<p>My son will be transferring at the end of freshman year to another college. He currently attends a small LAC in New England and has discovered it is party central on the weekends. If you don't want to party, there are not many other alternatives. He is in a low chem dorm, and they even party there. He's looking for a more serious academic environment where there are other activities rather than drinking brains out every weekend. He thinks he might want to be a History major (loves History) with a Computer Science minor. For hobbies, he likes video games, technical theater, and skiing, He's an excellent student, graduated high school with honors and got in the 700's on SATs except for Math, which was in the mid 600s. He applied to this college ED, thinking it was a good fit. It does not have any Greek life, so he was thinking it was less of a party school. Wrong. Any suggestions on colleges that would fit the bill?</p>
<p>He sounds a bit like some of my daughters male friends, I would suggest you look into Knox College in Illinois. Lots of gamers, theater options, and great times without alcohol or drugs, teachers and kids work well together and are serious about their classes. Good luck!</p>
<p>st olaf–a very very good school.
<a href=“Policy on Alcohol and Other Drugs – The Book”>http://wp.stolaf.edu/thebook/general/alcohol/</a></p>
<p>and it is free from greek life. (making for a better social experience for everyone and safer atmosphere imo)</p>
<p>has anyone ever had alcohol or used drugs on campus…no doubt…but I think this school is probably much more in line with what you are looking for. </p>
<p>Ohio Wesleyan: fine academics, top 100 national LACs and “colleges that change lives,” entirely devoted to undergraduate teaching, education and development (no graduate programs or extensive faculty research-orientation), generally excellent financial assistance, very friendly, small, and fun (but not a huge “party school”).</p>
<p>Obviously, minimal or no Greek life can no longer signify low incidence of alcohol/drug abuse. </p>
<p>Just a general warning. Especially inspect carefully for alcohol and drug use any rural campus. Unless the school works very hard (i.e., proactively, to the level of the Deans of Students and Admissions) to provide alternative weekend activities and recruit kids who don’t profile as high risk-takers, you almost certainly will find significant-to-you alcohol abuse. It’s something you as a parent have to actively investigate to the point where the administrator with whom you are communicating feels concerned that they might be misleading you about the character of their school and students. </p>
<p>Alcohol and/or drug abuse can be found at almost any school type. However, it is nearer to a certainty at rural colleges unless…</p>
<p>Fraternities and sororities are an increased risk factor for high-risk drinking on college campuses, but they are far from the only risk factor.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/niaaacollegematerials/panel01/highrisk_05.aspx”>College Drinking, Changing the Culture; suggests that the following college characteristics are associated with less drinking. However, such characteristics should be seen only for initial ideas; each school should be evaluated individually.</p>
<ul>
<li>historically black or women’s college</li>
<li>no fraternities or sororities</li>
<li>less importance of athletics (note: at many smaller colleges, high percentages of students are on the college sports teams)</li>
<li>two year schools (community colleges)</li>
<li>substance free dorm or campus</li>
<li>commuter school</li>
<li>larger school</li>
<li>location other than northeast or north central region (for US schools)</li>
<li>urban or suburban (instead of rural) location</li>
</ul>
<p><a href=“http://kff.org/disparities-policy/state-indicator/binge-drinking/”>http://kff.org/disparities-policy/state-indicator/binge-drinking/</a> indicates that binge drinking is less common among black and Asian men than white and Latino men. So the racial and ethnic population of the college may have some correlation with high risk drinking.</p>
<p>It is probably not a surprise that a small coed residential rural college in the northeast with nearly 90% non-black/Asian students has a drinking problem, despite the absence of fraternities and sororities.</p>
<p>This is going to be hard to find. I don’t think parent perceptions are always accurate, too. I know a lot of kids at St. Olar (our high school is a feeder), and they party plenty hard there. </p>
<p>What about a college like American in DC, where there is plenty to do besides party? Possibly Hampshire (no idea what the party scene is there, maybe others can speak to it)? I feel like Oberlin has a pretty large group of students with a lot more to do than party.</p>
<p>One thing you son is going to need to do is to figure out how to seek out the non-drinkers anyplace he goes. Unless he goes someplace like BYU, this is an unfortunate part of the scene of many US colleges. Both my kids are very light drinkers, and have managed to find non-drinking friends at their schools. And both are schools with a fair amount of partying (police were called more than once for a party just last week at D2’s college). There are students in the non-sub free dorms that don’t drink – he just needs to find them. At a new college, he will be coming in after freshman have already formed groups. It may not be a lot easier socially there than at his current school.</p>
<p>If everyone is really partying as hard as he says they are at his current college, maybe he at least can get better grades than they do by working while they are hung over… Maybe he should try to meet people in the library on Saturday and Sunday morning. :)</p>
<p>There are a lot of LAC fans on this site, but this does seem to be a significant issue, both from the threads I’ve seen on this site and from the comments I’ve heard from students/alums of these schools. A low party atmosphere seems to be more the exception than the rule. You might want to broaden your search to some larger schools where the number of students not partying will be higher.</p>
<p>Not sure of the OP’s child’s religious affiliation, but the plethora of Christian schools might yield a good fit. Some of them have much less drinking.</p>
<p>DD2 is a decided non-partier and loved Lewis and Clark. Plenty to do on the weekend in Portland, many clubs on campus including a very active outdoors club, student open mic nights, etc</p>
<p>Hi Erin’s Dad. Funny you should mention Lewis and Clark because one of DS’s close friends from high school went out there and really likes it. Now, I think this may just be because said friend is out there, but DS is now saying he wants to go out there and look at over winter break. He is also talking about Whitman College. Not sure how he suddenly is interested in the West Coast schools. </p>
<p>Unfortunately most schools be they LACs or universities have a lot of partying going on. My S was a very straight arrow when he started college (really he still is) and we all felt that a school located in a city would offer a lot of alternatives to him other than partying on campus. He went to Fordham (he lived in a wellness dorm freshman and sophomore year and with friends from the wellness dorm during his last two years) and yes there were a lot of people partying there, but between the campus and NYC he always found friends who were not into that scene and plenty to do (and by junior year he started drinking a little, but it was never an important aspect of his life there). SO, bottom line is your S may want to consider some schools located in cities where there may be more “non party” alternatives available.</p>
<p>Reading some of the OPs other threads, I could say a lot more, but I think this may have happened no matter what. It sounds like homesickness and I would leave open the possibility that it may pass, but I would also encourage him to get out of his dorm room and put down the games. I know he’s a hardcore gamer, but gaming is not a great social activity and he needs to be social if he’s going to get over this. If he enjoyed the orientation, have him join the Outdoor Club even if he isn’t “outdoorsy” He needs to be, especially considering where he is. He goes to a school with a rock climbing wall, at the very least he should head over there and try it. You can do bouldering without a partner and while he’s there he’ll undoubtedly start some sort of conversation with someone. Spending your evening on the walls with other climbers or even by yourself is certainly better than being cooped up in your room with yet another video game.</p>
<p>In short, put down the f’ing gaming machines and actually interact with people or this is going to happen anywhere. He’s using them as a crutch. Set a rule, no video games Friday and Saturday night. He has to find something else to do, even if it’s board games, which are at least social.</p>
<p>Well, he hasn’t been cooped up in his dorm room playing “f’ing” video games. It is something he likes to do with other people. </p>
<p>I would suggest the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Of course there is some drinking/partying but definitely not the focus of social life on campus. It seems like good portion of the kids there are not much into partyingl. My D is a sophomore there, doesn’t drink at all, and has a great group of like-minded friends, and a very active/fun social life. Also a potential plus for your son – History is a pretty solid major there (colonial Williamsburg and all. . .). Good Luck to your son!</p>
<p>Well… even gaming “with” other people isn’t really social interaction. Maybe encourage him to skip gaming one night of the weekend? I can see how it would be tempting to just stay in and do that instead of going to whatever speaker or concert or movie or play or athletic event or whatever is available on campus that evening. Gaming is fun. Putting yourself out there socially is hard. Just looking at a list of events on his campus:</p>
<p>Tonight there is a showing of Ken Burns’ Jazz. Tomorrow afternoon there is a talk by an economist on IKEA: Products & Pricing. He can try 'Life Drawing" on Wed night. Outing club is showing a film about dams on Thursday night. Friday night there is a film, a Beethoven Sonata concert (admittedly the pianist is 99 years old…), a folkdance, and a volleyball game. Saturday there is a football game, an evening student presentation on Computers & Music.</p>
<p>Point is, there ARE a lot of things going on that aren’t parties. And this is just the stuff on the events list – there are also a lot of student organizations he could try – newspaper, theater, etc. </p>
<p>I know this is hard for him… but if he doesn’t put himself out there joining activities and going to events where people aren’t drinking, then he will have trouble breaking through to find a different group of students to hang out with. </p>
<p>Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result. </p>
<p>Even if video games are fun, they are clearly not solving the problem, therefore the solution lies in doing something different. @intparent lists a good start, and of course there is much, much more to do, a place as isolated as your son’s college makes sure of that. The solution lies within, not in changing schools, especially if he likes the classwork where he is. But W&M is not a bad solution for a history major, if he decides to go that direction.</p>
<p>For the record, I have an 8th grader who is as addicted to games as much as anyone. The solution is to parent and take them away or limit their use. He even has to have game free weeks at times, when things don’t go well. It does him so much good to get away from them on occasion, which even he will admit.</p>
<p>Whether that is a key factor for this particular student or not, you really lose any control over it once they go to college. Or any real knowledge of how they are spending their time…</p>
<p>I know, I just wanted to let OP know I am familiar with the problem. </p>
<p>There are times S would choose starvation over a game. Just like those rats with cocaine.</p>
<p>@intparent makes a good point. Even if a lot of students party on weekends (which I think you’ll find at most places), there are usually plenty of alternatives: movies, plays, art exhibitions, lectures, panel discussions, concerts, sporting events, school sponsored activities. And there’s nothing wrong with organizing a card game, or just going out for something to eat and hanging out with friends. What did your S do to entertain himself when he was at home? If all he did was play video games, then perhaps he’s not really looking for other activities. </p>