<p>My problem is i've visited tons of schools and i dont seem to like any of them and im getting frustrated. So far I've visited</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins - too rigorous academically, I'm afraid i'll be worrying about my grades too much to enjoy myself. But i like the location, I'm from DC and its nearby.
Univ. Delaware - seemed like too typical of a state college. the people didn't seem interesting.
James Madison - i loved it, i felt like there were a lot of different people with different interests.
Washington and Lee - i didn't get to see much of it, but i didn't like what i saw.
Bard - HORRIBLE, no one seemed to be happy there, no one seemed to be friends with each other, ugly campus, TOO RURAL, bad art everyhwere, HORRIBLE
Skidmore - great i love it, very relaxed, nice small campus, just a little far
Vassar - intimidating from what little i saw
Drew - pleasant, but i barely got to see it
Princeton (for kicks) - ew, no, not at all what i want my college to be
Loyola in MD - im worried about the homogeniety of the students, but i felt like it was a really good school thats close and has its s*** together
St. Marys (MD) - seemed kinda crappy
Tufts - foreign language requirement scares me
Haverford - vey nice, a little small, i think i'd suffocate there, but good location close enough to DC
Goucher- crappy</p>
<p>the only ones that i see myself at are Skidmore, Loyola, and James Madison. I'm annoyed b/c it seems like all of my friends are finding schools they're falling in love with and i keep visiting schools hoping that the next one I'll fall in love with, just to be let down.
So I was wondering if you guys could help me out in searching for colleges. My criteria is as follows:
-Small to medium sized (anything smaller than JMU is good sized for me, the smaller the better though - i thought hopkins was a great size)
-strictly eastcoast, north of DC
-not prestigious, just reputable
-minimal greek life
-in a city or close to a city, but WITH A CAMPUS (no NYU, BU type stuff)
-diversity-wise its more an issue of diverse interests than diverse skin colors. If i go to the most diverse school ever, but they're all deeply into theater, thats just as bad as going to a homogenously white college. </p>
<p>If you guys could make suggestions that would be great, thank you</p>
<p>you went to St. Mary's College of Maryland? I heard it's supposed to have one of the most beautiful college campuses, yet it seemed "kinda crappy" to you. lol i guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder...</p>
<p>thats really long, im sorry, but any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>yeah st marys was ok. thats one that i would "settle" for but i dont wanna settle. I'm kinda looking for a reach that i can fall in love with. Skidmore is an easy do-able reach, loyola is mid-range, and jmu is a safety (and so it st marys)</p>
<p>yeah im gona check out clark, ive heard worcester sucks though. Syrc has a little too much greek life for me, and UVM im checking last because its just sooo far from me.</p>
<p>Since you're from DC, I suppose that you considered American U and Catholic U already. How about Towson? Actually, there is nothing wrong with your list. You know what you want, have visited a lot of places, and seem very realistic. If you apply to your favorites, plus a few maybes, you should be fine.</p>
<p>Check out Drew again - you said that you barely got to see it.
It is close to NYC - a 7 minute walk puts you on a 30 minute train to the city... or you can go just about anywhere by transfering trains.</p>
<p>90% of the student body lives on campus creating a close-knit environment. Classes are small and intimate. Environment is lovely. There is no Greek life on campus. Campus has a liberal, artsy feel - but has its share of conservatives too... I have a feeling the student body is similar to that which Skidmore has...</p>
<p>Drew may be what you are looking for... go take a better look :-)</p>
<p>Lisa</p>
<p>PS - regarding Ursinus & Juniata... We'd been to Ursinus a couple of times and had researched Juniata quite a bit... Ursinus is a wonderful school with an intimate, close-knit campus (it does have quite a Greek life)- BUT, it & especially Juniata are not convenient to any city! Ursinus will have you thinking it's easy to get to one (King of Prussia mall area (not a city - but civilization) and Philadelphia, but all of the students we'd talked to said it was a big hassle to get there!</p>
<p>I was thinking NEU too, but it may be too much like a city school with little for your taste. Unlike BU, there is a campus.</p>
<p>My son is going to JMU!!! It is his favorite too! </p>
<p>Other suggestions we did not consider, but might want to glance at, even though they are not north of DC are: Tulane, and College of Charleston (they have a foreign language requirement that you might not care for though), and U of Vermont (small for a state school and in Burlington). Fordham also has a foreign language requirement (thought I would add that since someone suggested it).</p>