<p>I have been working on my college applications lately and trying to narrow down my list of where I want to apply when I noticed something important to me about my decision, I want to find a prestigious college that accepts people and not just students. </p>
<p>I have good test scores, GPA, etc etc. I work internships and started my own business, ect etc. Obviously, the common low level CC browser, so I want to be surrounded by similar people. However, I'm also an athlete (not planning on playing In college) with a sense of humor that enjoys friends. </p>
<p>What are your thoughts on college life and the type of people you'll find at different top schools?</p>
<p>Obviously everyone is going to be smart and experienced, but shouldn't you want to be surrounded by people that are fun to be around and spend 4 -5 years with? And shouldn't you be interested in a school that looks for that type of people?</p>
<p>I feel that Stanford, for one, is a school that offers this. MIT, on the other hand, seems like a school that lacks campus life and enjoyment outside of the lab. Maybe that's just my opinion though. </p>
<p>Anyone know some good computer science schools that offer great campus life? Also what are your thoughts on having campus life being a major factor in picking which schools to apply to?</p>
<p>Oh jeeze, do you actually think all students at selective schools, even those in extremely intense majors, are simply automatons incapable of empathy, excitement, or anything remotely resembling “real people”? The common denominator of most students at selective schools is that they did well on standardized tests, got good grades in challenging classes, and tended to be involved outside of just the classroom. My best friend is a geophysics major at UC Berkeley. Sure she spends a lot of time studying but when she’s not in the library, she’s hiking in Yosemite, partying with friends, cooking food, or just relaxing. I have another good friend at Harvard studying physics. He’s also heavily involved in ultimate Frisbee and loves to go to Red Sox games. Yes they go to prestigious schools, but they’re also regular people.</p>
<p>I’m sorry if I worded my first post badly or if you misunderstood me. I’m not trying to say that schools are filled with mindless drones of students, what I was saying is that some schools are focused almost solely on the numbers and not on the actual person. I think we have all met those students that do well in school but outside of that are basically nonexistent. Obviously people will have a personality anywhere, I’m just saying that some schools have more drone-students than others. </p>
<p>How people chose to live is certainly their decision, I just personally, would like to attend a school surrounded by capable AND creative peers. Does that make sense?</p>
<p>Regardless of where you attend, there will be a large enough population of social, athletic, and capable peers for your social network … does it matter what percentage of the student body these people make up?</p>
<p>Have you actually visited campus and met students there? Although there are probably some schools that are full of students who prefer all their free time to be spent in labs or in front of video screens, MIT is not one of them. It might have been that sort of school years ago, but these days MIT has the luxury of admitting students who are not only the brightest and best in their areas of interest but are also sociable, well rounded individuals with eclectic interests and vibrant personalities. You’ll find that’s true everywhere. Super selective schools have extraordinarily interesting students.</p>
<p>With the schools you’re talking about, you can’t just be a good student. You have to have other interesting factors to get in. Having a perfect GPA and a 2400 on your SAT simply isn’t good enough to get you into the likes of Harvard and Stanford. You also have to have great extra-curricular activities in order to stand out from the crowd.</p>
<p>The best advice is to actually visit these different campuses and get a feel for the school. For instance, I visited Princeton and Stanford. At Stanford, I felt like the students were really happy and had a lot going on. The students I met at Princeton (including the tour guide) gave me the impression that they weren’t as happy. It’s a gut feeling and it’s different for everyone. There are plenty of people who have had the opposite experience as me.</p>
<p>No prestigious school is “focused almost solely on the numbers and not on the actual person,” and every one of those schools is full of " capable AND creative" students.</p>