<p>What are the student bodies of these 5 schools generally like (or stereotyped as)?</p>
<p>Duke:
Emory:
Vanderbilt:
Wake Forest:</p>
<p>I am interested in the following things: vegetarianism/veganism, the environment, animal rights, gay rights, mild recreational drugs, feminism, New Age spirituality, and organic produce. </p>
<p>I was wondering where I would best fit.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>None of those schools fit your criteria. Actually, they are pretty much the opposite of what you say you’re looking for in a school environment.</p>
<p>nysmile, truer words have rarely been spoken…</p>
<p>I should still be able to find a small niche at these schools?</p>
<p>1、Bard College ｜Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
2、Hampshire College ｜Amherst, MA
3、Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts
4、New College of Florida
5、Reed College ｜Portland, OR
6、Clark University ｜Worcester, MA
7、Sarah Lawrence College ｜Bronxville, NY
8、Bennington College ｜Bennington, VT
9、Simon’s Rock College of Bard ｜Great Barrington, MA
10、Marlboro College ｜Marlboro, VT
11、Vassar College ｜Poughkeepsie, NY
12、Pitzer College ｜Claremont, CA
13、Wesleyan University ｜Middletown, CT
14、University of California–Santa Cruz
15、Lewis & Clark College ｜Portland, OR
16、Macalester College ｜St. Paul, MN
17、Emerson College ｜Boston, MA
18、Oberlin College ｜Oberlin, OH
19、Warren Wilson College ｜Asheville, NC
20、State University of New York–Purchase College</p>
<p>nysmile, that is some list you have there…maybe you should patent it…</p>
<p>it fits the OP perfectly…</p>
<p>^It’s basically the Princeton Review list of Birkenstock Wearing/Tree Hugging/Gay Friendly
colleges.</p>
<p>Yeah, those four schools aren’t exactly known for being “green”. Schools like Brown, Cal, Columbia, Cornell, Michigan, Oberlin, Reed and Wesleyan are a much better fit.</p>
<p>
A lot of posters aren’t exactly known for checking facts either. Duke is regularly cited for its green efforts, both in terms of student support and institutional requirements. </p>
<p>[Green</a> College Spotlight: Duke University](<a href=“Your Domains”>Your Domains)
[10</a> of the Greenest Colleges in America - Colleges Going Green - thedailygreen.com](<a href=“http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/10-greenest-colleges-460708]10”>http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/10-greenest-colleges-460708)
[Sustainability</a> : Duke Scores Big on Green College Reviews / August 14, 2008](<a href=“http://www.duke.edu/web/ESC/news_events/items/2008_08_14GreenSchools.html]Sustainability”>http://www.duke.edu/web/ESC/news_events/items/2008_08_14GreenSchools.html)
[Duke</a> to Hold Earth Day Festivities on April 20](<a href=“http://news.duke.edu/2007/04/earthday._print.ht]Duke”>http://news.duke.edu/2007/04/earthday._print.ht)
[Bleed</a> Blue, Live Green: Duke vs. Climate Change : TreeHugger](<a href=“http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/duke_basketball_goes_green.php]Bleed”>http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/duke_basketball_goes_green.php)</p>
<p>I can only vouch for Duke for the following.
[ul][<em>]vegetarianism/veganism - I was vegetarian at Duke with no problem. Freshmen have it slightly harder because they have fewer dining options with the meal plan, but overall your options are good. Most people are not vegetarian, however.
[</em>]the environment - Taken pretty seriously.
[<em>]animal rights - There’s a group devoted to this, but it is definitely not a major concern on campus.
[</em>]gay rights - I was heavily involved in activism in this area. Taken very seriously and has a lot of support. A hefty Duke contingent headed to DC for the protest this past fall.
[<em>]mild recreational drugs - Not sure. You regularly see people smoking hookahs on the quad, but that doesn’t quite count. My impression is that certain selective living groups tend to congregate recreational drug users. (I won’t name names ;))
[</em>]New Age spirituality - No idea
[<em>]feminism - Taken seriously by those studying it, less so by others. Generally less vocal in this area than UNC.
[</em>]organic produce - Taken pretty seriously by Duke dining. Sustainable and locally grown food are also heavily emphasized.[/ul]</p>
<p>Duke has a respectable history of activism, though not as much as, say, the College of the Atlantic. Students were responsible for banning sweatshop products from the school store, and the activist group Purple is becoming extremely popular on campus. It covers the following five issues that were voted most important by Duke students:</p>
<ul>
<li>Human rights</li>
<li>Environmental sustainability</li>
<li>Race relations</li>
<li>Cancer awareness</li>
<li>Educational inequalities</li>
</ul>
<p>[Purple</a> - Music. Fashion. Activism.](<a href=“http://www.unitepurple.org/]Purple”>http://www.unitepurple.org/)</p>
<p>Duke Engage is also nice for those looking to make a difference:</p>
<p>[DukeEngage</a> | Home](<a href=“http://dukeengage.duke.edu/]DukeEngage”>http://dukeengage.duke.edu/)</p>
<p>More groups can be found here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://duke.collegiatelink.net/Community?action=getOrgBrowse&searchType=Contains&searchValue=&searchField=orgName&orderByField=name&sortOrder=0&firstResult=0&maxResults=25[/url]”>http://duke.collegiatelink.net/Community?action=getOrgBrowse&searchType=Contains&searchValue=&searchField=orgName&orderByField=name&sortOrder=0&firstResult=0&maxResults=25</a></p>
<p>I agree Warblersrule. Any top university is going to have the variety and diversity for any student to fit in. Duke certainly is known for Environmental Sciences. I was merely saying that as a student body overall, those universities probably not the most famous for their activism. I could be wrong though.</p>
<p>No, I certainly agree with that. Duke is not really known for activism, and a hardcore activist may or may not find enough enthusiasm on campus to meet his/her needs.</p>
<p>I merely took issue with the green issue in particular - that is perhaps the one area in which Duke has continued to exhibit a tremendous amount of dedication and enthusiasm.</p>
<p>It obviously does as evidenced by your links above. An elite university has the resources to excell at virtually anything.</p>
<p>The perfect school for the OP:</p>
<p>UC Berkeley</p>
<p>Duke has had a forestry school, a marine lab, and geology department since the 1930’s.
The roots of its environmental programs seem to run pretty broad and deep.</p>
<p>[About</a> the Nicholas School](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/about/mission.html]About”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/about/mission.html)
[Duke</a> Forest](<a href=“http://www.dukeforest.duke.edu/]Duke”>http://www.dukeforest.duke.edu/)</p>
<p>It’s one thing to be “green”…quite another to have Al Gore, Barney Frank, and Tommy Chong on your enemies list for being too conservative.</p>
<p>UNC Asheville</p>
<p>I don’t recommend these schools for you. Duke would be your best bet, and its still a losing match. For the combo of education quality and the criteria you mentioned, you need to look outside the south.</p>
<p>Duke fits you just fine. Seriously. I know people there and you wont have any touble finding support groups/clubs to join with your interests/viewpoints.</p>
<p>I have quite a bit of experience in being a non-conformist in socially conservative environments, including in the university context.</p>
<p>There’s nothing someone like you can do to make yourself fit into a socially conservative environment. It’s much better for you to find an environment where you’re accepted for who you are.</p>
<p>Even if there is some small fraction of the population with which you fit in at a place which is otherwise unwelcoming, this is far from a complete solution. You’re still constantly meeting people in class, in residence halls, in activities, etc., who you don’t fit in with or worse. You can’t count on being able to restrict yourself to just that fraction of the population which you’re compatible with.</p>
<p>I’m sure there are niches at those schools in which you would fit, but why attend a school where you only fit in with a very small portion of the student body.? I’d take a look at nysmile’s list if I were you.</p>