Best schools for a non-partier girl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St. Olaf's.

Actually, UNIGO has survey data, which asks kids how much pressure there is to drink at their school (and how common it is).

I found this helpful...because the guides who give tours memorize a parent-friendly answer to this question.

Could you post a link to that survey? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Women's colleges, they tend to have a big cohort who are not into partying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Large schools

+1

Near stuff.

My kid is at a big ten school. There are enough people for everyone to find their tribe.

He has a nice group of friends who mostly hang out together on the weekends, and do not attend parties.

[Anonymous]

It seems like advice is all over the board, which leads me to believe it's the student and not the college in most instances. My daughter was very much like yours in high school and never even went to a party at all. She's at Oberlin and loves it there. Lots of peers who want to play Dungeons and Dragons, listen to really good music and have fun dinner parties in their dorm on weekends. I'm sure there are many schools where she could have found a similar peer group (and no Greek life) but she found lots of similar people at Oberlin for sure.

[Anonymous]

Is it the parents who want to protect their kids from partiers, or the kids??? Every school has kids who like party and those who don't. IN my experience, even smart, studious hardworking kids like to smoke pot or drink occasionally.

[Anonymous]

If she's visited a women's college and didn't like it-then fair enough, but if she's just not into the idea then I would really encourage her to visit. I work for an organization that helps students apply to college. Our women students are often turned off by the idea of an all women's college, but once they visit it really shifts their thinking.

You might also encourage your daughter to check out the substance-free housing offered on the campuses she visits, to see if that would be a good option for her (I've been to campuses where substance-free is a fun, nerdy community, and to others where is pretty dour and antisocial).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have friends with a daughter similar to OP. She is in the Honors Program at Pitt and is loving it.

OP, I was like your daughter 25 years ago (and still am). I was never into the whole party/get drunk scene. I went to Pitt and never felt pressure to party all the time. If you wanted to party a lot, there were opportunities at Pitt but I never felt like an outcast for not partying there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems like advice is all over the board, which leads me to believe it's the student and not the college in most instances. My daughter was very much like yours in high school and never even went to a party at all. She's at Oberlin and loves it there. Lots of peers who want to play Dungeons and Dragons, listen to really good music and have fun dinner parties in their dorm on weekends. I'm sure there are many schools where she could have found a similar peer group (and no Greek life) but she found lots of similar people at Oberlin for sure.

Im a PP with a daughter like OP's and am glad to hear this about your DD's experience at Oberlin, as it's a college my daughter is considering.

[Anonymous]

I’m thinking that the campus setting figures in to this equation. In a small town with nothing to do I think more people would party, especiall6 if the town looks the other way at underage drinking.

[Anonymous]

My smart, social, non-partier girl is really happy at her small Catholic college. Small schools tend to plan lots of on-campus activities for their students and, because there isn’t much else to do, the kids participate because it’s not dorky in groups. My DD is involved in tons of activities and her friend group revolves around kids she met in the Honors Program (tends to be the more focused students) and those who do the service projects and campus ministry things. Gravitating toward a calmer group of kids has been key. She’s out and about all the time, but not doing things that are troubling. It is possible to have good, clean fun!

Couldn’t be happier!

[Anonymous]

I'm curious what people specifically think there is to do in a large city for 18-22-year-olds that doesn't involve drinking and that wouldn't be available to their peers at a campus in a smaller town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My smart, social, non-partier girl is really happy at her small Catholic college. Small schools tend to plan lots of on-campus activities for their students and, because there isn’t much else to do, the kids participate because it’s not dorky in groups. My DD is involved in tons of activities and her friend group revolves around kids she met in the Honors Program (tends to be the more focused students) and those who do the service projects and campus ministry things. Gravitating toward a calmer group of kids has been key. She’s out and about all the time, but not doing things that are troubling. It is possible to have good, clean fun!

Couldn’t be happier!

That's great for you and your daughter, but you do the OP no good if you don't tell us which school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious what people specifically think there is to do in a large city for 18-22-year-olds that doesn't involve drinking and that wouldn't be available to their peers at a campus in a smaller town.

Museums
Arts/Music festivals
Performances
Public transit so you can go on daytrips
more volunteering opportunities/opportunities to get involved with local politics

I live in Providence (small city with lots of college students). There is so much more to do than the very small midwestern college town where I went to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious what people specifically think there is to do in a large city for 18-22-year-olds that doesn't involve drinking and that wouldn't be available to their peers at a campus in a smaller town.

Restaurants, art galleries / museums, movie theatres, shopping

[Anonymous]

Non-partying DC goes to Wesleyan and absolutely loves it. There are something like 30 different events every week to experience including talks, concerts and exhibits.....a very rich environment.