Are your classmates flaring up or cooling out? The Unigo Guide to Sinners & Saints reveals colleges where Patience is prerequisite and where students’ Wrath is proclaimed in protests.
PATIENCE: Slow and steady earns the diploma at these tough institutions.
Rochester Institute of Technology (Henrietta, NY):
The rigorous academics and five-year commitment may be to blame for the high dropout rate, but those who stick it out are rewarded. The reason for the lengthy duration is the mandatory co-op (paid internship) program, and an RIT degree wouldn’t be the same without it. One junior writes, “You spend 3 years studying and about 2 years working in your major. This program is amazing, it gets you work experience so you can be sure you want to be in that field. This program also helps employers connect with students early, and often many co-op jobs lead to your full-time job after graduation.” The quarter system adds to the intense academic atmosphere by condensing a semester’s worth of material into ten weeks. Another student says, “My co-op experience is absolutely priceless because upon graduation I have over a year's worth of practical experience in my field, and that is really hard to say for most other graduates. But, I really question how thorough my knowledge is and how much I will be able to apply it to real situations because I didn't get the chance to really dig into it, since we only had 10 weeks to learn nearly 15 weeks’ worth of material.”
Northeastern University (Boston, MA):
Northeastern has a similar six month-long co-op program that can make the undergrad tenure here longer than at most other colleges. One student says of the co-op system, “With co-op, everyone has a unique experience that helps to influence the decisions they will make. I highly recommend NU just for this experience alone.” Academically, some students say that downtime is unheard of. “I spend a lot of time studying because college academics move fast. There is no such thing as ‘going back a day.’” The fact that their college careers are sometimes prolonged by co-ops is frustrating to some, but for most, it’s worth the extra effort. As one econ major puts it, “Would we like to graduate in 4 years...of course, but would we be able to have our co-op without it...no.”
Harvey Mudd College (Claremont, CA):
Harvey Mudd makes students slog through an intense core curriculum before they can even start in on major classes. One senior remarks, “Mudd destroys some people because it requires so much. You'll be averaging a bit more than 5 classes per semester during your time at Mudd, which probably means that you'll take 6 or even 7 at one point. Also, these classes are difficult. There are a few easy ones, but most of the core requirements (90% of your classes for the first two years) are individually tough classes, and you'll be taking a lot of them at once.” Students are also required to complete a year of research or a clinic project in which they solve technical problems for real companies, further extending their college careers. Though it adds to the intensity of the academic experience, students say they get back what they put in. An engineering major explains, “The clinic program (applied research for a corporate client) is an interesting experience where students solve real-life problems in teams over the course of the year for a client, usually resulting in industry utilization, and it isn’t uncommon for patents or papers to come from this process. In my first semester of clinic I’m getting published and sent to France for a conference!"
WRATH: Social activists at these schools demand to be heard. Often.
Smith College (Northampton, MA):
Of all the Seven Sisters, Smith stands out for its political passion. “Smith is made up of Smithies who are more powerful than the administration or faculty in determining the mood, focus, and energy on campus,” writes a senior. “Each person has a fire to them, whether it be their volunteer work in Africa, expression through art, vocal political opinions, or insightful interpretations of literature.” Another senior says, “The one stereotype that I will say is mostly true is the idea that Smithies get very defensive and angry very fast. It is not hard to offend most Smith students, and being politically incorrect is not an option at Smith.” Commenting on stereotypes, a third senior has this to say: “Also, the annoying, stuck up, self-righteous Smithie is found but can definitely be avoided. For the most part, you can totally find someone who is like you and hates the same people that you do.”
University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA):
The great-granddaddy of political activism, Berkeley has recently experienced a renewal of protests and angry students. A freshman writes, “This school year, there has been a great surge of activism on the Berkeley campus, from the throngs of the Third World Liberation Front fighting for the establishment of a permanent multicultural center on campus, to the lone tree-sitter positioned in a tree between Dwinelle and Wheeler protesting the UC Regents.” Another freshman attributes the high level of student engagement to this year’s presidential election. “While activism remains a part of student life at Berkeley, today's activism is quite different from that of the 1960s.” She adds, “The campaign season of 2008 is reawakening the political and social activism of the student body, which has become disillusioned in recent years.” A senior maintains that Berkeley still attracts a certain kind of undergrad: “I think that students who are looking to be politically aware and active come here because of the reputation of free speech and protest.”
Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT):
This top-notch liberal arts college is home to about 3,000 rambunctious, politically-engaged students. “Wesleyan has a massive amount of activism on campus, which is manifested through protests, music and art shows, and general student interest in current affairs,” writes one sophomore. A recent alum comments, “Wesleyan controversies typically revolve around identity politics (race/class/gender/sexuality). That stuff gets really, really intense on campus. Wesleyan is super progressive on gender and sexuality issues (by the end of freshman year, nobody I knew even believed in gender any more).” The school also boasts more than 230 student groups, many of which are dedicated to social causes. “Wesleyan is a school full of truly engaged students. Students are very progressive, politically involved and active in a whole variety of extracurricular activities.”
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