Anonymous wrote:I think one of the PPs has some bizarro-world vision of what these schools are like. There are TONS of male students at any liberal arts school who are not on teams but who are not "unconventional" to use the PP's term.

And the idea that there is some giant divide between athletes and non-athletes is ridiculous to anyone with a kid at some of the schools mentioned. These are small schools - all kids, athletes and non-athletes, interact all the time in the dining hall, in class, at parties, in other extracurriculars. There's actually much more mixing of groups than there was at my large university, where each team or clique had its own frat or offcampus house

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think one of the PPs has some bizarro-world vision of what these schools are like. There are TONS of male students at any liberal arts school who are not on teams but who are not "unconventional" to use the PP's term.

And the idea that there is some giant divide between athletes and non-athletes is ridiculous to anyone with a kid at some of the schools mentioned. These are small schools - all kids, athletes and non-athletes, interact all the time in the dining hall, in class, at parties, in other extracurriculars. There's actually much more mixing of groups than there was at my large university, where each team or clique had its own frat or offcampus house

I'm sorry, I am not making this up. I was told this by my child who attends a SLAC. He didn't coin the term NARP. It's a real thing. It's not like the bloods and the crips but there is something to this and maybe the level of integration varies by school.

Anonymous wrote:This is too much. Posters have called these kids weirdos, abnormal, and dorks. What is wrong with you. I can’t understand how a parent could refer to any kind of kid as a dork. What are you, twelve years old? Talk about intolerant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny thread. People keep mentioning schools with “only” 20% athletes (usually even these schools are at least 25%).

The answer is simple, and these are two great schools:

Reed College
St. John’s College

I think this is missing the mark. This is a boy who wants to hang out with other normal boys. The problem is at many LACs, almost all the normal boys are on sports teams which leaves him to fend for himself among the overwhelmingly abnormal male NARPs. The answer is NOT to attend Reed College which consists entirely of abnormal NARPs.

If it is a SLAC, these are the schools. Oh, yes, Bennington also. (Hampshire has some varsity sports but the percentage of athletes is tiny there).

There are many, many options of large schools with way under 10% varsity athletes; OP should look there.

It is very easy to avoid schools with 20-40% student athletes. That’s not missing the mark, but hitting it.

You are missing the point. This kid wants to hang out with the type of kids who are on sports teams but they are always busy with practice and tend to keep to themselves. Because they are the only guys there who aren’t total weirdos. The idea is not to go to a school that is ONLY weirdos. But that is what you keep pushing.

Anonymous wrote:I think one of the PPs has some bizarro-world vision of what these schools are like. There are TONS of male students at any liberal arts school who are not on teams but who are not "unconventional" to use the PP's term.

And the idea that there is some giant divide between athletes and non-athletes is ridiculous to anyone with a kid at some of the schools mentioned. These are small schools - all kids, athletes and non-athletes, interact all the time in the dining hall, in class, at parties, in other extracurriculars. There's actually much more mixing of groups than there was at my large university, where each team or clique had its own frat or offcampus house

Anonymous wrote:My child who is not an athlete is having a great first semester at Bates College. Involved with lots of fun activities that have created a community.

Anonymous wrote:DCUM has introduced me to the concept of NARP (non athletic regular person).

I have a NARP. A boy who isn't an athlete but also isn't into something else that has a built-in community, like Drama. Regular straight guy who likes movies and music and Ramen and video games. Super funny w strong friend group but isn't an extrovert.

He was thinking about LACs (history or possibly Econ), but I wonder if these schools have 30-40% athletes, maybe a bigger university would be better? Any thoughts?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is too much. Posters have called these kids weirdos, abnormal, and dorks. What is wrong with you. I can’t understand how a parent could refer to any kind of kid as a dork. What are you, twelve years old? Talk about intolerant.

There is really no way to have this discussion without using these terms. The concept of NARP is really about differentiating between strait laced athletes and more unconventional male liberal arts college students (who tend to be more unconventional than say state u males). I am really just channeling what my own kid has conveyed. I have no ill will towards any kid - you be you as they say!

If my kid came in and called other kids dorks I would tell him to cut it out. Even if you don’t like or fit in with fit in with a group you can describe them without disparaging them. I certainly wouldn’t channel that from a rude kid. You can certainly have the discussion without disparaging. Even the term NARP says they are the “regular” people with the implication that the athlete is the “different” one. So your description of the NARP as the “unconventional” one doesn’t track.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny thread. People keep mentioning schools with “only” 20% athletes (usually even these schools are at least 25%).

The answer is simple, and these are two great schools:

Reed College
St. John’s College

I think this is missing the mark. This is a boy who wants to hang out with other normal boys. The problem is at many LACs, almost all the normal boys are on sports teams which leaves him to fend for himself among the overwhelmingly abnormal male NARPs. The answer is NOT to attend Reed College which consists entirely of abnormal NARPs.

If it is a SLAC, these are the schools. Oh, yes, Bennington also. (Hampshire has some varsity sports but the percentage of athletes is tiny there).

There are many, many options of large schools with way under 10% varsity athletes; OP should look there.

It is very easy to avoid schools with 20-40% student athletes. That’s not missing the mark, but hitting it.

You are missing the point. This kid wants to hang out with the type of kids who are on sports teams but they are always busy with practice and tend to keep to themselves. Because they are the only guys there who aren’t total weirdos. The idea is not to go to a school that is ONLY weirdos. But that is what you keep pushing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is too much. Posters have called these kids weirdos, abnormal, and dorks. What is wrong with you. I can’t understand how a parent could refer to any kind of kid as a dork. What are you, twelve years old? Talk about intolerant.

There is really no way to have this discussion without using these terms. The concept of NARP is really about differentiating between strait laced athletes and more unconventional male liberal arts college students (who tend to be more unconventional than say state u males). I am really just channeling what my own kid has conveyed. I have no ill will towards any kid - you be you as they say!

Anonymous wrote:This is too much. Posters have called these kids weirdos, abnormal, and dorks. What is wrong with you. I can’t understand how a parent could refer to any kind of kid as a dork. What are you, twelve years old? Talk about intolerant.