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<li>Most–the professors. Davidson emphasizes teaching over research among its faculty, so the professors are very there for the students. I only ever had two classes that were larger than maybe 32 (astronomy had ~40 and pol stats had ~50-60), so the students were able to build relationships with the professors. Davidson only has TAs for additional class preparation (for example, extra foreign language practice/drill sections in the evenings), so all of the classes are instructed by full-time professors, almost all of whom have terminal degrees in their field from amazing schools. Students are highly encouraged to visit the professors during office hours and many professors have end-of-the-semester parties or study sessions at their own homes. I’ve stayed closely in touch with several of my Davidson professors and am very grateful to have had the chance to study under their guidance.</li>
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<p>Least–probably the town. Davidson College has an amazing relationship with the town and everyone was always really nice. The townies bake a few hundred cakes during orientation for the freshmen cake race, and it’s a big event for the town and the new students. The townies also fill the stands at basketball games and have a lot of spirit for the school. So, it’s not the people at all, but the town itself. Davidson is beautiful–it has its small town charm and the shops/restaurants there are pretty good–but it was very small. There are a CVS and a Harris Teeter both basically within walking distance, but for anything else, you need a car or a friend who has one (or call an UberX car, which just came to the Charlotte area). Sometimes I felt a little trapped, even though there was often a lot going on. Most students don’t go to Charlotte often. I went about once or twice a month and that was more than the average student. Just needed to get away and explore.</p>
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<li><p>See my earlier response to the “grade deflation” post. Davidson was the outlier on my school list in a hundred ways, and what ultimately drew me to it was a great sense of welcome I got from the students when I visited. The students were extremely bright, very friendly, and diverse in their interests. My first day visiting campus felt like I was returning to somewhere I’d been many times before. It felt like home.</p></li>
<li><p>Stats:
So-so grades, class rank, and middle of the road SATs…
-GPA: 3.33/4.0
-Ranked 25/81
-SAT: 1330 CR+MT, 2030 overall
I was in the middle of Davidson’s SAT mid-ranges. I was in the very bottom of my Davidson class, GPA-wise–something like the bottom 5% of high school GPAs.</p></li>
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<p>I compensated with very strong “soft” factors (essay, recs, extra curricular activities)…
-Admissions essay was outstanding. It won 4th place in Newsweek’s “My Turn” Essay Contest. I wrote it about a presentation I gave at my high school about growing up with a father with AIDS.
-Captain of school Debate Team, Section Editor for two high school papers, freelance contributor to Charleston’s Post and Courier INK section for high school students, student member of the new staff selection committee at my school, and leader at SC Youth in Government.</p>
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<li>Campus life was really fun. I think like 95% of students live on campus and there’s a pretty good sense of community, especially the first year with your hall and building. It’s tight-knit and I would say about 95% of the social life is on campus, too, between Greek life and Union Board activities. Sometimes the eating house / frat parties got a little repetitive because the same houses did the same theme parties every single year…same top 40s music at every party…same “dance club” sort of atmosphere at every single party…same bad beer…but I really enjoyed going to the parties at my own house with my friends, and at other friends’ houses, and there are parties at the senior apartments, too, which were fun. For studying, many people stuck to their dorm rooms or hall lounges, but also the library, the Union, and outdoors when the weather was nice (which is most of the year!)</li>
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