Random Questions about Scripps

Colleges and Universities A-Z Scripps College
1

<p>I just have some random questions about Scripps to see if this is the right school for me or not…sorry really random.</p>

<li><p>What are the girls like? Are they friendly and approachable or is it very cliquey? Is the social atmosphere one where everyone is friends with everyone? Is it easy to fit in? </p></li>
<li><p>What’s the work load like? On average, how many hours of homework is there per day and what’s the workload like on the weekends?</p></li>
<li><p>What is the stereotype of Scripps girls?</p></li>
<li><p>What is the reaction when you tell people you go to an all-women’s college and how do you deal with that? </p></li>
<li><p>What’s the social scene like on the weekends? Can you just walk into a random party at say… Claremont McKenna and be accepted there even if you know noone?</p></li>
<li><p>What are the guys like at the other colleges? Do they flock to Scripps girls or stay away?</p></li>
<li><p>How are the dorms, and is the food good?</p></li>
<li><p>How big are the classes and are they challenging? Do you need to be involved in class discussions everyday or is there a bunch of people in each class?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>K. that’s all I can think of right now…thanks!</p>

2

<p>Whoa, good questions! I love when prospective students start thinking beyond viewbook-style info...it's the most fun to weigh in on :p</p>

<p>Obviously all of the answers that you get here will be anecdotal, as that's the nature of your questions. For now, though, I just wanted to tag this for myself so that I can come back and give my own responses (a forewarning: they'll probably be far longer and more involved than you want!) sometime soon...</p>

3

<p>I want to know the answer too, so thanks for asking them:-)...especially #6;-)</p>

4

<p>From a visit can say the food is good, and students (and guys!) from the other schools come there for it.</p>

5

<p>
[quote]
1. What are the girls like? Are they friendly and approachable or is it very cliquey? Is the social atmosphere one where everyone is friends with everyone? Is it easy to fit in?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Wiiiiide variety of "types." Actually, the diversity of Scripps students' personalities really surprised me when I arrived at the school. For the most part, though, students are quite friendly and approachable (if you tour, feel free to ask questions of students around the campus...you'll see). The school isn't at all cliquey in the "exclusive" sense, but many people do form their close friendships early on, so there are loose "groups" ("cliquey" never felt like an appropriate term b/c this was just natural--people hung out with their hallmates, their teammates, the students in their major, etc. at different times, but it was a product of convenience rather than status).</p>

<p>In my experience, 'fitting in' was pretty easy precisely because there never seemed to be any Scripps "type." The surrounding campuses make finding one's niche even easier, and I definitely did know people who made their closest friends on other campuses. </p>

<p>As for everyone being friends with everyone, I found this truer in theory than in practice, but decently true nonetheless. 200-ish students per class, and to be honest, I didn't meet everyone in mine, let alone those above or below. That said, the environment is still a friendly and open one, and there's a good deal of camaraderie. Random story: I recently had trouble finding housing abroad. I was talking about this with a classmate who referred me to an '06 grad living where I was headed. I said that I'd be kind of uncomfortable asking the girl "Hey, can I stay with you for awhile?" given that we had only been the most casual of acquaintances, but my friend told me "You went to Scripps together! You can ask her anything!" I did ask, for the record, and was shown overwhelming generosity (totally anecdotal, of course, but still surprisingly representative)!</p>

<p>So in general, a surprisingly well-rounded group of students, and overall quite friendly ;)</p>

<p>
[quote]
2. What's the work load like? On average, how many hours of homework is there per day and what's the workload like on the weekends?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>The workload is hard to describe in terms of hours, mostly b/c the work is so different than HS work. I knew people with similar workloads but different working styles and they could give totally different answers to this question.</p>

<p>The year that I applied to Scripps, Princeton Review named it #6 in the country for "Students Never Stop Studying." This worried me. Now...I only ever experienced Scripps, so I can't really make comparisons, but I found the load quite reasonable, overall. I spent a few hours each day studying...probably 2-6, on average (occasionally less, occasionally more). Because you don't have all of your classes every day of the week, weekends are really no more intense than any other day. Unless I had a particularly big load, I'd usually give 1-1.5 days over to working (which included time spent catching up or getting ahead), but I almost always took at least one entire day to chill, and often took more than that. I'd estimate that for every weekend I spent tied to my books, I spent one free (of course, most fell somewhere in between).</p>

<p>Workload is pretty significant throughout Claremont. Like I said, though, it really is manageable, especially for those with strong time management skills. That said, anecdotal evidence makes me think that the load is heavier than those at many other schools. With Mudd across the street, though, you'll always feel that your own schedule is manageable ;)</p>

<p>I have some trouble answering this well, mostly b/c I can't seem to strike a good balance between "well, yes, to be honest, I worked a fair bit" and "I really did have a life, and I got lots of sleep and had plenty of fun, so this shouldn't scare you off." One random fact: I do feel that Scripps did a good job introducing students to a college-level workload, kind of easing them in to the scene. I hope that maybe some current students (those without the memory of thesis so fresh in their minds...) can weigh in here.</p>

<p>
[quote]
3. What is the stereotype of Scripps girls?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Actually, a well-debated question. I had multiple professors ask us about this, noting that they knew the other schools' stereotypes, but they couldn't place Scripps'. Scripps' stereotype changes based on who you ask. The typical women's college stereotypes are probably what we get most often.</p>

<p>As an annual fundraiser, the crew team makes t-shirts that mock each of the 5 colleges. For the last three years, Scripps' t-shirts have read things like (I don't remember exact quotes) "Boys, we'll taser you", "T-shirt slogans are offensive to women", and "Men don't go to Scripps, they just come here." Of course, these are intended to be both humorous and offensive, so y'know, take them with however much salt you feel might be necessary.</p>

<p>
[quote]
4. What is the reaction when you tell people you go to an all-women's college and how do you deal with that?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm not the best person to answer this, really. I came to Scripps from an all-girls high school, so I was probably unnecessarily defensive on this topic. I encountered people going "Wow, you opted for four MORE years of that?!" Annoyed, I generally made a point of explaining that Scripps was not a typical women's college. Needless to say, if you really are worried about people judging you, this does provide an effective (if evasive) response: "Blah, blah, college consortium, guys in our dining hall, guys in our classes, blah blah, best of all worlds." In general, I never heard much said on this issue. People did run into women's college stereotypes, but y'know, you smile, set the record straight, and move along, knowing all the while that your school is awesome. No big deal.</p>

<p>
[quote]
5. What's the social scene like on the weekends? Can you just walk into a random party at say.. Claremont McKenna and be accepted there even if you know noone?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>The campuses are definitely residential, so there's plenty going on on the weekends. You wouldn't generally go alone to an off-campus party where you didn't know anyone, but you also probably wouldn't have trouble finding people to go with you. Social scene differs by college...there are certain areas you'll go to find people chatting around a keg, others you'll go if you feel like dancing, others if you're looking for a theme...there are always options. If you're able to arrange it, try spending a Thursday night on campus. You'll be able to witness a nice cross-section of academic and social life on campus.</p>

<p>
[quote]
6. What are the guys like at the other colleges? Do they flock to Scripps girls or stay away?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm sure this is another question that will be answered differently by everyone you ask! It'd actually be nice if some of the Claremont's male CC posters could weigh in here. </p>

<p>Each of the schools (and the guys who attend them...) has its own set of stereotypes, but actually going into them wouldn't be very helpful. To keep it simple, I'll just say that the girls I knew who wanted to date/hook up/have a relationship didn't usually have trouble doing so. You don't need to come to Scripps with big "How will I meet guys fears?" In fairness, if you're used to having lots of guy friends, then you might take awhile to adjust to a single-sex college, even in a consortium. Otherwise, there probably won't be much weirdness. Coming from a girls HS, I felt like there were guys and dating opportunities all over the place. </p>

<p>Anyway, as for the "Do they flock..." part of your question, you might go searching for the not-so-long-ago thread which asked for the very best things about Mudd. Count up the number of times that "Having Scripps next door" was mentioned :p</p>

<p>
[quote]
7. How are the dorms, and is the food good?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Both consistently ranked Top 10 by Princeton Review. A few years ago, the school's dorms and dining hall were featured on Inside Edition (and yes, the fact that it's actually a great school was mentioned, too). </p>

<p>The dorms are beautiful, with a great deal of variety. Mostly, they have a lot of character, good facilities, and a lot of space. They're pretty quiet and very well-kept. All dorms cost the same, about half are air-conditioned, about half the rooms are singles, around 98% of students live on campus all four years. Guaranteed housing for 4 years. Freshman are required to live in dorms.</p>

<p>It took me almost my entire four years to get sick of the dining halls (remember that there are 7 around Claremont, so it really does take awhile to get sick of any one), and it only took me about a month of being graduated to miss them SO MUCH. The menus are often posted online, so you can find your favorite food each night. Hours differ slightly, so there's a pretty good-sized window for each meal. Meals are all-you-can-eat rather than pay-by-the-item. Some meals are the same week to week, i.e. Scripps Friday night sushi and Saturday night steak, Mudd's Sunday night steak, and so forth. I feel like someone has a Taco Tuesday. You get the idea. Lots of variation, very good food, very attentive staff. Also, lots of veggie/vegan options.</p>

<p>I pulled one academic all-nighter in four years. Senior year. Thesis. I actually remember it fondly because I ended the whole thing at Mudd's dining hall over fresh-squeezed orange juice, blueberry waffles, and a fruit smoothie. To put this in perspective, I'm not talking about piles of luke-warm breakfast food and jugs of ready-made beverages...I'm talking about a huge barrel of oranges next to a juicer set out for student use, waffle irons and cups of batter next to a bunch of different possible mix-ins (make your own), and a smoothie bar full of yogurts, fruits, and unattended blenders. Oh. My. Goodness. To put this in even better perspective, Mudd (whose food I love!) is generally considered the weakest of all the dining halls (while Scripps is often considered the strongest).</p>

<p>Hard to beat...</p>

<p>
[quote]
8. How big are the classes and are they challenging? Do you need to be involved in class discussions everyday or is there a bunch of people in each class?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>My smallest class was 5 students. I probably had around 5 classes this size. Excluding Core (Core I lecture and Core II are designed to be large), my largest classes were probably 30-35, and I probably had around 5 that size. Most of my classes probably had 10-20 students, max. To me, classes of 15+ generally felt pretty large. 8-12 was quite common for seminar-style courses. This is just anecdotal, and I'm speaking about courses across Claremont, not just on Scripps. I was also in a pretty small major, so English or Politics students might have different stories, even re: seminar courses. No matter what, though, courses are accessible and comfortably sized. According to Scripps Common Data Set, out of 168 class sections, 35 had 2-9 students, 96 had 10-19 students, 31 had 20-29 students, 5 had 30-39 students, 0 had 40-49 students, one had 50-99 students, and none had any more than 100. Student:Faculty ratio is 11:1.</p>

<p>Scripps</a> College : Common Data Set</p>

<p>Challenge: Obviously the exact level of difficulty depends on the teacher, your own skills, the rest of your schedule, and so forth, but in general, yes, classes are definitely challenging. I took a small number of both "fluffy" and "insane" courses, but in the vast majority of cases, I felt challenged enough that I was proud of doing well without just feeling bitter over a semester spent struggling.</p>

<p>Participation: Not every course will be discussion-based, though most are. Enrollment varies by class and semester, but you should expect to participate pretty regularly. I don't remember any professors doing cold-calls or trying to pick on particular students, but contributing to discussions will work in your favor.</p>

<hr>

<p>Okay, phew. Sorry. Last piece of advice for this post: visit, visit, visit! It sounds like you're at a point where you're really wondering about fit and atmosphere. Sit in on a class or two, spend a night, take a tour (or two, if you're really interested...each will be a bit different), talk to students. If you spend the night, ask your host to walk you around the consortium. Try to attend one of the big admissions events, Preview Day in the fall, or Spend a Day in Our Shoes (for admitted students) in the spring. These events will offer 5C tours that will take you around all of the campuses. </p>

<p>And to reiterate my comment from above (I wanted to tag this in case I wasn't able to respond for awhile, but I ended up being unable to resist), I really enjoyed your questions. Enjoy your school search :)</p>

6

<p>Thanks so much for answering these...it actually made me really want to go:-). I had decided I would only go if I could get a scholarship...now I'm rethinking that.
(Bad idea, because flying east coast -> cali = lots of $!)</p>

7

<p>Okay, thank you student615 for all your help! I live pretty close to Claremont so I'm gonna visit Scripps. :D and I walked around the campus in the summer too :).
thanks again, I will definately consider your answers when deciding if I apply.</p>

8

<p>student615 - you are an awesome poster. I just gave your comments to my d., who has already applied, and is waiting anxiously for any news on JES (maybe next week?). I can hear her laughing even as I write.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

9

<p>Very, very glad to weigh in. There are definitely a few other Scripps/Claremont students and parents around CC, so hopefully some will stumble across this thread and give their own two cents. </p>

<p>Chaucers_pal: Good luck to your D!</p>

10

<p>Thanks! All your information was extremely insightful. We're on the east coast as well and may not get out there to visit until the spring.</p>

11

<p>I have a question or two to add on, if Student615 or anyone else can answer -
How are the libraries? (I'm assuming any Claremont student can go to any school library? Or is there one Claremont library) I mean, are they comfortable to hang out in, is there a cafe, are there good hours, etc. And, connected, is there a good coffee shop on campus or nearby that students hang out at to do work?
Thanks!:-)</p>

12

<p>I hung out at a great library while I was there waiting for my D; I believe it may have been CMC's but I believe there was more than one. There is also a school (Scripps) run coffee shop with poetry readings and msical performances and scuh..</p>

13

<p>Re: Libraries</p>

<p>The</a> Libraries of The Claremont Colleges</p>

<p>There are 4 Claremont libraries, all of which are open to all students. There's one main (giant!) library, Honnold-Mudd, which is a "5C" library (it's not on any particular campus, it's supported by all 5 colleges), and then there are a few more specialized libraries (one on Mudd, one on Pomona, one on Scripps). Of course, there are also the much smaller department libraries, which are located all over the place and are generally easy to access. The entire collection is cataloged online, so when you look something up, you'll be able to see which library it's in. The schools are also part of a program called Link+, which connects them to various other SoCal libraries, including, as I recall, a few of the UC's and CSU's. Basically, if you look up a book that isn't in Claremont, you might get a message to the effect of "Sorry, we don't have it, but hey, UCSB and CSU-SB both do." You can request that the book be sent to Claremont, where you can pick it up and drop it off in the main library. I used this service a few times...super reliable and easy. On a tangentially related note, whenever I had research to do, I found professors incredibly willing to suggest (and subsequently loan) items from their own collections. This isn't something to go in expecting...just a nice "yay Claremont" sort of fact :p</p>

<p>Each library has its own atmosphere. I only spent real time in the main library and in Denison, Scripps' library. The former is pretty stereotypical: fluorescent lighting, formica table-tops, shelves and shelves and shelves. The latter has old wooden tables, couches, and fireplaces. At different times, both environments can be veeery useful. Each Scripps dorm also has a "browsing room," which is basically a library/study room...just a good, quiet space to study within the dorm (but still outside of the actual room). I almost never did actual studying in the library...there are plenty of quiet nooks and crannies around campus.</p>

<p>Details like hours can be found on the library website. There are no cafes that I know of. I don't have any basis for comparison, but I can certainly say that I was happy with the Claremont library system :)</p>

<p>A regular Scripps visit will take you through Denison library, but you'll likely have to do an overnight to see Honnold-Mudd (a host could take you through, as a student ID is required).</p>

<p>Re: Coffee shop</p>

<p>The</a> Motley</p>

<p>Shrinkrap is right...Scripps has the Motley, which is a student-run on-campus coffee shop. Very popular with students (and faculty, for that matter) from around Claremont. There's some more info on the website, but I highly recommend dropping in if you're around the campus. Lots and lots of students use the Motley for study, but it depends on your preferences...I personally had a tough time there (hustle and bustle, music). If you like something quieter, there are also two Starbucks within easy walking distance of Scripps (one is a 5-10min walk north of campus, one is a 15-20min walk south), as well as a few other coffee shops in the Claremont Village (these tend not to be used as study venues, though the Starbucks are).</p>

14

<p>My D is a pretty quiet kid....She loves Quiz Bowl type stuff and has no trouble rattling off facts/trivia loudly and kind of aggressively if necessary to win a competition but...ask her to get involved in discussion and she prefers to listen and dialogue internally. She LOVES Scripps and will be applying next fall. My question is: would this be a problem for her as far as acceptance and attendance are concerned? Are there quiet girls at Scripps who are more private with their thoughts and opinions? She is not lacking in confidence per se. She just prefers to be more quiet.</p>

15

<p>bumpity bump bump bump bump :-)</p>

16

<p>Don't worry .. Student615 will be along...</p>

17

<p>of course there are quiet girls at Scripps - just like there are quiet girls everywhere. And your daughter sounds like me, hehe. There's nothing wrong with being introverted, but I'm in general a more passive person who will not speak out unless seriously offended. I can be very passionate with causes that I'm involved in and I love "intellectual" things, but I'm not outspoken. People are often surprised by the convictions I express through my writing because "your writing voice doesn't fit your quiet personality at all." :P </p>

<p>hmm...yeah, so obviously I can't really answer your question because I don't attend Scripps, but I hope that I will be able to develop my personality so that I may become more vocal without compromising my introverted side, and I think women's colleges, Scripps particularly, would be great for developing that more argumentative side.</p>

18

<p>Thanks for the vote of confidence ;)</p>

<p>It's true...I don't have a chance to respond right now, but I fully intend to come back with my two cents! Might not be until later in the week, but if I seem to have forgotten, feel free to send a PM.</p>

19

<p>I’m a first year student at Scripps, ready to start second semester, and I have time to put in my two cents. </p>

<p>“1. What are the girls like? Are they friendly and approachable or is it very cliquey? Is the social atmosphere one where everyone is friends with everyone? Is it easy to fit in?”</p>

<p>I’ll start out by saying that I am an introverted person, but I’ve had no problems finding friends at Scripps. If you go for a visit you will quickly see that it is not a cliquey environment. Student615 is right that people do form close friendships based on majors and sports, but it is not exclusive, and because the class size is small, you do end up meeting a lot of people in your class, especially during welcome week. </p>

<p>Everyone is very friendly and open and because there are a lot of different people with different backgrounds and interests, everyone can find their niche.</p>

<p>“2. What's the work load like? On average, how many hours of homework is there per day and what's the workload like on the weekends?”</p>

<p>Workload is definitely doable. I spend between 2-5 hours a day studying, sometimes more sometimes less if I get distracted or am feeling particularly lazy, but rarely go to be later than 12 because I’ve been doing homework. That being said, I think I have strong time managements skills left over from HS, and I have yet to pull an all nighter.
Student615 is right in saying that all this is anecdotal. I always got to bed by the time I wanted to, but one of my roommates jokes she’s going to move into Honnold-Mudd (the main library) since she spends all her time there. But she readily admits that she studies at a slower pace than most. </p>

<p>And workload would also depend on your schedule. If you’re taking five science classes with a ton of lab time, you may spend more (or maybe less) time than someone who is taking five humanities reading intensive classes. </p>

<p>As for the freshmen load. The only big difference that I’ve found between HS and college work load is that Scripps is very reading intensive. Our Core class is compiled of a semester’s worth or reading for lecture and discussion, two essays (the first one is meant to scare us!), a midterm and final. The reading varies, but it wouldn’t be unreasonable to say that every other day you are responsible for reading 20-30 pages (sometimes more, sometimes less) of reading. Sometimes it’s fun and a quick read (Narratives of a Slave by Frederick Douglass or Frankenstein by Shelly) and sometimes... ("Towards a History of the Present: The Enlightenment, 1750-1800"Antoine-Nicolas De Condorcet). This is the syllabus for this past semester if you’d like to take a look: CORE</a> I - Syllabus</p>

<p>And as for the writing load. All freshmen have to take writing 50 which usually isn’t too much writing depending on your professor, but includes three essays which I think are two 5-6 pages essay and one larger research paper which is around 10 pages. Not much writing when you get down to it. The only thing about writing at Scripps for any of your classes is that one really can’t get away with writing something last minute in two hours. Not that most professors are hard graders (from my experience) but Scripps stresses analytical writing (that they teach you through Writing 50 and Core, so don’t worry). Here are FAQ’s about the writing 50 program, although it all depends on your professor: Scripps</a> College : Academics : The Writing Program : Frequently Asked Questions </p>

<p>Okay, that answer may have been too long... Onto the next one!</p>

<p>”3. What is the stereotype of Scripps girls?”</p>

<p>I agree that it is very hard to place Scripps stereotypes as a Scripps student. I was sitting with my roommates and we listed all the other 5-C’s stereotypes and were at a loss when it came to Scripps. I think we settled on “We’re just classy!”  What I have heard so far is the word “Scripper” along with the usual stereotypes inherent with attending an all women’s college. But nothing is taken too seriously for any of the 5-C’s.</p>

<p>“4. What is the reaction when you tell people you go to an all-women's college and how do you deal with that?”</p>

<p>I haven’t had a problem with this at all. In fact, my bigger problem I have is that when I say Scripps, people automatically say “Isn’t it in San Diego?” No, no it isn’t. Or when I tell then I go to Scripps they automatically say “Oh! That’s an amazing school!” Very few people I know have had people trying to talk them out of it, or jumping to conclusions because it is a women’s college. But really, Scripps is not a typical women’s college.</p>

<p>“5. What's the social scene like on the weekends? Can you just walk into a random party at say.. Claremont McKenna and be accepted there even if you know noone?”</p>

<p>There is always something going on the weekends whether it’s a party, a play, or a performance of some kind. Scripps is a quiet campus when it comes to parties (I love this fact because no matter what night it is, you don’t have to worry about coming to a noisy dorm after a party. You can just sleep.) Most parties happen at the other C’s and while they may check ID’s to make sure you’re a student, they don’t turn you away if you’re not from that particular campus.</p>

<p>“6. What are the guys like at the other colleges? Do they flock to Scripps girls or stay away?”</p>

<p>Student 615 answered it perfectly. They’re there and they’re friendly. It’s not exactly as if Scripps students are so distinguishable from other 5-C women that they would flock only to us, but you do see men hanging around Scripps in the Motley or the cafeteria at times. </p>

<p>“7. How are the dorms, and is the food good?”</p>

<p>The doors are amazing. They are much bigger than many of my friend’s dorms at UC’s so if you go stay over, and your host starts to complain about how small the room is, don’t believe them until you see the room. I live in a triple and when a friend at UCSD who is also in a triple saw it, she was shocked and said it was much bigger than hers. My room, in comparison to most rooms (there are a lot of spacious singles and doubles) is considered to be on the lower end of the scale. That being said, we have enough floor space that we don’t have bunk or loft any of the beds and all three desks are on the floor. You really can’t lose when it comes to the dorms. </p>

<p>The food is very good. Scripps has the best food, but like Student 615, I prefer Mudd for breakfast. The food is good, but once you get there you realize that no matter what, you will always love your mom’s cooking. I get sick of Scripps food if I eat there, and only there, for a few weeks. But there are plenty of other dining halls around as well some food at the Motley, the Shakedown, and the Coop, and restaurants in the Village. Also, I’m a vegetarian and there have been rare off nights where the vegetarian food and other options in the dining hall didn’t appeal to me. But I’m talking just once or twice last semester. </p>

<p>“8. How big are the classes and are they challenging? Do you need to be involved in class discussions everyday or is there a bunch of people in each class?”</p>

<p>My biggest class was Core which is designed for the whole first year class to take it at once, but then is broken down to 15 students or less discussion lead by a professor. I think it says something that the first day of my Italian class my professor counted and said “Wow, 25 students, this is a huge class!” Most classes rarely exceed 30 students, unless it is a PE elective-type class. </p>

<p>I’ve found that most of my classes have included a lot of participation and discussion, and discussion is a large chunk of you grade most of the time. Unfortunately I am a student who learns by listening not talking, and I’ve tried to hide in classes, but when you’re one of fifteen, it’s not going to happen!  You do need to be involved in class, but as long a it’s clear that you are engaged and pay attention professors tend to not call on you randomly. You will need to participate and speak up in most humanity classes, I suspect you don’t discuss as much in science or math classes. </p>

<p>“9. How are the libraries?”</p>

<p>I’ve only ever been to Honnold-Mudd and Denison. They’re both very comfortable in different ways. I tend to go to Denison if I need a place where I can relax and sit comfortably for a long bit of reading (one of the side rooms has very comfortable armchairs and couches). If I need to get into the studying mood and crack down, I go to Honnold-Mudd. Honnold Mudd is open latest, until 1 am on most days, closes early on Friday, and is open on Sundays. I don’t know the exact schedule, but while it works for me, my roommate wishes they kept it open longer. During finals, they keep HM open 24 hours a day starting the week before and have pretty lax food and drink policies so you can make yourself comfortable. As far as I know there aren’t cafeterias, but my roommate swears she’s found a secret room with vending machines and a coffee maker as well as comfortable couches. </p>

<p>As for places where students hang out to study and eat, there’s the Motley on Scripps, and the Coop on Pomona which actually sells burgers and smoothies while the Motley only has drinks, pizza (sometimes) and amazing vegan cookies (unfortunately, only sometimes). There are also places in the village you can go study in , as well as two local Starbucks. There are plenty of quiet places on campus though, and it isn’t uncommon to find people studying in the garden or in the dorm living rooms. </p>

<p>Sorry for the length of the responses, but I have to agree with Student 615 that you have to visit Scripps before making decisions. You can talk to as many students as you want, but you won’t ever know if Scripps is the place for you until you visit. The first time I stepped on campus I knew it was the place for me. Stay overnight if you can before you make your decision and sit in on classes.</p>

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<p>"My D is a pretty quiet kid....She loves Quiz Bowl type stuff and has no trouble rattling off facts/trivia loudly and kind of aggressively if necessary to win a competition but...ask her to get involved in discussion and she prefers to listen and dialogue internally. She LOVES Scripps and will be applying next fall. My question is: would this be a problem for her as far as acceptance and attendance are concerned? Are there quiet girls at Scripps who are more private with their thoughts and opinions? She is not lacking in confidence per se. She just prefers to be more quiet."</p>

<p>I also don’t participate in discussion very much and I do prefer to listen rather than participate. This has been a little difficult, but not too bad. Most classes do have a good percentage based on discussion, but I believe most teachers just want to make sure that your actually attending and paying attention in class. I do not feel like my grades suffered because of my participation... or lack of. There are plenty of quiet women at Scripps and as long as you show that you are engaged in class and aren’t just day dreaming, teachers won’t single you out. However, Scripps will help to break people out of that habit and will get them more vocal. Also participating in class doesn’t always mean debating, in some classes it can be as simple as sharing a relevant anecdote. Classes are small and only get smaller as they get to upper division courses, and one can’t hide in a class of 15. Believe me, I’ve tried. :) Please don’t let this dissuade her from attending if she really wants to, and the best advice I can give is to visit and sit in on some of the classes to know what to expect.</p>