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i just read some negative reviews about Connecticut College,,,,my dream school! Is it really that bad?

By The_Slc_Bug (The_Slc_Bug) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 10:45 am: Edit

My suitemate at Sarah Lawrence transferred in from Connecticut College. She said the people there weren't very friendly, and that it was almost like high school with the attitudes people had and the social interaction. She said she likes it much better here, and one of the reasons I'm leaving SLC is the social life--I find it to be pretty bad. Everyone I know acknowledges this.

You can take this two ways. Either it's really all up to the eye of the beholder, or Connecticut College is really not a good place socially. My advice would be to ask people who actually attend the college. Where did you read negative reviews?

By Rhino (Rhino) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 10:55 am: Edit

try trinity college in Hartford. Very interesting place, vastly improved in the last decade, very happy students.

By The_Slc_Bug (The_Slc_Bug) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 11:16 am: Edit

Also, Boat, I cannot stress the importance of spending a night as a prospective student!! I did not do this, and found myself in a place I dislike. If you spend a night, you can get a good glimpse/experience and decide if it's for YOU.

By Soozievt (Soozievt) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 12:21 pm: Edit

I do not know where you read the negative review. However, I would not judge a school and whether or not you will be happy there, based on one person's account! I am a parent and visited Conn College with my D last Feb. and she has applied there as a safety school. She likes it and ironically I had applied there in my youth (and got in) but did not go there. One of the things that struck her on campus was how FRIENDLY the kids were! In fact, numerous times kids came up to us, assuming we were visitors (maps in hand, mind you!) and asked how they could help us on their own volition. We talked to numerous kids randomly in dining halls and approached kids to ask to see their dorm rooms. All were happy campers. My daughter met with a department head in her area of interest, met with captains of the team she hopes to be on if attending, and I could not say anything negative on any of these matters. She also has interviewed with an admissions officer. I think the only "con" so to speak that my daughter could see there (specific to her own criteria) is that nothing is in walking distance to the college, unlike the other schools on her list and she prefers there to be a town or things to do off campus in walking distance, but still likes Conn College nonetheless. Did you know that after freshman year, just about everyone gets a single?

You surely should visit a school you wish to attend. Do not simply do the tour and info. session. Also, meet with a variety of students, do an overnight, meet with professors, attend a class, meet with staff in your EC interest areas and so forth. Do not rely on one person's impression. There are unhappy campers at any school. You need to talk to MANY people to get a vibe on a school. Tell me, why is Conn College your first choice school? You must have reasons. I bet these attributes are valid. Please talk to many people and do not get caught up on any one person's view. What was said in the negative review? I am curious.

Good luck to you. Conn College is a very fine small liberal arts school that is fairly selective. I know my daughter would be happy to get in there and to attend.
Susan

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 01:24 pm: Edit

I don't know about the negative review. However, Conn College decided to post 10-12 essays of students that were accepted and are currently attending the school.

The school called the essays outstanding. I found them abysmal. Obviously, the essay represents only a small part of the whole package, but if it represents what the SCHOOL considers to be outstanding, I would look somewhere else.

By Soozievt (Soozievt) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 02:18 pm: Edit

Xiggi, I saw the essays and your posts on that matter as well. I do not think one can judge a college based on that, sorry, in all due respect. I would love to see ten essays posted at all schools and compare that. Even then, that is not the measure of the school, as you know. Conn College is not a school that I believe you are familiar with. It happens to be very well regarded as a small liberal arts school that is fairly selective. The stats of students who are admitted reflect that. I forget the actual admit rate (do not feel like looking it up right now) but it is somewhere around 35%. Accomplished students go there. It is not in the same league as Ivy, no...but clearly is not a school for slouches. I would never judge the school based on those essays alone, nor do we have comparable essays samples from other schools. Saying that if Conn College considers these essays to be exemplary, does not mean the school is not of high quality with a strong student body. It just does not. Frankly, I have read some posted essays on these forums of applicants (I realize they are just applicants not admitted students, a difference for sure) to Ivies and some of the essays have not been too great either.

I would rather hear what review this poster read about Conn College, as well as why it is his dream school....and then hear from people FAMILIAR with the school to respond to those specifics (if he/she posts them). Just my opinion.

Susan

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 02:42 pm: Edit

Susan:

I respect your point of view but you should realize that I was answering to the original poster and I said that I did not know about negative reviews. Also, I did say that the essay represents a small part of the whole package.

I understand that Conn College is in the same league as numerous good schools such as University of the South (TN), Scripps College (CA), Whitman College (WA), Union College (NY), Barnard College (NY), Franklin and Marshall College (PA), DePauw University (IN), and Occidental College (CA).

However, you cannot entirely dismiss the fact that the SCHOOL did DECIDE to post those essays to serve as a guideline for prospective applicants. By doing this, the SCHOOL sends a clear message that they are endorsing a particular style, and that most importantly, the teachings at Connecticut College will also reflect that position.

The essays were SELECTED by the school and were not found haphazardly on the internet. There are only a few examples of essays that have been "endorsed" by schools and it is hard to make comparisons. However, they provide a decent yardstick for a prospective student.

Isn't it fair to assume that a person who would find the essays appealing would probably like the school? And, why wouldn't the opposite hold true? All I can say is CAVEAT EMPTOR!

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 02:42 pm: Edit

Susan:

I respect your point of view but you should realize that I was answering to the original poster and I said that I did not know about negative reviews. Also, I did say that the essay represents a small part of the whole package.

I understand that Conn College is in the same league as numerous good schools such as University of the South (TN), Scripps College (CA), Whitman College (WA), Union College (NY), Barnard College (NY), Franklin and Marshall College (PA), DePauw University (IN), and Occidental College (CA).

However, you cannot entirely dismiss the fact that the SCHOOL did DECIDE to post those essays to serve as a guideline for prospective applicants. By doing this, the SCHOOL sends a clear message that they are endorsing a particular style, and that most importantly, the teachings at Connecticut College will also reflect that position.

The essays were SELECTED by the school and were not found haphazardly on the internet. There are only a few examples of essays that have been "endorsed" by schools and it is hard to make comparisons. However, they provide a decent yardstick for a prospective student.

Isn't it fair to assume that a person who would find the essays appealing would probably like the school? And, why wouldn't the opposite hold true? All I can say is CAVEAT EMPTOR!

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 02:42 pm: Edit

Susan:

I respect your point of view but you should realize that I was answering to the original poster and I said that I did not know about negative reviews. Also, I did say that the essay represents a small part of the whole package.

I understand that Conn College is in the same league as numerous good schools such as University of the South (TN), Scripps College (CA), Whitman College (WA), Union College (NY), Barnard College (NY), Franklin and Marshall College (PA), DePauw University (IN), and Occidental College (CA).

However, you cannot entirely dismiss the fact that the SCHOOL did DECIDE to post those essays to serve as a guideline for prospective applicants. By doing this, the SCHOOL sends a clear message that they are endorsing a particular style, and that most importantly, the teachings at Connecticut College will also reflect that position.

The essays were SELECTED by the school and were not found haphazardly on the internet. There are only a few examples of essays that have been "endorsed" by schools and it is hard to make comparisons. However, they provide a decent yardstick for a prospective student.

Isn't it fair to assume that a person who would find the essays appealing would probably like the school? And, why wouldn't the opposite hold true? All I can say is CAVEAT EMPTOR!

By Thedad (Thedad) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 04:05 pm: Edit

Xiggi, I understand your point of view...but does it bear repeating? repeating? repeating?

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 06:05 pm: Edit

Hehe - not at all.

I've had problems with the board today. I takes a while to recycle. On this post, I got disconnected from my proxy server. I have no idea why it ended up being a triple post.

Sowwy!

By Boatboat (Boatboat) on Friday, December 12, 2003 - 02:34 am: Edit

the reviews said that everyone is a snob, there is nothing to do in New London, the school has terrible departments, ect.

By C_C (C_C) on Wednesday, March 03, 2004 - 09:19 am: Edit

Yikes is right!!!!!!!!

As a Conn College alum, I completely disagree with a LOT of what was said on this string!!!

A) Xiggi -- comparing Conn to some of those other schools is, well, insulting! Connecticut College is a highly selective NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) school which is ALWAYS lumped in with the other baby ivies of New England: Bowdoin, Williams, Trinity, Amherst, Colby, Middlebury, Hamilton, etc.....The schools you mentioned do NOT compare. The average SAT of admitted applicants is now a shade under 1400.

B) Boatboat -- There are snobs EVERYWHERE. No one school can be labeled as "full of snobs." I chose Conn because of the students I met on an overnight. It was a great visit and literally changed my mind about where to go. I had already signed a letter to a prestigious university and decided to go to Conn because I felt extrememly at home there. I do not consider myself a snob; nor do I consider my friends snobs.

C) The departments are not terrible. I'm sure there are stronger ones and weaker ones, but my friends have all gotten into some fine graduate schools: Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Yale, etc. I graduated in the last 5 years, so this info is not exactly dated. Furthermore, the size of the school lets you do so much. I am still in touch with some of my favorite professors, and was able to double major, all while playing a varsity sport.

D) Sure, the social scene gets old sometimes, but in talking to my friends at other schools, even city schools, by the time senior year rolls around, you are looking forward to the next stage in your life.

Sorry to be verbose; just had to say my piece as someone who has four years of inside info.