Denison University Top Questions

Yes and no. There are a number of upper-middle class students, but the vast majority are there on scholarships and don't necessarily come from money. I certainly didn't. Greek Life is pretty influential but there is plenty to do even for those who are not Greek.

For the great majority of the student body I'd say roughly 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} And then there's a small subset population of kids that are more eclectic such as the anime kids, or the people involved in Drama etc.

kind of. there are people like that, and they may be in the majority, but there are also some really awesome poeple there too. plus even though some people seem like theyre spoiled little rich kids, they might not be. i just tried to ignore the stereotypes and have a good time with everyone.

Nope! I'm not any of those things and neither are most all of my friends.

Like any stereotype, you can't categorize anyone into one certain mold. Some students DO have a lot of money, and some DON'T. Either way, you will find more people who are financially secure at Denison. This does not necessarily make them snobby. There are plenty of really nice people at this school. You will find many students that are pretty preppy.

I must say that you will indeed find many students at Denison that fit these stereotypes, but the truth is, Denison is becoming more diverse each year, and in fact, the liberals on campus on more outspoken than the conservatives. There are all kinds of people and many of them are not affiliated with the Greek scene. There are some really great clubs and activities that appeal to people who aren't pumped for the lacrosse game or the kegger. For such a small school Denison has a vast number of students that challenge the stereotypes.

To an extent yes, there is that selected group of individuals who are rich and act like snobs, however a lot of students at Denison who have money do not flaunt their money. Granted they may wear the top Brands in clothing and footwear, but they do not make anyone feel like they are anything less, where as the other group does. There is also the group that is not rich but does not make it known because getting to know people through their personality is more important then the material things they own.

No

yes - for at least 80{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body

For the most part, yes they are true. But most students have received substantial finantial aid...for example through various funds and grants and loans (with ridiculously low interest) and scholarships Denison has given me somewhere around $30,000 towards tuition and board. Most students receive around $15,000/year.

All of these stereotypes are completely untrue and very inaccurate. Everyone needs to go into Denison with an open mind and come in with no stereotypes.

They are accurate to some extent. Stereotypes exist because they are often true, but sweeping generalizations cannot be made. Most of the friends I chose to make at Denison exhibited none of these traits. Many people there have a lot of money, but not everyone chooses to accentuate this part of their life. You have to find a good friend group that you are comfortable with and not worry about the people that give the school the negative stereotypes.

They are all true - drugs are common in many groups of people at Denison, but use is kept relatively safe - the students are smart and conscientious. The dorms are dirty, moldy and fungus-ee - the school does not change the carpets enough, which state schools are bound to do, yet they build new alumni attractions, hence the stereotype that they care more for money than students. And 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students live on campus since they are not allowed to do anything else, thus they have no rights and get bossed around by security and little-pricked Deans (Phlegar, who stole $120 from my desk). And my sophomore year roommate went the hospital for a week (along with other friends) because of the poor conditions of the dorms.

Some are accurate, in a sense, but I personally have come to believe that stereotypes overgeneralize and cannot be taken as fact for every Denison student you will encounter.

Yes they are

In some ways. There are certainly are the rich assholes who look down on everyone, but they're often in the Greek system as well. At the same time, there are far more students who write these types off as the pretentious pricks that they are, and focus instead on the academics at Denison. And within the Greeks (who make up around a quarter of the student population), there are nice people as well. There are undeniable issues surrounding diversity. While it can be argued that Denison is far too homogeneously white, the comparatively large amount of religious, cultural, and socio-economic diversity is rarely addressed in these complaints. The term "diversity" is also a relative one; though the racial percentages at Denison are not the same as the U.S. overall, it is far more diverse that the rural area where I'm from, for example.

Some stereotypes are accurate about kids liking to have a good time and while the studnet body is somewhat preppy and priveliged, there is some underlying diversity which helps the overall studend body.

This stereotype is not accurate at all.

As with all stereotypes, there is some hint of truth. I've come across many people who fit the bill, but there are a lot of people who break from the stereotype.

On some level, they do have truth to them, there is a particular type of student who thrives at Denison, however their economic status or what they wear has nothing to do with it. Denison students are motivated, caring, people.

Pretty much. Denison is a place where you don't really belong unless you're wearing J.Crew or Vineyard Vines. We are East Coast preps plunked down in Ohio, but we own it. It's not so bad as long as you can deal with it. Some people are individuals, but the majority of students (particularly females) fit this stereotype.

You will find those kinds of people, but that is not how everyone is. Students have many different interests and are involved in a wide range of activities. Students are generally nice and hard workers.

To a certain extent, a lot of Denison students probably are from higher socio-economic backgrounds but it's important to remember that Denison is a small, private, liberal arts school, and that seems to be pretty standard among colleges like this. And yes, the east coast is well represented in the student body, but so is the rest of the country. Denison is cool because even though it is in Ohio, a large percentage of its students are from out of state, so you get a chance to meet a whole different array of people.

The stereotype about Denison students being wealthy, white, privileged, and entitled is true to a large extent, but even a large extent does not speak for the whole. The student body is very diverse as long as you try not to label people. If you want to put a label on everyone, perhaps Denison isn't so diverse, but the student body is really what you make of it.

Only for a small portion of the student population.

No, there are definitely some people who are like these stereotypes, but nearly all people are.

for the most part... not everyone is super rich or snobby, but the average student at denison is definitely not poor, and is at least upper middle class... it's a party school, but there are plenty of people who don't party. Denison's academics have high standards, and is a stressful for everyone at times, especially at finals (everyone sort of goes into a finals coma)

The Ugg girls are quite a landmark on campus, it's true. However, you'll find girls on campus who will never own a pair of Uggs. I personally made it to Denison on a whole bunch of scholarships. My family is not rich; rather we're a one income family (and my dad works in a factory). I know a lot of other students who went to the school on scholarships as well. It took me awhile to find these people because we were all under the impression that everyone had money except us, and we didn't want to go around saying "Yeah, my parents only make $32,000 a year." Once I found someone who wasn't rich though, it was surprising how many more I found. So don't avoid Denison just because you don't have a lot of money. They give good scholarships, and there are lots of people who are only able to pay for Denison because they got tons of scholarships as well.

Everyone is very intelligent along with the professors. As far as the student body goes it is becoming more and more diverse, however, there are still a lot of preppy rich kids due to the schools high price tag.

For some people, yes they are. However, the majority of the campus is not like that at all. This year it has become increasingly inaccurate as our awareness of our similarities and differences has been raised and we have become and united student body.

No, there are lots of nice people on campus. I don't feel any pressure to look a certain way and something like 93{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of our student population receive some kind of financial assistance.

There are a lot of super preppy who take part in greek life but there are just as many people who don't. With respect to it being boring, I am never ever at a loss of things to do. If you want to avoid drinking there are movies and speakers but, if you choose to party, there isnt a lack of adventure. While it sounds a lot less crazy than in the olden days, hearing about cocaine use isnt rare at all.

somewhat, most people are pretty down to earth

Yes, Denison is a party school, but this does not have any effect on the academics at Denison. Even if you aren't into partying in the beggining, you learn to love it. Besides, people are friendly as hell, and you do whatever you want to do with your friends. S #2: More like a fact. I thought it would be a bad thing, when coming to Denison last year. No. It's not. Most of the time youre on campus, and there's lots of fun things to do there. Denison is its own downtown. Also, surprisingly, Granville is a pretty lively town! You can actually go there, to some cafe or something, and hang out. You need a car or a shutte to get to Newark, Columbus, or something like that--ask your friends, or sign up for a shuttle. (The one about Kenyon and Denison) I thought that. Hell no, The thing actually is that, Kenyon, maybe because of its big Swimming name, manages to fill all events (at NCAAs) with people, so that there's at least a couple people swimming each event. That's where they get lots of points. Denison this year, had at least the same number of national records if not more than Kenyon. Denison is a pretty damn good swimming program. I went from a 1:06.7 to a 1:03.1 RELAY on my 100 BR my freshman year. Let's see what I'll do at Denison next year.

yes and no. yes in the sense that a large majority of the student body fits the stereotype, no in the sense that there are still a handful of students (mostly the minorities and others on scholarships) who work really hard and are thoughtful, caring people-however, these people are a minority and their lives are made miserable by the majority who treat them like their nonexistent Denison is a bubble and for those of us still in touch with reality, its maddening to live with a bunch of people who don't get it...unless you can have a care on campus and enjoy small town midwest life, you'll be stuck at denison, unable to even escape the bubble

There are many students who fit the privileged stereotype, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Takes a while to find the non-average, non-traditional groups. Denison does foster an inclusive community. Definitely conservative overall, though the far-left minority can be very outspoken.

Pretty much. However, even though there is a lot of preppy, rich, white, affluent, east coasters, you are not pressured to be like these people. I am from the midwest and although I notice some people who are like that, I am my own person and I act and dress they way I want. It's not nearly as preppy as Miami University in Oxford, OH

Ummm... I think there are a lot of preppy students but if you are a serious academic student who cares about your education Denison is a good school to go to. There is a large party scene on campus but you don't have to be a part of it to have friends and a happy social life.

They are only accurate for merely some of the Greek life on campus. Most students, while it is expensive to go here, are on financial aid and or don't necessarily flash their money around.

For the most part, I like to think that I am not rich or stuck up, I am, however, white. Most of my friends meet those stereotypes though. We did have a convocation in the fall of 2007 to try and make people more aware and proud of diversity but for the most part it did nothing except make news for Denison.

Unfortunately, a lot of the stereotypes are true, except that there are other groups of people there who do not fit these. There are students who seem to live in a "Greek" world, drinking almost every night of the week and wearing the most expensive clothes they can buy to class. But if you do choose to attend Denison and this profile doesn't fit you, you will be able to find students who are not like this. For example, community service is very popular here, as well as sports. Once you find your niche, you'll be fine. Also, most Denison students really care about academics, and make studying a top priority.

For the most part, unfortunately.

This stereo type of preppy and Greek is not overly accurate. Only about one third of the student body participates in Greek life on campus and it does not generally dominate the campus climate. There are a fair number of preppy people on campus but I think that there is no real box into which Denison students fit. There are a diverse range of students and interests.

Many Denison students are extremely preppy - they love popping the collars on their polo shirts, and tend to come from very well-off families. However, the stereotype that everyone on campus is friendly is also true. Everyone says hello when passing others on the walk to class, and people you've only spoken to a few times will go out of their way to talk to you if they see you.

To a certain extent yes. However if you are a major in the sciences you are a lot less likely to encounter snobbishness in you majors classes. Overall, rich or not, people in general are pretty friendly.

nope! of course some people are like that, but students come from a wide variety of backgrounds. i feel comfortable wearing whatever i feel comfortable in and i definitely don't come from money. there is so much to do that you won't be bored or left out if you're not a partier.

to a degree