Transfer student with questions!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Franklin & Marshall College
1

<p>I'm thinking about transferring to F&M from Grinnell next year, mostly because F&M has a better theatre program. I was accepted last year when I applied from high school so hopefully I'll be able to get in... If a current student could answer some questions I have I would be ever so grateful :)</p>

<p>-Are students cliqueish or more into having a diverse and varied group of friends? </p>

<p>-I know partying is pretty big on campus, but are students looked down on if they don't participate all the time? I party sometimes but like to do other activities too.</p>

<p>-Are students pretty diverse as relates to religion and politics?</p>

<p>-What kind of student would fit in best at F&M?</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for any help!</p>

2

<p>I just completed my first semester at F&M, and, honestly, I love it!</p>

<p>First off, while F&M can come off as “cliquesh” sometimes, it all depends on what sort of people you hang out with. I think you’ll get cliques almost anywhere you go, especially at most LACs, but if you’re not into that and you’re able to ignore it and find a good core group of varied friends then it shouldn’t really bother you. Personally, my group of friends is pretty varied. We vary in religion and economic status. We have very varied academic and extracurricular interests. We even slightly vary in the parts of the country we are from, though most of us are from Pennsylvania or New Jersey. So basically, if cliques are your thing, then you’ll certainly find that. But it can easily be ignored, too. It’s not that big of a deal.</p>

<p>I personally am not a big partier. Don’t get me wrong, I love going out every now and then to blow off some steam, but lots of times I’d rather just stay in with my friends or my boyfriend. I am also part of the editing board for the newspaper, which meets for 6-8 hours every Sunday, so my Saturday nights can’t get too out of control. No one really looks down on me for this, especially because my friends are the same way. They have volunteer commitments, sports practices, games, rehearsals, concerts, tutoring sessions and other activities, as well. Again, it all comes down to the type of people you hang out with. If you hang out with big partiers, then it might be harder to get them to understand your reasons for not going out. But with the right group of friends, it’s no big deal. I was worried about this as well when considering F&M, but for me it really hasn’t been something to worry about. I do my own thing and that doesn’t seem to bother anyone.</p>

<p>I would say, in regards to religion, they are pretty diverse. As for politics, I can’t really say. I am a bio major. I absolutely refuse to talk politics. So I haven’t really experienced diversity or lack thereof concerning politics. Sorry. </p>

<p>As for what kind of student would fit best at F&M, I would say someone who is passionate and very hardworking. People say F&M is a “work hard, play hard” school. That’s definitely true. F&M students work incredibly hard, are very involved, and know how to blow off steam (whether that is partying and drinking or going out on the town or just being crazy with friends or giving their all in a club/sport/activity).</p>

<p>Sorry this is so long! If you have any other questions, post them or message me. I’d love to help in any way I can. Good luck!!</p>

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<p>Thanks for the response!! F&M seems like a really awesome place and I’m probably going to end up applying, and <em>hopefully</em> going next year.</p>

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<p>F&M is only clique-ish just because it is so small… but they have the nicest people! Everyone works really hard before partying, so don’t worry about not being a big partier. You’ll be too busy with actual work haha</p>

5

<p>-Are students cliqueish or more into having a diverse and varied group of friends?
I think that a lot of this depends on the individual student but I personally don’t find it to be that cliquey. I have a very diverse group of friends and don’t always stick to the same people. For me, a lot of this has to do with the fact that I’m very involved on campus.
-I know partying is pretty big on campus, but are students looked down on if they don’t participate all the time? I party sometimes but like to do other activities too.
No, this is a pretty big misconception about F&M. Not everyone is expected to go out every weekend and I don’t feel judged for not going out rather, I feel more judged when I consistently go out. As the other poster said, it really depends on your friend group. I have friends who party a lot and friends who never go out and I know that I can do either thing and still have a good thing.
-Are students pretty diverse as relates to religion and politics?
Yes! Both College Democrats and Republicans are fairly active on campus and there is definitely a variety of political opinions. People do tend to lean more liberal though. As far as religion, it’s one of the most diverse places. I’m Jewish and have friends of almost every religion.
-What kind of student would fit in best at F&M?
I’m not really sure how to answer this just because it’s such a diverse school. I do think someone outgoing, a little bit quirky, and very hardworking is a good fit for the school. </p>

<p>I’m a sophomore here and absolutely love it, hope this answers your questions! Please feel free to shoot me a private message if you have any additional questions.</p>