<p>I will be applying to Stonehill, what are the strengths and weaknesses of this school? How is student life? Everyone seems so enthusiastic, is it really like that? How about the curriculum, is it challenging? How about religon? is it really religous? and last outside activities? Most of the schools I am applying to are in cities, not the suburbs, does this make it harder to get into the city? thanks for any info you may want to share.</p>
<p>Hey if anyone has any questions about Stonehill just message me because I seldom check this thread.</p>
<p>Anyways, I'm definitely loving Stonehill so far...so let's get to your questions.<br>
1. I am not positive about the strengths and weaknesses of the school, but I do know that we are advanced within our region/league. We are the #1 Comprehensive College of the North. We are also the highest ranked division two school in athletics + education combined and we are among level one schools in that catagory two (I forgot the exact rank). But anyways, so far the smartest people I have met have been within Biology (not saying that there aren't others) [I'm Liberal Arts undecided].<br>
2. Student life is pretty great so far. My dorm is AMAZING...I really lucked out and got a converted study lounge. I'm also in Villa Theresa which is a great dorm. The food is also very good so far with lots of options. The night life is good and I always have something to do every night. Everyone is very accepting and you can say hi to anyone while your walking around and they will say hi right back.
3. Yes there are some enthusiastic people (the Orientation Leaders especially lol) But just like any college there's a mix...but I really haven't seen anyone that is unhappy...pretty much everyone is having a good time.
4. It's on and off with work. I'm a freshman so I'm just getting into the year. This week I have had a ton of work, but the others were just medium. It's all about if you actually read everything assigned (I do) and that kinda stuff. The library is very nice for studying and the dorms all have study lounges which are good to be in.
5. I'm not religious and I am pretty happy with the atmosphere. At assemblies they mention it sometimes and pray sometimes but I just...don't. It's been mentioned a couple times in my classes [but only as an example to a situation], but a lot less than I expected (which is nice). I like to say that if you are religious there are lots of outlits for it, but if your not then it's not very obtrusive at all. The student body is more diverse than I thought too. There are those kids that go to church a ton but then there are just regular people who only go on holidays and such, which is nice.
6. There are lots of clubs and sports so you get entertained. So far I have been to the movies and Boston and both were easily accessible. You just take the shuttle there and back and that's that (and it runs till 1am during weekends which is nice for Boston). For example my Saturday last weekend was amazing. I went into Boston and went to something called College Fest (pretty much a place where booths give out tons of free stuff to college kids lol). I then went to a free concert elsewhere in Boston featuring Taking Back Sunday and The Receiving End of Sirens, which was cool. I finally went to Fire and Ice which is an AMAZING restaurant. It was all a lot of fun and I got back on the shuttle safe and sound. (during all of this I also met with some people from my highschool along with college friends I brought which was fun).</p>
<p>So I really hope you read this since it took a long time to type! Best of luck in ur selection and please respond so I don't feel like this was for nothing lol.</p>
<p>Sounds like a nice college.</p>
<p>I went to visit it today.<br>
I loved it, but the only thing i was worried about was how since its in a rural area, i was afraid that there would be nothing to do like on weekends and stuff. But that doesn't seem to be the case here.</p>
<p>Ya if you are ever bored u can go to the movies, mall, or to Boston (mostly a weekend thing). There are a good amount of activities too (they said a number at some assembly...it was 400 something I think...). There is always hanging out in the dorm with people, around campus, in the hill, or going to a club meeting or playing a sport. There are movies at the hill sometimes and other random things. On Tuesday Paul R (The guy from An Ordinary Man and Hotel Rwanda) is coming to speak!!! I'm really excited about that. If you are ever bored you could always study, which isn't the worst ever (the library is nice by the way. When I go I go to the top floor under the skylights and just lounge while I read my literature class books and such). Then there are parties if you are into that on the weekends (which I am and I can say that they are under control and not CRAZY frat parties lol. There seem to be a good amount of people here who do drink...but most keep it under control).<br>
It's an all around good place. Stay overnight if you can or take a tour or come to accepted students day (which I didn't because I didn't have my latest fin package by then lol). Don't let this be the thing that gets you to come, because I am only a Freshman and have only experienced a month or two here. This should only help, not be a Guarantee of fit and happiness. So anyways, best of luck with your search!</p>
<p>Here's info on the rankings and such <a href="http://www.stonehill.edu/media_relations/articles/081806_usnews.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.stonehill.edu/media_relations/articles/081806_usnews.htm</a></p>
<p>what does Best Comprehensive Colleges mean?</p>
<p>I have heard that colleges, grade you on 2 grades, your midterm and finals, is that true?</p>
<p>Or do you still have quizzes and stuff.</p>
<p>Does homework still counted or they don't really care.</p>
<p>What other schools did you look at besides Stonehill? What made you chose Stonehill?</p>
<p>Comprehensive College is a catagory. Liberal Arts College is another catagory. National University is yet another. Stonehill has a Liberal Arts curriculum so I'm not sure why it's Comprehensive...but it works I guess lol.</p>
<p>Definitely not true. I've had the range from hw (usually not graded, just reviewed or checked), essays, and tests. I haven't had a final or midterm yet.</p>
<p>I do hw but I don't usually have it graded. Just commented on.</p>
<p>I actually have a Guaranteed Transfer to Cornell, so I am only here for one year. I came because I liked it a lot and got a lot of aid. The other schools at it's level that I applied to were Northeastern, Fordham, and Marist. My safeties were Bryant and Stonybrook. Then I had 9 reaches...lol</p>
<p>Wait, why didn't you just go to cornell?</p>
<p>Would you consider Stonehill an academically good school?</p>
<p>I am very much interested in Stonehill - I went on a tour this summer and LOVED it. I am Also thinking of applying to Dartmouth, Cornell, Tufts, maybe Yale, Bowdoin, Brandeis, Conn College, Fordham, and UConn as a safety.)</p>
<p>On my tour I also heard that there is a variety of grades and assignments at Stonehill, and that the teachers really get to know you and really care. My cousin is a freshman at Cornell studying chemistry and she said that in every class the only grades are 3 major tests plus the final.</p>
<p>What is Stonehill's academic reputation (especially compared to some of my other choices)? The SAT scores are below what I got and I'm going to be taking them at least once more, but I like the idea of being at a place where I'm a somebody, not just a "number" hwo is struggling to get by. But then again theres a lot to be said for going to an Ivy, lol</p>
<p>shamrock, do you fell like there is a lot to do?</p>
<p>Those schools you mentioned above, are you transfering like Figgy or are you planning to stay?</p>
<p>Do you think that if I don't know what i plan on majoring in, stonehill would be good for me?</p>
<p>Do you mean a lot to do in terms of work? I really don't know, I heard it wasnt a ton...</p>
<p>I would hope to never transfer, I mean unless i really hated a place there would be no reason to. What is a Guaranteed Transfer to Cornell mean?</p>
<p>My guidence counselor told me that knowing your major when you apply, really doesn't matter as much nowadays. I guess something like 1/4 of all college freshman are undecided. Sure it probably depends on the schooll, but I dont think it's that big of a deal and my guess is that it would be fine at Stonehill and many others.</p>
<p>O I probably should have explained. It meant that I applied to Cornell regularly and got a letter back saying that they didn't have enough room for me this year, but they do next year. This means that they told me what kind of classes to take and wat gpa to maintain, and then when I achieve these I'll transfer next year. It ISN'T because I don't like Stonehill, because I do. It's just because I have always been planning to go to Cornell. (They will have room because when people study abroad and go on internships they get some openings)</p>
<p>Click on the link I gave if you want to know its academic standing. From what I have seen there are kids who are great students and do a trillion activities, and then some who don't really care as much. The average is somewhere in-between [on a good level].</p>
<p>" am very much interested in Stonehill - I went on a tour this summer and LOVED it. I am Also thinking of applying to Dartmouth, Cornell, Tufts, maybe Yale, Bowdoin, Brandeis, Conn College, Fordham, and UConn as a safety.)"</p>
<p>I also applied to Cornell, Tufts, Brandies, and Fordham. I didn't apply to the connecticut ones because I didn't want to stay in-state for college (although Conn College is really great from what I hear. and Uconn is great too...but when ur instate u get tainted because it seems easy to get into for instate students). I would have probably applied to Dartmouth if I had the choice now. And maybe more Liberal Arts colleges...I only applied to Williams, which is #1 and wasn't the best idea by me lol.</p>
<p>I haven't had any hw graded in class, just essays and tests. The hw is very important to do tho so you can follow and have discussions.</p>
<p>I REALLY like 4 of my teachers personally. One I don't like as much. My Modern Japan teacher was a Buddhist monk in Japan for a while which I think is AMAZING. He also lived there for a while and travels back and forth so he knows a LOT. He also got his PHD at Princeton. He's an awesome person.
My Lit teacher is CRAZY and entertaining, and went to Cornell for his PHD as well. He's fun to have as a teacher and lets us read German Lit, which is nice and different. My History teacher likes to examine history as a whole and knows a lot about Native Americans (researched a lot and lived with for a while) and South America (wrote a book on one of the inquisitions) which is cool. He has really unique views on things and is a good person. My Microecon teacher isn't as good as these others, but he's still good. I have talked to all of these profs (I made the effort tho) and they are really good people. I have talked to some more than others tho. I don't like my Public Speaking teacher too much, but it's not like he's a -horrible- teacher.</p>
<p>It is nice "being somebody". I mean being the big fish in a small pond is always nice. The thing is I thought I would be bigger than I am, which is also nice. There are some really smart people there and some people who try really hard. This was nice. I won't mind being the small fish at Cornell though because it's a great school. </p>
<p>I'm there as Undecided Liberal Arts and a pretty good amount of kids are undecided. It's not a bad thing at all, but if you are business or science you probably have to know sooner than for a liberal arts (that's y I'm taking it...because I already know my major at Cornell, but I can't take certain classes at Stonehill if I declare that major). [Industrial Labor Relations...so business, but I don't wanna take business courses at Stonehill because I have to take other ones in order to transfer]</p>
<p>The work is dealable. My schedual goes 4 classes - 2 (one being a tiny one that freshman all take - 4 - 1 - 1, so it stacks up in the begining of the week and is nice the rest of the week. You just have to make sure you DO it, because that's what you talk about in-class.</p>
<p>Stonehill has a really large retention rate so I don't think many people transfer, which is a good thing and shows happiness [And I mean it's a REALLY good rate]</p>
<p>Figgy, I've never heard of that before, but Congratulations on geeting into Cornell!! Has it been hard to make friends since everyone knows you'll be gone next year?</p>
<p>I was also thinking about applying to Williams, and Hamilton College in NY. Did you apply to any other Ivys? Some people say when you apply you should limit it to 1 Ivy, so if I do I don't know if Cornell or Dartmouth is better.</p>
<p>Anyways, what do you think of Stonehill so far? You're classes sound very interesting... Modern Japan especially! I consider myself agnostic so I don't particularly care that its a catholic school, but a lot of people have said that the Catholic liberal-arts colleges are the ones that give you the most well-rounded education. I like the size too... it's a tiny bit small for me, but I was told its getting bigger each year. Everyone there (when I was on my tour) seemed nicer than anywhere else I've ever been...... is that how it is for you?</p>
<p>Also... what are athletics like (do you play any sports?). I ran cross country and played tennis in high school but I know at Stonehill sports are division 2. Are the people on the teams reeeeally good or do you think I could join (I wasn't the best but definitely not bad)</p>
<p>The trick to making friends when I'm transfering = I didn't tell them yet lol</p>
<p>I applied to Cornell, Columbia, and Brown Ivy wise. I wish I had applied to Dartmouth instead of Columbia tho. (Didn't get into Columbia or Brown). If you like the colleges apply to both. All of the Ivys are so different, so apply to the ones that you fit.</p>
<p>I do like my Modern Japan class a lot, but I wish Modern Japan wasn't as "Modern" as it is lol. We do talk about ancient japan and culture, but most of our "work" is about the business models and how japan is today...which I know is expected...but I like studying the culture more than the modern day stuff. It's still a good class tho and the prof is awesome.</p>
<p>I am agnostic as well :)</p>
<p>It -is- growing (although it's double the size of my highschool so it's still big to me lol)</p>
<p>They definitely had one of the nicest tours for me. The guide was incredible and made everything sound amazing. During ur first few weeks at the school everyone is so happy and outgoing. It's always fun to pass a series of people you know on the way to class and say hi and get smiles and hi's back. That's what is nice about it's size. </p>
<p>I was the captain of indoor and outdoor track in highschool (state hurdler...but not exactly the best at states haha) but I don't do college sports. I am friends with 3 people who tried to walk on (2 baseball, one softball). The baseball kids didn't make it [they didn't take any walk ons from what I heard]. The softball girl did. My roomates are also athletes..actually one tennis and one x-c. I haven't seen them in action but they must be good. Only way to find out if you would make it is to try I guess. I'm not sure how hard it is to get into sports, but there are always intramurals and club sports if you want to play those. I'm playing on a flag football team right now (1-0! lol). It is fun and we can go out and play under the lights whenever we want (field's open at night). Actually most of the people I know are playing some sort of sport one way or another. All you have to do is sign up/make a team/join a team and get out and play!</p>
<p>Yea, I was thinking about the tennis team, but I don't know if i'm good enough for a division 2 sport</p>
<p>Shamrock, I have no idea where you heard "only apply to one Ivy" That's totally silly. Most of my friends who got into an Ivy from HS got into multiple Ivies, and most of my friends at Dartmouth were choosing between it and another Ivy or top 10 school.</p>