Colleges where it sucks if you’re not Greek or sporty - help us avoid them!

[Anonymous]

Counterintuitively, larger schools tend to be much better for introverts and students not interested in fraternities or sororities. There is a much bigger space for students to find their thing. Most SLACs would be nightmares for kids not interested in participating in Greek life.

[Anonymous]

UVa Arts & Sciences is really very Greek, but UVa Engineering, Architecture, Nursing, and Commerce are not so Greek.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread has got me worried that my reserved introvert is making a mistake just applying to small schools.

I 💯 agree (in same position).

If the fit seems good, I wouldn’t worry too much.

I'm not as worried. In a small school people are more likely to notice teach other and maybe realize that a kid in the dorm is alone too much.

No. You can't depend on that. Even in a small school your kid needs to make the effort. My kid did that at her LAC -- just kept reaching out until she found her group, and she is so happy. That would not have happened if she waited for people to notice her -- even at a small school. But, I do think that the small school with small classes helped foster a sense of community that contributed to developing her close knit group.

Yep. Those big state schools will swallow you up if you cannot find your "tribe."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe this issue goes away at schools in cities?

Yes. And a big campus will give them lots of friendship options and things to do. Kids drink and party but there are also a million other things to do besides that, and no isolation. New York, Boston, or larger state universities with many departments and grad schools and a nice college town that has theater, town events, etc.

[Anonymous]

This is OP- my DD is loving W&M!

[Anonymous]

Lehigh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP- my DD is loving W&M!

Excellent!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I know this is over-simplifying but my daughter is looking a tier lower than from what maybe she could have a shot at because we can’t afford $70-80 thousand. This sounds whiney but it feels like this makes it hard to avoid party-schools, which she would like to do. The big state schools seem so Greek and overwhelming to her — we visited some.)

Though I went to an Ivy and frats ruled the weekends because the school was so isolated.)

My DC goes to VT and it is less than 20% Greek. She didn't have any desire to join a sorority and had plenty of company - most students do not go Greek. She's got a great group of friends and is involved in many different activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I know this is over-simplifying but my daughter is looking a tier lower than from what maybe she could have a shot at because we can’t afford $70-80 thousand. This sounds whiney but it feels like this makes it hard to avoid party-schools, which she would like to do. The big state schools seem so Greek and overwhelming to her — we visited some.)

Though I went to an Ivy and frats ruled the weekends because the school was so isolated.)

The big state schools that have 15,000+ students might have large greek systems, but if 15% is greek, that means 85% isn't...that translates to thousands of non-greek kids for your kid to find her tribe.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe this issue goes away at schools in cities?

+1. NP. This was my first thought as well. If a student want lots of things to do on the weekend that aren't frat parties, then try to be in or near a city, especially in the mid size university category. Would she have a problem with, say, Jesuit schools?

Also OP, on the price, did you check Net Price Calculators to make sure you wouldn't be eligible for need based aid? If you'll need to rely on merit, how much is your annual budget and what are your D's stats like?

Some mid-size to large universities to check out further, some might have Greek but less heavily than large publics or rural LACs, various prices and selectivity levels, in or nearby a city, just a starting point: American, Boston Univ, Brandeis, Case Western, Clark, Creighton, Drexel, Fordham, Gonzaga, GWU, Loyola Chicago, Loyola Marymount, Marquette, Northeastern, RIT, St Louis U, Syracuse, Temple, U Denver, U Miami, U Rochester, U San Diego, USF, Villanova

Villanova is VERY into sports.

+1
And HUGELY Greek...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My twins are first years at UVA which is described as "fratty" and is a party school in many ways.Yes, that is the scene that my DD is experiencing but she is enjoying it very much and will rush in the spring. My DS is NOT into Greek life and is not involved in any athletics on grounds. He did however join a bunch of clubs which have had parties and activities where he has enjoyed himself. He is not a drinker, usually two beers is very much his limit and that happens maybe once a month. He has been stone cold sober at these club parties and still had a good time.

I went to a SLAC that was oh about 60-70% greek at the time, and yes it was the only thing to do on the weekends. Which was fine, I found a sorority that I loved and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Prior to, I would never have said I was someone who would rush. in fact i didn't until spring sophomore year.

My point is that there are kids at every school that are not Greek. She will just have to work harder to find them.

You post a lot all over the place and are very recognizable, starting at least last year when they were seniors. Would your twins want you writing so much about them?

+1
The PP is very clearly the same UVA parent of twins who has been posting here for several years. I guess she's going to pretend her twins are freshmen again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that a big state school could actually be what you're looking for. The problem with a small school is that it's small. If you don't fit in with the dominant culture there might not be much left for you. The big schools have something for everyone. It can be sink or swim, though. No one is going to come looking for Susie if she starts blowing off her classes. She just fails instead.

OP here. So true about no one noticing if you stop showing up. The tricky thing is it seems that socially a bigger school is better but academically a smaller school is better.

DP. I don't agree at all that a smaller school is necessarily better, academically. It really depends on the school. Some of the finest schools in the nation are large state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Area colleges where it would be fine to be not Greek or not sporty: VCU, Mary Washington, St. Mary's in Maryland.

I work at JMU and yeah, there are kids who party and also TONS who don't. It's a huge school. Most students are not interested in football or greek life. Like the earlier poster who talked about UVA, there are a zillion clubs and activities for every possible interest.

+1
I've had three very different kids attend JMU and none were Greek OR sporty. They absolutely loved the school and all found their people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread has got me worried that my reserved introvert is making a mistake just applying to small schools.

I have a reserved introvert who thrived at a large state school. It can be a great option because there are all kinds of students there - something for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Area colleges where it would be fine to be not Greek or not sporty: VCU, Mary Washington, St. Mary's in Maryland.

I work at JMU and yeah, there are kids who party and also TONS who don't. It's a huge school. Most students are not interested in football or greek life. Like the earlier poster who talked about UVA, there are a zillion clubs and activities for every possible interest.

If your daughter wants a "big" school experience, JMU is a good suggestion. They have both Greek life and sports but neither seem to dominate the school. And there is enough to do in the town that you don't need to go to a frat party to have something to do.

THIS ^^. Same with Virginia Tech.