I’m a recent graduate of Trinity College, where I majored in Political Science and minored in Urban Studies. I’m currently a student at a top law school. After quickly reading the discussions on this forum, I’d like to offer my two-cents about the campus culture.
Many are quick to label Trinity as a “party school.” In my view, this is an unfounded generalization. Trinity is much like other schools, particularly NESCAC/LACs, in the sense that student social life involves drinking/parties. To assume that a college campus will not have a fair share of these activities is naive. However, there are plenty of other opportunities to socialize/relax/spend your free time. One of the student-run coffee shops on campus hosts open mic nights. Acapella and other musical groups will have concerts. The Fred, a community-focused dorm, hosts alternative/non-exclusive social events on the weekends that are a ton of fun. Downtown Hartford is a short drive away and has tons of great restaurants/venues. For every student who seems to go out 4 nights a week and party hard, there are 3 students who don’t have that type of social life. To offer some perspective, less than 1/3rd of the student body is a member of a Greek organization. There are many other active student groups and organizations that help you meet like-minded people. I was a four-year varsity athlete and had no problem being social when I was in season and required to be sober.
The student body is often criticized for lacking in diversity. Again, I think this is another generalization. There are definitely those “preppy” kids who come from wealthy families and went to private high schools - Trinity is no different than other NESCAC/LACs/New England schools in this regard. But they are not the overwhelming majority by any means. If you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that there are students from a wide range of backgrounds. The diversity of my classmates was a huge asset to my college education. I had good friends who came to Trinity from South Africa, Columbia, Alaska and New Mexico. There are students from a wide range of socioeconomic and racial backgrounds. I am gay and was able to connect with other LGBT students and faculty.
Academically, Trinity provides a challenging and supportive environment. The engineering and science departments are strong, and provide students with a well-rounded LA education. One of my friends who went on to medical school was a double major in biology and art history. I entered college not knowing what I would major in, and settled on Political Science after taking a range of 100-level classes. Our poli sci department is held in high regard (http://college.usatoday.com/2016/11/04/best-colleges-for-political-science/) and takes advantage of Trinity’s location in Hartford. I was part of the legislative internship program, which places upperclass students in internships at the CT general assembly. Students from all majors have the opportunity to intern at various places in Hartford for academic credit - and a lot do. Also, over half of all students study abroad (including STEM majors) - it’s definitely encouraged and a great experience. The new President Joanne Berger-Sweeney, an African-American neuroscientist, is very well-liked and seems to be leading the college in the right direction moving forward.
I’d also like to note that I struggled with some mental health issues in college. Trinity’s counseling center was extremely valuable to me. I was able to have weekly, hour-long appointments with a therapist on campus, and monthly appointments with a psychiatrist on campus for medication needs - both completely free of cost. Making an appointment was not difficult at all, and they were always available for emergencies outside of office hours. After speaking to friends at other schools, I realized that this was somewhat unusual - a lot of colleges and universities limit the number of free appointments each students has, and don’t provide long-term on campus support. I’m incredibly grateful for the help I received over four years at Trinity.
Let me know if anyone has any questions about my experience, or Trinity in general.
