<p>Student, not parent here :P</p>
<p>Mattmom's son seems to have had a typically positive experience here. And her description is pretty on target, I think.</p>
<p>Your high school sounds exactly like mine was...and honestly, my experience at high school (Porter-Gaud School, a well-reputed private school in Charleston, South Carolina) could not be any more different than what I'm experiencing here at Davidson.</p>
<p>I think it sounds like Davidson would be a school for you to look at closely. I hesitate to call the Davidson students nerdy...they're really not. Most are just...well...COOL! And interesting. And smart. And funny. And fun. And down-to-earth. And surprisingly not arrogant about their awesomeness. The few snobs here are recognized for what they are and have a harder time becoming a part of the Davidson community.
But anyway...I would not call Davidson kids nerdy, but we do love to learn! Certainly, we're college kids, so we have our drama, our childishness, and our gossiping...but
Davidson students do talk about deep subjects...what they're learning in class or what they want to study. It's great! </p>
<p>I would not say Davidson is intensely stressful. I would, however, say that Davidson is perpetually overwhelming, but in the best sense. You're always taking something to the fullest extent you can: you're working super hard on work or you're playing super hard or you're resting super hard. You cannot go to Davidson and live passively.
That said, classes are difficult. There is a LOT of work. There is a LOT of reading. And if you don't do it, your transcript will show it. But you pick your poison. If math is not your specialty, take a lower-level math course to finish your requirements. If history is not your specialty, don't take a massive survey course that's going to require you to know every single little detail about everything that's ever happened in the history of the world. Or better yet, knock the requirement out with a 4 or 5 on your AP exams and never take a course in that department at Davidson (yes, Davidson takes most APs with scores of 4s or 5. 3 for AP Calc and 5s for historys, 4+ for everything else). </p>
<p>You will not be constantly studying. Some people have trouble adjusting to college life, but for others, the relationship between studying, playing, and resting, becomes a healthy balance. You just have to learn to keep healthy habits and to cut yourself a little slack. Eat well, get some exercise in there, don't procrastinate excessively, make sure you get at least 8-10 hours of sleep a night (very easy if your first class is at 9:30 or later), and that sort of thing. Make friends, join clubs and activities. </p>
<p>Davidson students really do compete with themselves and they generally don't stress over grades. The attitude is do your best and don't worry about GPA. The GPA is insignificant next to whether or not you actually learned something and took something from a course.</p>
<p>I have never spent a Saturday night in the library. Possibly a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night in the library, but never Friday or Saturday. Usually I only go to the library if I need something specific, but usually I study down in the Union or in my dorm's lounge or in my room or down at Rusk (my eating house). Or outside if it's nice. There are people who studying in the library (upper class-men get study carrels), but most study elsewhere.</p>
<p>Sorry your high school experience has been so unpleasant! That truly is the pits and I feel for you! Hope to see you here for a tour!</p>