](<a href=“http://womenscolleges.org/]The”>http://womenscolleges.org/)</p>
<p>“I’m also aware that at less selective schools there’s always almost going to be a more prevalent hookup, drug & alcohol scene. I know there is alcohol and what not on selective campuses, however; students there are usually smart enough to know when enough is enough and how to handle themselves.”</p>
<p>Look, I’m just trying to avoid a central and competitive greek life. Is it a coincidence that schools like Ole Miss and Alabama have a very competitive sorority rush and that the greek scene is the center of the social life; whereas at schools like UC Berkeley and UVA this scene is not as prevalent? Less competitive schools attract more materialistic and less intelligent people that enjoy placing great emphasis on three greek letters, its a fact. Not saying there are not plenty of rich sorority brats at UVA and UCB, there are, but it does not by any means engulf the social life COMPLETELY. And no offense to Ole miss and Alabama, they have great honors programs, I could just never live with students like that.</p>
<p>First of all, you purport to be a mature individual while simultaneously arguing that most of those involved in greek life are “more materialistic and less intelligent”. Sorry, but that’s just patently false (consider how high Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, UCLA, and Duke’s greek participation rates are). </p>
<p>Secondly, SCU has a pretty tame social scene especially when compared with some more renown California schools. </p>
<p>Finally, the cold hard reality is that students, especially freshmen, overdo it at almost all residential, co-ed, non religious schools. I’ve been to a party at Berkeley where someone had to call an ambulance because a girl got alcohol poisoning. I’ve also seen cops at Emory try to wake up girls that were passed out drunk on the sidewalk and guys that had vomit all over their shirts. Really the main difference between a more selective school’s drinking scene (other than maybe engineering schools like Cal Tech) is that students tend to reserve the partying for Fridays and Saturdays. Maybe Thursdays depending on their course load but certainly not M-Sun.</p>
<p>I think you have a fair shot at some great LAC’s. I don’t think Davidson is out of reach, though I have heard there are plenty of preppy, athletic types there, which you might not like. What about Kenyon, Grinnell, Macalester, Carleton?</p>
<p>I think you need a strong religious school, not a selective school. No matter how selective a school is, there will be tons of partiers that drink and smoke. However, at a religious school, its very hard to find people that drink, smoke, do drugs etc. Look at:</p>
<p>BYU (very highly ranked for engineering, Business etc)
Yeshiva University</p>
<p>If I were you I would use the college search engine and say no to Greek life. There are plenty of good schools without it, or have fewer than 20% participating. Look at schools that are considered more intellectual, and look at Princeton Review’s list of schools with great professors. There you will find students most engaged with learning. Perhaps avoid schools with Business programs. There will be plenty of drinking at these schools, but perhaps you can avoid the shallowness that you write about.</p>
<p>Step 1 - stop watching youtube videos of stupid college students. You can’t judge any college based on those. Or if you did, you would need to stay at home and commute to a community college.
I understand what you are trying to find and this question comes up a lot. (try searching here on “drinking” or “partying” or “greek” and you will see other discussions). There isn’t any good way of avoiding immature college kids, they exist everywhere, more or less. Trying to find campuses where there are fewer idiots is tricky. My son tried to factor that into his college choices too
Try looking for lower % of Greek participation, LOTS of student clubs/activities relative to the number of total students, perhaps focus more on schools in urban areas - but none of these are sure-fire ways of avoiding the problem.</p>
<p>Less alcohol consumption is typically associated with:</p>
<ul>
<li>Black students and historically black schools (white students at historically black schools tend to drink less than white students at other schools)</li>
<li>Women and women’s schools</li>
<li>Not being in a fraternity or sorority</li>
<li>Two year schools (community colleges)</li>
<li>Commuting from home</li>
<li>Non-rural schools</li>
</ul>
<p>Of course, these are general trends, but you still need to evaluate whether an individual school has a heavy drinking culture or not. Then you have to filter the list of schools by your elitist preferences (apparently, only academic reach schools seem to be acceptable to you, leaving you with no safeties that you could possibly like).</p>
<p>Spelman College hits a lot of the less alcohol buttons: historically black women’s college, low sorority percentage, non-rural. In addition, it has a dry campus policy.</p>
<p>My D was in a similar situation – she is plenty smart but many of her HS friends were brilliant and ended up at Ivy/MIT/Caltech type of schools. She also wanted a LAC and I will tell you that she is happier than many of her friends at the bigger name schools. She has great friends, is getting a fantastic education (small classes, knows all her profs), and is involved in a number of extracurricular activities. Here is my advice.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Not to be rude, but get over it. Stop judging/comparing yourself to where your friends are applying and focus on finding schools that are a good fit for you. You have done very well academically and there are tons of colleges and universities that you should be able to get in and have a great experience at. </p></li>
<li><p>Stop focusing in on schools you don’t have much of a chance to get into. If you want to apply to one as a reach, that is fine. But move on.</p></li>
<li><p>If you want to avoid drinking altogether, focus on schools in major cities where there are other activities all around you.</p></li>
<li><p>If you want a LAC, take a close look at the USNWR list. I don’t put a ton of stock in the rankings, but it is a good list to start with and seek out schools that are in your range. [National</a> Liberal Arts College Rankings | Top Liberal Arts Colleges | US News Best Colleges](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges]National”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges)</p></li>
<li><p>At ANY school you go to you will have to work and seek out the people you want to be with. There are some people at even the “best” of schools who are immature, spoiled, and drink to excess and there are people at other schools who are extremely bright mature, and hard working. </p></li>
<li><p>In terms of specific colleges, some of the LACs we looked at with my D included Lafayette (which she attends and loves), Union, Dickinson, Franklin and Marshall, Skidmore, Muhlenberg, and Trinity. She liked some more than others (because of her interests, the overall “vibe” or whatever else) but suffice it to say that there are many great choices out there. Do some more research. Get some college guide books (I like Fiske and Princeton Review, but there are a lot), stop feeling sorry for yourself, and find a group of schools you can get into and that you will enjoy.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I agree with the above. Also you need to feel proud of what you have accomplished and the many fine colleges and universities that you will be able to get into with your achievements. This is a case where you can choose to be happy or be miserable – you can find schools where you will thrive and have a great experience or you can dwell on the few schools you likely won’t get into.</p>
<p>I’m also aware that at less selective schools there’s always almost going to be a more prevalent hookup, drug & alcohol scene</p>
<p>Well your “aware” is wrong. There are prevalent “hook ups,” drugs and booze at the tippy top schools as well. My nephew goes to Tufts. He and his pals head to MIT on weekends for - in his words - the best parties on earth. </p>
<p>Unless you go to a bible college, whenever you get a bunch of 18-22 year olds together, you’re going to see a lot of sex, booze, etc.</p>
<p>rice university-no frats -smart kids, who work hard</p>
<p>…and party. I’ve spent a few evenings at the bars immediately west of Rice.</p>
<p>Basically I just want to be around smart people with common sense. I was looking into SCU for a minute- then I watched a Delta Gamma video and a girl goes “I KNEW I wanted to join DG right when I walked in the door, like, I LOVED the outfits” <— those are the types I’m trying to avoid. Any</p>
<p>Oh brother…there are students obsessed with clothes/outfits/brands at EVERY school. you’re not going to avoid them at college…or in life.</p>
