<p>Please tell me all you know about these. I would especially like to hear from current or previous students and what makes one better than another?</p>
<p>I wouldn't suggest Providence College... to begin with, it's a lot of money and lacks in prestige. It is also extremely low in diversity.... it is actually #1 on the 'Least Diverse' list from US News. </p>
<p>Another big problem with PC is that it's in a really bad section of town.... it's a gated little bubble of green in the ghetto, but since there isn't really anything to do on campus, students take buses or walk to areas of interest (PC kids are always flooding the Providence mall.) My cousin goes there (and I go to RISD), and she loves it... but you have to have the right personality for it, and be open to only having friends named Mike, Dan, Tim, Kate and Megan.</p>
<p>Holy Cross - Very pretty campus (but hilly). I like Jesuit colleges, so I'm biased. Don't be looking for any merit scholarship money though.</p>
<p>I can tell you much about Holy Cross and Wheaton. My brother attends Wheaton and I am a currently attending Holy Cross. Holy Cross is certainly a more prestigious school than the others you have listed (although prestigious does not necessarily mean better). Academically speaking Holy Cross is extremely difficult. It has a higher academic rating than Boston College, Georgetown, and Notre Dame. The school is known well for its pre-med program (one of the best in the country). However, it is somewhat weak in the English and Physics departments. It is very conservative for a liberal arts college. It is also a very preppy college. It isn't that diverse of a student body, but the school has worked extra hard over the past few years to fix that. Although it is a Jesuit college, non-Catholic students have no probem fitting in. I myself am not catholic, and have never once felt out of place. The campus is absolutely gorgeous (but hilly, as weenie said). There are plenty of kids who love to party. There are also plenty of kids who don't.</p>
<p>As for Wheaton, I'll tell you what I know from my numerous visits and discussions with my brother. Wheaton is a much more traditional liberal arts college. It seems to be a lot stronger in the arts whereas HC's strength lies in the sciences. The campus is quite pretty as well. The biggest complaint that I hear from Wheaton students is that the student body size is too small. (About 1500 students)</p>
<p>I hope this helps.</p>
<p>I'd would take Holy Cross over the above mentioned. Beautiful campus, good academics, but not so great a town.</p>
<p>"Academically speaking Holy Cross is extremely difficult. It has a higher academic rating than Boston College, Georgetown, and Notre Dame."</p>
<p>This, however, I think is a little misleading. I'm guessing you got this from Princeton Review rating of 98 out of 99 for HC. The same publication that gives Cal Tech a 78, which is a full six points lower than the academic prowess of Bentley College's 84. Holy Cross is a first-class liberal art college, but to claim that it has superior academics to BC, Georgetown, and Notre Dame is stretching it a bit far here.</p>
<p>I'm applying to Wheaton and visited three times and interviewed so I can tell you that the people there are incredibly nice, the campus is beautiful, and its between Providence and Boston so the school provides transportation if you want to go to a city with your friends to get out of Norton. I got a really nice feel.</p>
<p>Yes I agree with you Reddune and I would like to clarify. Princeton Review is where I got this information and I realize how unreliable it is. I definitely do not mean to imply that the academics at the previously mentioned colleges are worse than HC's. My personal opinion would be that HC's academics are comparable with Boston College but definitely not on par with Notre Dame or Georgetown. I always thought academic rating did not mean how good the academics are, but how difficult they are. Holy Cross is definitely no cake walk when it comes to studying, that was my only point.</p>
<p>I got the same feel from Wheaton as Gib0 did. One of the friendliest atmospheres I have ever experienced on a campus. Everyone was extremely nice, polite, and inclusive.</p>