Hi all- so I recently got accepted to F&M, and sadly have been unable to visit and don’t know much about it. I am very artsy, planning on majoring in music and/or theatre. I also love creative writing/playwriting. I know F&M is a strong liberal arts college but would love to know any more details as I make this hard decision.
I really would love to learn about the student body/vibe of the campus, as I won’t be able to visit. I’m an introvert, and definitely not a “mainstream” kid… would I be in the minority? I heard that a big emphasis is put on Greek life- is that true? Are there artsy kids or mostly just pre-med/pre-law kids? What kind of kids typically go to F&M? Is it considered a preppy school?
Thanks!
Hello!
So, I’m going to be honest with you: yes, the majority of people here are pre-law or pre-med, and part of the reason why could be that pre-law/med advisors are heavily advertised and easily accessible, so students who otherwise would not be one of these things choose that route based on good advising. Also, greek life is definitely prevalent, but I’d say it matters more for guys than girls. There are definitely alternatives to that if you’re not into it, and people don’t really pressure you to join.
F&M is more preppy than, say Oberlin or Reed, but I don’t think it’s too preppy. I went to a large public high school and feel like I fit in, even though most of my friends went to private HS. I will say that my HS was more ethnically diverse, which is something that I miss, but F&M has been trying to increase diversity and acceptance through cultural groups like the Asian alliance, etc. religious orgs like Hillel and InterVarsity are also fairly active.
As far as the arts scene…I’d say it’s vibrant if you look at the right places, and join clubs that relate to your interest. Art club is pretty fun, and the Writer’s House community is also fairly active. There is a theme house related to the arts that you can join after your second year here, and some of the college houses (like Bonchek) are artsy in nature and put out events like a worldwide fashion showcase every semester.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hey! I also got accepted to F&M! I’m trying to decide between them and St. John’s College in Maryland but they’re so different that they’re not comparable. Have you made a decision yet? Just curious 
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Hey! I haven’t made a decision yet, but ruled out F&M- it doesn’t have as strong of a theatre/music program as I had hoped for, and the social life doesn’t seem to be a good fit for me. Best of luck with your decisions 