Please tell me about Austin College, Southwestern University, and/or Trinity University

[Anonymous]

Any alumni out there? Has anyone visited or had a DC attend one of these schools? Or know someone who has? Trying to gather more first-hand info, not least because none of these schools seem to venture up this way for college fairs, etc. TIA!

[Anonymous]

Alum of Trinity, as are a niece and sister. Have a nephew who is alum of Southwestern, although I don't know as much about it. What are your questions?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for responding, PP. Where to start?

Basically, trying to help DC find a good fit. DC is super smart and interested in possibly pursuing both cognitive science--very interested in the workings of the brain--as well as fine art. DC is not super outgoing or self-directed, so we think a LAC with an openness toward interdisciplinary pursuits might work better than a large university. Also chasing merit aid.

Why did you choose Trinity and what did you study while there? Are you from Texas? Do you think someone who's not would feel out of place at Trinity? It seems like a very academic but non-competitive place, which is appealing, but the internets say there's little diversity (an abundance of rich, white, elitist, suburban kids) and that the social scene revolves around football and the Greeks (the "Trinity bubble.").

What would you say are the pros and cons?

Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for responding, PP. Where to start?

Basically, trying to help DC find a good fit. DC is super smart and interested in possibly pursuing both cognitive science--very interested in the workings of the brain--as well as fine art. DC is not super outgoing or self-directed, so we think a LAC with an openness toward interdisciplinary pursuits might work better than a large university. Also chasing merit aid.

Why did you choose Trinity and what did you study while there? Are you from Texas? Do you think someone who's not would feel out of place at Trinity? It seems like a very academic but non-competitive place, which is appealing, but the internets say there's little diversity (an abundance of rich, white, elitist, suburban kids) and that the social scene revolves around football and the Greeks (the "Trinity bubble.").

What would you say are the pros and cons?

Thanks again.

FWIW- about 25% of students at Trinity are not from Texas, and 19% of men are in frats/31% of women in sororities.

[Anonymous]

Alum of Southwestern - ask me anything!

Southwestern is great - and gets better every year - It did not have the Padeia program while I was there, but they have put tons of resources into that. It's got a great Fine Arts program, but I don't know if its that well known beyond a regional presence. They've been emphasizing cognitive science since before fMRIs and the vast advances we've had in that area, and there pre-med program is a great foundation for med school and the kids get in to very fine med schools.

I was an English major and from Texas. One of my closest friends from that time (that I didn't know before freshman year) was from a NE prep school. She was nurtured and writes for various journals and is finishing up a novel - she went to Iowa's Writer's Workshop after graduation. Several Rhodes Scholars also come out of SU. If you want more info it's also regularly featured in the "Colleges that Change Lives." There is also heavy emphasis on public service.

The teachers are phenomenal. You are ALWAYS taught in small classes (10-15 person) (except for Intro Science classes which may reach 50-80 people), teachers are ALWAYS available - including in the lunchroom and on the quad. I did not take enough advantage of everything that SU was, but I highly recommend it for kids now - especially from NE because you will get scholarship money if you have the grades and test scores and you will have an easier time getting in because of the desire to have a more diverse student population.

It's in Georgetown, which is now just an exurb of Austin (it was a little more out of the way when I was there) - it's about the same distance as Rosslyn/Leesburg from DC. We used to go to Austin every weekend to go clubbing and see live music. Austin has only gotten bigger in that regard, and the Fine Arts scene has developed in tandem.

Now - for the (somewhat) minuses - there used to be a heavy frat/sorority presence - I was not in either, and did not feel the loss, and several of my friends were ZTA or ADP or APO, so there's no ostracization there. There are service frats (APO). The Frats range from left of liberal (Sigs) to right of conservative (KAs and to some extent Phi Delts), and that led to, shall we say, "interesting" frat functions back in the day. I highly doubt that these are condoned anymore, and, quite frankly, the small size of the school means everything gets scrutinized, as it should be.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, PP! Appreciate the time you took to reply. All three of these schools seem very impressive, and SU in particular seems like it might be a good fit because if its art school and the Paideia program. Did it ever feel too small, though? Can you speak a bit more to the social vibe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, PP! Appreciate the time you took to reply. All three of these schools seem very impressive, and SU in particular seems like it might be a good fit because if its art school and the Paideia program. Did it ever feel too small, though? Can you speak a bit more to the social vibe?

The social vibe may have changed - I am older - but, fwiw, there were plenty of like-minded people - be it LGBT (even back then), garden-variety libs, conservatives, religious, non-religious. With a strong arts program and a strong science program but also in the middle of Texas (deep in the heart, as they say) - you get all kinds, but I feel like its likely gotten more liberal and not less. I never felt left out, and my LGBT friends were also embraced (if not fully out back then). Austin is still wierd, so, yeah, it's not like it would have been up in Sherman at Austin College or down in S.A. at Trinity (which had the country club rep back then as well). It never felt too small - everyone knew everyone else (it was smaller than my HS), but there was no ostracization. You could always find your tribe. The social vibe - there are coffeehouses, dances, going to Austin for all-night music, staying up all night to study in the library or in someone's dorm room.

Good luck! It's a very good school, and it's an incredibly good value.

[Anonymous]

I went to Trinity and regret it. It's a good school academically, but if you aren't from Texas or plan to stay in Texas, it does nothing for you. The Greek organizations are all local and take themselves way too seriously. And it's small - I couldn't wait to move on after graduation.