<p>We're down to 2 schools: College of Wooster and Beloit College. My D (and I) has been leaning toward COW (this week) and then we began pouring over "reviews" this afternoon, and came across some very negative comments about COW that we hadn't heard or seen before. For instance, it was noted that the relationship between the students and the "townies" is strained. Also, a review on collegereviews.com stated that the student body is cliquey and close-minded.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any further insight into the make-up of the student body and its willingness to accept those that are different??</p>
<p>Thanks for any info you can provide on either school.</p>
<p>Hi ILmom1961
My son decided on Wooster last week. I also had pored over reviews about Wooster and probably saw some of the ones that you did, too. I can certainly tell you that my son is the complete opposite of cliquey or closed-minded, and that on our visit to Wooster last week, we met a great many incredibly friendly, outgoing students. Best of luck to you and your D. </p>
<p>I suspect you could find people who were unhappy about things at any school, so unless those comments were noted multiple times, I wouldn’t worry about it. My daughter goes to COW and doesn’t find the student body either cliquey or close minded. In fact, some might consider her “different” and she has friends that would probably be considered “different” as well and they all seem to be enjoying themselves and have large social groups.</p>
<p>As far as relationships with townies, of course they might sometimes be strained as the town is some people’s home, and the students’ temporary residence where they may not behave the way you’d behave in your permanent home. I can tell you that my daughter participates in a few activities where she has gotten to know permanent residents of the town and they get along great. I wouldn’t let a couple anonymous online comments scare your daughter away. </p>
<p>I’m willing to wager there isn’t a college or university in the country that doesn’t have some kind of “strained” relations with the broader community in which it resides. A thousand or so teens descend upon a campus, away from home for the first time in their lives and kicking up their heels … and you honestly think there won’t be at least SOME repercussions within the neighboring areas? Get real. My daughter graduated from Wooster in 2010. She loved it there and, for the most part, the town loved the school back. There were very few problems. … As for “cliques” … again, not a problem. Whenever and wherever you put people together, especially young people, groups will form. It’s human nature, for Pete’s sake. It’s called “making friends.” As for people being cruel and exclusive, no. That was not a problem, certainly not one that my fairly shy daughter ever spoke about. She came out of Woo with her own cohort of great friends, who nearly five years later have remained with her solidly as she navigates her path through life. It was a great experience, those four years in Wooster, Ohio, and she says she wouldn’t change them for the world. So stop worrying about nothing.</p>