Non drinker seeks school....

College Search & Selection
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<p>TheCity, you make a valid point but I think mama made it pretty clear that it is her daughter who does not want to go to a school where drinking as a major focus point of the social life. I'm a junior and I feel the same way as her daughter. Drinking's huge at my high school, probably because the drinking age here is 18 and it's so much harder to get drugs overseas -- I'd say at least 85% of my school drinks, including freshmen. Many of my friends do drink and I don't judge them for it, but it's just something I choose not to do. It's not because my parents pressure me or anything.. in fact, they encourage me to drink once in a while so I'll learn how to drink responsibly before going to college, but I still don't. Most kids would probably kill to have my parents =P</p>

<p>Just a question, mama -- could you post some of your daughter's times? Like her 100 free time and her best events for SCY? I'm a swimmer too, so I could tell you what kind of times got what swimmers from my team into what schools. We had a guy turn down Harvard for Eddie Reese and U Texas a few years back.. he was awesome. Now he swims with Aaron Piersol and -- until they graduated this year -- Ian Crocker and Brendan Hansen. Yep that's right. His teammates made up three-fourths of the men's world-record breaking 400 medley relay in Athens.</p>

22

<p>I'll just second the fact that alcohol is everywhere; Carolyn mentioned MIT as one that has less drinking. That may be true, but in the past few years there have been at least 3 alcohol related deaths at MIT, among the kids that everyone assumes should "know better." One was during rush; the prospective pledge died of alcohol poisoning.</p>

<p>My dd is also looking for a "non-party" school where you don't have to get drunk or drink at all to fit in. She doesn't care if others drink; she just doesn't want to (and she doesn't want to go to a "dry" campus). And she doesn't want to worry that the bathrooms and hallways will be unlivable because of the dominant "culture." Because of that, I'm steering her away from schools that have a major Greek focus.</p>

23

<p>I think one thing that you(& your daughtner) need to look at is the overall student body and not their preference to alcohol. I am not big on kegg party type drinking and so when I was looking for a school I considered that. What I realized was that I was very into the social scene that came along with drinking and really didn't feel comfortable at the more reserved "dry" type schools(techie schools, religious based schools, etc). I am the type of kid you would think goes out to parties each weekend... and I do but I stay away from drinking... just not my thing. I wanted the big sports program with mass following my the student population, I wanted the possibility of Greek life, I wanted all of that but no pressure to drink. Every campus has those that drink and those that don't. I would say that your daughter is going to have to face peer pressure and overcome it with this issue because if not faced with in college it will be at some other point. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

24

<p>Brandeis is also reputed not to be a scene for heavy drinking.</p>

25

<p>It would be difficult to find much of an alcohol subculture at Brigham Young University in Utah. I think you can be admitted there if you aren't LDS as long as you agree to their rules; no drinking, smoking, or premarital sex. I am a graduate of their rival, the University of Utah, so this next sentence is going to PAIN me something fierce: BYU is a good school with an excellent academic reputation.</p>

26

<p>Since greek life is closely associated with drinking, I'll have to say Hendrix College just from the fact that it has zero greek life.</p>

27

<p>Hi all, thanks for the suggestions. I think Carolyn and interesteddad had
some great direction to get us started and we'll follow through on those.
All soph at our HS will be meeting with GC between now and June to review standing, confirm course placements and take interest inventory. They typically then meet with our placement advisor who sends them out with armloads of video and brochures. In the fall parents will be invited to join student & GC for futher discussion. I'm told that it is helpful if students
arrive with a few ideas for schools to look at. Smith looked very interesting
and Barnard was one I hadn't even thought about. Unfortunately, Earlham has no swim team and D is interested in NE, MidAtl primarily.Thanks again.</p>

28

<p>mama -- It sounds like your d is looking at some of the same colleges I looked at. (I applied to Mt. Holyoke, Smith, U. of Rochester, Lehigh, Hamilton College, Wellesley, Denison U., and Douglass (women's college of Rutgers), and I intend to be a computer science major.)</p>

<p><< Smith looked very interesting and Barnard was one I hadn't even thought about.>></p>

<p>I remember the winter of my junior year, I went to a panel at Barnard that had representitives from some sister schools (Bryn Mawr, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, Barnard, Wellesley), and tips about essay writing, college interviews, applying for financial aid, etc. It was really a great experience, if you live near the New York City area.</p>

<p>Anyway, I can't tell you much about Barnard, since I didn't apply there (too close, too hard to get into, my mom went there). Smith is in Northampton, which is a very hip little town. I spent a night there as a prospective student, and I went to a poetry reading by a world famous poet, walked into town for ice cream, and visited an on campus open mike night. Mt. Holyoke is more quiet, there's a lot of nature there, they also have great golf and equestrian, but South Hadley does not really have a lot to do. I was really impressed by Bryn Mawr, but they didn't have my intended major, so I didn't really look to far into it, Wellesley is great for science, but I got rejected (sigh). Douglass has a new dorm only for women who are science/engineering majors, which is cool.</p>

<p>A LOT of kids at my school go to Lehigh, it is seen as a bit of a party school, though. U. Rochester seemed pretty sober on my night there. I really loved Hamilton (didn't get in), I'm not sure what it's like there about drinking, I know they're not a dry campus, but they have substance free living.</p>

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<p>pure_din, thanks! D is indeed considering an almost identical list of schools! Rochester has been brought to her attention many times from different sources. Several seniors this year suggested she visit Smith,
they loved the town too. Thanks</p>

30

<p>Wondering if anyone has any thoughts re the campus culture at Case Western? Some friends (alum) suggested we check into it as they have good sciences (bio), good location, swim team, and if they're correct admittance to all of their schools (except music) upon admission. No question two years from admittance...website looks good, any thoughts? Thanks.</p>

31

<p>mama, my son will be attending Case Western this fall, and we know many students who are attending there now. Yes, you can find parties at Case (I think the sororities/frats most). From everything we know it is way down on the list as far as drinking and sex (oops:) had to mention that too). Go to the Case thread on this board and you can see more about this school. Any other questions? Good luck!</p>

32

<p>I will tell your first hand that you WILL NOT find a school in the entire United States where absolutely no student drinks. I know you may find that disheartening but I don't care how dry or religiously affiliated a school is there will be at least ONE person that drinks.</p>

<p>With that in mind you can look for schools where the non-drinkers fill up a larger amount of the school's student body.</p>

<p>If your looking for a school where there is absolutely no drinking your gonna have to check a different country. Unfortunately, that is the way it is in this country but I suggest you take these suggestions and work with them to find the best possible school for your son/daughter.</p>

33

<p>What exactly is it with colleges and drinking??? I really don't understand. I don't drink at all due to morals and religion.</p>

<p>That being said, I'm sure that the service academies and tech schools are probably the most dry of them all. I go to RPI and compared to other schools, alcohol is much less here.</p>

34

<p>As carolyn mentioned about UR with little drinking, you can actually put on your housing app in two places that you don't want to drink. I, like your daughter, am against drinking (will try to never ever drink) and on the housing form there is a spot for:
Recreational Substance-Free Roomate Option
Substance-Free Living Area
Both of which I am doing next year</p>

<p>Also in terms of bio, UR has a top notch department. Sorry that I can't personally speak for the other colleges though...</p>

<p>One side note: Case Western does have drinking as they have their own bar... Don't know if that affects anything.</p>

<p>Also, from PR (These are the colleges for Milk Please and Scotch and Soda- Hold the Scotch)
1 Brigham Young University (UT) </p>

<p>2 Wheaton College (IL) </p>

<p>3 College of the Ozarks </p>

<p>4 CUNY - Queens College </p>

<p>5 Spelman College </p>

<p>6 Grove City College </p>

<p>7 CUNY - Brooklyn College </p>

<p>8 Calvin College </p>

<p>9 Fisk University </p>

<p>10 CUNY - Hunter College </p>

<p>11 Hampton University </p>

<p>12 Wesleyan College </p>

<p>13 Simmons College </p>

<p>14 Samford University </p>

<p>15 Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering </p>

<p>16 Wellesley College </p>

<p>17 Simon's Rock College of Bard </p>

<p>18 Bryn Mawr College </p>

<p>19 Howard University </p>

<p>20 United States Naval Academy </p>

<p>1 Brigham Young University (UT) </p>

<p>2 Wheaton College (IL) </p>

<p>3 College of the Ozarks </p>

<p>4 CUNY - Queens College </p>

<p>5 Grove City College </p>

<p>6 CUNY - Brooklyn College </p>

<p>7 Calvin College </p>

<p>8 Spelman College </p>

<p>9 Samford University </p>

<p>10 CUNY - Hunter College </p>

<p>11 Webb Institute </p>

<p>12 Wesleyan College </p>

<p>13 United States Naval Academy </p>

<p>14 United States Military Academy </p>

<p>15 Simmons College </p>

<p>16 Wellesley College </p>

<p>17 United States Coast Guard Academy </p>

<p>18 United States Air Force Academy </p>

<p>19 Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering </p>

<p>20 William Jewell College</p>

35

<p>thanks hopkinslax! D is very interested in UR right now. Wanted to check out Case, I was told they have a bar and that drinkers and non frequent, generally without incident. Also told Case isn't in the safest of areas, but I don't know that. Can you share with me what brought
you to choose UR? What other schools did you seriously consider?
Thanks.</p>

36

<p>I chose UR because:
1) Premed rivals schools like JHU
2) Bio program is one of the best
3) Has a university hospital right next door (not to mention, a very good one)
4) No cirriculum
5) Free lessons at Eastman
6) One of the smallest research universities in the US</p>

<p>I looked at: Lehigh, Lafayette, Case, WUSTL, Bucknell, JHU (Didn't like- too competitive), The College of New Jersey, Rutgers (since it is my state school), RIT, Rensselaer</p>

<p>As for Case, it is pretty self contained. I did see one bum walking around, but that was on the outskirts of campus. Once you are in campus you really can't tell you are in a city.</p>

<p>Woops... Can't forget the campus is pretty (UR I am talking about)</p>

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<p>Pepperdine is supposedly pretty dry</p>

38

<p>as far as the above list of "milk please" schools...i just wanted to mention that i go to a CUNY and it's not so much that no one drinks as it is that there is no social life on campus so it's not really an issue. those are probably just on there because CUNY has no dorms and is like 99% commuters, so there really isn't any opportunity to drink except off campus and not during school hours at all.</p>

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<p>hopkinslax, thanks again. D is attracted to UR for some of the same reasons. Case also as well as state school honors programs. Did you receive any merit aid at UR? I'm told by some students here that this is a consideration there. How would you describe the cultural difference between Case and UR?</p>

40

<p>I loved UR and Case. The main reason I chose Case over UR was the political atmosphere (Case was much more tolerant of all views whereas I heard reports of conservative views being unacceptable at UR)</p>

<p>Although Case has several bars on campus, it really doesn't contribute to the drinking atmosphere. Most of the time they're empty, and they are very strict about the drinking age. If people want to drink, they can usually find a party (or go down to the clubs and find someone to buy for them), but there isn't peer pressure to drink. I had no problem finding a large group of friends like me that don't drink. It's perfectly acceptable to go to a frat or sorority party and not drink. There's a lot to do on campus and in the surrounding areas so that there is more to do on the weekends than drink, and most students realize that they can't keep up their grades if they want to drink...and that's actually a really strong deterrant!
As far as security on campus, I have never been concerned for my safety. Case is in a city, and you have plan accordingly. I always tried to stick with at least one other person after nightfall, but when that wasn't possible (coming back from late labs) there were enough other people around that I was comfortable. There's one homeless man that sells flowers on campus, but I've been harassed more by the companies that give out free samples than by him :-)</p>