<p>Be careful of basing a decision on the anecdotal evidence of the few people you know (or find on CC) who know “something about” a particular school. Just about every college has a party scene and there is drinking. But every college also has many, probably a majority, of students who are more or less responsible in their entertainment choices. </p>
<p>I don’t know anything about your other two choices, but my D just decided on Bucknell for engineering (mechanical or civil/environmental, she thinks). It was her top choice and, though, expensive, we gave her the green light - my mid-life crisis red sports car will have to wait another four years. She got a $10K merit scholarship and will get some need-based aid for the first year when she and her brother are both in college (but that goes away after the first year - sigh!). It sounds as though you have some really great choices. I’m biased, of course, but I say . . . Go Bison!</p>
<p>This might be of interest to you: “Separately, an informal survey conducted on Bucknell’s website suggested an Obama win. Of more than 600 taking part in the survey, more than 66 percent of the students, faculty, staff, alumni and general public participating said if the election for present were held today they would vote for Obama.”</p>
<p>I won’t lie. The greek scene is very big here. However, there’s plenty of people who don’t party every other day including myself and a lot of other CS majors.</p>
<p>UBC stood out immediately. Its a great school if you like canada. </p>
<p>if not then I’d probably go to Bucknell. Just be ready for the worst location on earth. My current roommate hails from that town, and one night at his place = enough. Never been on Bucknell’s actual campus so that I can’t comment on. Just know the area is VERY rural.</p>
<p>Bucknell! My neighbor goes there. She’s really not even that preppy/conservative. More nerdy actually. Don’t mean to define the school by one person, but just saying that the stereotype isn’t 100% accurate. Go for it!</p>
<p>If engineering weren’t your major, I would say bard hands down because the intellectual life there is simply amazing. The friends I have met from Bard are some of the most relaxed, chill, and passionate people I have ever encountered.</p>
<p>however, Bucknell might be better if engineering truly was your intended goal and you were 100% sure about it.</p>
<p>Anyways, all reservations aside, I vote for Bard.</p>
<p>Sometimes we forget the good news, whatever you pick, it’s between some terrific and low cost options. So congrats. </p>
<p>Even if you haven’t visited, hopefully you have seen some very small LACs near you so that you can get a sense of whether the fit is right. Small schools in small towns is not for everyone. One person’s ‘small and intimate’ is another person’s bored after two days. </p>
<p>Also be careful of opinions, including mine. Are we really considering the courses you would like to study and the social aspects that you prefer? People may put out honest recommendations for schools but that doesn’t mean its helpful to you. </p>
<p>Have you looked these colleges up on uni-go-dot-com (just take the dashes out)? Four pages of student reviews of Bard for example. Notice what they say and who is saying it. Four pages and the nearest person to the classes you want to take is a chemistry major. Meanwhile, Russian, Music, Psych are well represented. That sort of thing can give you a clue.</p>
<p>I know a kid who went to UBC and transferred out: big suitcase school. (Kid had an 800 on SATM, and his academic interests were similar to yours.)</p>