Davidson College Top Questions

Not always

For the most part.

Not a bit; well, maybe a little - we are dorks but we work hard and we party hard. sometimes maybe a little too hard! haha :)

for about half the student body

yes - about the work hard/play hard. most students who want to have a good time work really hard - there really are very few slackers here.

pretty much

Somewhat. Everyone is really smart here but there are a lot of people who don't work too hard and still have normal college lifestyles.

For most people, yes they are accurate.

- to some extent -- there are definitely some really preppy kids, and some who are less preppy - yes. girls do wear sundresses to class. often. - grading is difficult. it really depends on what kind of high school you come from.

No, for the most part I think that people are surprised to find out that Davidson students are indeed smart, but they are also well-rounded.

Well, we never leave the library and there's certainly a lot of nerdiness, but the less-nerdy half certainly drinks, and HARD.

Obviously not. It would be impossible to apply ONE stereotype to one thousand seven hundred individuals.

nerdy? yep... but we do embrace diversity

Stereotypes exist for a reason and there are always exceptions to the rule but if I had to describe a typical Davidson student they would come pretty close to the stereotype.

Yes to an extent. Every student works very hard, only a few end up playing hard.

As a liberal, I have never once felt belittled by anyone because of my political views. In fact, having gone to an overwhelmingly liberal school, I find it interesting to be in a more heterogeneous atmosphere. Discussions are not as interesting if there is no one to offer an alternate view. While the liberals on campus might be a little less common they still are very present and Obama ’08 banners can be seen in students’ windows as well as professors’ offices.

kind of- we are all conscientious students, but we care about a lot more than academics.

There is certainly a contingent of studets who fit that stereotype. But there are a lot of people (like me!) who aren't like that. I do wish that we had more socioeconomic diversity.

Not entirely. Davidsonians tend to be pretty wholesome but we have a bigger range of people than one might expect for such a small school. There are a lot more public displays of studying than affection but most students find the time to enjoy themselves in school and beyond school.

Like every school, there are bad weeks when every professor decides to have deadlines. But students at Davidson know how to have fun! Everyone is involved in some aspect of campus life.

to varying degrees.

The stereotypes are somewhat true but changing. Since the start of "graduate debt-free" campaign and the success of the men's basketball team, it's easier for people to know where and what Davidson is. Though most people who know a lot about liberal arts schools and strong academics know about Davidson. It's true that there is a lot of work, but people tend to be busy and overcommitted because they spend time juggling everything- work, activities, and social life. There are a lot of people are type A- very put together, hard-working, and over- achieving, but the most humble and friendly of them all, I have met at Davidson. Yes, they do your laundry, an old tradition that has remained from the days of an all-male college. I have to say, I don't hate it. The campus is somewhat diverse and recently has embraced discussion on how to make it more welcoming to minorities.

Yes.

Davidson is fairly preppy, but there is considerable diversity in the student body. In terms of balancing work and play, Davidson students do a good job. Their studies are important to them, but they set aside time to relax and have a good time.

Everybody is smart, if you get accepted you are here for a reason. Also while working hard is a requirement, most people like to balance it with fun stuff as well.

Not really- we actually have a great grasp of balance, and while there is the trend of more preppy styles on campus than not, it doesn't really matter at all.

The first can be very true at times. Davidson is such a great school that there is no real unique oddity to set it apart from other schools except for its rigor, so that ends up being the prevailing true stereotype. The second one, not very true. While Davidson lacks some ethnic (and perhaps socioeconomic, although that is bound to change with the Davidson Trust) diversity, the student body should not be painted as an elitist group of snobby students. Students are down-to-earth and are not distracted or ill-affected by any wealth they may or may not have. Also, I can think of only a hand full of my friends whose parents are doctors or lawyers!

the smart, overachiever, busy, and intense ones will apply to everyone at some point in their Davidson carreer, just because of the workload. But you can't apply preppy or type-A to most of the campus.

Like all stereotypes, they have a basis in reality but they're exaggerations

Yes

Sometimes these stereotypes are true, but we all manage to have a good time and get along.

To some extent. Everyone here is intelligent and has talents and interests that they pursue enthusiastically. But we certainly do not work all the time. It is a kind of work hard, play hard campus.

Sometimes. You will definitely work harder than you ever have before at Davidson. The laundry thing though? Truth is many students still do their own.

Definitely not! We study hard, but we also have a lot of fun. And most students come from middle class families. Davidson's financial aid is really good, so paying for college isn't as bad as it seems.

For the most part, although there are definitely people who bring different things to the table. Davidson is not considered a "diverse" school in terms of ethnic minorities, but there are a number of students that have lived abroad or had really interesting life experiences. While the school is seen as more conservative than its northern peers, the environment is pretty liberal and open, even though there are conservative voices. Davidson kids are overachieving in most cases.

Some people are pretty snotty - but, by and large, folks here are really friendly and welcoming. There's tremendous economic diversity.

Davidson is small, but many (including myself) like that about the school. There are a lot of preppy kids, but Davidson is working hard to get diversity at the school, and from what I have seen the majority of students are open and welcoming to all kinds of people. As for the studying...we do study a lot, but your college experience is what you make it. If you want to study, you study, if you want to go out and have a good time, you find the time to do that.

Sometimes, but not for the most part.

These stereotypes are not entirely true. Davidson students generally work hard AND play hard.

Well, yes. Davidson (the town) is very small (but growing), and the students here are definitely part-nerd (you have to be to get in here...). However, the smallness of the town makes Davidson a very safe and community-feeling place to go to college, and the "nerdiness" of the student body makes your education that much better. There are also MANY outlets for people to engage in social situations, so the nerdy part is really only during the week. Davidson is very much a work hard, play hard school.

We are all driven, serious students, but we still have a lot of fun and the diversity on campus is one of the big issues right now. There is a big push to recruit people of all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.

no, it should be "Work hard, play hard. . . sometimes" the trustees ARE awesome

Davidson is very homogenous, both with regards to race and religion. However, the school is very serious about bringing in more diverse students and faculty.

Nerds-absolutely rich kids- some times but not that bad social awkwardness- yes

Somewhat. The ultra conservative Christians prescence is not felt on this campus as much as I expected it to be; in fact, Davidson is a pretty moderate campus in general. While there are a lot of preppy people on campus, there are plenty who don't fit that mold.

false. there is always plenty going on, and we're all smart, but not nerds.

Yes

To a point. Most Davidson students are very driven, but they also party really hard, especially on the weekend, almost as a reward for working so hard. I still don't know everyone in my class and I'm a senior.

Yes, I think I'm pretty smart.

While Davidson students are highly intelligent and very diligent about their work, we also know how to have fun. The library and studying are for weekdays; weekends are an entirely different story.