Most fun T25 private

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know freshman boys struggling a little with the frat stuff at Duke, UChicago, Vandy and Georgetown. either going through the process and just being bogged down by pledge bullshit and academics suffering. or deciding to skip it and feeling out of the loop.

I know freshman at Yale and ND who are super happy.

also happy kids at Williams, Dartmouth, and Bowdoin. I think those are real "fit" schools, you have to know who you are before signing up of those. ND too.

Georgetown doesn't have a greek system -

I think a lot of kids and parents listen to the school presentation on greek life and few ask the actual students. there are a lot of "unassociated houses" at Georgetown with all the rushing and pledging as frats. it's more of a thing than people realize

I work at Georgetown with a lot of young alumni (and interact with the alumni community), and I have never heard a single reference to Greek life—to being a member of a house or to Greek life’s existence at the school. I also see no evidence of it walking around campus, in the student newspapers, etc.

To the extent that it’s a thing, it’s not a thing like it is at schools with formally recognized Greek systems, where Greek identity is very obvious.

Jesuits don’t do Greek.

Many smaller or more traditional Jesuit institutions do not have Greek life, substituting it with community-focused service organizations or, as in the case of Notre Dame (though not technically Jesuit, it follows a similar model), a strong, residential, hall-based social system.

The core Jesuit focus on service and community means that even where fraternities exist, they may differ from typical, high-intensity, or exclusive, national, stereotype-driven Greek systems.

Georgetown doesn’t have any sanctioned frats/sororities.

This turned my DS off to Notre Dame. Not saying it's bad, just wasn't for my kid. Decided to attend somewhere else with a Greek System he is thriving in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And expanding the list to T30 because my California kid had the time of his life at UVA. Now living his best NYC life with a great social circle.

I'd assume the point of the private in the title was for size of school.

Fair point. I think the student’s frame of reference matters. UVA is much smaller than Cal/UCLA, and felt more accessible I terms of resources and social opportunites.

If we are rolling g strictly private here, why is Brown not getting more airtime? It’s where son’s bf went and that kid loved the social life. But he was a recruited athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And expanding the list to T30 because my California kid had the time of his life at UVA. Now living his best NYC life with a great social circle.

I'd assume the point of the private in the title was for size of school.

Fair point. I think the student’s frame of reference matters. UVA is much smaller than Cal/UCLA, and felt more accessible I terms of resources and social opportunites.

If we are rolling g strictly private here, why is Brown not getting more airtime? It’s where son’s bf went and that kid loved the social life. But he was a recruited athlete.

Interesting. I’ve heard somewhat negative things about Brown’s social climate in the last two years. It’s become nerdier and quirky (in a non-social way).

[Anonymous]

At Amherst, clubs are open to everyone—so much easier and less-stressful getting involved and making friends as compared with what we hear about schools where everything is a competition get in

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the wealthy, this thread makes sense.

No, not all wealthy people think this way.

Wealthy & ignorant, maybe

I think it's super helpful personally for those of us with social extroverted kids who want to go out, not the library or a dorm room, to play video games 3+ nights a week. When you do so many of these tours, it looks so dour and unappealing. It's helpful to get information from unbiased sources.

But I generally really appreciate the anecdotal threads here focused on social climate and campus culture. You may not. It's okay. It doesn't make us "ignorant".

I think most smart people recognize that there are social kids and anti-social kids everywhere. Your kid will definitely find people to go out with outside of the 8 or so schools listed on this thread. You don't think the posts here can be biased in any way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At Amherst, clubs are open to everyone—so much easier and less-stressful getting involved and making friends as compared with what we hear about schools where everything is a competition get in

The downside of clubs being open to everyone is that they're open to everyone. I can't count how many organizations I've been part of that have been ruined by one or two [I won't use the term that comes to mind because every post in this thread using that term has been deleted, but it starts with a c and rhymes with thuds].

On the other hand, I agree the hyper-competitive club culture at schools like UPenn is out of control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the wealthy, this thread makes sense.

No, not all wealthy people think this way.

Wealthy & ignorant, maybe

I think it's super helpful personally for those of us with social extroverted kids who want to go out, not the library or a dorm room, to play video games 3+ nights a week. When you do so many of these tours, it looks so dour and unappealing. It's helpful to get information from unbiased sources.

But I generally really appreciate the anecdotal threads here focused on social climate and campus culture. You may not. It's okay. It doesn't make us "ignorant".

I think most smart people recognize that there are social kids and anti-social kids everywhere. Your kid will definitely find people to go out with outside of the 8 or so schools listed on this thread. You don't think the posts here can be biased in any way?

Some of us are smart enough to filter through. Sure, there may be social kids everywhere, but the "vibe" might not be conducive to that culture. You know?

Or maybe, you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the wealthy, this thread makes sense.

No, not all wealthy people think this way.

Wealthy & ignorant, maybe

I think it's super helpful personally for those of us with social extroverted kids who want to go out, not the library or a dorm room, to play video games 3+ nights a week. When you do so many of these tours, it looks so dour and unappealing. It's helpful to get information from unbiased sources.

But I generally really appreciate the anecdotal threads here focused on social climate and campus culture. You may not. It's okay. It doesn't make us "ignorant".

I think most smart people recognize that there are social kids and anti-social kids everywhere. Your kid will definitely find people to go out with outside of the 8 or so schools listed on this thread. You don't think the posts here can be biased in any way?

Some of us are smart enough to filter through. Sure, there may be social kids everywhere, but the "vibe" might not be conducive to that culture. You know?

Or maybe, you don't.

Yes, I don’t know and no one will really know until you’re a student on campus. Seriously, did you even go to college? Don’t make decisions based on what strangers tell you on an anonymous board. You can go and try to feel the “vibe” yourself and even then there are so many other factors that play into the experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And expanding the list to T30 because my California kid had the time of his life at UVA. Now living his best NYC life with a great social circle.

I'd assume the point of the private in the title was for size of school.

Fair point. I think the student’s frame of reference matters. UVA is much smaller than Cal/UCLA, and felt more accessible I terms of resources and social opportunites.

If we are rolling g strictly private here, why is Brown not getting more airtime? It’s where son’s bf went and that kid loved the social life. But he was a recruited athlete.

Interesting. I’ve heard somewhat negative things about Brown’s social climate in the last two years. It’s become nerdier and quirky (in a non-social way).

Also, 40% identify as LBTQ+ which gives the social climate an entirely different vibe.

[Anonymous]

Georgetown has houses (not residential houses, greek-style houses). None are affiliated, but they are at the center of the party culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And expanding the list to T30 because my California kid had the time of his life at UVA. Now living his best NYC life with a great social circle.

I'd assume the point of the private in the title was for size of school.

Fair point. I think the student’s frame of reference matters. UVA is much smaller than Cal/UCLA, and felt more accessible I terms of resources and social opportunites.

If we are rolling g strictly private here, why is Brown not getting more airtime? It’s where son’s bf went and that kid loved the social life. But he was a recruited athlete.

Interesting. I’ve heard somewhat negative things about Brown’s social climate in the last two years. It’s become nerdier and quirky (in a non-social way).

I think all of the top schools have become nerdier. To get in, you have to be laser focused and pretty serious. Add to that the large number of Asian kids at these schools, and there are smaller and smaller numbers of kids who really party.

This is the answer. Admissions officers are picking the kids with perfect stats, passion projects, research, measurable community impact, etc.They are the intense, brilliant, and nerdy kids. Do you expect them to go to college and start partying 3 nights a week and going to basketball games? Please.

Some schools are looking for the kids who are social and outgoing....captains of teams and presidents of student govt.....Vanderbilt comes to mind. Same with UMichigan......and now Northwestern/Notre Dame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know freshman boys struggling a little with the frat stuff at Duke, UChicago, Vandy and Georgetown. either going through the process and just being bogged down by pledge bullshit and academics suffering. or deciding to skip it and feeling out of the loop.

I know freshman at Yale and ND who are super happy.

also happy kids at Williams, Dartmouth, and Bowdoin. I think those are real "fit" schools, you have to know who you are before signing up of those. ND too.

Georgetown doesn't have a greek system -

I think a lot of kids and parents listen to the school presentation on greek life and few ask the actual students. there are a lot of "unassociated houses" at Georgetown with all the rushing and pledging as frats. it's more of a thing than people realize

I work at Georgetown with a lot of young alumni (and interact with the alumni community), and I have never heard a single reference to Greek life—to being a member of a house or to Greek life’s existence at the school. I also see no evidence of it walking around campus, in the student newspapers, etc.

To the extent that it’s a thing, it’s not a thing like it is at schools with formally recognized Greek systems, where Greek identity is very obvious.

Jesuits don’t do Greek.

Many smaller or more traditional Jesuit institutions do not have Greek life, substituting it with community-focused service organizations or, as in the case of Notre Dame (though not technically Jesuit, it follows a similar model), a strong, residential, hall-based social system.

The core Jesuit focus on service and community means that even where fraternities exist, they may differ from typical, high-intensity, or exclusive, national, stereotype-driven Greek systems.

Georgetown doesn’t have any sanctioned frats/sororities.

My DC attends a Jesuit high school and Notre Dame did not have the same feel at all. Jesuits are pretty liberal. The vibe at Notre Dame felt very conservative and religious. There is not anything wrong with this, but I wouldn’t describe Notre Dame is a school that is in the Jesuit model. It is absolutely 100% into community service, as are all Catholic schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And expanding the list to T30 because my California kid had the time of his life at UVA. Now living his best NYC life with a great social circle.

I'd assume the point of the private in the title was for size of school.

Fair point. I think the student’s frame of reference matters. UVA is much smaller than Cal/UCLA, and felt more accessible I terms of resources and social opportunites.

If we are rolling g strictly private here, why is Brown not getting more airtime? It’s where son’s bf went and that kid loved the social life. But he was a recruited athlete.

Interesting. I’ve heard somewhat negative things about Brown’s social climate in the last two years. It’s become nerdier and quirky (in a non-social way).

I think all of the top schools have become nerdier. To get in, you have to be laser focused and pretty serious. Add to that the large number of Asian kids at these schools, and there are smaller and smaller numbers of kids who really party.

This is the answer. Admissions officers are picking the kids with perfect stats, passion projects, research, measurable community impact, etc.They are the intense, brilliant, and nerdy kids. Do you expect them to go to college and start partying 3 nights a week and going to basketball games? Please.

Some schools are looking for the kids who are social and outgoing....captains of teams and presidents of student govt.....Vanderbilt comes to mind. Same with UMichigan......and now Northwestern/Notre Dame.

Not Northwestern in 2026. Maybe in 1996.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And expanding the list to T30 because my California kid had the time of his life at UVA. Now living his best NYC life with a great social circle.

I'd assume the point of the private in the title was for size of school.

Fair point. I think the student’s frame of reference matters. UVA is much smaller than Cal/UCLA, and felt more accessible I terms of resources and social opportunites.

If we are rolling g strictly private here, why is Brown not getting more airtime? It’s where son’s bf went and that kid loved the social life. But he was a recruited athlete.

Interesting. I’ve heard somewhat negative things about Brown’s social climate in the last two years. It’s become nerdier and quirky (in a non-social way).

I think all of the top schools have become nerdier. To get in, you have to be laser focused and pretty serious. Add to that the large number of Asian kids at these schools, and there are smaller and smaller numbers of kids who really party.

This is the answer. Admissions officers are picking the kids with perfect stats, passion projects, research, measurable community impact, etc.They are the intense, brilliant, and nerdy kids. Do you expect them to go to college and start partying 3 nights a week and going to basketball games? Please.

Some schools are looking for the kids who are social and outgoing....captains of teams and presidents of student govt.....Vanderbilt comes to mind. Same with UMichigan......and now Northwestern/Notre Dame.

I think ALL top schools are looking for these kinds of kids -- kids who will contribute to campus life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And expanding the list to T30 because my California kid had the time of his life at UVA. Now living his best NYC life with a great social circle.

I'd assume the point of the private in the title was for size of school.

Fair point. I think the student’s frame of reference matters. UVA is much smaller than Cal/UCLA, and felt more accessible I terms of resources and social opportunites.

If we are rolling g strictly private here, why is Brown not getting more airtime? It’s where son’s bf went and that kid loved the social life. But he was a recruited athlete.

Interesting. I’ve heard somewhat negative things about Brown’s social climate in the last two years. It’s become nerdier and quirky (in a non-social way).

I think all of the top schools have become nerdier. To get in, you have to be laser focused and pretty serious. Add to that the large number of Asian kids at these schools, and there are smaller and smaller numbers of kids who really party.

This is the answer. Admissions officers are picking the kids with perfect stats, passion projects, research, measurable community impact, etc.They are the intense, brilliant, and nerdy kids. Do you expect them to go to college and start partying 3 nights a week and going to basketball games? Please.

Some schools are looking for the kids who are social and outgoing....captains of teams and presidents of student govt.....Vanderbilt comes to mind. Same with UMichigan......and now Northwestern/Notre Dame.

I think this is true, as a Vandy parent. My own kid is high stats, authentically pointy, AND an extroverted partier. Most of his social circles are somewhat similar. That said, when I am on campus I cannot help but notice a large contingent of females who strike me as much more studious. They’ll be walking down Greek row at 8 on a Friday in groups of 2-3 coming from class/library/dining wearing giant backpacks