One-line descriptions of each LAC culture from enrolled student

Parents Forum
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<p>Well, I don't have time to read through everything to see if something has already been posted on Penn, but I figured I'd add my two cents:</p>

<p>my one liner on Penn:
Work very hard, party hard, ignore the super rich kids, and have an absolutely amazing time. </p>

<p>So now some rambling on my opinions of Penn (after having attended a year).</p>

<p>A lot of the stereotypes that Penn has acquired are very true.. It definitely is the social ivy. However, people know when to work, and when to party. During the normal school year, there are at least 3 parties every thurs/fri/sat. Come midterms/finals however and the campus dramatically quiets down. </p>

<p>I've found everyone very cooperative and there is little to no cut throat behavior. I'm in SEAS (the engineering school) and definitely have the hardest work load of my friends.. I also have plenty of time for fun. </p>

<p>The opportunity to take classes outside your major is amazing (Penn is hugee into it's "One University" policy, meaning you can take classes at any of the 4 undergrad schools without any special permission). I took a Wharton class last semester and will be taking another next.. I had the opportunity to do a dual degree with business, but chose to just take a few classes instead.. lots of people also do some sort of dual degree (either within their own school or between two of the 4 schools), and you are also allowed to minor in a different school than you're in (ie i'm in engineering but could minor in english in the College if I were so inclined). </p>

<p>People are verry active in campus. I don't konw <em>anyone</em> who isn't in some sort of club or other extracurricular activity. I think that really adds to the atmosphere as no one just sits in their room.. people are involved. </p>

<p>The one negative stereotype that penn does live up to is the abundance of rich kids.. but to be fair, I don't think it's any different at any other school that costs $45,000 a year.. with such a high price tag it's inevitable that a lot of people will be very well off.</p>

<p>Everyone is happy.. I know this sounds silly, but it's true. Everyone loves to be at Penn and it really shows. When I was searching for schools I made a point to ask random people at every college I visited how they liked it. At most schools, people just responded "it's nice" or "yeah, I like it." When I asked people at penn, how they liked it, I got a 15 minute speech on how absolutely AMAZING it was.. and I haven't been let down yet. </p>

<p>Hope this helps :)</p>

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<p>Thanks, ThisYearsGirl and mnasy1122. You both get As for your posts, not that you need them. It is such a wonderful thing to hear about students who love their schools.</p>

<p>Now if our children could just get in to these terrific schools....</p>

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<p>thanks mnasy! I'm glad to hear that about Penn - I'm next year's frosh.</p>

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<p>Since weve gone thru 13 pages in this thread can some1 summarize ...</p>

<p>a} IVY-LEAGUE SCHOOLS
b} BIG TEN SCHOOLS
c} OTHER FAVOURITES</p>

<pre><code> I was pretty suprised that I couldn't find a post on Purdue Univ. - W.Lafayette Indiana..... [ It is a Big Ten school]
</code></pre>

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<p>Xmere, Ohio Wesleyan University matches most of what you are looking for: it is fairly artsy and a lot of students who are there for the academic challenge, it is close to a city (i.e. Columbus, Ohio). However, it does not have a grade inflation. In fact, it is probably the easiest school to get into from the Ohio Five Schools (Oberlin, Kenyon, Denison, Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan), but the one that's hardest to finish. Also, the average SATs/section this year are around 650, not 750. 750 average SAT will mean top 5 LAC school. Considering your other criteria, I think the only two schools that may match your criteria may be Swarthmore and Wellesley. And maybe Amherst. </p>

<p>From the other Ohio Five schools, perhaps a better match than Ohio Wesleyan University given your criteria is Kenyon, but certainly not Oberlin (since you are looking for a fairly politically-balanced school).</p>

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<p>Gettysburg College anyone?</p>

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<p>I ran across this one-liner from Swarthmore professor, Tim Burke, in a commencement week speech to students at about their desire to change the world. Burke refered to his undergrad days at Wesleyan:</p>

<p>"Wesleyan is a lot like Swarthmore, but with more drugs and fewer Quakers."</p>

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<p>Fred, don't have detailed knowledge but Gettysburg was on D's medium list as a Safety and we had an extremely brief visit. </p>

<p>Remote enough that you understand why drinking and Greek life is the thing.</p>

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<p>Oberlin (through the eyes of Joyce Gardener, Joan of Arcadia writer): "Isn't that in the middle of a cornfield? What are we going to do, shoot squirrels and join a milita?"</p>

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<p>These are fun to read. </p>

<p>Stud05, thanks for your suggestions. I am beginning to doubt that my daughter will end up at a LAC, for the reasons raised by your analysis. A high SAT verbal student population in the top LACs usually has equally high everything else, which is why they were admitted.</p>

<p>For the uneven kids, LACs that admit them may be too thin at that verbal top, since there are so few students. Big colleges, public or private, have lots of every kind of student, so may be a better option, even if on paper the mid-range is lower. A lower midrange for math would be ideal, in our case. Also, we find straight A students annoying....because we can't be one in math and science and French. This last comment is just me being silly, because I admire anyone who puts in the kind of work straight As demand.</p>

<p>Example: UTexas, Austin. 50,000 students, probably at least 10,000 highly verbally gifted. Now that's a critical mass! If you don't get lost in the pandemonium, that is.</p>

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<p>Ah but Xmere, those high verbal kids just love letting it rip in small discussion seminars! So much more possible in a LAC environment.</p>

<p>10,000? I would not worry about needing SO many high verbals; they will cluster and congregate in english, history, comp lit, philosophy & reli stu classes. In a class of 25, you only need 6-7 high verbal types to have incredible discussions. In a school of 1500, the 300 high verbals will be taking those same classes your D is taking. Furthermore, in a diverse population, there will be brilliant kids whose verbal scores are low due to the language barrier or inadequate prep in background, but who will be very intellectually stimulating and who will add perspective to discussion.</p>

<p>Don't abandon the LAC or small U track. There are lots of good safer schools for your D. Did you ever check out Macalester?</p>

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<p>Yes, SBMom, Macalester is definitely on the list. It has many great characteristics and is in a real city. Real COLD city, but as you and Carolyn and others have pointed out, you can't have everything. </p>

<p>Apparently having real seasons instead of the copacetic (spelling?) southern California dream weather is good for the hair, or brain, or something. I forget now. I have been living in southern climes too long and my brain cells have atrophied.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
What about the University of Colorado at Boulder, Lafayette College, and Villanova?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>CU students seem to be geeky science/engineering students that drink a little more than most and enjoy the outdoors. There is the whole greek scene then too.</p>

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<p>A Thorough Description Of Cornell University Please! Im Applying Early Decision To Cornell.</p>

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<p>a thorough description? lol :))))))</p>

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<p>Cornell: it has gorges and little if any grade inflation and it's colder than Billy-be-damned in winter.</p>

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<p>LOL...maybe i shouldve phrased it, a one-liner....yes i know it has gorges, and grade deflation, and its very cold.</p>

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<p>My son is going to SB this fall....any descriptions besides the ubiquitous "WHADDA A PARTY SCHOOL" line lol we get when people ask where he's going.</p>

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<p>How can a university with close to 30,000 students be called anything but "A school with something for everyone"? A school of engineering geeky types does not get a school ranked in the Top 5 for Party School..and this so called party school stigma has been going on since the 50s.........</p>

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<p>You can fall through the cracks at UCSB, as with any of the UC's. But if you're focused and disciplined, you can get an extremely good education there. It helps if you can manage your own major and breadth requirements. It also helps if you aren't seduced by the weather, the beach, or-- Well, you get my point.</p>