<p>I know that where I went to school (UOregon), we didn't generally have "intellectual" discussions too often. I know that when I was in grad school at UCDavis, we DID have discussions about what we were studying--my roommate would rapsodize about the pheramones she was studying, my boyfriend would talk about his ecology courses, another friend would talk about their philosophy courses, we'd discuss nihilism, agnosticism, etc. </p>
<p>My son is VERY interested in current world events as they unfold (though he also loves science & math). He wants to go to a school where folks regularly discuss current events and articles they've read and iintellectual deas. He currently goes to a very academic school where many of his classmates are running as fast as they can to get their As, memorizing what needs to be learned without thinking about the "big picture" or really talking about intellectual ideas or the world situation. Any ideas where he will find campuses with folks that are "like him"? </p>
<p>(E.g. the day UMichigan came out with its affirmative action decision, he read the entire decision on-line & he's been reading EVERY newspaper & news magazine he could get his hands on since he was 7 years old.)</p>
<p>Your thoughts about this will be greatly appreciated and are seriously being sought. He's not really all that much into "partying," but likes computer & video games & watching football, basketball & sometimes volleyball.</p>
<p>Most top universities have very intelectual atmospheres. A couple of years ago, I visted a good friend of mine at Wisconsin-Madision. Wisconsin is supposed to be a party school. Well, letme tell you, almost every cafe (and there are a multitude of cafes) is filled with students reading and learning and discusing all sorts of issues and it is not uncommon for students to jump into a conversation, even if those having the conversation are complete strangers. I had the same experience at Cornell and Michigan. I really think most top universities promote and encourage intellectual discussions.</p>
<p>Well said Alexandre. Frankly, I think you will find intellectual atmosphere at most schools, with some schools having more than others. You just need to seek it out, and you will find it.</p>
<p>Your son sounds somewhat similar to my daughter, except she is not quite the current events junkie, most of her senior years was spend in company of a small group of friends that liked to sit around and philosophize, trade books and cd's, liked parties but didn't show up anywhere where the school's honor code would be ignored (no alcohol, smoking.) She looked at school's like Brown, UChicago UCB and Grinnell. But I do think that in a good sized school, you can 'find your people'. In a small school, you might take the temperature of the culture a little more.</p>