Hi - I know this is last-minute but I’m simply stuck on deciding between Dickinson and St. Lawrence.
My merit aid is the same at both schools and I’m from the South so both locations are interesting to me because I want a different location/climate.
I feel like academics, internships, research all are about the same.
My big unknown is the community. I want a place where the community is strong, there’s lots of fun things to do and there is lots of school spirit.
Can anyone tell me the difference between these two schools?
Thanks!
SLU is more sporty, and they’re D1 hockey, so there may be more school spirit there. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so I’d give Dickinson the edge on things to do in the area, though if you’re into outdoor activities, SLU has the Adirondacks and a pretty active outing club. I’d say the student body is a bit different. SLU more sporty, preppy; Dickinson a bit more artsy, down to earth. That’s what we found in our research/visits anyway. Both seem to have pretty strong communities. Dickinson may be a bit better weather-wise.
2 Likes
Totally agreed. Which group do you feel you’d fit in better with, OP?
1 Like
D20 considered Dickinson, loved the campus and the location. She wasn’t able to tour because of a blizzard and was pretty disappointed about it but it was hard to get a feel without being able to interact with students. SLU was suggested by a college counselor but D ruled it out because of the sporty/preppy kids she knows there and she was looking for more emphasis on serious academics.
I agree with Taverngirl’s assessment about the location of SLU being pretty remote but if you are a hockey fan, games are fun.
1 Like
My son is a sophomore at Dickinson and is very happy. There is a real sense of community on campus, lots to do, lots of clubs. Carlisle is a very nice college town and is steps from campus. The weather is nice - four seasons, but milder winter than St. Lawrence and long fall, early spring. St. Lawrence is more isolated and the winters will be harsher.
3 Likes
Skidmore, Gettysburg, and Hamilton are overlap schools in common.
St. Lawrence is similar to Denison, but the families I know with alumni at each seem to select St. Lawrence.
St. Lawrence if you enjoy the outdoors & sports. Dickinson if you prefer a less remote location with easier winters.
Dickinson may be the safer choice unless you enjoy winter & want easy access to the Adirondacks & to Canada (Ottawa & Montreal).
If you don’t drink, then better to avoid St. Lawrence.
Both schools offer great study abroad programs.
2 Likes
My kid went through athletic recruiting at both so we spent a lot of time on both campuses, we also know recent grads from both. While St Lawrence has the reputation as more preppy/sporty, we experienced both student bodies as quite similar – all around nice kids, active, engaged. Greek life is actually only about 15% at St L, less than at Dickinson, though it’s not predominant on either campus. Both schools have accessible “essentials” walking distance from campus – coffee, bagels, pizza etc. though the town of Carlisle for Dickinson is bigger. Both schools have great athletic facilities, though I’d say the fine arts facilities at Dickinson were stronger.
Biggest difference between the two is the setting. St L is really far upstate – closer to Montreal than Syracuse and appeals to students who love hiking or winter sports. It has D1 hockey, though the rest of its teams are D3. As the town does not offer much to do, student life is on-campus, and in long, cold winters there is a greater likelihood that partying becomes one of the few distractions as rural/remote colleges have been shown to have the highest drinking rates. The real question would be, what is there on campus to do for students who don’t want to party both weekend nights – look at the website to see campus calendars for non-academic events happening. Dickinson is in a town setting, still a trek from Philly, though about 30+min to the state capital, Harrisburg. It feels less isolated, even though there isn’t a lot happening in Carlisle, PA. Winters will be less severe than St L.
I agree that Dickinson seems the “safer” choice if a student likes both equally because it is less remote and offers more options for getting off campus.
4 Likes
Cannot thank you all enough for your help! I’ve decided on Dickinson because I think the weather, location and less sporty/less drinking really fit more with who I am.
I appreciate how much time and help you offered! I’m so excited for next year!
7 Likes