<p>I have a D who is a freshman at Furman. We are not from the south. We are not black, so I cannot speak from the point of view of a M with a D who is black. That is something you & your D will have to assess for yourselves. However, I can speak to a couple other points:</p>
<p>Greek life is ABSOLUTELY not an issue for my D. She had no interest in rush, so did not do it. Some of her friends did. Only one of her friends decided to pledge. It is a nonissue for her. They are all still friends. No one cares. And greek life does NOT dominate the campus. It may dominate some groups of students on campus, but it does not dominate the campus. D went to a couple fraternity parties early on (they are off campus, BTW), and she was not into the scene at all. So she no longer goes. However, she has a happy, fun social life. She does not drink, nor do her friends. She watches movies, goes to concerts, hangs out downtown. She volunteers, studies, goofs around with friends. It has been a nice year of growth & discovery for her.</p>
<p>As for academics, I can tell you Furman does have a good reputation (grad schools respect it). As for its rigor, I think that varies by student. My D says some students seem very stressed by the challenges of classes; she has not been overwhelmed. She has had some very good profs, and she has gotten to know some of her profs well. I do think it’s very important to look at the course catalog to make sure that the course offerings interest your D … paying attention to prereqs & distribution requirements … this is something one should do for every prospective college.</p>
<p>Yes, Furman is southern. There is a Bible belt conservatism present. Some like it, some don’t. I think it’s important for a non-southerner to visit & see if she likes it. My D has found plenty of students who share her more liberal views. Also, she has not sensed the whole Confederate flag-waving thing. She had worried about that. One thing she definitely thinks is that Furman is homogeneous. BUT … the school really is trying to change that. And if those they are trying to attract turn it down because they feel it’s TOO homogeneous … well, it can’t change, then, can it? Of course, not everyone is comfortable being the change; it’s an individual decision. One of my D’s good friends is black, so I can say for certain that there are people of different colors who are hanging out together on a regular basis. People don’t seem to NOT want the school to become more diverse.</p>
<p>Finally, I will say this: You are worried. You need to spend some time on campus IF you think Furman might really be a good place for your D. You will either find your worries validated, or you will decide the good outweighs the bad. In the end, there are many schools your D could attend. If Furman isn’t the place for her, there are others. We are telling you that we haven’t found the things you are worried about to be the case. You will never know for sure until you check it out for yourself & make your own decision.</p>
<p>Editing to add: Drinking is definitely not a big thing at Furman! There was a comic who came to campus & many of his jokes weren’t even relevant for Furman students … wasted people doing the walk of shame after a night of hooking up with someone they just met … well, not really a Furman thing.</p>