Guilford College Visit Report by jkiwmom

Visit Activities:

Campus Tour: Yes

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Campus:

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Off-Campus:

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Campus Visit Notes for Guilford College

Visit Description:

We had a 10:30 a.m. visit on Sat. scheduled for Guilford. I wish it had been a weekday, but I still felt as though we got a lot out of this visit regardless. Their semester was ending, so some students had headed home after they finished exams, but the majority were still there on campus we were told. It was of course somewhat quiet since many were sleeping in after exams (and Friday night probably celebrating the end of those exams). By the end of our tour though, there were more students walking around on campus (we left around 1:00 p.m.).

The area around Guilford is busy roads of typical fast food chains, a Starbucks, grocery stores, etc. Oddly, even with Guilford right near this intersection of two lane traffic, once we were actually on the campus, we completely forgot! It felt quiet and peaceful immediately. This campus is SO well landscaped and maintained. I was really impressed and have to admit that I didn't expect it to be so nice of a campus. It was lush, green, and flowers were blooming. The buildings were all cohesively alike --traditional brick with the large white pillars. It was really a lovely school.

The students were also very friendly at this school. While were were waiting for our tour, some students stopped by the admissions office to say "hi" to their friend who was working the front desk (and chatted about the end of exams . The other thing that struck us was the diversity of this campus. Lots of mainstream looking kids, but some with dread locks and more artsy. And the racial diversity was especially nice to see. It seemed to be a school for everyone and had a very inclusive feeling.

Their brand new science building was impressive. The lab facilities stood out and they built a Planetarium within it(!). Our tour guide told us that sometimes they showed movies on it's ceiling, lol! They also had a student run coffee shop where students could come for casual performances of all sorts (poetry readings, music, etc.). There was a Special Olympics event going on during our tour in their gym and it seemed to have a lot of student involvement. This is a school where everyone seems to be involved in something. Guilford has a great vibe.

The dining hall! . Probably one of the best dining halls I've ever been in. Our guide told us that they used to have a contract with a company that supplied them with very poor food. But...once that contract expired a couple years ago, the students were very involved in the choosing of their new catering supplier! They picked VERY well. Brunch was being offered at the time, and they had a make-to-order omelette station, a make-your own waffle station (guide said you can make a waffle any time of day, lol), and the entire spread looked like something offered at a country club (eggs, bacon, sausage, oatmeal, home style potatoes). The salad bar had some of the freshest looking offerings I've seen. It wasn't just what they were offering, but the presentation was noticeably different from other schools (garnishes, lettuce beds, etc. --more like it was catered than dining hall food).

In addition, there is a cafe downstairs where the students can order smoothies, milkshakes, or paninis (nice during hours where the dining hall is closed). They can put in an order online and even have it delivered to their dorm, lol! The guide said that it's nice to have as an option when you are sick or are very busy studying for exams.

The library was beautiful! They still maintain the original library, but only for historic preservation. They have built on an extension to the original library on the back and it's very modern, very clean, and well stocked. It also included an art gallery. Just like Warren Wilson, they have a consortium for holdings and students can request books and journals from nearby colleges. Guilford is a great option for our kids! Loved this school too and have been telling friends all about it since.