<p>Hey, just trying to figure out a few more things about my top choices, so I’m posting a thread with a few questions in each school’s forum. I know a few answers, but I wanted to hear from current students or recent alumni.</p>
<li><p>Do you feel the professors at your university are open to and care about undergraduate students? Are there professors who would go out to lunch with their students to talk or seem to only be open during class?</p></li>
<li><p>How is housing decided in your university? Is there a lottery system or does it go by seniority?</p></li>
<li><p>How easy would it be to travel to NYC from the university? Is it costly or inexpensive or somewhere in between?</p></li>
<li><p>Do students on campus have a sense of activism? Are there volunteer opportunities available in the surrounding neighborhood?</p></li>
<li><p>Are there any quirky campus traditions?</p></li>
<li><p>What can a student who is not into parties do for fun on campus?</p></li>
<li><p>Is there help available for students struggling to make the transition from high school to college?</p></li>
<li><p>How is the pre-med counseling at the school? What is it like for a student to be pre-med at your university? Difficult/competitive? How likely is it for a premed to be able to move on to a top medical school?</p></li>
<li><pre><code>What is the general attitude on campus?
</code></pre></li>
<li><p>How easy is it to get involved in research? Will you be able to delve in freshman/sophomore year, or will you have to wait till junior/senior year? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Note, there’s an Ask A Brown Student thread where you might find answers to more questions. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Do you feel the professors at your university are open to and care about undergraduate students? Are there professors who would go out to lunch with their students to talk or seem to only be open during class?
This depends. In my own personal experience, I definitely have had some professors who really care and others who care less. It depends on the professor. </p></li>
<li><p>How is housing decided in your university? Is there a lottery system or does it go by seniority?
Freshman year it’s randomly assigned, although you can request special types of housing(substance-free, quiet floor, etc.)
Then you can either go into program houses (French House, Tech House, etc.), a Greek organization, or into the housing lottery. Lottery numbers are preferenced with seniority. So seniors get the best numbers, then juniors, then sophomores.</p></li>
<li><p>How easy would it be to travel to NYC from the university? Is it costly or inexpensive or somewhere in between?
Not something to do all the time, but a valid weekend trip, but better spring break trip, since it’s a couple hours away. More costly if you take Amtrak, cheaper if you take the China Town bus. </p></li>
<li><p>Do students on campus have a sense of activism? Are there volunteer opportunities available in the surrounding neighborhood?
Yes. Many. </p></li>
<li><p>Are there any quirky campus traditions?
Yeah. I think some are listed on wikipedia.</p></li>
<li><p>What can a student who is not into parties do for fun on campus?
A lot. I’m not into parties. I can always have fun when I want to. Varies by whatever else you’re into. Watch performances, hang out with ppl who just want to sit around and veg and play board games, etc. </p></li>
<li><p>Is there help available for students struggling to make the transition from high school to college?
Yes. Residential Counselors in the dorms are trained for that as the first stop to connect you to a lot of resources.</p></li>
<li><p>How is the pre-med counseling at the school? What is it like for a student to be pre-med at your university? Difficult/competitive? How likely is it for a premed to be able to move on to a top medical school?
Brown students do pretty well in medical school admissions.</p></li>
<li><p>What is the general attitude on campus?
There are too many diverse ones for a general one.</p></li>
<li><p>How easy is it to get involved in research? Will you be able to delve in freshman/sophomore year, or will you have to wait till junior/senior year?
Easy if you’re pro-active about it. </p></li>
<li><p>Are students able to balance work and play? Or is there generally too much work or too much play?
Most do. Some struggle, especially freshmen year, but most manage to balance.</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>Do you feel the professors at your university are open to and care about undergraduate students? Are there professors who would go out to lunch with their students to talk or seem to only be open during class?
I’ve never found a prof inaccessible - whether over email (which I sometimes prefer because I tend to think out my questions pretty deliberately), during office hours, before/after class, or at other times. I’m one of the only underclassmen in a sociology seminar this semester, and my prof has been super accessible as far as meeting at random times to clear up my questions and help me with papers. And one of my professors holds office hours in the Ratty, but that’s a rare case, I think.</p></li>
<li><p>How is housing decided in your university? Is there a lottery system or does it go by seniority?
^he said it right</p></li>
<li><p>How easy would it be to travel to NYC from the university? Is it costly or inexpensive or somewhere in between?
I’ve never been - I hear it’s about $30ish? I definitely know people who’ve done it.</p></li>
<li><p>Do students on campus have a sense of activism? Are there volunteer opportunities available in the surrounding neighborhood?
Absolutely. If you haven’t heard of the Swearer Center, definitely give them a Google - they coordinate a lot of the volunteer/community-service type stuff, including UCAAP, a preorientation/advising program I’d urge you to consider if you’re into that type of thing. It’s a great way to get a core group of people who really care about volunteer work, and introduce you to Providence and the Swearer Center right off the bat.</p></li>
<li><p>Are there any quirky campus traditions?
Of course… </p></li>
<li><p>What can a student who is not into parties do for fun on campus?
There’s a lot. On weeknights, there are all sorts of lectures and events, as well as performances etc. on weekends. Or just doing other fun things with like-minded people. You will find your niche.</p></li>
<li><p>Is there help available for students struggling to make the transition from high school to college?
Yeah. You have an RC, and there are also academic-type supports like the Writing Center.</p></li>
<li><p>How is the pre-med counseling at the school? What is it like for a student to be pre-med at your university? Difficult/competitive? How likely is it for a premed to be able to move on to a top medical school?
Can’t speak to that.</p></li>
<li><p>What is the general attitude on campus?
Fairly laid-back? Passionate about something? Fun? Hardworking? Perhaps?</p></li>
<li><p>How easy is it to get involved in research? Will you be able to delve in freshman/sophomore year, or will you have to wait till junior/senior year?
can’t really speak to this either, unfortunately, but my sense is pretty esay.</p></li>
<li><p>Are students able to balance work and play? Or is there generally too much work or too much play?
I’ve struggled a bit, but I think I’m doing fine (maybe don’t ask me when I have two 10-15 page papers due within a week’s time?)</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I can answer the NYC question, since I recently did it: Amtrak from Providence to NYC is 3 1/2 hours one way and the cost starts at $54 one way (there is a faster train for more money; there are student discounts, I believe). Chinatown buses will be cheaper, I don’t think Greyhound is cheaper.</p>
<p>Perter Pan bus from Providence to NYC is $35 (one way) for students when reserving online. there may be a discount for round-trip, I’m not sure. I’ve been told Greyhound is cheaper.</p>
Greyhound is actually quite cheap-- less than $25 one way. It is less than Peter Pan, but it might take longer. I don’t think Chinatown bus stops in Providence, but it might. In any event, I wouldn’t take Chinatown Bus; it has a bad safety record, and there are sometimes pretty sleazy characters on it. But that one IS cheaper (~$15 one way). Also, Chinatown bus stops in, duh, Chinatown, which might be difficult to navigate for non-NYers. Port Authority, where Greyhound stops, is extremely easy to figure out and to travel to other places.</p>