<p>im interested in schools that present a comprehensive experience and environment most reminiscent of high school. maybe this is more about nostalgic resonance what is the most nostalgic college experience today? convince me of where this may be </p>
<p>which dominant or recurrent themes separate certain schools from the rest in this way</p>
<p>everybody knows high school is more nostalgic than college.</p>
<p>I guess that in trying to project a college experience that will be as nostalgic as your high school experience will greatly depend upon what you liked about HS. This can be radically varied from person to person. I think that the reason HS is thought of as nostalgic is more because of your age than the type of HS you went to. Do you think people are nostalgic only who went to certain types of schools, like the way you want to pick college? I feel that the college experience will be memorable because of what you make of it. I know plenty of people who found HS miserable and were so happy to find themselves in the bigger college world.</p>
<p>But, my guess as to what you are thinking: a relatively small school with a community feel and strong culture. Usually strong communities look to themselves for stimulation rather than a nearby big cultural center, so a rural school. This brings to mind the small LAC's of 1,000 to 2,000 people located outside of major cities. There are tons of them.</p>
<p>Or if you are a cheerleader type, some people really look back at school fondly if they had a big sport scene they were involved with.</p>
<p>For me, college was infinitely more nostalgic than high school. I agree w/ Bettina. You'll have to ask yourself what you liked so much about your high school experience. </p>
<p>I went to high school in the South and before that, I lived in Africa. For much of my pre-college life, I was the only non-white or black person in my schools. (Plus, I'm gay at that.) I definitely had identity issues growing up, but in college, I truly discovered who I was and gained ever-lasting friendships. (I went to UVa.) Two of my favorite classes were "Theories of Gay Liberation" and "Asian-American Ethnicity." </p>
<p>UVa is a truly magical and historical place. Alums have such an extreme fondness for their alma mater because they feel like they're part of something special. You feel like you're connected to an earlier and more glorious time when you're there. It's hard to grasp this feeling unless you're a UVa alumnus yourself. Founded by Thomas Jefferson, he along with James Madison and James Monroe physically laid down the cornerstone of the University in 1817. Unlike most schools at the time, UVA was founded not to educate the rich and the clergy but instead to educate the common citizen who was intelligent enough to be admitted. In fact, Simon Bolivar, the Liberator of South America, was so drawn to Jefferson's vision of higher education that he sent his son Fernando (UVa's first Hispanic student) to Virginia in 1825. Walking on the Lawn and the Range, you can look into the original student rooms where UVa's best 4th year students live - rooms that housed former students like Woodrow Wilson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Katie Couric just to name a few. During the Civil War, General Custer (of Custer's Last Stand) spared UVa from destruction (unlike the Virginia Military Institute and many Southern towns) because the school was built by Jefferson.</p>
<p>The interesting thing about my particular collegiate experience is that I bought into what UVa stands for. When you go there, there are certain principles that you hear over and over again: Honor, Integrity, and Student Self-Governance. I don't know many schools that are truly based on principles, but UVa definitely is. I realize that UVa is not perfect, and some students occasionally deviate from these principles. But in my case, I graduated from UVa believing in the ideas of honor, integrity and self-governance. I learned that you can gain and lose wealth, but once people lose trust in you, your integrity and honor are hard to regain. I learned that I am here to make the world a better place - an imperfect being striving for a perfect world. I learned that indeed we control our destinies and that we can achieve our goals. (I find it interesting that while UVa doesn't have a film school, but so many movies have been written, produced or directed by UVa grads. Flicks like "Batman," "Master & Commander," "When Harry Met Sally," "A Few Good Men," "Princess Bride," "Dead Poets Society," "Nutty Professor," etc.) I myself didn't study communications/journalism/film but am now a TV Producer in NY. I just decided one day after I graduated that I wanted to be a producer and became one in 3 years. </p>
<p>I owe a lot of who I am today to those 4 amazing years. I am a better man because I attended the University of Virginia. </p>
<p>So, to answer your other question, the thing that separates some schools from others is that 'je ne sais quoi' - those little intangibles that go beyond rankings and makes you as a student (and an alumnus) feel and believe that you're part of something truly unique and special.</p>
<p>Other schools w/ similar 'je ne sais quoi' are: William & Mary, Harvard, Princeton, Amherst and Yale.</p>
<p>Add Dartmouth to this list. It is amazing and could not be more fun. I disagree with Yale.</p>