<p>I was wondering if anyone has any input as to which colleges or which types of colleges to apply to for people who are very quiet and quite shy? I have a hard time making friends. I do have friends and I've always had friends, but it takes me much longer than the average person to establish a group of friends than it does with most other people. </p>
<p>From these schools: Stanford, Brown, Berkely, UCSC, University of San Diego, and University of Michigan, would any (or all) of them be very difficult places to make friends for quiet people?</p>
<p>Agree with emotup that shy introverts might want to look at LACs, where you often have many points of connection with a smaller group of people over time: You sit in class with the same people you see in the dining hall and run into them again in the dorm and in your ECs - it gives you many points of potential connection and things in common to talk about. Smaller classes also mean that it’s easier to ask questions in class (rather than in auditorium) and you don’t have to line up during office hours to get a few minutes of faculty attention. </p>
<p>Some to consider: Pomona, Swarthmore, Carleton, Haverford, Grinnell, Oberlin. (I’m omitting the NE LACs because they are quite preppy and your current list seems to have very little prep in it.) If you like prep, then Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, and Vassar are all worth looking into. </p>
<p>Would you be unable to make friends at a large school? Of course not. You can make friends anywhere. It’s just a question of how hard/easy it will be for you to reach out. Ditto speaking up in class or with faculty if there are many others with sharper elbows also seeking attention.</p>
<p>(By the way, this only applies to SHY introverts. Introverts who aren’t shy will be fine at all the schools you have listed.)</p>
<p>I don’t know what kind of person you are or what kind of scene you’re into. One thing I DEFINITELY recommend looking into is joining a frat at a big school. If you go to USC, for instance, and join a frat, you’ll have an instant group of friends and social life. I’m a little of an introvert myself, and I can tell you that going to a small LAC is a BAD IDEA for people who have a hard time making friends.</p>