Work hard, play hard kinds of schools?

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justindaman1141

justindaman1141

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Hi friends,
I've been exploring the depths of this technological nation known as College Confidential, looking for information- names, specifically- of some schools that have a "work hard, play hard" mentality. I'm only in eighth grade, yes, but I have goals. I've already gotten the fifteen minute lectures about how much time I have to worry about that stuff and all that, so I don't need another, haha. Other threads were kinda old and I didn't want to revive them, so yeah... Thanks
smile.png


Oh btw, I'm thinking of these schools so far:
Yale
Duke
Stanford
Brown
Penn
Pomona
Rice
USC
TCNJ

Any thoughts? Thanks again.
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College confidential is a cesspool of misinformed high schoolers trying to out humble-brag each other. Do NOT treat CC like a source of information of the same quality as SDN.

That's not the most informed list imo. Brown is about as far away from "work hard" as you can get among the Top 20, and Pomona like the other Claremont colleges is a tad too small to compete with the party scenes at bigger universities. Dartmouth has a problem with the emphasis on drinking at frat life on campus so that would probably qualify, and WUSTL's alcohol policy is pretty much unrivaled in how much of a blind eye is turned on drinking of all ages - the freshman dorms will each have an open-door party every night with the RA's just checking that nobody is passed out in need of medical attention.

But if you're in eight grade, a) what the hell do you know about partying and b) how can you already have plans for an elite college? Iirc the first time anybody got an indication was the PSAT in high school
 
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justindaman1141 said:
I've been exploring the depths of this technological nation known as College Confidential
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Do not do this anymore. Delete your account and refrain from all further contact with college confidential, lest your soul be consumed.
 
@DesertPT LOL
@efle
Alright, hahaha I wasn't aware of that. Thanks. I didn't mean partying though, specifically. I mean like just a laid-back environment (bad wording on my part). I don't want to be at a cut-throat, insanely serious kind of school. And the reason I was asking about these was because of the pure fact that I don't know about most of these schools.
Oh and uh I didn't ask about WUSTL, but thanks XD
I thought Pomona because it has the Consortium, which would allow for adequate social functions. Plus, the school's rich af. I heard that you can get BBQ equipment with everything free like woah. BBQ is awesome. Also, could you elaborate on Brown?
And idk, I just do I guess lol, and what does IIRC mean?
Thanks guise
 
justindaman1141 said:
@DesertPT LOL
@efle
Alright, hahaha I wasn't aware of that. Thanks. I didn't mean partying though, specifically. I mean like just a laid-back environment (bad wording on my part). I don't want to be at a cut-throat, insanely serious kind of school. And the reason I was asking about these was because of the pure fact that I don't know about most of these schools.
Oh and uh I didn't ask about WUSTL, but thanks XD
I thought Pomona because it has the Consortium, which would allow for adequate social functions. Plus, the school's rich af. I heard that you can get BBQ equipment with everything free like woah. BBQ is awesome. Also, could you elaborate on Brown?
And idk, I just do I guess lol, and what does IIRC mean?
Thanks guise
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Don't go to Hopkins or U Chicago then, they're notoriously stressful. Vanderbilt has extremely happy students according to Princeton review and the students I talked to there, as do most other top schools actually. The way this works is you apply to a set of schools, get your acceptances, and then visit during Senior year spring break - that is your best chance to talk to all the students there and get the down low on how intense/happy and laid back the school is.
You didn't ask about Dartmouth either, I just assumed from your list you were looking all over the Top 20.
Almost all schools have an adequate social life, but people seeking "work hard play hard" usually want big frat presence, sports events, lax drug and alcohol policies, etc.
Brown has very happy students because they get disgusting amounts of freedom (no required classes, take whatever the hell you want and build a major out if it) and have some sickening grade inflation going on with the median grade around an A-.

IIRC is "if I recall correctly"
 
Yeah, I've heard. Grade deflation too, right?
I've been looking at Vandy as well. I really like their a capella groups haha- and that makes sense.
Pretty much hehe, thanks though. WUSTL doesn't seem bad anyway.
That's true, but I mean med schools don't really care about that right? Brown has a reputation for decent, if not awesome academics, and grade deflation = good for your GPA if you're applying to med school...I assume?
But yeah I do a lot of extracurricular type things, so I want a school where ECs and workload can be balanced successfully. I'm thinking about doing stuff like a capella, intramural sports (volleyball), orchestra (maybe), and obviously science research and hospital volunteering/shadowing.
 
justindaman1141 said:
Yeah, I've heard. Grade deflation too, right?
I've been looking at Vandy as well. I really like their a capella groups haha- and that makes sense.
Pretty much hehe, thanks though. WUSTL doesn't seem bad anyway.
That's true, but I mean med schools don't really care about that right? Brown has a reputation for decent, if not awesome academics, and grade deflation = good for your GPA if you're applying to med school...I assume?
But yeah I do a lot of extracurricular type things, so I want a school where ECs and workload can be balanced successfully. I'm thinking about doing stuff like a capella, intramural sports (volleyball), orchestra (maybe), and obviously science research and hospital volunteering/shadowing.
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Yes, Hopkins and U Chicago are both deflating compared to most other highly ranked schools. Almost all colleges have awesome a capella groups because it's such a popular hobby.

Show WUSTL some respect! The average SAT at Wustl is actually higher than most of the Ivy League (Columbia, Penn, Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown) and Stanford, Duke, Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins, many more. Same is true for Vanderbilt. They are not as famous of names but their student bodies are impressive.

Brown and every other Ivy have awesome academics! But Brown has a far lower percentage of premeds, lower test scores and less reputation for strong and rigorous STEM than similar schools. It's the most liberal Ivy and heavy on humanities. Grade inflation is good for your GPA, deflation is bad for your GPA.
 
You need to make sacrifices. Becoming a doctor requires hard work. Do well in high school, and then you can worry.
 
@efle
Hey that's cool- I'll be fine wherever, then XD
Damn, I didn't know that. Why aren't those schools more widely renowned?
Ohhh, alright. I really like that it's liberal, but it's true that there's better places for science. I heard Rice is particularly strong in that area. And yeah, I knew that- just typed the wrong one because I was thinking about deflation. Thanks lol
 
justindaman1141 said:
@efle
Hey that's cool- I'll be fine wherever, then XD
Damn, I didn't know that. Why aren't those schools more widely renowned?
Ohhh, alright. I really like that it's liberal, but it's true that there's better places for science. I heard Rice is particularly strong in that area. And yeah, I knew that- just typed the wrong one because I was thinking about deflation. Thanks lol
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The famous schools are the ones that have been elite for a really, really long time, but there are several less known schools that recently rose up to similar SAT score ranges. Vandy for example went from a very average school only ~15 years ago to now having SAT scores equal to MIT. Here's a handy list - four of the top ten highest average SAT schools (Vanderbilt, WUSTL, Frank Olin and Harvey Mudd) are probably places you'd never heard of, and there are Ivy League members (Brown, Cornell) way down in the 20's

You should check out my post on the schools with the highest proportion of premeds, which includes Rice. All the schools with tons of premeds are Top 20's strong in STEM.
 
justindaman1141 said:
@efle
Hey that's cool- I'll be fine wherever, then XD
Damn, I didn't know that. Why aren't those schools more widely renowned?
Ohhh, alright. I really like that it's liberal, but it's true that there's better places for science. I heard Rice is particularly strong in that area. And yeah, I knew that- just typed the wrong one because I was thinking about deflation. Thanks lol
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I know you mentioned it, but seriously stop worrying about something you have so much time for. Just enjoy your damn life, while you can. Take one step at a time. Always ask your guidance counselor as well. They will be able to help you find a list of school when the time comes.
 
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efle said:
Oh right this is the guy in 8th grade. Go take a girl to get ice cream man and stop researching college
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This.

However, I remember how in middle school I was forced to do research project on a college I would like to attend. Little did I know I would actually do so many years later.
 
justadream said:
This.

However, I remember how in middle school I was forced to do research project on a college I would like to attend. Little did I know I would actually do so many years later.
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Damn what kind of sick tiger parents ran your middle school? I don't think I knew about any of the schools I would apply to until like a month before I did
 
efle said:
Damn what kind of sick tiger parents ran your middle school? I don't think I knew about any of the schools I would apply to until like a month before I did
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Haha "future preparedness" was part of our curriculum. We even went over basic financial things (e.g., how to make a budget month to month).

It was really interesting to read the report I wrote though. Made me realize how much tuition increased!
 
If you really want to focus on later on, you can buy some science textbooks/workbooks and getting a head start on some of the stuff you would need to know before premed. I'm in 9th atm, and I've been studying chemistry outside of class. Also, I started doing some practice for the ACT. But really, you should mentally prepare yourself for high school. Once you are in high school, you can mentally prepare yourself for college. Also, do you plan to become a Pre-Med?
 
^Do NOT start studying for premed classes as a high schooler. That is almost comically ridiculous. Take science APs if it interests you, but do not spend your free time studying chemistry to get a leg up. It will not help you.

There is a nugget of wisdom though, and that is test prep. My idiot counselors in high school told everyone you can't study for the SAT/ACT and you only need to take it once. You absolutely can study for it and shouldnt be averse to take it multiple times both to ensure you got a sample if your best and for super scoring colleges.
 
efle said:
^Do NOT start studying for premed classes as a high schooler. That is almost comically ridiculous. Take science APs if it interests you, but do not spend your free time studying chemistry to get a leg up. It will not help you.

There is a nugget of wisdom though, and that is test prep. My idiot counselors in high school told everyone you can't study for the SAT/ACT and you only need to take it once. You absolutely can study for it and shouldnt be averse to take it multiple times both to ensure you got a sample if your best and for super scoring colleges.
Click to expand...

I never said start learning Pre-Med classes. I said do any extra stuff. I believe you are wrong, as the stuff I am studying is on the curriculum for my next year chemistry class. So don't say anything if you don't know the situation.
 
It all depends on what you are trying to get out of your college experience. Adcoms could not care less where you went for your undergraduate years, as long as it is a real university. So you should ask yourself three questions (note that the numbering is not accidental):
1.) Where can I get the best grades?
2.) What is the most practical choice?
3.) Where will I have the best experience?
Spend the next couple years figuring this stuff out; don't get too stuck on any one school.
 
ZedsDed said:
Adcoms could not care less where you went for your undergraduate years, as long as it is a real university.
Click to expand...
I see this belief all the time on SDN and every time I feel obligated to point out it's completely contrary to the official evidence for private med schools. Your state schools won't care, but according to the AAMC surveys private schools rate selectivity of undergraduate institution as highest importance along with MCAT and GPA


ZedsDed said:
1.) Where can I get the best grades?
2.) What is the most practical choice?
3.) Where will I have the best experience?
Spend the next couple years figuring this stuff out; don't get too stuck on any one school.
Click to expand...

These +1. Be wary that going to a highly competitive premed powerhouse can lead to a low 3.X's GPA despite MCAT scores that would predict a much higher GPA at a nationally average school. Don't take on tons of debt lightly. Don't go somewhere full of miserable students just for prestige or med school goals (ahem, Hopkins)
 
efle said:
I see this belief all the time on SDN and every time I feel obligated to point out it's completely contrary to the official evidence for private med schools. Your state schools won't care, but according to the AAMC surveys private schools rate selectivity of undergraduate institution as highest importance along with MCAT and GPA




These +1. Be wary that going to a highly competitive premed powerhouse can lead to a low 3.X's GPA despite MCAT scores that would predict a much higher GPA at a nationally average school. Don't take on tons of debt lightly. Don't go somewhere full of miserable students just for prestige or med school goals (ahem, Hopkins)
Click to expand...
Ah yes. I always forget about the Ivy boy's club. However I think it's important to reiterate "overall mean importance ratings for public and private institutions were significantly different from one another."
 
efle said:
I see this belief all the time on SDN and every time I feel obligated to point out it's completely contrary to the official evidence for private med schools. Your state schools won't care, but according to the AAMC surveys private schools rate selectivity of undergraduate institution as highest importance along with MCAT and GPA




These +1. Be wary that going to a highly competitive premed powerhouse can lead to a low 3.X's GPA despite MCAT scores that would predict a much higher GPA at a nationally average school. Don't take on tons of debt lightly. Don't go somewhere full of miserable students just for prestige or med school goals (ahem, Hopkins)
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. So much rather go to a state school, get a 3.8, than go to Harvard and get a 3.0.
 
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