<p>My oldest son who does not drink alcohol attended a New England LAC and unfortunately had a freshman roomate that had a very severe drinking problem which colored his first year college experience. He eventually transferred to another college and ironically was assigned a roomate who also was involved in binge drinking. Fortunately, for his junior year, he was able to select a roomate who had a similar lifestyle as his, and it worked out well for both of them. Neither of his colleges had substance-free dorms available so Friday night drunkeness with puke on the floor of the common bathroom was something everyone had to put up with on a regular basis. </p>
<p>I realize that unless a student attends one of the few (usually church-affiliated) colleges that actually ban alcohol, alcohol and alcoholism are unavoidable parts of college life. However, it does not necessarily have to be a pervasive part of it. My daughter attends a Seven Sister college, and drinking is definitely a minor to insignficant part of college life based upon her own experience. I have seen guide lists of colleges that generally have low emphasis on heavy drinking, partying, and frat life. Do parents have any recommendations for co-educational LACs and universities that have strong academics and de-emphasis on drinking based upon first- or second hand experience?</p>
<p>I second anxiousmom about Swarthmore. My daughter transferred there from another LAC, and, while there is drinking, it is not as much the center of campus life and there is not as much drinking to excess as at the other school.</p>
<p>Georgia Tech? ALthough there are fraternities, I don't think they are the boozing kind of frats. However, I'm sure you'll find SOME drinking just about everywhere. If you are looking for a more or less complete alcohol-free environment, you'll have to go to a bible college.</p>
<p>Brandeis -I have a friend who transfered there to get a different atmosphere from her previous school; my college advisor in high school said that there wasn't much partying and tended to be quite a serious school</p>
<p>University of Chicago -A good number of kids drink, but a lot of kids don't. It's easy to avoid the drinking/partying if you don't want it, most of the time (especially in certain dorms)</p>
<p>Some of the women's colleges (Simmons, Bryn Mawr) have less partying and drinking</p>
<p>Some will drink, of course, but it's fairly well known for not being as much of a party school (some call it a nerd school but that's going a bit far) and is strong on academics - especially science and engineering.</p>
<p>I would say that UChicago doesn't have the drinking culture that some schools seem to have. A lot of kids drink, but there doesn't seem to be as much binging type of drinking, though, of course there is some.</p>
<p>Glad to see Bryn Mawr on the list as one young woman I know is leaving because of the drinking/partying culture there to transfer to a Christian college. Maybe it is relative. Maybe what is too much to her wouldn't seem so much to someone else.</p>
<p>The heaviest high school drinker I have ever known is a rising senior at Swarthmore. There is plenty of drinking there- fewer students so fewer drinkers, but still plenty. He has reported that there are beer pong parties and binge drinking every weekend by lots of students. I would not consider it any different than the other top LACs as far as alcohol use.</p>
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I would not consider it any different than the other top LACs as far as alcohol use.
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<p>That is not supported by the surveyed binge drinking rates at Swarthmore versus some of the New England LACs.</p>
<p>The fact of the matter is that virtually every college has some non-drinkers, some light drinkers, some occassional binge drinkers, and some frequent binge drinkers. The differences in college cultures (a party school, etc.) lies with the relative percentages in each of those groups. There are signficant differences in college cultures.</p>
<p>Swarthmore is a very hospitable school for non to moderate drinkers.</p>
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The differences in college cultures (a party school, etc.) lies with the relative percentages in each of those groups.
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Also, I think, in the general attitudes of students toward drinking and how/where they drink. A minority of students binge drinking who are trying to convince others to drink, going wild in the dorms at all hours, and throwing up in the bathrooms will create a different drinking culture than that same minority of students binge drinking quietly in small groups in private rooms or apartments. There will also be different environments based on whether drinkers look down on non-drinkers, try to convince them to drink, bother them, or respect their wish not to partake.</p>
<p>The general attitudes are, of course, also driven by the percentages. For example, at a school where binge drinkers only make up 30% of the school and the heavy bingers are only 15%, there will be significant community pressure on the drinkers to behave. Contrast to a school where the binge drinkers are 60% of the campus and the heavy binge drinkers are a third or more. That campus is going to feel like the drinking dominates the social scene (because it does).</p>
<p>Oberlin.....everyone thinks for themself and makes up their own mind; plenty of circles to choose from. </p>
<p>It makes perfect sense that MomOfWildChild's knowledge of Swarthmore differs from another poster. It's possible to know of a binge drinker on a particular campus. Still, some campuses (campi?) hold out more hope than others for a non-alcohol driven student with serious academic drive. </p>
<p>I think the question is: where is a college where people are very proud of making their own choices? Where can a nondrinker go and hope to still make plenty of friends? And where is there also the chance for mutual friendship and acceptance, not derision or being called a prude.</p>
<p>Anyway, Oberlin is that way. But in return, you're not supposed to be vocally highly judgmental about those who do choose differently re: substances. It goes both ways, this tolerance thing ;)</p>