Any colleges that somewhat highly selective and a not party school and strong in STEM and Humanities?

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Title says it all. I am really hoping for a school that has a strong atmosphere of academics and which is known not to be a party school. I am hoping for highly selective and the next tier down. Ideally the school would be very strong in STEM and humanities. Ideally east coast but would consider other locations. Also prefer college that has housing for students for all 4 years guaranteed just about. A smaller school is preferred but would also consider a larger college if it had a smaller school vibe in some ways.

[Gwen in VA]

Good luck! While some schools are more of a party school than others, I think "party school" describes almost all colleges.  When you get a bunch of people in their late teens and early twenties together, most of them party.

 

The key isn't for your kid to attend a non-party school. The key is for your kid to find other like-minded students and spend his/her hang-out time with them!

 

Help your student find a school where he likes the program and gen eds, his planned major, the support provided by profs, and the various types of EC's available, and he will thrive.

[8filltheheart]

I completely agree with Gwen.

 

Fwiw, it doesn't take attending a "non-partying school" (if there is such a thing) to find a group of academically focused, non-partying friends to hang out with and do their own thing. My 2 current college kids are not partiers. They do all sorts of things with their friends, everything from cooking huge meals and watching movies to playing board games to going for hikes to volunteering with the homeless, etc.

 

In terms of academics, there are 100s of universities in this country that provide excellent academics.

 

My kids have gotten small school perks through specialized honors programs at their very large universities.

[regentrude]

U Chicago. Highly selective, strong in STEM and humanities, only 6,000 undergrads. Strong focus on academics. Some students party, but that does not earn them reputation; street cred among students is earned by taking a hard class load.

 

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

U Chicago. Highly selective, strong in STEM and humanities, only 6,000 undergrads. Strong focus on academics. Some students party, but that does not earn them reputation; street cred among students is earned by taking a hard class load.

Is it in a safe neighborhood? I ask because a family attended Temple and his roommate was shot and killed one block off campus:(

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I completely agree with Gwen.

 

Fwiw, it doesn't take attending a "non-partying school" (if there is such a thing) to find a group of academically focused, non-partying friends to hang out with and do their own thing. My 2 current college kids are not partiers. They do all sorts of things with their friends, everything from cooking huge meals and watching movies to playing board games to going for hikes to volunteering with the homeless, etc.

 

In terms of academics, there are 100s of universities in this country that provide excellent academics.

 

My kids have gotten small school perks through specialized honors programs at their very large universities.

Any suggestions for specialized honors programs? I appreciate any info:)

[G5052]

I went to a nationally-ranked, state tech school. It was quiet during the week and wild on the weekends. I didn't have any problem finding friends there who didn't party. They also had an academic dorm with strict hours and a strong no alcohol/drug policy seven days a week. One violation, and you had to move to another dorm. I had several friends who lived there and were very happy.

 

Some schools do have a very strong party culture that is hard to avoid, and I personally would avoid that. But there are plenty who are more diverse and should be fine.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

St John's College seems interesting but it is not highly selective although I am not sure that matters all the time. Plus how is St. John's for those who may have a career in STEM? My likes both STEM and humanities but I also want him to be able to get a good job:) 

 

I am also interested in colleges that offer some sort of merit aid or that are not as pricey.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I went to a nationally-ranked, state tech school. It was quiet during the week and wild on the weekends. I didn't have any problem finding friends there who didn't party. They also had an academic dorm with strict hours and a strong no alcohol/drug policy seven days a week. One violation, and you had to move to another dorm. I had several friends who lived there and were very happy.

 

Some schools do have a very strong party culture that is hard to avoid, and I personally would avoid that. But there are plenty who are more diverse and should be fine.

Any suggestions for colleges like that? Having academic dorms that are readily available for all 4 years is a plus.

[G5052]

Any suggestions for colleges like that? Having academic dorms that are readily available for all 4 years is a plus.

 

I don't have current information, unfortunately. Hopefully others can help. 

 

I know that one of the schools my oldest applied to had a more restrictive dorm for those in the honors program, but I can't remember which one at this point. It's been a few years, and we put in a bunch of applications.

 

My alma mater actually no longer has an academic dorm for freshman. You have to be a sophomore for that now.

[8filltheheart]

Any suggestions for specialized honors programs? I appreciate any info:)

My current college sr is in what was formerly called CBH but has recently been renamed Randall Research Scholars Program. https://honors.ua.edu/programs/computer-based-honors-program/ 40 students are selected from each entering freshman class. The program is focused on equipping students with vital research skills. These students are actively engaged in research from the beginning. (You mentioned merit $$. He is attending on full scholarship. Bama allows stacking to scholarships and they awarded him multiple.)

 

My Dd is a Top Scholar at USC. https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/undergraduate_admissions/honors_and_scholars_programs/top_scholars/index.php She was 1 of 20 selected as a McNair Scholar. USC's honors college is very proactive and is constantly offering workshops/mentoring programs for students. They are constantly encouraging kids to be involved in all of the opportunities around them. My Dd is a freshman and just found out that she was selected for their International Business Student Advisory Board. (That is a big deal for her. The IB program at USC is very competitive, so being in this role is an excellent opportunity for getting involved in the very heart of the program and really understanding options in this field.) (For her in terms of merit, she received the McNair Scholarship as well as the Leiber Scholarship. https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/undergraduate_admissions/tuition_scholarships/scholarships/nonresidents/index.php )

 

Those are just out of many honors programs out there.

 

ETA: USC's honors college even without Top Scholars is pretty amazing. That is unlike Bama's HC. Bama's HC offers perks, but USC's is focused and active in a different way. They reach out to all their honors students with purposeful engagement.

 

ETA 2: Bama only offers on campus housing for freshman, but off-campus housing is abundant and a non-issue.

Edited October 20, 2017 by 8FillTheHeart

[creekland]

You definitely should run the NPC for the University of Rochester.  It's full of really smart kids who are doing amazing things, esp when it comes to research.  Some party, of course, but many don't.  On one study middle son showed me 2/3rds of students had had at least one drink the previous semester - this, of course, means one third did not, and of those two thirds, "at least one drink" doesn't mean they were partiers.  As others have said, at pretty much any college that's mainly a "find your crowd" sort of thing.  It's an expensive school, but offers merit and need based aid so could end up an affordable choice.  It did for us.

[regentrude]

Is it in a safe neighborhood? I ask because a family attended Temple and his roommate was shot and killed one block off campus:(

 

Hyde Park is a fairly OK island  on the not-so-great South Side. There is lots of UC police presence.

It's a city, so common caution is required, but DD never feels unsafe walking.

[G5052]

St John's College seems interesting but it is not highly selective although I am not sure that matters all the time. Plus how is St. John's for those who may have a career in STEM? My likes both STEM and humanities but I also want him to be able to get a good job:) 

 

I am also interested in colleges that offer some sort of merit aid or that are not as pricey.

 

If a graduate degree is planned, St. John's is great for STEM fields, but don't expect a traditional STEM focus there. I have a relative who did her M.A. with them and has served on various alumni committees, and their graduates do a variety of things afterwards.There's one who graduated from St. John's, got their PhD in physics, and has been in the running for a Nobel Prize several times.

 

My father went to Reed College and often said that the physics he took there was more book-based than some because of their focus, but he got full rides at every graduate school he applied to and had other schools begging him to apply. When I helped clean out their house following his death, it was significant that he had kept many of his Reed books all those years.

[saw]

Williams. DD does not party (goes to the occasional party, but not often) and has found plenty of like-minded friends. Can't beat the academics there, although not really an engineering focus. Drawbacks are the fact that it gets very cold and Williamstown is tiny, but some may find those factors advantages. 

[Splash]

Not the east coast but daughter is looking at attending the Colorado School of Mines in biomedical engineering.  She's got a bit to go but that is her current goal.

 

 

[Guest]

Lafayette in PA

[daijobu]

You might want to be more specific when you say STEM.  Engineering or biology?  You can major in biology, chemistry, or mathematics at an LAC.  If you want to major in EE, then you may need a larger university with a school of engineering, though not always.  

[whitestavern]

We just came back from a visit to Allegheny in PA. It is not very selective (68% acceptance rate) but I was more impressed with what I saw there than I was with most of the other more selective LACs we've visited, including some NESCACs. The students, professors, administration were phenomenal. They have several unique benefits. http://sites.allegheny.edu/admissions/what-others-are-saying-about-allegheny-college/ They are strong in the sciences, top rated for research, top rated for environmental science. Did not come across as a big party school. Every student we spoke with is involved in many different activities. Every student has to minor in something unrelated to their major and must complete a major senior project. You may want to check it out as an option.

Edited October 22, 2017 by whitestavern

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

You might want to be more specific when you say STEM.  Engineering or biology?  You can major in biology, chemistry, or mathematics at an LAC.  If you want to major in EE, then you may need a larger university with a school of engineering, though not always.  

I am thinking a college strong in software engineering, IT, robotics, etc as well as humanities. Physics and Biology as well.

[Guest]

Title says it all. I am really hoping for a school that has a strong atmosphere of academics and which is known not to be a party school. I am hoping for highly selective and the next tier down. Ideally the school would be very strong in STEM and humanities. Ideally east coast but would consider other locations. Also prefer college that has housing for students for all 4 years guaranteed just about. A smaller school is preferred but would also consider a larger college if it had a smaller school vibe in some ways.

Not sure if you're open to a Christian university or not...

 

LeTourneau University

 

Ranked dead last in "party schools" in Texas (out of about 50 universities in the state).

 

Not sure what you consider to be highly selective. LETU accepts slightly fewer than 50% of applicants.

 

This is a polytechnical university. Strong in STEM yet emphasizes the humanities.

 

Not east coast. Northeast Texas.

 

On campus housing all four years.

 

Small school. I think about 2000 (?) students.

 

Edited October 22, 2017 by Kinsa

[Caroline]

University of Virginia

[bibiche]

In the Northeast, Bates and Brandeis come to mind. My niece at Brandeis says most of her friends are double and triple majors and Friday nights usually find them at the library. My other niece at Bates reports that it is a little livelier than that, but not by much. ;)

[Sunshine State Sue]

 Colorado School of Mines

While I think Mines is a terrific STEM school, I wouldn't call it strong in humanities.  More like "we gotta make the engineers do a bit of this other stuff" humanities.  IMO, it does qualify for very selective (40% admitted), not a party school, and strong in STEM.

[Sunshine State Sue]

Tufts University

[Sebastian (a lady)]

What about Virginia Tech? Specifically thinking of the Corps of Cadets. Many students are also members of ROTC units, but about 1/4 are in the civilian leadership track.

 

My thought was that this is another way of finding like minded students.

Edited October 23, 2017 by Sebastian (a lady)

[Library Momma]

Binghamton University  in NY.  

[Milknhoney]

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

 

Has east and west coast campuses

Strong in all the STEM subjects you listed

selective

small

Not really the place to go for a focus on humanities, mostly offered to meet gen ed reqs. 

 

Aviation students are subject to random drug testing. Students in most other majors are looking at future employers who will require a security clearance. Partying happens at every college; that's a given. But these students are pretty focused on their careers.

[GoodGrief]

There are really many, many schools that would fit into that category. Head over to the College Confidential forums and start browsing through the Parent forums and College Search and Selection forums. If you make a post including your student's stats/background, along with the sort of school you are looking for, you will get many responses.

 

It's somewhat difficult for me to make recommendations without knowing a bit more about the student.