<p>The Fiske Guide gives UDEL 5 telephones which translates to a party school. Many student reviews I have read also describe it that while others claim it is only a stereotype. Comments anyone....</p>
<p>There are kids that party and kids that don’t party and kids somewhere in the middle. My son is somewhere in the middle. It’s a big school so there’s many of each kind, and they tend to find friends with similar ways. Some kids do go out on Thursday nights. My son isn’t one of the kids, and actually likes the quiet in the dorm on Thursdays to do work (his roommate does go out). He also has stayed in every now and then on a weekend. In the beginning he went to many parties, but the novelty wore off quickly enough. He does do things like eating dinner out, movies and bowling on Main St. He also attends some of the sports event. On Sunday’s during NFL season he goes to Wild Wings with his buddies to watch the Jets. This semester he joined a frat but is still “pledging”, in this case it means cleaning their houses, helping with their parties, and things like that, but it also involves eating dinner and going to the library with fellow pledges 4 nights/week, so it definitely isn’t always that crazy frat scene. He has another week of that, then he’ll be officially in. His frat does have parties but also organizes other campus activities and events.</p>
<p>Handemom, was your S one of the red high heel wearing gentlemen we saw on campus on Tuesday?</p>
<p>Oh I don’t think so…some of the frats do make them do some pretty ridiculous things during the pledge season (within limits of course, the school has lots of rules). His isn’t in one of those (I hope). He purposely went with this one (ZBT) because he didn’t have to do anything too out of line. In fact, he’s been doing house-cleaning…something he didn’t do much of at home!</p>
<p>There are so-called ‘underground’ frats, not authorized by the school. I don’t recommend those to anyone.</p>
<p>I just texted my son about the red heels. He said it was for some charity thing and he wasn’t one of them!</p>
<p>It was hilarious! Various gentlemen parading across campus in red, high-heeled pumps. Including one guy on crutches with only one red pump on!</p>
<p>My son goes to UD and does not party. Many kids do but I think that is true at most schools except those in Utah By virtue of the school being so close to downtown Newark, there are obviously going to be more opportunities than if you were at a school in a rural area where there are more cows than people.</p>
<p>This whole “party school” designation about Delaware is a legacy from ten years or so ago when UD was a very different school, easier to get admitted to, etc., etc. Do they party? YEP…but most college kids do so. They study hard too, one doesn’t preclude the other! Reading through this thread it is really insulting to imply that if someone wants to go out on most “thirsty thursdays” that they don’t care about their academics, and believe me, my son has stayed in more than one Thursday night because that last paper needs to get done or there is a Friday a.m. exam. Try not to be quite so judgemental…</p>
<p>UD is a HUGE (repeat HUGE) party school - period. Whether your child chooses to participate is their choice.</p>
<p>I assume from your post UDMOM that you have children at UD so maybe you have seen more than I have or than D has (D is only a freshman) but the funny thing about this post is that our D visited many top notch schools (including ivys and top lacs) and insists that in comparison to many of the schools she visited the party scene at UD is pretty subdued. In fact D has told us that the police presence in Newark is prominent and maybe it depends who you are hanging out with or where, but D has not perceived UD to be a party school at all, much less a HUGE party school. She has met many kids who are pretty serious about their studying whether in honors or not in honors.</p>
<p>Huge party school? My D is also a freshman and her friends at Penn State, University of Arizona and other schools laugh at how tame UD is. I think this party school thing is way over done. If you look at princeton review UD doesn’t even crack the top twenty party list. I went to one of the most conservative schools in the country and people partied there also even though it’s in the top twenty for non party schools. Sorry I have to agree with Lucky and Blue on this one.</p>
<p>Guess it is all a matter of perspective. Our daughter loves UD, her classes, and feels she is receiveing an excellent education. She moved off campus after freshman year to get away from all of the drinking and partying. Again - matter of perspective - she came from a small, private, conservative high school.</p>
<p>PS: HAHA…GOOD GOD…</p>
<p>sopranadad819: U of A? Seriously? Are you really comparing that school to UD? PLEASE…</p>
<p>I’m only making a point that U of A is a party school what’s so funny. U of A is also the best state school in Arizona some very bright kids go there because that’s what they can afford. Be careful disparaging other schools.</p>
<p>At UD it all depends on the dorm your assigned to, some are pretty quiet and others, well lets say, D friend was an RA he HATED the job it was a freshman dorm, and it was out of control and what some tried to get away with and he had to be the one to stop it, and he wasn’t going to lose his spot over some idiot kids, so yes he reported the activities. Counter to my d dorm freshman year it was extremely quiet. Mandatory quiet hours after 8pm. The worst noise/activity she said was some of her floor mates playing xbox in surround sound @ 2 in the morning in the lounge. Those that want to will those that don;t wont. Same everywhere you go.</p>
<p>I realize this might be off topic but U of Arizona happens to have one of the strongest cellular and molecular biology programs in the country. top student from our neighborhood went there on full ride and is now in top medical school (Ivy League) working on her MD/PHD. And, yes, U of Arizona is a huge party school but just like UD and other large flagship state schools, there are many TOP students who attend because of finances and some who attend because of specific programs that suit their needs (some top students also attend who are top in their sports because of the climate)</p>
<p>My D is a freshman in Russell (honors) dorm. There is tons of stuff going on there and plenty to do besides partying. I ask her every weekend what she does - occassionally she tells me she went to a party, but more often its went to the movies (on or off campus), when to some sort of show (for instance hypnotist show they had on campus), or really often, they hang in the the hallway and play board games etc. And never once has she went to a party on a weeknight (she says some do but not her or her close friends). She said that some are into the partying scene but you can definetely find plenty to do and plenty other kids that are not into that. She is loving it there and doing great academically and the partying thing is a non-issue. Maybe the honors dorms are somewhat different and have more serious minded students, but she said that kids have tons of work, are really into their studies and are very smart.</p>
<p>My D has has a very similar experience (also in honors, russel, etc) and has found that many of the non honors students as well are very smart and very consciensious, in fact, of the three girls who D will be rooming with next year, 2 are non honors and according to D, not partiers and are excellent students. D has taken mostly honors courses (because of her major) but has stressed that the non honors courses have been difficult and time consuming and make her some of the AP classes she took in High School seem like a joke. She has made friends with many of the non honors students in those classes who, like her, are seious students. D does socialize, when she has time, but has not gotten that big party scene vibe. I believe UD has become pretty competitive and I think as a result many of the students are more concerned with getting their work dont than going out every night.</p>
<p>I agree with just about all posters here. Your child can easily decide how he or she chooses to spend his or her social life without pressure. During our first visit to Newark, there were groups of kids sitting along one of the main thoroughfares in front of their houses with signs saying “You honk, we drink”. It would have been nice for someone to have done something about it but I guess they have a right to do it. Our child may have done some light partying (at least admits it), but took the workload very seriously. Udel is a great school, and getting better by the day. That should become the most compelling reason to apply and attend.</p>
<p>Thank you for your thoughtful comments. So if you are not in the honors dorms, how do you get into a dorm where there is a reasonable atmosphere conducive to one who takes
their studies seriously? Aren’t students placed according to major for the First Year Experience?</p>
<p>There seems to be a bit of a split in opinion, if I am reading the posted comments correctly. What would be current freshmen parents’ advice?</p>