Elon University vs Dickinson College

sacchi
Sun, 21 Sep 2014 14:02:33 +0000

These were two of the schools which my daughter was accepted to and were 2 of her top choices. She chose Dickinson, where she is now a sophomore, and is having a a great experience there.

I think of Dickinson as having stronger academics and a more academic vibe. It is more selective than Elon, and has a very strong alumni network. Dickinson really emphasizes the “practical liberal arts”, and that you can have a true liberal arts education which will nonetheless prepare you for a good career. Personally, I feel that between the two schools, Dickinson offers better potential future career opportunities, in a wide range of fields.

Dickinson is particularly strong in foreign languages and its study abroad programs. My daughter is planning to study abroad in two different locations during the two semesters of junior year - Italy and Australia, in Dickinson run programs. My daughter has participated in many extra-curricular activities, and has found them to be very accessible. Socially, it is a very welcoming place, and my daughter has made good friends. She does have to work hard on her studies, as much is expected of students. In terms of cons, my daughter is not thrilled with the dorm she got this year, in the quads, which are less appealing buildings. However, she had a wonderful dorm building next year, with amazing common areas, in a great location.

Since she didn’t attend Elon, I don’t know as much about it. The campus was really beautiful, and the students seem to really enjoy their time there. The food options on campus seemed really good. It is not a LAC, but a small University, which offers a number of professional majors. There is an active Elon forum here on CC, so you can get more info if you post there. Elon’s tuition costs less than other private schools of its caliber. Elon’s male/female ratio

For my daughter, I think the selection of Dickinson over Elon was partly because of distance/location. We are from NJ, and she had some trepidations about going to college in the South, and a larger distance away from home. The stronger academics and reputation of the school were also a factor. These types of choices are very personal, and there is no single best choice for everyone. I would say to apply to both (and other schools), and then make a decision once all the info is in, including financial aid.