Davidson College?

[Anonymous]

It’s a difficult school to get into but unfortunately that does not help with prestige. It’s a Southern school, not nationally known much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live and work in Charlotte, and know many Davidson grads. Their alumni network is TIGHT. I'm jealous of how they all seem to know each other and are always quick to recommend a fellow Davidson grad for positions. My boss is not only a Davidson grad, but worked there for 10 years. Seems like there's at least one person he crossed paths with at Davidson at every organization in this city--which means people pick up the phone when he calls, which is handy.

Students are smart, a bit intense, and self-selecting because they wanted that smaller liberal arts environment.

My org hires a couple of Davidson Impact Fellows each year. It's a program that places new Davidson graduates (so the fellows we have now started in June and graduated in May) with non-profits around the country. There's an internal process at Davidson they go through before they can apply to the outside orgs, so they're always really exceptional candidates. We've been really pleased with all the fellows we've hosted, and all have gone on to full-time employment elsewhere after a year or to grad school. It's an outstanding program.

Nice if you want to live in Charlotte, but who does?

I mean, it’s one of the fastest growing metros of the past two decades so clearly many people...?

Hot and humid. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a difficult school to get into but unfortunately that does not help with prestige. It’s a Southern school, not nationally known much.

I went to a private high school in Charleston, SC- we saw it as the medical/dental school. I don't know why, but it's reputation was producing dentists and doctors. That was decades ago, so no idea if it holds

[Anonymous]

Cost of Attendance - $70,225

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a difficult school to get into but unfortunately that does not help with prestige. It’s a Southern school, not nationally known much.

Which becomes important if you base your decisions on impressing other people.

It offers an excellent education/undergrad experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a difficult school to get into but unfortunately that does not help with prestige. It’s a Southern school, not nationally known much.

I went to a private high school in Charleston, SC- we saw it as the medical/dental school. I don't know why, but it's reputation was producing dentists and doctors. That was decades ago, so no idea if it holds

It is strong in th sciences.

[Anonymous]

Davidson is a wonderful small liberal arts college (with D1 sports) that seems to really care about the best interests of it's students. Known for their strong honor code (all finals are self scheduled, unproctored or take home). Davidson has a strong and well respected College president in Carol Quillen who emphasizes Davidson values (the Davidson Way) when it comes to decisions affecting students, faculty and staff. The application is rather involved and Davidson is one of the 2 selective schools (Dartmouth being the other) that requires a peer recommendation in addition to 2 teacher recs and a counselor rec. Davidson seems to be looking for smart kids with strong character traits. Pretty campus attached to a cute but small town that could fit in anywhere in New England. It's nicknamed Dartmouth of the South or Amherst of the South for a reason. Easier to get into than those schools but still a difficult admit with 18% acceptance rate. My D chose Davidson over Colby, Wesleyan and Haverford in part for the strong academics with school spirit to match, the tight knit community with friendly and impressive professors and the favorable climate. There is a Greek presence but not overwhelming like at Wash & Lee or even Dartmouth.

If your child is a rising HS sophomore or junior this fall, I'd recommend that he/she apply for the July Experience next summer (hopefully won't be cancelled like this year) which is a 3 week program taught by Davidson professors and run by their Admissions Office. Attended by about 100 kids--most of whom that successfully complete the program and get decent evals from their professors have a strong leg up in the admissions process. My D says something like an 80% acceptance rate for kids who successfully complete the July Experience. It says something of the school that all of her July Experience friends who applied to Davidson from the program were accepted and are attending.

[Anonymous]

I'm a NESCAC grad and consider Davidson very much a peer school to any of the NESCACs. IMO the best small liberal arts college in the South.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a difficult school to get into but unfortunately that does not help with prestige. It’s a Southern school, not nationally known much.

Which becomes important if you base your decisions on impressing other people.

It offers an excellent education/undergrad experience.

Also important in, you know, actually getting a job

Especially if you don’t want to live in the South as an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a NESCAC grad and consider Davidson very much a peer school to any of the NESCACs. IMO the best small liberal arts college in the South.

The student body doesn't have the diversity of those in the NESCAC. https://www.davidson.edu/about/fast-facts

[Anonymous]

Many of these selective small liberal arts colleges aren't well known by the general public. However, corporate hiring managers who know of schools like Amherst and Williams will also know of Davidson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of these selective small liberal arts colleges aren't well known by the general public. However, corporate hiring managers who know of schools like Amherst and Williams will also know of Davidson.

Exactly. The general public isn’t very bright.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of these selective small liberal arts colleges aren't well known by the general public. However, corporate hiring managers who know of schools like Amherst and Williams will also know of Davidson.

They're also excellent for preparing kids to apply to graduate schools and professional schools Davidson has an excellent reputation among academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We visited as school counselor suggested it as a good fit (and was willing to support an application) and my son was interested in possibly playing a sport. Lots of kids are on teams and the alumni network/outcomes seemed awesome. Coach was awful, and the heavy vibe from the tour was very, very liberal which for my kid was not attractive. So it got crossed off the list. It was a pretty campus and like I said outcomes seem good, I can see it being a great place for some kids........just wasn't for mine.

Almost all colleges these days lean liberal except for truly religious schools like Liberty or Hillsdale and maybe the service academies. Davidson is still affiliated with the US Presbyterian Church and is today pretty middle of the road politically according to my 3rd year D. The Democratic and Republican clubs both have healthy memberships but the Dems have an approx 2 to 1 advantage in student membership. Each year they have a traditional debate outside between two campus buildings that is spirited and often humorous. There is room for most point of views on campus except for open racism. Two years ago they had some threatening incidents with 2 students (a couple) who were professed Nazis. When their identities were discovered, they quickly removed themselves from campus and the campus reacted with a united front from the Dems and the Republican Clubs on campus.

[Anonymous]

Good school