We just attended the first accepted students day this past weekend with my D23. She loved the campus when we visited last summer, but she wanted to see the college mid-semester filled with students to really catch the vibe, and take time to walk around Arlington and get a sense of what Poughkeepsie was like.
The experiences we had couldn’t have been more positive. We explored the business district just outside the campus gates. We had lunch and visited the bookstore one day, then returned the next day for boba at Twisted Soul and coffee at the Crafted Kup. Downtown Poughkeepsie had some areas that were more rough around the edges (boarded windows, graffiti), but things were far rougher in New Haven when we visited Yale. We wished we had longer to try more of the restaurants a little further afield.
My daughter loved the feel of the campus—the students were artsy, open and friendly, with an “Indy vibe” (her words), which she immediately related to. We were impressed by the President’s speech and her vision for the college. The faculty panel spoke passionately about the importance they placed on connecting with students and fostering their growth.
The students talked about having to choose between options because there were so many things happening on campus. They talked about various opportunities to get off campus, be it through volunteering in the community, through internships in Poughkeepsie, or through shuttles to the local area mall for a Target run or to NYC on the weekend.
My daughter loved the feel of the traditional buildings—the library, of course, but also Main Hall, the chapel, and Music building. She saw herself relaxing on the grassy quads under the gorgeous trees and walking the winding pathways around campus.
Our interactions with the admissions staff were on par with other colleges. We called to ask when they would post the Financial
aid info session video — the person who answered was friendly, and was able to transfer us to Financial Aid to get more info. I also emailed to say my husband was able to come to accepted students day (originally we only registered myself and my daughter). By the time they replied to say the session was full, we were already on the road. We arrived and it wasn’t a problem when we went to the registration table.
For those concerned about safety, the college publishes its data for the past 3 years on the web site. I can’t post a link, but you can download each year’s report.