I would say that there are plenty of parties and partying opportunities at Rochester. I think also that it used to be a rule of thumb that the smaller, the more isolated the school the greater the drinking. In a city like Rochester, granted it is not like being in Boston or NY or a college town like Ann Arbor, there are other things to see and do and there are plenty of things to do on campus all the time.
In terms of class size at any school it is an apples vs. oranges comparison. You cannot compare Psych 101 with a seminar class on Jane Austen with 12 students. MY U of R grad experience both, the large lecture and the small seminar.
There were kids who partied all the time, but most toned it down to “just” Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
To TGIT partakers, the onus was on avoiding the scheduling of early-morning Friday classes.
So – I too think the third party night would be Thursday, but it’s refreshing to hear of differing data points.
Lindagaf, you may want to warn her – knowing how way leads on to way – about the “beer before liquor/liquor before beer” axiom, if you have not already. Just in case. Also… the buddy system.
Re parties, D considered taking Sewanee off her list because of the significant party reputation it has in print. But she enrolled, opted for substance-free housing, found her own cohort, and has had a wonderful first year. She has successfully managed her way through to a social experience that matches her comfort level, and it has been an important part of her education. I’ve been impressed.
I know Kenyon fairly well (D made a couple of visits, a friend of mine taught there, we know students there currently). Its English and art departments are amazing. The facilities in the science quad are excellent. There is a reason it has gotten so hard to get into. I would not rule it out because of parties.
I lived in Rochester for a while and know it pretty well too. I consider U of R to be an LAC with a large research university attached. Every one I worked with there was first-rate, students and faculty alike. I did a lot of work with the Dean of Students office and they cared about their undergrad students in a personal way, like an LAC. Watch out for the parking there. They can be brutal with the tickets. Very few of the professors there are like the guy on the treadmill! The 5th year option at Rochester is a huge draw.
Good luck with the choice. Either place will seem like home after a week.
And then there were two… Rochester is off the list, which is amusing, as yesterday she sid she wanted it on the list. I asked her a simple question: Did she have a good day at Dickinson? Yes. Did she have a good day at Kenyon? Yes. Did she have a good day at Rochester? Not really.
Anyone have any insight into the psychology programs at Dickinson and Kenyon?
I checked out both course lists and each school’s requirements for the major, and they look fairly similar. What I would ask each school is for a list of PhD and PsyD grad schools that their psych majors have attended. Depending on your daughter’s interests, I would want to know their success rate for getting students into clinical psych programs, which is pretty competitive
A good friend’s son attended Kenyon, graduating several years ago. He was an economics major and did really well and loved his time there. He liked his professors and was challenged academically. He did an internship with a federal agency during the summer before his senior year and was offered a job prior to graduating. He still is in contact with many friends from Kenyon, and they have taken several summer trips together.
He and his parents really loved the school and the atmosphere at Kenyon, and they always raved about the fantastic experiences and opportunities that he had while attending. His dad is a high school guidance counselor and always tells his students and family friends that the college they attend is going to be both their home and their community for the next 4 years, and that how you feel on campus and when visiting with the other students is an important consideration.
The one small issue they had was that it was occasionally difficult for him to get medication/outside medical care that he needed, since he did not have a car and could not always get a ride easily from friends. I think that it also had something to do with their insurance and approved providers, etc. The campus health center was fine most of the time.
As far as a partying atmosphere, my 2 current college student daughters and their friends all say that partying happens every weekend, sometimes beginning on Thursday nights, but that are plenty of students who are not interested in partying who participate in substance free activities on campus,or just hang out and play games, watch movies, etc. Some of your daughters college choices may also have substance free living/learning communities she can join, or other living/learning communities which may appeal to her. It is a nice way to find friends who have something in common.
@lindagaf, seems you have several active threads going. Difficult to weigh in because I am not sure if I have missed something. Granted my post comes too late in your process. I side with the camp that says “follow the money”. While you mention that merit money would be great, you never seem to have set a budget or a spending limit on your D’s application process. Her decision would be made for her already - had you decided in the beginning that you were willing to pay no more that $35K per year (or choose your number).
At least in our house and others here on CC, doesn’t matter “what we can afford”, what matters is what we are happy and willing to contribute. Decisions become much clearer for kids when they realize they have to make a financial contribution if they choose the full pay school. Or it immediately becomes a non-option because they did not get the anticipated merit. They seem to quickly bounce back from these losses / decisions.
If your D has younger siblings this limit setting is even more important because the siblings should be treated with a consistent message / limit.
I agree wholeheartedly with @lexluthor5 in that even if you can afford to pay $65K per year for a school - why would you do that when you can get a similar degree and experience for $35K or less at a school willing to provide merit.
If you followed “Help Find a College - Part 2” by @lexluther5, the initial financial limit set helped to make the final decision much clearer - as Kenyon fell from the list when no merit was awarded. Granted this process is different for each family, but it feels like you have enabled your D to be indecisive.
Can’t go back now and say “hey that school offering merit sure does free up more disposable income for more study abroad, unpaid internships, travel expenses, etc.”
But to me, looking in from the outside it seems pretty straightforward that she has two options that she cannot decide between because she likes them equally for different reasons - and one is a much better financial deal because she received merit. Done.
Your post isn’t helpful at all to the OP, they need to make a decision based on where they are now. The fact that you see things differently and think they should have done things differently in the past has no bearing on this thread. It’s too late. If you are actually trying to help people with a similar scenario in the future, fine, but start another thread.
You seem very committed to your philosophy but there are MANY different ways to “solve” the college process. Just as there are MANY different family scenarios to try and “solve” for. If it was that easy or if there was only one way to do it, then none of us would be here on CC. I’m glad your philosophy works for you and I grant you a College Confidential “GOLD STAR” for your vastly superior method.
OP, don’t recall if I told you this in past conversations, but I know a psych major in D1’s class at Dickinson who had a job lined up after graduation with the company that does Nielsen ratings. He had accepted the offer by spring break of his senior year (I remember because he was our tour guide when D2 toured Dickinson). One data point, of course.
No offense taken from anyone. My D is super indecisive. Always has been. We have not told her that money has to be part of it. It’s great that she is considering it though. It’s a ton of money, no question, but money has been put away for this. She actually has made a decision, but until the deposit is paid, I won’t be telling.
I think she and I have researched unitl there is no more research to be done. I am now confident that no stone has been left unturned, but the one thing you can’t find under a stone is personal experience and insight, which is why I asked for CC help. So thanks for your help, CC’ers! Will let you know very soon what she has decided.
She could check substance-free housing at both in any case (or at jus the once she’s decided on).
I think it can really help freshmen who are uncomfortable with drinking.
