<p>Hi all - My daughter is at a small private school - doesn't drink or party - really! and wants a small liberal arts college but not to alternative but also no interest in schools with big greek life greek life- Into photo, theater, music, no sports, not preppy a city kid. Any opinions on her social life experience at the following:
Bates
Colby
Trinity
Muehlenburg
Hobart William Smith
Amherst
Carleton</p>
<p>My first post - thanks</p>
<p>Wecome to CC! You will find much useful information here and I hope you are soon not so overwhelmed.</p>
<p>My neighbor teaches at Bates during the year and said although some kids drink a lot, you can find things to do without it.(you just have to like the cold!) Same with Colby. Trinity, if it's the one in CT, does have frats and is known for heavy drinking. So is Muehlenburg, which is why my son didn't like it. A co-workers son goes there, loves it, but is heavily involved in the frats and that was part of the appeal. They have quite a few.It's a good school, you just have to be comfortable with that aspect of it.
You will find a lot of info here, in review books and sites and many other avenues, but nothing beats a visit and finding a student like your daughter to help guide her. Talking to someone who is bored at a certain school because their isn't more of a party life isn't going to help her.
My son is at Drew and found a lot of colleges crossed off his list because of heavy frat presence and that atmosphere. But he knows not being a drinker or partier, it was for the best. He talks to friends at those schools and they are far more inundated with parties, noise and pressure to join frats/sororities than they anticipated.</p>
<p>Thanks - that is helpful especially about Bates. I can't see her at Trinity but her CAdvis put it on her list.
How does your son like Drew?</p>
<p>Every school on the list except Hobart & William Smith is well above the national average in binge drinking in the past two weeks, and at several of the schools (self-reported), it exceeds 50%. </p>
<p>LACs where you'd find less of that include Earlham, Macalester, Swarthmore, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Barnard.</p>
<p>At all schools you can find things to do without drinking, But why should you have to trip over the drunks in order to do so (if there is nothing else that holds you to the place)?</p>
<p>My S sounds like your D.
Mini - do you have a list of any other coed LACs besides the ones you mentioned above which fit the OP's description?
If LACs are known for drinking, what size/kinds of schools do you recommend? I assume state flagships are also out?
Do you have any knowledge about Haverford? (visiting tomorrow).</p>
<p>Add Carleton to that list.</p>
<p>Haverford isn't a heavy drinking school either.</p>
<p>Haverford isn't a big drinking school either.</p>
<p>Drew is such a pretty school - the surrounding town is so cute</p>
<p>Yes, Madison, where Drew is, has a beautiful setting and in the Fall can be very picturesque. My son likes Drew and if he had to change anything, he wishes they had about 500 more students, but any more would take away the small school appeal. There is drinking there although he doesn't, and finds things to do. There is also a train that goes to NYC, a 5 minute walk away for when you want a change. Their theatre department is also very good.
Sometimes in a small school, certain clubs ebb and flow with a change of students. They might have a chess club for 3 years and then not have a lot of students that want to do it. A larger school would more likely have a percentage of students to keep them up.
He found Clark and Haverford not to be heavy drinking schools when researching, a lot of the colleges in the PA area were heavy frat schools and he decided when narrowing down schools, not to apply there. Dartmouth is always on the lists for heavy drinking ("Animal House" inspiration)as a few others.
If this link works, P.Review has a partial list of heavy party schools:
Test</a> Prep: GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, SAT, ACT, and More | The Princeton Review</p>
<p>How about Oberlin? Also what about the Calirmont McKenna schools? Bowdoin - although that is a long shot!
Thanks for all the reply's</p>
<p>These are Oberlin's housing options, a nice mix, no frats but co-ops and theme houses, etc.Oberlin</a> College Housing and Dining</p>
<p>Haverford for sure.</p>
<p>look at William & Mary as well.</p>
<p>overwhelmed, for a student with a serious interest in the arts -- photography, art studio, theater, music -- I would definitely add Williams to the list. Williams has a vibrant arts community and opportunities to perform and interact abound, even for non-majors. As my son, who graduated last year with a degree in art studio+art history, is now discovering, the alumni/ae network is also a spectacular benefit.</p>
<p>There is no doubt that Williams attracts many dedicated athletes and kids who are involved in non-team related physical activities -- trekking or dancing for example -- but the prevalence of and support for the arts is equally emphatic. All small LACs have 20+ varsity teams and therefore all small LACs have a high percentage of varsity athletes, but under no circumstances is being an athlete a prerequisite to social success. My son was involved in outdoorsy activities but was not a team athlete. Some of his friends were, some were not. I would characterize the student body as active and multifaceted, but not necessarily sport-crazed.</p>
<p>Other LACs that I would recommend with strong arts-related programs are Hamilton, Kenyon, Conn College, Wesleyan, Skidmore, Smith. Oddly, none of these are on your daughter's list, so I wonder what her criteria are (other than low to no Greek influence and less emphasis on partying and sports)? </p>
<p>I would be very wary of hearsay evidence on party/drinking culture. Aside from the all-women's schools, which are a class into themselves, most colleges have a balance of those who drink/drug and those who do not. Williams' reputation as a heavy drinking school is much overblown. Kids drink, some much more than is good for them, but it is not the major social focus. Visit and draw your conclusions.</p>