How weird is too weird?

<p>Beloit is at the top of my son’s college list, and based on a summer visit day we attended, it has been my favorite of his potential schools. He’s been accepted EA and will participate in the upcoming scholarship competition. Generally he feels very positive about Beloit, but his campus overnight visit last fall left him feeling slightly concerned about–how do I put this delicately?–the weirdness factor. While he’s comfortably quirky himself, it seemed like a fair number of the Beloiters he encountered were several degrees beyond that. (One of his hosts never made eye contact and when things got slow, he made him watch a video about sushi.) Another new Beloit student we know observed that her fellow students are often more likely to talk to themselves than their classmates over lunch. Beloit’s “weirdness” comes up fairly regularly in college reviews, too. So, Beloit students, parents, alumni out there, fill me in. How much–if at all–did this often-commented on weirdness influence your Beloit experience?</p>

<p>Wow, as a sophomore, I am surprised that those are the only two impressions Beloit has made. Yes, there are students who are more reclusive for whatever reason, whether they are anti-social or merely independent is hard to know for sure. I like eating alone on occasion, because i feel being alone is important in becoming comfortable with yourself. However, I would say the vast majority of Beloit students eat in large groups, that talk about everything from politics and what they are reading to the latest music or TV shows. Conversation is both diverse and copious at meals. Students are often quirky, there is no typical college student, but most are very friendly, very well adjusted and laid back. In terms of social life, Beloit seems to be a lot more welcoming and friendly then the atmosphere most of my friends have described at a top tier state school. I would visit again and even talk to the admissions office in requesting a host that is experienced in hosting.</p>

<p>Thank you for responding so thoughtfully to my question. More proof that Beloit is a great place.</p>

<p>Let me clarify a little: Beloit has made a very positive impression on our family overall, and we understand that there is no one type of Beloit student. It is my son’s favorite college so far and he will likely choose to go there next fall. As a mother, I’ve spent a lot of time pushing the idea that being called “weird” is a compliment and I believe it is. Taken to an extreme, however, extreme oddness can be as limiting as extreme conformity.</p>

<p>sylvanus, my daughter is a student at Beloit and loves it. I don’t think the “quirky level” is much greater than at many other small, liberal arts colleges. (My son went to Grinnell, which had its fair share of “weirdness”—and I mean that as a compliment.) </p>

<p>My daughter came to campus with an open mind, a sense of humor and a love of learning, and she has been delighted with all that Beloit has to offer. She’s found a great group of friends, too. If your son ends up at Beloit, I’m sure he will find his niche, and he will happily embrace both the “normal” and the “weird” (although distinguishing between the two can be somewhat subjective :))!</p>

<p>If it’s still a top contender once he has all his acceptances in hand, why not have him spend another day or two at Beloit, going to classes and possibly doing another overnight? It might increase his confidence level in his decision if he has a few more data points.</p>