Reply to SLAC vibes? Kenyon, Susquehanna, Muhlenberg, Univ of Richmond, Denison, Wesleyan?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have two kids at Denison. Do you have a specific question? I’d say it’s a close-knit community where kids are smart and serious about what they’re doing—whether that’s sports, arts, or academics—but the Denison culture is inclusive and balanced rather than intense/cutthroat. Students come from all across the country. President Weinberg is fantastic and really sets the tone. [/quote]

Great to hear all this! Thanks! Is Greek life dominant at Denison? Are there some classes that are so popular they're hard to get into? I've heard conflicting info on their career center. When we toured, they highlighted their career center as one of the best in the country. What's your kids' experience? [/quote]

Greek life: about 30ish% of students participate. It's present, but it’s non-residential and doesn’t dominate campus culture. My kids are active in their fraternity/sorority and have had good experiences, but they also have close friends in other houses and many friends who aren’t involved in Greek life at all. It's not siloed. I think most parties are open to anyone who wants to come. It’s definitely part of campus life, but not the defining feature.

Classes: I haven’t heard my kids struggle to get what they need. Like anywhere, some professors/classes are very popular and may fill quickly, but students rank their course preferences during registration, so you just have to be thoughtful and strategic. You may not get it the first time around and of course freshmen and sophomores may not get all the classes they want at first but they will get classes they need.

Career Center: Denison's career center is nationally recognized, but I have no experience with other schools so it's hard for me to compare. Both of my kids attended Knowlton Center programs over winter break. One did the three-day Senior Career Bootcam (focused on resumes, interviewing, networking, and job search strategy), and the other did a 2.5-day Journey Program retreat, which helps students explore career paths. These programs are free for Denison students. The boot camp was at Denison and the Journey Program was at a Lodge/Conference Center 90 minutes away from Denison. They’ve also taken Denison Edge courses online over summer and winter breaks.

President Weinberg talks a lot about the importance of relationships and relationship-building, and that emphasis shows up in how the career center operates. Students are encouraged to connect with alumni, and there are tools like the "Talk to an Alumni" platform that make those introductions easier. Because Denison alumni are spread across the country and internationally, there isn’t a built-in pipeline to one specific city or industry so that makes networking especially important. The school provides access and preparation, but students have to take initiative and build those relationships.

Denison seniors exercise career-building muscles at boot camp - https://denison.edu/career/feature/161145
Podcast: Developing an Early Career Exploration Program for Sophomores (I haven't listened to this) -
https://www.gouconnect.com/podcast-episode/developing-an-early-career-exploration-program-for-sophomores-michele-doran-melanie-murphy/
Denison named a ‘dream school’ in new best-selling book - https://denison.edu/news-events/featured/159972

Hope this helps!
[/quote]

This is great! Thanks! Yes, it helps a lot! We were very impressed when we visited Denison! Thanks for the links! Will share with my DC.[/quote]

I also have a child at Denison and we have been really happy with the school.  I also think the location is ideal.  Granville is an adorable town but you are only about 30 minutes from Columbus.  Makes it very easy for our child to fly home.  Lots of opportunities to go into Columbus for theater, museums, hockey games, experiences through the career center, etc. with the school.  My child could also uber to concerts, visit a friend who was OSU on their own.

The only campus that you listed that I visited was Kenyon.  Kenyon felt very isolated to me.  I would have wanted my kid to have a car if they were on that campus.  Student body also gave off "quirky".  Felt like Denison was more diverse.[/quote]

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