Goucher College Visit Report by nightchef

Visit Activities:

Admissions Interview: Yes - Our son was nervous about the interview, but very happy about it afterwards.

Information Session: Yes - Very informative and well run.

Campus Tour: Yes

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Campus:

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A couple of spaces were due for a paint job, but nothing too serious.

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The two-bedroom suite we saw seemed fine; the only thing I didn't like was the somewhat harsh fluorescent overhead light. (Bring floor lamps.)

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The tour guide was quite convincing in saying that she's never felt unsafe on campus. It certainly feels like a safe place.

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Off-Campus:

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The pleasanter sort of ring-road suburbia. The campus is within walking distance of a mall and a Starbucks.

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Campus Visit Notes for Goucher College

Visit Description:

Three things stood out from our Goucher visit: the friendliness of the people, the beauty of the campus, and the arts facilities.

Our tour guide was a smart, pleasant young woman who seemed more relaxed and less "on" than the other tour guides we've had so far. It was as if she was showing the place to family or friends rather than doing a sales presentation. The few other people we ran into were all very friendly as well. I was particularly struck by a bearded, fortyish man who looked like a professor, who made a point of giving our group a smile and a wave as we passed. Our son also reported a very informal, encouraging interview.

The campus is gorgeous--not the architecture so much, which is pretty ordinary, but just the layout and landscaping. It's green, graceful, and welcoming, with trees everywhere and a lot of appealing little details like tire swings and sculptures. The campus is large, but conveniently laid out, with the academic, administrative and residential buildings concentrated near the center and greenery and athletic spaces at the periphery.

Our son is contemplating a double major in music and international relations, and so we were interested in the performing arts facilities. The main auditorium is an elegant, modern-looking room with a nice, lively but clean acoustic. At the other extreme, there's a smallish stone chapel that's very resonant and warm-sounding. There's a good-sized and (at a quick glance) well-equipped black box theater. One thing that struck us is that the dance studios are in the same building as the athletic facilities, so there is (literally) no separation between the jocks and the artists.

As far as living facilities: our tour guide scored some points by noting that the caterer for Goucher is the same company that has the contract for American University, which supposedly has some of the best campus food service in the country. She also got some oohs and aahs describing the laundry rooms, which are networked so that you can log on to find out if your clothes are done or if any dryers are free.

Finally, the information session was very well run; the admissions rep doing the session explained things well and answered questions frankly. We felt like we came away with a pretty clear understanding of how the place worked and how a student would make his/her way through the curriculum to a degree.

All in all, we came in not sure what to expect, and were swept right off our feet. Goucher vaulted from the "also considering" pile to the "will definitely apply" pile.

Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:

We stayed at the Holiday Inn on Cromwell Bridge Rd. a mile or two from campus. Perfectly adequate and very convenient.