Denison after a year

Colleges and Universities A-Z Denison University
1

<p>Or 3/4 of a year, anyway. I figured this is the time of year when kids are getting acceptances and starting to make college decisions, so since my DD was at that point last year and this board was so helpful, I'd offer some feedback on our impressions a year into Denison. </p>

<p>My DD has been a swimmer since she was 6 years old and originally looked at this school because of its Division III swim reputation. From her first visit, she fell in love. We encouraged her to choose a school based on overall "fit", and one where she would be happy even if she quit swimming, which was unimaginable at the time, and she assured us this was the school. It also had to be affordable for us, which Denison was NOT without financial aid. Well, they came through with a merit scholarship and off she went. </p>

<p>One swim season has gone by and the previously "unimaginable" (for her, not us!) has happened. She decided she is burned out on swimming and there are so many other things she wants to do in college that there is no time for when you are in the pool several hours a day and just fighting to get your homework done and try to grab enough sleep, which rarely happens when the rest of the campus is just coming alive at the time that you need to go to sleep. Her feelings have absolutely nothing to do with the swim team or program itself-----she liked it, liked the coaches, and loved her teammates; its just a transitional time for her personally in terms of thinking about how she wants to spend her time in college. She hopes to remain connected to the team, to help out, to be a "number one fan", etc.. because she still loves the sport and the people, she just wants more time to explore other interests and activities, and it was obvious this year that wasn't going to happen with a team as intense and dedicated as Denison's. </p>

<p>I must admit that when she started to make this decision, we gently "inquired" as to maybe she might want to consider transferring....we have not been unhappy with the school at all, but she is very far away (about a 9 hour drive), and even with the scholarship, its expensive. For instance, she also got into William and Mary, which is 20 minutes away and in-state tuition for us! We miss her and would love to have her closer, and we are all going into debt a bit more than I'm comfortable with. She, however, continues to love the school and had no thoughts of transferring.</p>

<p>The classes have been challenging, but the professors, for the most part, are warm and open. They are all very approachable. She is very happy with the community, but is lobbying for a car in order to have some freedom, because while Granville is quaint and charming there really is NOTHING there. However, several of her friends now have cars (they allow them for freshmen), so she isn't totally stuck. The food is described as "edible". She has connected with several of the "dining hall ladies" who from her description, seem to be like surrogate moms to kids who make an effort to talk to and get to know them. She has been to the Health service and to the Counseling Services (where she discussed her decision about "what do I want to do with my life") and seemed very pleased with her treatment from both. The only thing on campus that she has really been unhappy with is Resident Services. I have heard several stories about their inflexibility and difficulties there (which I've stayed out of and let her handle).......on the plus side, when the team was apparently having trouble securing break housing (they have to return to campus January 1st), the president himself took time to sit down with them and listen when they came knocking on his door. It didn't fix the problem, but they at least felt heard, and it seems to be the kind of campus where the President is just as accessible as the Health service nurses or the dining hall ladies. </p>

<p>One of the coolest things she's experienced this year is that she's doing community service at a legal clinic in Newark. The Denison student organization not only helps arrange and sponsor this internship, but gives her a CAR to get there! There are several other such volunteer opportunities and they either provide transportation for groups of students, or loan out a car for the students to drive themselves back & forth. They are also always having various lectures and guest speakers, like they do on any campus, but unlike when I was in school the kids actually seem interested and are encouraged by professors to attend as many of these as possible. She has had so many experiences this year in terms of hearing speakers, interacting with visiting guests, etc...I must admit that I get jealous when I hear about all her opportunities and wish I could go back to college now that I am old enough to appreciate it more! This week there's a visiting Yoga expert from India, and since she's into Yoga she's planning to go to at least one of his presentations.</p>

<p>As a parent, I have been nothing but impressed with the responsiveness from everyone on campus. When I had a question about submitting a bill through the student insurance, I got a personal answer right away. When I had a question I emailed about financial aid, someone called me immediately. I even had a question about taxes that I, on the off-chance she might know something, emailed someone from First Year services about.....she not only responded immediately and was very helpful, but it was on a Sunday! Even though my DD is very far away, I feel as if she is well cared for and "safe" (physically, intellectually, and emotionally) on the Denison campus. Yes, there have been small things here or there that have been somewhat problematic or irritating, but nothing major, and much less than I recall experiencing as a student at a mega-state university, where I was truly nothing more than a number.</p>

<p>I'd be happy to answer any questions anyone has about our family's experience, if I can....either here or via Private message.</p>

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<p>Great info. We are going to visit campus next Friday, so I will probably have a few questions. Thanks very much.</p>

3

<p>Nice report, Lewis1212! Hope it's OK if I add my 2 cents. </p>

<p>My son is in his sophomore year, and he likes Denison a lot (and so do we!). He is an economics and poly sci major and a minor in music.</p>

<p>He's had small classes throughout and personal attention from profs. He's had very good advising, when he has taken advantage of it. He will be there this summer doing helping a prof with some research (and getting nicely paid for it). His classes have been challenging, and he seems very enthused about them. He talks about them when he his home. (That's notable, believe me.)</p>

<p>His fellow students seem like a fairly academically oriented bunch. Many are on scholarship, and can't afford to be otherwise. He hangs with a group of kids who spend quite a bit of time in the library and they too are enthused about their studies when we talk to them.</p>

<p>Beautiful campus (even he appreciates that). Buildings all in good condition. The town is not a "college town" but has everything kids need. There is excellent school-provided, free transportation to the airport and lots of kids have cars.</p>

<p>Dorms have been, well, dorms. For older buildings, they are in good repair and he has always had good furniture. There are plenty of rooms, no forced triples or any of that nonsense. Both dorms he has lived in have complete kitchen facilities and laundry. The dorm lottery system seems to work well. There have been a few incidents of stolen things in his dorm, and a known drug (pot) dealer room that got raided by real cops. (The kids are still there, so it's unclear what that was all about.)</p>

<p>He hates the food. There is no way around that one. My son is a bit of a foodie though, and a rather good cook, so his standards are pretty high. But, really, he is miserable eating on campus.</p>

<p>There seem to be plenty of activities on campus, although, like virtually all colleges, there is plenty of underage drinking that doesn't seem to be very tightly controlled (again, just about par for the course). I know he has friends who live in sub-free housing who are very serious about being sub-free.</p>

<p>Health center is great. My son injured his knee and they were there for him. One of the dwindling number of colleges that still has a 24/7 health center.</p>

<p>Great extra curricular activities. My son participates in a couple of club sports and has had a really great time and made good friends. Again, at a small school, there is no limit on what you can get involved with.</p>

<p>Diversity - obviously, not great, BUT I will say that my son is friends with kids from all over the country and many international kids. A good thing about a small school is kids might mix it up a little better, because they don't have much of a choice!</p>

<p>I think after four years, my son will be ready to move on to a larger city or larger school. We were talking about grad school, and so far his only stated thought was that it had to be in large city. (He may change his tune when he figures out how poor he'll be in grad school.) But that is a good thing; what kid isn't ready to move on after 4 years?</p>

<p>Overall we wouldn't trade Denison for any other school, and neither would my kid. I keep searching for a "Denison" for son #2, but haven't hit on it yet. (He is not a liberal kids kid.) The most common reasons for kids leaving Denison (that I've seen) are academic problems, and a couple kids with financial problems.</p>

<p>If you are looking for a school with friendly kids, a personal approach, and an all-around great educational experience, you can not go wrong here.</p>

4

<p>Weenie, your other note with the excerpts from the recent letter from the President reminded me of one of the "minor" issues DD has experienced at the school this year: the mail room service is unreliable. It is apparently all student run, and you never quite know whether something is going to be delivered, or not, or maybe in a few months when someone notices it lying around back there. And if you ask about it, they might feel like looking for it, or maybe not....</p>

<p>Both because finances are an issue for us and I have a personal pet peeve about outlandish textbook prices and students being "held hostage" and not allowed to comparison shop, I am a big user (both as buyer and seller....my kids also have to supply their own textbooks at their private high school), of online services such as half.com, etc... So as soon as DD knew her classes for the Spring semester, she emailed all her upcoming professors and asked if they would let her know what texts they would be using so she could comparison shop (and every one of them was responsive and helpful!). But getting the mail room to actually notify her and deliver them was not quite as easy. She just came home last week with one final book they'd found when they just happened to be looking for something else for her (postmarked in early January :-) We send care packages throughout the year and sometimes they seem to sit awhile before they get to her....and she isn't the only one who has experienced this, its apparently a joke amongst her friends.
Again, it hasn't been anything major, and I'm sure its similar or better than what kids experience at most colleges, but I wonder if the mailroom renovation might make their distribution a little better organized?</p>

5

<p>Weenie: Your "Denison" for son #2 sounds like Rose-Hulman. We visited last October, we loved it. I have a son sounds just like your #2 and even he liked it...dare I say...almost showed emotion. It really is a great school, especially for Engineering. If you can make the trip you should.</p>

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<p>^ That's funny..."almost showed emotion." I know! My H and I were laughing -- we imagined him getting on campus and announcing, "THIS IS IT! The school of my dreams! Sign me up!!!" That's about a one-in-a-million shot. Well, they are going o go look at it. It's expensive though...</p>

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<p>Thanks for this helpful post. Our son is a junior, so we're just starting the college search process. Wow, it's overwhelming. Anyway, we are visiting Ohio colleges this week (our spring break). We're seeing Miami of OH, Denison, and Kenyon.</p>

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<p>Thanks for posting about your experiences at Denison. I cannot tell you how helpful they are in getting a sense of the place and people, the pluses and minuses, the questions to be asked, the factors to be weighed.</p>

<p>Esp interested to hear about the decision not to swim bc there is so much else to fit into 4 yrs. My freshman S#1 at another LAC is loving his school and sport, but I often wonder how much he is giving up by playing and whether he might regret that later. Good for her to make a mature decision about how to spend her time (and your money!), and great to hear that Denison is where she wants to be regardless of her sport. That's such an important consideration for student-athletes -- choosing the school, not just the team.</p>

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<p>Weenie - I'll ditto the kudos on Rose-Hulman, if you are willing to travel to Granville you shouldn't have a problem with Terre Haute. My husband is an alum, as are a few others we know in WNY, and can answer any questions you or your son may have from that perspective.</p>

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<p>any thoughts about the various meal plan options on campus?</p>

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<p>My son hates the food - he prefers the plan with the fewest meals - but there is such a small difference in price, so maybe the middle plan? He actually cooks in his dorm kitchen pretty often, (grocery store is walking distance - but there is a big hill) and they eat out too.</p>

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<p>Cincima,
My DD has the middle meal plan and it seems to work for her. It includes 14 meals/week plus $135 a semester in Flex dollars that can be used in the snack bar, Taco Bell, etc... I know that she was really worried at the beginning of the year that it wouldn't be enough, because she's an athlete and wanted 3 meals a day. However, with the fridge in her room, she stocked up on yogurts, cheese, cereal, etc, etc.. plus they usually end up eating out and/or ordering pizza occasionally anyway. Last semester she ended up with extra Flex money and was desperately trying to spend it all before she left campus, because it doesn't carry over. The thing about the carte blanche plan is that it includes every meal, but there are no flex $$ so I'm sure there ends up being extra food costs for when they want to eat out or go to Slayter. The lower plan seems to be used most by upperclassmen in apartments, or those like Weenie's son, who just can't stand the dining hall food anyway! I know it wouldn't have been quite enough for my DD. They will start all Freshmen off with the highest/most expensive meal plan, automatically (no matter what you put on your paperwork)....then the kids have a couple of weeks at the beginning of the year to submit for a change of plan.</p>

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<p>thanks for the input. another parent told me that her daughters (freshman and junior) both like the top plan...but end up using some denison dollars for meals in slayter on occasion. i imagine my son will figure out pretty quickly which fits him best.</p>