<p>Planning visits to these four schools with my S - anyone have reactions from previous visits?</p>
<p>Hi, I visited Mcdaniel in the Fall of 2004. </p>
<p>Mcdaniel-My mom and I went their for one of their fall open houses and was very impressed, especially me because I thought of it as just a safety school. It's located in a small town in the northeastern part of Maryland. The campus is really pretty, especially their new buildings. From what I got was that the professors are extremely caring. They also have a January term, in which students can either study abroad someplace or on campus for a month. There seemed to be a lot of different student groups, and the greek scene on campus seemed small-about 15% go greek. Overall, I was very impressed and almost went there, but I didn't become it seemed like too much of a feeder school for the local high schools around. In my mind, Mcdaniel is really a hidden gem for the right student.</p>
<p>I've visited Goucher and I LOVED it! It was a small campus in an area with a safe feel. You can get to Baltimore easily and take a train to DC for $7. It's located in Towson, which has a cute downtown with many shops. I got the feeling that everyone was genuinely happy to be at Goucher! Everyone was sooo friendly! They have nice trails around the campus for equestrian and running/walking use. The dorms seemed average, but the campus as a whole was very pretty and inviting. I bet your son will like the campus.</p>
<p>I live across the street/down the street from St Joe's. It's campus is in both Phila and the suburb across the main dividing street-City Line Ave. Huge campus, was considered a commuter school, but they continue to build/take over apts for dorms. Not much in the surrounding area- it's rather iffy on the Phila side at night, but there is a bus that will get students around. Business is strong, as is education- not sure about the other fields.</p>
<p>I'm looking into Goucher and McDaniel as well.</p>
<p>I did a summer program at Villanova and the campus was nice. I though it'd be a little closer to Philly, though. The dorms were nice, although they put the boys in the girls dorms and the girls in the guys dorms. The girls were quite amused by having urinals in their bathrooms lol. Anyway, it seems like a nice school but not my taste for some reason; i can't quite put my finger on it.</p>
<p>We're really not THAT far from Philly....</p>
<p>I think school is like cz8124 said, an impressive hidden gem for the right student, in the vain of similar nuturing safeties like Hartwick. </p>
<p>However my one con has nothing to do with the school itself but the students. I have multiple friends, which I do visit on campus, and the complaint of all three of them is that the student body does not take advantage of the academics very much at all and instead center around the social scene siting tones of drinking and partying at a level I wouldn't expect at a small school like this on a Wednesday night.</p>
<p>It really seemed difficult for any short-come student that seemed to serious about academics to find like-minded students. Outside of the classroom it seemed like an exstension of public high school.</p>
<p>My DS will be attending McDaniel later this month as a freshman. McDaniel is a wonderful college. It offers a tightly knit community feel, great academics, talented and caring professors, small classes, excellent academic offerings (solid core...strong emphasis on writing...and many interesting and quirky extras...including a terrific array of January term courses, some involving travel and lots of hands-on, and study abroad opportunites), many DIII athletic teams, clubs, greeks, activities. McDaniel's a Colleges That Change Lives school. The college takes a broad range of students, but turns out top-flight graduates who can compete with the best of the best. The college has a great support services program both for the typical student and the student needing help for LD/ADD/etc. Everyone connected with the college is extremely helpful and sincere. They make every effort to ensure that students develop the skills and confidence to make it through. The campus is lovely with many new buildings...and more planned. Other buildings and facilities are undergoing renovation. McDaniel is trying to grow its numbers. I believe that last year there were around 450 freshman; this year more than 500. McDaniel's football field was built by the Baltimore Ravens pro team; that is where they hold training camp. The school is rich in tradition. It has a wonderful, gentle spirit. The town of Westminster in which McDaniel is located is a charming small town. About 30 minutes away is Baltimore; 60 minutes away is Washington, DC. The school runs shuttles locally and to the metro stops and the regional airports. McDaniel draws it student population from all over, and it is continuing to push for greater representation and diversity. A great school all the way around.</p>