"fun, relaxed atmosphere"

College Search & Lists
1

<p>I think that it’s so silly that people throw around this stereotype so often, especially when describing the most prestigious universities</p>

<p>I mean honestly:

  1. very few people get into these schools by being fun and relaxed 24/7
  2. many of these schools have students that were cross admits at prestigious schools x,y, and z; thus, technically all of the student bodies should be roughly equally representative of “fun and relaxed” america.
  3. when you visit a school or talk to someone, how will you ever just know by talking to them that they’re stressed out? I mean, I’m not just going to relay all of my struggles to some random kid considering my school and I doubt few people would… it’s inefficient and weird. </p>

<p>Really I’m just making a big deal out of this because many people use this quality in a negative context.</p>

<p>Example: my school is pretty competitve, so basically everyone in the top 20 applies to the same HYPSM etc schools.</p>

<p>When we got decisions back, the people who didn’t get into harvard put it down because it wasn’t “fun or relaxed enough.” The people who didn’t get into Dartmouth put it down because it wasn’t “fun or relaxed enough.” The people who didn’t get into Brown put it down because it wasn’t “fun or relaxed enough.” The list literally goes on and on. It semi-angered me because the phrase was thrown around so indiscriminately because no one knew at all what they were talking about.</p>

<p>Basically, I feel like the only way to know if a school is fun or relaxed it to actually ATTEND that institution for at least a year. That goes for both people using it as a deciding factor between choice A and choice B and for those convincing others to pick choice A over choice B.</p>

<p>I really feel like it’s unfair, because while I’m almost positive that every school has its moments of being “fun and relaxed” and being unbelievably hard, many schools get dissed because those times aren’t even taken into consideration (rather, their stereotype is). </p>

<p>I know when I decide next year, I’m going to decide based on what I want in an institution academically, in terms of location, and based on the specific opportunities available to me. That is because I already know that I will be able to make my school fun and relaxed for me whenever I want to do it.</p>

<p>end rant =)</p>

2

<p>Well, it may seem silly to you, but it is a factor for some people. </p>

<p>Some schools really DO have a reputation for being more “fun and relaxed” than others. Example: MIT and Stanford are both extremely prestigious, however, if I had to pick one in terms of fun and relaxation, it would be no contest - Stanford by a mile!</p>

<p>True, it may be hard to tell during visits, but college campus guides, as well as general word of mouth, can give a pretty accurate idea. </p>

<p>I’m glad that you plan on making the best of it no matter where you go…that’s a great goal. But some people burn out at the end of high school because of stress - they may want to get away from the intensely academic environment that exists at some schools (I’m thinking places like MIT, CMU, and even UChicago). </p>

<p>It’s personal preference, really. It may not be a factor for some people, but it is a legit factor for others.</p>

3

<p>While all schools are tough, some schools ARE more ‘fun and relaxed’. Brown, Stanford, Dartmouth and others come to mind.</p>

4

<p>Harvard’s not fun and relaxed, but it’s fun and frenetic. Students there knock themselves out to produce extracurricular activities that are more spectacular than many similar professionally-generated programs. But for Harvard students, it’s the most fun you could possibly have. It all depends on your definition of fun.</p>