How much truth is there to the statement that if you don’t party you’ll be bored/won’t make friends at Ithaca? It’s a haul for us, don’t want to waste time with a visit if that’s the case. Other than that, it sounds like it might be a very good fit. Thanks very much for your input.
Also, is there a wellness dorm, and if so, who is the typical student who lives there? Thanks.
Curious why you would think the relationship to partying and making friends at Ithaca is any different than at any other school you might be considering?
I see what you mean. It’s that Ithaca looks like a good fit in many respects, so I’m interested to know if this statement, which I read on CC, is true. But the question could certainly be applied to any school.
I’ll take a shot at an answer. I’d start with saying some off-handed comment by a single user who’s personality and social skills are unknown should be taken for what it’s worth. You get to assign the value, but in my world, the value is zero. Here’s what we know…Ithaca is in a small and vibrant “college town” with Cornell. One that I’ve seen on lists for best college town in America. It has roughly 6000 students from a variety of backgrounds. It has a beautiful campus and very active and successful intercollegiate sports. I guess it’s possible to be bored or not make friends anywhere, but I wouldn’t think that would be typical of the Ithaca experience.
I’d say there’s little to no truth to that statement. You’ll make friends simply by being active within your major and taking the time to get to know people. I’m a music student and barely have time for parties, but that hasn’t prevented me from making friends in the least. Sure, parties can give you a boost in that area, but they don’t need to be an essential part of meeting new people and having things to do.
Thank you both for taking the time to comment.
Ithaca is ranked #1 in as the school with the highest percentage of students who smoke pot according to the Princeton Review site. So you can take that for what it’s worth.
@colgrlma, I completely understand your question and concern. My D is very interested in Ithaca because of the program she has been accepted into. By all indications, it is outstanding. But she is not a partier and is not interested in the “college experience”. She wants the education/training and connections. She is not concerned about making friends (she knows she will make them through her major and interests), but she is concerned about her living arrangements. She has asthma and she needs a lot of sleep and quiet time. A roommate who is getting high and/or partying in the room will not go over well with her. Being awarded the dubious honor of #1 for Reefer Madness raises alarm bells. Clearly, it received this ranking for a reason. @jazzybrooke’s answer was very helpful. It would be great to hear from more students and parents familiar with Ithaca College who can speak to the issue. We live very far away and know no one who has gone to Ithaca from whom we could get a better picture of the college.
pinkbulldog, while I can’t give specific information about Ithaca, I can tell you that my daughter is looking at Ithaca and she sounds very similar to your daughter. She loves her sleep (she also has asthma) and has no interest in partying. We are also concerned about the #1 for Reefer Madness. We are actually heading to Ithaca tomorrow for the accepted student program Monday morning, and she will be meeting with the figure skating club Monday night and attending some OT classes Tuesday morning. We are hoping to get a better feel for things during this visit. I really believe at a school such as Ithaca, she will be able to find “her people” and have a great experience as it seems like there is so much to do. The roommate issue is definitely a big concern for her, too, though. We live about five hours away and do not know anyone who has recently attended Ithaca. My daughter did loved Ithaca during her previous two visits.
@colgrlma @reeniemom @pinkbulldog I was a student at Ithaca until I realised that the BA program was not for me. What I can say about Ithaca is that there definitely is a party scene because of its suburban location BUT I had friends who were not great partiers and still had fun, it just takes them more time to find there place. Ithaca, NY is an adorable place with tons of things to do whether it be food or nature. I would say that there is a heavy scent of marijuana on some places on campus and certainly more cigarette smokers than I’ve ever seen. It’s a great school but partying is there. PM if you have more questions.