<p>i think i have posted here before.. but i come now with a different topic. </p>
<p>SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE</p>
<p>i'm a girl who lives probably 20-30minutes away from CMC. i've visited, but didn't have a formal tour. i was just THERE to interview Mr. Richard Vos, the Vice President/Dean of Admissions for a project. I really liked the campus and enjoyed the personal feeling of it all. I liked every campus as i had explored and walked around the entire claremont "university" as i like to call it. </p>
<p>problem is, i've been researching a lot on the social aspects of CMC (this is probably the school out of the 5 i really want to go to) and i have a bit of concern for religion? i'm a christian who's a little afraid i'll lose myself in college. </p>
<p>to the point: how's CMC in this standpoint? what do people at CMC like to talk about on a regular basis?</p>
<p>i just want to see if i'll be some sort of outcast or not if i do end up going there. </p>
<p>but first.. i have to get in HAHA</p>
<p>There's definitely a significant and active Christian community in Claremont. If you're able to visit, ask students about "IV" (Intervarsity Christian Fellowship). Services (both Catholic and Protestant, as well as others) occur regularly on campus. I know a good number of people (including at least one CMC-er) who are highly involved in IV on campus and give it wonderful reviews, but I can't speak from personal experience. </p>
<p>That said, the campuses as a whole are pretty liberal (CMC least of all, but it's all relative) and ideologically diverse. You'll meet plenty of individuals of other mindsets, some of whom will feel free to question yours. There's also a lot of social liberalism--an active queer community, for one. Finally, CMC in particular has a pretty strong party and drinking scene. This isn't to say that you'll be pressured to join it, but it can be fairly...pervasive. I would say that you could be totally fine at Claremont unless something about the atmosphere bothered you (and that goes for anyone, obviously). I would strongly suggest coming on a Thursday and spending the night on campus. You'll get a good cross-section of academic and social life this way and you can see how you feel.</p>
<p>So "to the point," as you say: there's plenty in Claremont to prevent you from "losing" yourself, but there are other reasons that you might be uncomfortable. If you visit and find that the atmosphere doesn't bother you, then I think you could be just fine.</p>
<p>Good luck :)</p>
<p>I agree with Student615- the best, and probably only way to tell if you are comfortable at CMC is to live there for a day. As Student615 said- Thursdays are the best to experience CMC...</p>
<p>thanks guys.. i went to visit these past couple days... 1st day: to visit a friend at Mudd and drive around</p>
<p>2nd day: to get a tour and all the brochures i could take. </p>
<p>i strongly feel like this is the school for me! however.. i'm not sure about ED as my mom is a single mom with about a 30k income... :( </p>
<p>how does financial aid work for that at CMC? for ED.. do they give you a take it or leave it offer?</p>
<p>CMC is ranked as one of the most generous schools financially. That said, there is a good chance you will get TONS of finaid. But, applying ED means you are willing to do anything to go to that school. So lets say CMC is mean and gives you none (unlikely). You should be willing to take out all the loans in your name in order to go to CMC. It's something to think about. But yes, if it is the place for you- go for it!</p>
<p>haha yeah i visited on a thursday... if youre going to visit, make it a thursday</p>
<p>umm, im not really 100% sure on this, but i beleive that CMC says that they meet 100% of demonstrated need (somone correct me if im wrong please). so if you fill out the FAFSA and see what your demonstrated need is, then you can perhaps make a more informed decision</p>
<p>but Elizzan is totally correct - CMC is amazing with financial aid. PR ranked CMC as one of the top 20 colleges where students are very happy with their financial aid. and if you apply ED theres more money around than if you apply RD anyway.</p>
<p>I'm absolutely not an authority on financial aid, but I wanted to put out a tentative counter-argument to crouton's claim that "if you apply ED there's more money around than if you apply RD anyway." If a school meets 100% of demonstrated need (as calculated by the school/FAFSA, remember, which may be completely different from what you or your mother feels is appropriate), then the amount of aid shouldn't vary much regardless of whether one applies ED or RD. Note, however, that there may be less incentive for the school to provide a 'nice' package to ED applicants, who are bound to attend the school if accepted, whether they receive all of their aid in the form of scholarships or in the form of loans. Whether you'd actually be stuck in such an unfortunate position, I've no idea.</p>
<p>The advice that I've seen given time and time again is that if finances are any concern at all, DO NOT apply binding ED. It's too great a gamble. And in general, I'd caution you about leaning towards ED yet, anyway. Among other things, bear in mind that summer visits are not always very representative of a school's true atmosphere, and while a summer visit is better than none at all, I wouldn't recommend staking so much on one of them.</p>
<p>Glad to hear you liked the school, though :)</p>