<p>Hey, I am a freshman at Elon, so I’ll try and give you some insight! (:</p>
<p>Academics: The small size of Elon without a doubt makes it an amazing experience academically. My professors actually do know me by my name, and I know from personal experience they will do everything they can to help you succeed. While their lectures do require A LOT of participation because of the small class sizes, they definitely allow you get a better grasp on what you’re learning. That being said, because of how small the classes are, many of them do penalize you for not showing up for you class, and many will give you a quiz every class to ensure you did the readings the night before (ALL of my professors do that actually). So, if you’re looking for a college where you can get by sitting in class, half-heartedly doing your homework, and/or skipping class periodically, don’t come here. You literally have to be fully engaged in your studies to succeed. The small class sizes also allow you to get to know your peers better because of the amount of interaction you will have with them, which is great in helping make connections and friendships.</p>
<p>Here is the bad thing about the small class sizes, though: Classes fill up REALLY quickly because they cap them at about 33 students (meaning there can only be 33 students in the class). As a consequence, freshmen hardly ever get the classes they want. I don’t know what you’re majoring in, but I am a psych major, and because of popular psych classes are, I have literally not been able to enroll in a single psych class for both semesters.</p>
<p>Athletics: There are very few people here who are into Elon’s teams. The biggest sports are definitely basketball and football, but even then, not many people really show up for games or care. If you are looking for a school with a ton of school spirit, Elon may not be a good choice. I mean, school spirit definitely exists, just not as much for its sports teams.</p>
<p>Extra-curriculars: Elon definitely has a lot of extra-curricular activities, and it isn’t difficult to find one that fits your interests. Just know that a good amount of them meet only once a month and some (but few) are extremely disorganized. For example, I volunteered for the “Adopt-a-Grandparent” program, and it literally just started up…half way through the semester. The good majority are fairly active, though. Especially religious organizations and most of the volunteer organizations. Even as a freshman, I am extremely involved, so I would say the extra-curricular opportunities are amazing.</p>
<p>Greek: Greek life is HUGE here. It’s impossible to walk around campus without seeing some mention of Greek affiliation. Rush is in the spring, and I know a lot of freshman enjoy that aspect of Greek life here, as they get to make friends outside of their future sororities. I have heard from others that a lot of the Greek organizations act like they are superior to others, which creates conflict. I don’t know if that is true, though. </p>
<p>Social life: I don’t care what anyone else tells you, Elon is a party school. We are surrounded by Burlington, NC, which is an extremely impoverished city. While they are building malls on the outskirts of Burlington, there is really nothing else to do there but shop. There is absolutely nothing else to do in the town of Elon, which is cute, but boring. Consequently, the only thing to do here is party. There is definitely a lot of pressure to drink (I don’t know why people say otherwise). Those who love to party are having a great time. I, on the other hand, do not drink and I am not the biggest on partying. Besides football games, not much goes on during the weekends, so I am usually bored out of mind and wanting to go home, which is impossible for me to do because I am from Maryland. (Go Terps! :] )</p>
<p>Elon also advertises that it is near Greensboro, Chapel Hill, and Durham, which is absolutely true. However, all three are about a half an hour to an hour away, requiring a car and gas. Chapel hill and Durham are big for partying, while Greensboro has a lot of cultural events, which cost money. Most people don’t go to those places on the weekend, so don’t think otherwise.</p>
<p>Other stuff: Most people at Elon are white, from the north, rich, and preppy. Elon is trying to push for diversity, but it is totally absent on campus right now, and probably will be for at least the rest of my college career (maybe not yours…who knows). If you are not preppy, there is a good chance you will feel out of place, but there is also a good chance you may find a group of people with similar interests to yours. So, if you’re looking for a diverse campus with a TRUE global perspective (Elon inherently lacks this), don’t come.</p>
<p>I feel like I should end this by saying I am transferring to the University of Delaware next semester, because although I thought Elon was a truly fantastic school at first, I am really unhappy here. Elon has a specific culture (as I mentioned before), and I don’t fit in it. I even spoke to my professor about this concern, and he concurred that Elon has a distinct personality, and either you fit in it or you don’t. This personality or culture is in part due to the students Elon attracts and its small size, as I believe that a bigger school wouldn’t possess such a suffocating, overwhelming quality. Ultimately, I am not preppy or rich, and I don’t like to party, so I am left with few outlets to have fun and a terrible social life. What’s the point in paying a ton of money for an education if you’re not happy?</p>
<p>That is just my opinion, though. A lot of people love Elon, and this may be the place for you.</p>
<p>Tell me if you have anymore questions. :)</p>