Insider Info on Conn College

heyya · 12-06-2008, 11:38 AM

I'm considering Connecticut College, but I don't know a ton about it. Can anyone who goes/went to Connecticut college or knows a lot about it tell me what you think- like what you like/dislike, etc. I want to know what people really think about it, not just what they tell you in their brochures. Thanks!

morning_glory · 12-07-2008, 07:23 PM

there were many threads about this such as this one :

The Difference

you can search for these or set the option on the bottom of the page to show threads from farback-last 100days/year

BUT, if you have any specific questions, I would be happy to answer!-it's near finals but I will try to get back ASAP =)

walkthewalk · 12-30-2008, 06:36 PM

Personally, I like to check out the Facebook groups and Livejournal communities pertaining to Conn. They may give you the "insider info" you are craving, although some students are bitter and just want to complain about the things they don't like, so keep that in mind. You could also FB message or somehow contact current students with specific questions to learn more. I favor College Prowwler (only one "w") and Fiske for guides on colleges. Good luck!

huskem55 · 12-31-2008, 01:45 PM

if you have specific questions, I'll be happy to answer.

talha_adnan · 01-09-2009, 05:29 AM

I've read in alot of reviews that the major social scene @ ConnColl is drinking. Well, the impression I get from this isn't really that pleasing. Maybe its because, for me, getting drunk and wasted isn't exactly fun.

As an International Student, I'm also curious weather I would stand out from the rest of the crowd at Conn and more importantly, would I feel uncomfortable and unwelcome? Would my "non-alcoholic" habits hinder my chances of fitting in? I really like the college, considering its reputation and the experience students have there. I really put it high on my colleges list.

akablondie · 01-12-2009, 06:47 PM

I'm currently a sophomore at Conn, so hopefully I can answer some of your questions.

Honestly, yes, there is a drinking scene at Conn, but there really is at every college. We do not have any fraternities or soroities so therefore that whole intense party scene is eliminated. I know plenty of students who casually drink rather than get black-out drunk which I've experienced visiting other schools. It's a very community based atmosphere.

Also, we have a substance free dormitory, which means the entire dorms takes an oath to not participate in drugs or alcohol in the dorm at all. We also have substance free halls in other dorms. The other dorms do allow alcohol for those over 21 and obviously drugs are illegal everywhere.

The international students at our school are very close to each other and seem to all know each other and are good friends. As for non-internationals, they're everywhere! You'll meet Americans in your classes, in your dorm, in the clubs or sports teams you join, or on the weekends. Conn does a pretty good job of "Freshman bonding" and you'll be sure to find people with similar interests and values to you.

There are a ton of great things about Conn. You really get to know a good portion of the campus. It's easy to recognize faces or run into friends walking around campus. It's a beautiful campus too. It makes me happy just walking around! And we have an Arboretum which is super fun to explore and take walks in and classes go in there too. Conn has a number of fantastic programs to take part in. Two of the most popular ones are CELS and CISLA. Almost everyone participates in CELS, because that's the program that gives you $3000 the summer after your junior year for any internship you want! And the counselors work on your resume and help you in any way possible to get the job you want. That means that even if the internship doesn't pay you, you still have money that summer to live off of. This opens up tons of locations and companies that you might otherwise not have access too. CISLA is pretty much the equivalent of this only it applies to foreign countries and it has a language aspect to it. My friend is planning on going to Russia through CISLA because she takes Russian.

Study Abroad is s a big deal at Conn too. Either Fall or Spring of your Junior year, you can apply to study abroad in countries all around the world.

The location of Conn is very useful, although I must say that a lot of people complain that the campus feels like a bubble. It's definitely not a suitcase school. That being said, New London has its fair share of fun places and Mystic, CT is only ten minutes away and it's adorable and has great restaurants! Boston and NYC are equally 2 hrs away, and I have made trips to go to concerts or visit friends or whatever!

Hope that helps as a start! The best way to find out what Conn is like is to visit. Take a tour and stay with a student overnight. When I was a freshman I was overwhelmed at how nice everyone is! Really, everyone is very friendly, so don't hesitate to visit us.

talha_adnan · 01-14-2009, 02:27 PM

Thanks akablondie! That was an excellent review. I guess, that's what pretty much everyone expects from a college!

forgottenmuch987 · 04-04-2009, 11:32 PM

Hi, I was just wondering what kind of transportation can take students to NYC or Boston. Is a car necessary, or are there trains?

huskem55 · 04-05-2009, 07:37 PM

the train station is 5-10 minutes off campus. an easy cab ride, or even more likely, you'll have a friend with a car that will drop you off. the college used to periodically offer a bus to new york or boston, but i'm not sure if they still do?

woebegone · 04-09-2009, 02:22 PM

i think the art history department still "sponsors" (i think we have to pay a token amount) bus trips to NYC 6 times a year, not sure about boston though.