Believe me, you really can go downhill skiing in the East - it just takes a little more effort to get to the best places to do it!
is a car necessary?
Itās helpful but not necessary. There are ways to get into New London, to the train station, etc. without a car. To get away to hike or ski, it might be helpful to have a car ā or a friend with a car. Or if thereās an outing club that provides transportation, that would also work.
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there is an outdoor adventure club that hosts different outing activities throughout the year during the weekends! thereās also a ski team that goes to skiing trips twice a year, and my friend who is in it loved the trips
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Thanks for info - how far away is skiing? And is the adventure/outdoor club hard to join (too many people/too few spots)? And can you comment on what itās like on campusā¦any and all info appreciated. We didnāt get out to CT to see the school unfortunately.
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I have a few more questions - actually a long list - can you talk to what you saw on campus - friendly, smiling students? Vibe you get from visitingā¦and tidbits you picked up from tour? What were your daughterās hesitationsā¦thanks. we didnāt get a chance to visit and are trying to gather as much info as we possibly can! Thanks.
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Iām sorry I canāt be more helpful, but I have visited Conn College with both my D19 and S24. I will post my trip reports for those visits below.
With D19 in January 2029:
Connecticut College got the thumbs up from my D19 this January weekend. This was just a preliminary visit for us since admissions was not open and few students were back yet.
The campus is on a hill above the river and it was below 20 degrees and windy. We got out of the car and I proceeded to hunch over, shiver and wonder why I pushed for a winter college trip. D strode off, got a self-guided tour brochure, and started reading it out loud. She stopped in the middle of Temple Green, surrounded by mostly traditional stone buildings, looked out to the Long Island Sound, and pronounced the campus āBeautiful!ā
The college center was open as was the biggest dorm complex and its dining hall (Harris). Most of the students were in sweats or even athletic shorts and t-shirts. Lots of Conn College gear. No make-up. D felt like they must have rolled out of bed and come to lunch. Maybe this was because classes had not started, but in any case, she liked the laid back vibe.
She also liked that the campus is compact and easily walkable, and she had no problem with the field house being on the other side of Mohegan Ave (thereās a pedestrian bridge). From the fitness center you can see the Thamesāeveryone in our family is drawn to water and water views.
As a mid-day break, we went down to the Waterfront District in New London by the ferry terminal and train station. Itās a picturesque little coastal area. D liked the wall murals, cozy coffee shops, and the unpretentious cafe we ate in. She wished it were walking distance from campus (itās about two miles, and not really bike friendly).
Dās favorite thing about Conn College was the arboretum. Peaceful, well kept, and nice to be able to walk across the street from campus and into the woods (also, out onto the frozen solid pond).
Another big plus of the college is ease of transportation. We like train travel, and from New London the Acela will take you to Boston in 1.5 hours, NYC in 2, or DC in 5.5. Or in 1.5 hours you could take the ferry to Orient Point on the North Fork of Long Island.
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Hi! Yes, I think I can answer a few questions. So, we visited in spring 2022, when (a) a lot of Covid restrictions were still in place in New England, and (b) it was spring break at Conn College, so there wasnāt a lot going on (because weāre not local, it was the only time we could get there). It was also the very first college tour for us, so we might have asked different questions had we been more experienced at this.
Positives: interdisciplinary curriculum, investment in internships and other applied opportunities, strengths in some of the particular areas of study that interest my D (environmental studies, history, English, American Studies). Even though there were few students on campus, we got a good sense of the vibe ā the tour guide was genuinely enthusiastic, and as we were chatting outside after the tour, the director of admissions came and chatted with us for awhile, which made a good impression. Overall, it seemed like a warm, welcoming place with a relaxed vibe and a lot of opportunities. The location between Boston and NYC was an advantage. And the arboretum was a huge plus, not just because classes use it for field work, but because itās a peaceful place to be.
Hesitations: The college seemed a little isolated in the sense that itās hard to get off campus without a car (though, as I said earlier in the chain, the college does provide some transportation options, and the proximity of the train station was an advantage). I think that made the college seem very small overall ā and this is for a kid who wants a LAC. Also ā and this is very particular to my daughter ā the college newspaper was a little underwhelming. Sheās an aspiring journalist who doesnāt want to major in journalism, but she wants a college newspaper that will give her a lot of opportunities and experience. Conn Collegeās newspaper and its news website seemed a little bare-bones. (By comparison, the college she eventually chose - a different NESCAC - has a very active newspaper with connections to the local city paper and an alumni network of journalists who are active in advising the newspaper staff and connecting them with internships, so this sort of thing made a difference to my D in ways it wouldnāt to most students.)
Overall, I think Conn College slipped down D23ās list as she saw more schools that seemed like better fits, but she still liked it and still applied. Had her options been different in the end, she probably would have given it closer consideration. S26, whoās a ways off from this process but was on the college trip with us, absolutely loved it, and plans to apply (even though he, too, wants to pursue journalism so who knows how that will factor into his decision eventually).
I hope this helps. If you have more questions about living in CT, I can answer those, too. Or you can feel free to DM me.
We also visited with S23 in November 2022. He loved it. Things he especially liked:
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Tour guide was down to earth. S23 is not a fan of tour guides who seem like super over-achievers with lists of 20 activities and clubs, or over the top salesmen for their school. He appreciated the more calm vibe of Conn Admissions.
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Students also seemed down to earth. S23 sometimes remarks on the difference between people at his competitive high school who need to keep up a perfect public image, and āreal people.ā We spent the day at Conn, and ate in the cafeteria, and he felt like the students he saw were āreal.ā The campus didnāt seem dominated by any particular type of student, and the students seemed at home and genuine.
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The waterfront. Conn has renovated their waterfront on the Thames River, and it is beautiful. S24 noticed these round concrete structures in the water. We did some research and it turns out they are Reef Balls, made and placed by Conn students to create and study a healthier aquatic ecosystem. S24 thought that was cool. He was also impressed with the new docks (he likes water sports) which are very nice. The view from the workout machines in the gym is of the waterfront and itās fairly unbeatable as gym views go.
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Ultimate. We went back to the campus the next day because I saw a flyer about an Ultimate Frisbee tournament. This was a great atmosphere. Lots of students from a mix of schools having a ball, refereeing themselves, co ed teams, relaxed but outdoors and sporty. S24 loved it.
Finally, I came across this article about the Outdoor Club which I thought could be helpful: Into The Wild Ā· Connecticut College News
And hereās our second visit with D19:
My D19 and I were back at Conn this weekend. By noon on Saturday, all the students were emerging and it was a vibrant scene. A lacrosse game in the middle of campus drew plenty of kids and families cheering for the athletes, and for some reason, a plethora of dogs. Once D had pet a majority of the dogs, we walked over to the arboretum where about 70 kids were lounging on the lawn listening to a likable student do a dry stand-up routine. Other students were preparing instruments and what looked like gymnastics mats for later acts.
Next, we walked to the field house which has a view of the river where a sailing regatta was in progress. At Conn, you can take beginner and/or intermediate sailing as a PE class. There was also a track meet going on, and we loved seeing the students come down to watch, hang out with their friends, and mingle with kids from the other participating schools.
We were particularly impressed with the student art on display in the museum and our tour guide. Heās an Architectural Studies major who speaks Arabic only while living in the language house, plays volleyball, was the lead in Rocky Horror, and spoke genuinely about Connās inclusive atmosphere and stance against sexual violence.
Our overall impression was:
Well-rounded, well-adjusted kids with many talents.
An easily walkable, classic campus.
Very supportive administrationāeach student given four advisors (academic, career, staff and student).
Great location (we dislike traffic, so train = ideal).
Everyone wants everyone to feel welcome and to succeed.
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This is very helpful - thank you!
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I suppose college kids can get anywhere they really want to go in a day, but youāre looking at a drive to get anywhere with really good skiing. But if you are happy to tool around for a few hours for a fraction of the price, there are a few places you can ski that are not too far away. I am going to attempt to add a file to this posting. You can see some of the area resorts and do some quick driving directions to see approximate distance and drive time.
thank you - the map helps tremendously. Iām hoping if she goes here she picks up cross country skiingā¦or sailing.
She can definitely do that! When I lived in CT, I found my way onto a sailing team skippered by a colleague of mine. Lots of racing leagues in the Long Island Sound. I donāt know if Conn College has a sailing team, but with a little work, she can probably figure out how to hook up with a crew somewhere.
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Conn has one of the top sailing teams in the country. I was not on the team, but had many friends who were, and on rare occasion, would go out with them when someone needed a crew (and to add, I knew nothing about sailing; they were just very welcoming and glad to have the extra hands so they could go out that day)
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Did she end up at Conn? Just curious 
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No, she is going to Mount Holyoke. 
Congrats! Beautiful school. Best wishes!
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Congrats! All the best for her!
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Anyone taken off the waitlists yet?