College Review: Dickinson College
Dickinson College was founded in 1773 by Dr. Benjamin Rush, who went on to sign the Declaration of Independence. The school has a close relationship with the adjoining town, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a town of 40,000, which is dialed up on the quaint/cuteness factor. Nearby, nature beckons—Dickinson is five minutes away from the Appalachian Trail, and provides access to all sorts of outdoor activities. Dickinson Combines Liberal Arts with Real-World Experience With 2300 students, Dickinson’s mission originally was to provide a liberal arts education because Dr. Rush believed that democracy could only survive with an educated population. Today, the school focuses [...]
College Review: Penn State University
One of the most popular Big Ten schools, Penn State’s main campus is filled with so many good things—275 majors, with all of the greatest hits, but also including niche ones such as Immunology, Rail Transportation Engineering, and Turfgrass Science. In addition, they are an R1 research institution, have thousands of clubs, play many types of “sportsball,” as Lynda and I call it, and have endless opportunities for student advancement. Along with all of those great things, however, come 40,000 or so other things—undergraduate students. As a lifelong introvert, I won’t lie—my first reaction to all of the people and [...]
College Review: Muhlenberg College
After Lisa visited Muhlenberg College, she shared a few takeaways with our team that we haven’t been able to stop thinking about. Why College Students Avoid Career Services (And Why It Matters) For parents of college students, one of the largest complaints I hear/make is that despite colleges offering amazing opportunities, such as research, mentoring, and career placement services, many students refuse to avail themselves of them. I believe this to be because in order to get help, students would have to TALK TO A GROWN-UP. The discomfort this causes creates avoidance behaviors, followed by oppositional behaviors when their parents [...]
College Review: Bucknell University
Lisa shares her on-the-ground perspective from a recent visit to Bucknell University. Bucknell is a private university that serves mostly undergraduates–about 4,000 of them. It is located near the charming small town of Lewisburg, PA, and pretty much nothing else, except for Harrisburg, PA, about one hour away. Being roughly two to three hours from major cities such as New York, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia makes the school a bit more challenging to reach, despite the shuttles that Bucknell runs to major airports during high travel times. What the school lacks in urban proximity, it makes up for in beauty, [...]
College Review: Gettysburg College
On a recent visit, Lisa toured Gettysburg College and found a campus rich in history, strong, academics, and understated charm. Located in central Pennsylvania, not too far from the Maryland border, is a small liberal arts college set right next to the national park commemorating the battle of Gettysburg. In fact, the college, founded before the Civil War in 1832, was used as a hospital for both Union and Confederate soldiers, leading to rumors that the college’s oldest buildings are haunted, including a freshman dorm, which is visited by the spirit of a young boy who died by accidentally falling [...]
College Review: Villanova University
Villanova University Campus Overview and First Impressions At Villanova, the level of energy and activity that crackles around campus is undeniable. This mid-size Augustinian Catholic university, right outside Philadelphia, is growing in both size, with the purchase of two nearby liberal arts campuses, and in stature. Construction is everywhere you look, and the school hopes to have its new, massive library building completed by next year. Students on campus appeared happy, but energized and focused. Of course, it probably helped that my visit coincided with the beginning of March Madness, in which their highly ranked basketball teams are bound to [...]