<p>Our more introverted daughter would do much better at a college or university that has intentional programs that help 1st year students get socially connected with each other & with the campus community.</p>
<p>She's very bright, but also very socially introverted. </p>
<p>Because of her intellectual abilities, she probably would do best academically at a top-rated academic school. </p>
<p>And because of her more introverted personality, she would do best socially at a school that very consciously draws their students into social relationships & involvement in the campus community.</p>
<p>Do any of you know of strong academic schools that are also strong in helping students develop socially & become engaged in various aspects of their campus life?</p>
<p>Definitely check out Pomona College in California. The freshman are put into units within their dorms, called sponsor groups, which consist of 10 or 12 other freshman. These kids do a lot of things together throughout the first year, and create friendships that last, with the leadership of a sophomore student sponsor. It seems like a great fit for kids that are a bit more introverted- but I’ll say that my extroverted son also really enjoyed the experience. His room mate as well as several others in his original sponsor group are still close friends, even now that he has graduated and lives in another part of the state.
Btw, the academics are fabulous.</p>
<p>Moonchild beat me to it!
I second Pomona College, the sponsor program is fabulous. additionally many schools have a student bonding activity before school starts.
Pomona’s program is called Orientation Adventure and freshman students choose a 3-4 day trip that starts the week before classes begin. It may be camping or kayaking and it gives them a chance to meet many new students before school starts.</p>
<p>I would not eliminate all larger schools and don’t assume that just because it is not Top 15 rated that it will not challenge your daughter. I know lots of NMF students currently attending Iowa … they tend to choose harder majors and are plenty challenged.</p>
<p>A larger school with an Honors College and/or Living and Learning Communities might work. L and L communities have a group of students living in a dorm take 2-3 classes together as a Frosh. They often also require community service and campus activities.
Honors Colleges often do similar things.</p>
<p>Hmm, as a parent who just visited Pomona with my HS junior D (who sounds quite similar to the OP’s D), my D did not like Pomona. I think everyone she met there was TOO outgoing for her (although we did agree that her older sister, who is an extrovert, would have liked it very much).</p>
<p>I agree with those saying that a liberal arts college might be a better choice. My D seems to be gravitating to the more rural ones. And I think a kid kind of has to come out of their shell in an environment where (1) classes are small, (2) everyone stays on campus most of the time, and (3) there isn’t a lot to do off campus in the surrounding area. I was an introvert many years ago at a large university – excellent academics, but I think I would have had a much better social experience at a smaller school.</p>
<p>Schools my D has liked that we have visited so far include Kenyon, Grinnell, Harvey Mudd (although she is still mulling whether she wants such a focused math/science experience as HM offers), and St. Mary’s College of Maryland (academic & financial safety). I have heard good things about Williams intro program for freshman (maybe they go on some kind of trip? We have not visited there yet, so I don’t have details).</p>
<p>Intparent is right about Williams. They put freshmen in groups of 20 people and have a junior RA-type person attached to look after them. I forget what they call it, but I am sure that you can find it elsewhere at CC under the Williams threads. Londondad</p>
<p>Why is she “introverted”? Is it just her personality, or could she have social anxiety? Does she want to be “introverted” or does she wish that she had more friends or more social skills? I would recommend that someone (maybe not you, maybe a health professional) have this conversation with her and give her a tool that can diagnose whether she might really have social anxiety and if she does, treat it now. Perhaps you could find a social skills group of some kind, or Dale Carnegie or Toastmasters or something to help her with the skills that will be much more predictive of success than academic ability.
But in answer to your question, I believe that Haverford has a formalized mentorship program with older students and new students that the students take very seriously, and this might help her.</p>
<p>Don’t discount large schools. Look at the Ivies, many have the ‘residential college’ system that helps nurture friendships quickly. Also honors programs at many flagship universities have a ‘school-within-a-school’ atmosphere that’s conducive to making friends.</p>
<p>Colorado College has an intensive 4-day small group off-site service project that all freshman are required to participate in as part of freshman orientation. Students get to choose among a wide variety of projects, some of which are outdoors in the nearby Rocky Mtns. </p>
<p>Also CC’s block scheduling fosters bonding with your fellow students since they’re in class together for 3 hours/day 5days/ week. (CC’s students only take 1 class at a time.)</p>
<p>Wellesley assigns students a big sister. This is the type of program that I think could be helpful to a very reserved student.</p>
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<p>At Bryn Mawr, students are assigned to “customs groups” in the dorms and sophomore “customs people” help them adjust to college, along with upper-class “hall advisors.” </p>
<p>I’ve heard nothing but good things about the community-building at schools like Wellsley and Bryn Mawr, which are also intellectually rigorous and attract a highly motivated student population.</p>
<p>I would pay attention to colleges that have first year experience (FYE) programs. These tend to have pre-orientation programs for small groups of students and then mixer type activites throughout the year. If you do a google search with the words, “FYE Colleges” you’ll see some examples.</p>
<p>^^I agree on Freshman experiences. Both my sons met their good college friends during Freshman programs. Kalamazoo has a first year experience. Hope has a Freshman seminar program.</p>
<p>I agree about FYE schools; also about seven sister schools. </p>
<p>I have a daughter who isn’t as much socially introverted or awkward as she is just not very “cool.” She’s not interested in partying and she’s having trouble finding schools where she would find like-minded peers. </p>
<p>We really liked Clark, in terms of finding kids who were more like her, but Clark would be a major safety for her. It seems that the more “jock”-focused a school is, the less likely she is to find “her people.” (and yes, we are aware that people don’t go away to school to only be with their own kind, but it would be nice if she could find some people to hang out with.) </p>
<p>We visited Bryn Mawr and liked it a lot - it wasn’t a great fit for my daughter, but I do think it might fit the bill for the OP’s daughter. How about Mount Holyoke or Smith, as well?</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your helpful ideas—both about types of schools that might best help an introverted kid come out of her shell & about specific schools that have programs that go the extra distance with helping first year students get more established socially.</p>
<p>Haystack’s ideas about a larger school with a Living and Learning community or an Honor’s College would work for our d, and such a school would especially work for my d if she got to live and attend some classes together with that same group of students. </p>
<p>We also resonate with Intparent’s ideas about the positive benefits for an introverted kid going to a liberal arts college with small classes in a more rural environment where the majority of the students stay on campus most of the time. </p>
<p>I’m heartened & can envision how small classes, a small school, students staying on campus much of the time, and an intentional first year program simulating the “family” experience with sponsors or advisors would help introverted kids transition & be drawn into participating and connecting socially with other students.</p>
<p>Thanks, siliconvalleymom, for the suggestion about residential colleges at Yale or Rice. Both would fit, and I believe they do freshmen orientation programs as well. That would be a way to attend a larger school with more options with majors & classes, but still get that smaller-type experience.</p>
<p>4gsmom had an interesting comment about the more jock- & sports-oriented the school is, the less likely her d will find other like-minded people. Since my d is also not exactly sports-minded or interested in the parties, it’s helpful to think about which schools might also tend to be less oriented toward sports being a major part of their campus life. </p>
<p>My d tends to prefer a co-ed school, but is open to considering a women’s school. She’d like to interact with both genders in her classes & dorm, and doesn’t think she would take the time and energy to take classes at neighboring schools. But, is at least open to looking at those schools as well.</p>