Ithaca History Major

1) Ithaca is a hippie school populated entirely by both pot smokers and revolutionary anarchists
2) Ithaca is a party school that really gives its students little to no academic training
3) Ithaca is a school for rich white kids who didn't get into Harvard or Cornell

1) Partially, there are far more students at IC who would identify with the far left than with the far right, but honestly it is mostly people whose political action is limited to bumper stickers and elements of a Facebook profile. In other words, no different than any other school. Also, there is weed everywhere, and probably less at IC than many other comprable schools.
2) No. Are there parties? Oh yeah. Can you party four nights a week and still finish your degree in four years, if ever? Probably not. Ithaca isn't a school of easy A's. Students there may party hard at times, but they have to work twice as hard in order to be able to stay there. A lot of people make the hard partying mistake their first or second year and end up in big academic trouble.
3) Ithaca is not a racially diverse school, but in every other aspect it is a very diverse campus. Yes, a lot of the student body is financially well off, but Ithaca also gives out a ton of money in scholarships and other forms of aid to a lot of students who are less privileged. If you look hard enough, you can find a mix of students from almost all walks of life, which leads to a really interesting and vibrant campus community.

Ithaca College is a great school, and Ithaca the town has its own quirky charm that tends to endear itself to any student. It is important to know, however, that Ithaca College has changed its academic profile and reputation drastically in a very short period of time. Until about fifteen or twenty years ago, Ithaca College was considered a party school par excellence. Nowadays it is a top-tier institution that is respected for its challenging programs and vibrant atmosphere. That being said, the college is still in a transition period. The face of the campus is changing for the better, new programs are being added, more emphasis is being put on campus unity, new buildings to bring better concerts to campus and hold more large events, new academic buildings with state of the art technology and design, an increased push for campus-wide sustainability (two of the new buildings are Platinum-Certified Sustainable, making IC the only college campus to have two). Basically, IC is an exciting place that is moving into what will surely be a bright exciting future. It is a great choice for any openminded student who wants to be a part of something great.

Most professors at IC will have you call them by their first name. They will also know you by your first name. This is pretty representative of IC's entire academic milleu, everything is very personalized, most classes engage in a lot of discussion, participation is often mandatory. This stimulates a lot of interest in one's classes outside of the classroom. It makes th learning process a lot more fun and as a student, you feel more involved. The requirements for each program are designed around what students in that program need to know, which prepares students well for their future jobs or disciplines. The only complaint is that this can vary greatly between professors, classes, programs or schools.

There are a lot of diverse groups on campus. There is a large LGBT community, a very active community centered around ALANA issues on campus, and several communities serving students of various religions or faiths. Politically is mostly left-wing, and every now and again there are rallies protesting one or another social ills, political figures, or what have you. This creates a campus that is alive with discussion and debate, which makes the college experience that much more rich and full. There are, however, a large section of the student population that is not involved in these issues, and the college's wide array of sports teams, fun clubs (anything from a Knitting Circle to chess club to culinary arts society), or community service programs give those students who do not wish to become politically involved on campus a way to be involved as they see fit. There really is something for everyone at IC, and students of varying interests and backgrounds often interact through one or another of the programs at the college.

The student body is overwhelmingly progressive minded, so hardline conservative students may not feel as at home on campus as elsewhere, but those communities still exist and are just as welcome as any other. Most students are wealthier, from the Northeastern United States (though there are a lot of International students at IC) and tend to be white. IC tends to be casual, with a hooded sweatshirt and jeans being the most commonly seen ensemble, though miniskirt with Ugg boots is also popular and widely ridiculed.

IC is great, but be warned, it not a school in the business of holding the hands of its students through life. As the one of the Deans will tell you at orientation: "This is the beginning of you not getting everything that you want", IC is about preparing its students to successfully live and prosper in the real world. It is a place where a person can earn a great education and be afforded innumerable opportunities, but it is not a place where those opportunities will just be handed out to anyone. I spent the best four years of my life there and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone.