<p>Please summarize your impression of Sarah Lawrence College. School for smart kids? Rich snobs? I'm really attracted to the program but everyone seems shocked when I tell them I'm interested in the school. I'm a 26 year old guy and I'm looking for somewhat diverse student body, passionate/active students with genuine love for learning. Just curious what peoples impression of the school are. Is it first tier? Second? Third? Rigorous or easy hippy stuff? Thanks.</p>
<p>It seems like it could be a very rigorous academic environment, but it really would depend on the student. Interesting three classes a term with advisor system...probably unique. I think that's one of its strong points, and definitely one that attracts a lot of its students.</p>
<p>I've heard that the students' relationship with the nearby towns is pretty bad and also that there are a lot of unmotivated rich kids. Also, apparently there is no real on-campus social life; most kids go to NYC during the weekends to party, see shows, etc.</p>
<p>I'd suggest visiting if you're really interested.</p>
<p>Isn't it a girls school?</p>
<p>^^ Nope, it used to be. Although I think there male to female ratio is like 30/70</p>
<p>Expensive school</p>
<p>Very writing focused.</p>
<p>Lots of weird kids. Social life not centered on campus, but in NYC. Electic group of students, some just strange, some motivated, lots of artsy types. As a 26 year old, you are not traditional, and neither are most of the people who go there. Rahm Emmanuel (of the Democratic party) went there and so did Yoko Ono and Linda Eastman (wife of Paul McCartney). That shows the kind of diversity.</p>
<p>thanks guys, sounds like its reputation is not necessarily an academic or intellectual one. I should visit, that would be the best way to decide I suppose. I just wanted to know what kind of reputation it had. thanks again.</p>
<p>Gawker did this a while back, here's their summaries of some LACs, including Sarah Lawrence</p>
<p>Bard: Upstate New York haven for rich, disaffected filmmakers, writers, grade-skippers and artists.</p>
<p>Bennington: Hippie haven in Vermont with optional grades and lots of "creative" types. (Bonus: Bret Easton Ellis went there. Then, so did Jared Paul Stern.)</p>
<p>Brown (honorary liberal arts college): Eurotrash and rich hipster magnet in Providence, R.I.</p>
<p>Hampshire: This "non-traditional" college in Amherst, MA calls itself "experimenting." Whatever that means.</p>
<p>Kenyon: There's not much to do here besides go drink in the Ohio woods. Also, maybe too preppy for our list, maybe.</p>
<p>Oberlin: Asked and answered.</p>
<p>Reed: They're smarter than you. Just ask. Even though they're baked. Also: West Coast represent!</p>
<p>Sarah Lawrence: Breeding ground of coked-up artsy heiresses and the lone faggy heir.</p>
<p>Smith: Lesbians and the LUGS who love them.</p>
<p>Vassar: Favorite of budding editorial assistants everywhere. Male population: See under Sarah Lawrence.</p>
<p>Wesleyan: Our instinctive favorite to take the crown, if only because if we have to hear about one more awesome party at Eclectic we might slit our wrists. Also, heroin is all fun and games until you can't get out of rehab, isn't it!</p>
<p>It's as challenging academically as you want to make it. Pay close attention to the donning system, the one-on-one "contract" with each professor for each of the 3 courses you take each semester, and the caliber of professors who are there and those who have been there for....well, they were there when I was there in the late 70's, early 80's. It is more like graduate school than undergraduate, and there are no limits to the type, volume or intensity of work you can accomplish. By the same measure, there's not much in the way of requirements and students are evaluated on an individual basis.</p>
<p>I enjoyed it, very much. Out of the posts on this thread, so far, tenage-cliche has it pretty close to correct.</p>
<p>PM me if you have questions, recognizing it has been a long time since I graduated....however, I don't think it's changed much.</p>
<p>BTW, Rahm was a classmate and friend at SLC.</p>
<p>grew up near slc, used to take art classes on campus as a kid, i never considered it bc it was too small/liberal artsy/not traditional for my tastes (i went to duke- clearly worlds apart).</p>
<p>my friend who went to slc was a super rich, super spoiled girl who wanted to become an actress. however, the work she did at slc to this day impresses me -- it seemed to be a very writing intensive school, and because of the don system, she seemed to really do such in depth research and work on things that interested her greatly (stuff that i didn't realize interested her until we chatted about it). </p>
<p>as for the town/gown relations, everyone's right-- slc kids really use their bronxville train station proximity to good use and take advantage of being near manhattan. you see them in bronxville a bit-- at slave to the grind (an independent coffeehouse around the corner from starbucks), but really, they don't interact much with the communities they're near.</p>
<p>I looked at SLC and for a while it was my first choice. The academics and reputation seemed strong and the campus is beautiful. Ultimately, one of it's draws became one of it's drawbacks for me: it's proximity to the city. I heard, too, that there isn't much campus culture and that the social scene can be a little cold.
It is very writing intensive and I have heard that you come out of there a great writer.
I know some people who love it. I agree that you should go visit and see how it feels to you. I certainly think you would find the diversity and passion that you are looking for.
I have to say that the Gawker descriptions of all of those schools (some very near and dear to my heart) are really annoying. Clearly written by someone who doesn't like, and has no respect for, alternative schools. Much more positive descriptions of each could be written very easily, as could such negative descriptions of the Ivies, or little Ivies, or whatever. They are ultimately not very helpful to anyone looking around at schools.</p>
<p>I agree on the little blurbs, very sarcastic and of little help. I went to an alternative high school and am very much in love with the idea of a LAC versus any huge impersonal university. I will have to visit. Social scene will probably be a non-issue for me as I will not live on campus and have a busy social life of my own but I guess it would be nice to be able to relate to some people at whatever school i end up at. Good to hear it does have an academic reputation, even if it's out-shined by its social rep. Thanks again.</p>
<p>When I think of SLC, I think intellectual/liberal/open.</p>