So, after a year of college I’m looking to end my career as a serial transfer student. Elon was the school I originally wanted to go to, but due to personal issues and financial limitations it wasn’t a possibility until this upcoming semester (fall 2016). The first school I went to was a complete party school - heavy drinking 4 nights a week, drugs, etc. The second school I went to was a dry school - no drinking of any kind was allowed to take place, even off campus or for the 21+ crowd. I feel like I’m in a sort of Goldilocks predicament - I’m not the type to go out and get wasted Wednesday through Saturday but I’m also not keen on playing board games past midnight every weekend. I like Elon’s campus, facilities, student body size and academic programs but I want to make sure the social atmosphere will be the right fit as well. I’m wondering if any current Elon students/parents could give some perspective by answering a couple questions that I have:
- how many nights a week do you go out? (to parties, frats, etc.)
- on weekend nights that you don't go to parties, what do you usually do?
- in general, would you say that the student body is involved? are you part of any clubs or organizations?
- how diverse is your group of friends (ethnically, geographically, etc.)
- would you describe the social atmosphere as very friendly, or do people tend to keep to themselves?
Any response to these questions would be greatly appreciated 
I’m a parent of a junior girl. DD says there’s always a party somewhere on Fridays and Saturdays, and I think Thursdays there is stuff going on, though not as much. She knew some people who partied every night, but very few and that was mostly freshman year. As a freshman and sophomore she and her friends went out most weekends but not during the week, This year they hang out more at smaller parties with closer friends one night and go out the other. They do stuff on weeknights occasionally – trivia nights etc. Day drinks are big on weekends when the weather is nice. My daughter and a few of her friends don’t drink, but enjoy going to the parties to see friends.
Most of her friends are very involved, usually in one activity that’s a passion (a sorority/fraternity, acapella group, club sports, Christian group, etc). and then one or 2 others that aren’t as time consuming (habitat for Humanity, Elon-thon, intramurals etc.). My daugther and her friends also spend time going to concerts, games, plays etc. on campus, which is fun for them because they always have friends participating (and because they are good).
Her closest group of friends is pretty much from New York area and Boston. (She is from Illinois). Elon draws heavily from that area but they are really working at recruiting nationally the last few years.
She says that Elon is super friendly. In fact, her cousin visited her from another school and she kept losing him at parties because he was talking to people, and after a couple days he had made a bunch of friends and didn’t want to leave. Now he wants to transfer to Elon. There are a lot of extroverts there – I’m guessing because the engaged learning is attractive to them.
If you can, go for a visit and make a point to talk to students. That will give you a better picture than I can give you. Good luck!
My D is currently a Freshman. I ditto all of Superwoman’s post. My daughter is extroverted and enjoys the party scene, but rarely goes to a parties on weeknights. Agree that day drink parties are popular. She is involved in many things - club sport, sorority, elonthon, and loves attending Hillel even though she is Christian. She attends theater productions, concerts, speaker and cultural events on campus. She participates in charity events held by other sororities and fraternities. In other words, she is living the engaged life that Elon is known for. Her friends are from all over - the south, midatlantic, northeast and even the midwest, and her circle includes a few minorities and gays, people with opposing political views, and gasp - even some NE Patriot fans. 
Wow, just reading through the posts it’s amazing to note how many parents post, in contrast to students.
Hopefully all goes well for my son, but something is screaming helicopter parents and kids - I confess, my research was half assed until the bill came. My bad.
Bosmama, I don’t see many students posting on CC on any forum at any school; for whatever reason that doesn’t seem to be the demographic here. One of my daughter’s friends posted here for a while as part of a class project, and occasionally prospective students will post here with questions, but that’s about it. I think students are busy pursuing their interests. I don’t know where to tell you to look for student feedback; maybe some of the college search sites like Princeton Review and College Prow ler (space left intentionally – CC was censoring the name of that site) who encourage students to write reviews?
I’m sure that Elon has helicopter parents, like every other school, but interest in your child’s school, and a desire to connect with other parents is not the same thing.
I hope it goes well for your son too. A positive attitude on your part will make a big difference. It sure has been great for our daughter; she has grown so much in 3 years she’s been there. Good luck!
Thank you all for your responses; I just found out I was accepted last week and I can’t wait to start this fall!