<p>I know this is a little late, but I figured I would give my two cents to the poster to help him/her figure out how to make a deciscion for May 1st.</p>
<p>I started looking on college confidential again a couple days ago because I have just recently started thinking about transfering. Fairfield has been a great experience and stepping stone for me, but I have a lot of major issues with this school. In an abbreviated list: I’ve had very few professors that actually care about their students. Out of two semesters here thus far, I feel llike I have only connected with two of my profs. Of those two, one is my advisor-- who also is on sabidacle (sp?) this semester and completely unavailable for the most part. Core class professors in particular are really hit or miss. You can get a great prof, or you can get stuck with a real stick-up-my-butt pin head. Core classes themselves are a pain-- if you are like me and am not a language person, you get saddled with up to 4 semesters of taking a language. And up to 2 of math… not cool at all for those of us who are arts and humanities oriented. Additionally: do not be fooled by the great course book. Not all of those courses are offered every semester, or even on a yearly basis. I’m having a HUGE issue right now with not getting classes that I’m mildly interested in, which is NOT OK considering that this place is costing my family over 40 k a year, and that there are only about 4,000 students here. </p>
<p>The second, and equally important, issue I am having here is the lack of lasting friends here. Unless you are interested in doing a hell of a lot of drinking in college, you will not find many friendships here. I don’t know anything about you, but I have to say that I come from an urban area on the opposite side of the country. The idea of drinking cheap beer and vodka in someone’s basement until you are sick and taking drunken facebook pictures of yourself was a completely foreign concept to me until I arrived here. My high school experience was completely different than everyone’s around me-- I’m not saying no one drank, but what I am saying is that people had more important things to do in the city on a nightly basis than drink every night. My closest friends here (and yes I did find some) are definately in the minority… they study, care about school and their future, and are not caught at Tuesday night bar night at the “Snickering Squirrel” in Bridgeport. Even so, the type of relationships I have found here are ultimately much different than those I had in high school… none of my friends here are in any way to be considered city savy, or have much interest at all in city-related things or culture (for the most part). </p>
<p>If you let it, Fairfield can be a wonderful experience. As a student who is not only out of state but on another coast altogether, it was disappointing to find that Fairfield is an EXTREMELY local school. The local aspect itself isn’t really a huge issue for most people, but for me, it was hard to connect with people who didn’t feel ready to fully leave home, whereas I live a country’s distance away. </p>
<p>A couple other things to think about: the food. Really, and I mean REALLY bad. Same type of things every day. Now if you’re a guy, maybe its not an issue. For me however, I have to say that the freshman 15 comes really easily, even when trying to eat healthfully. Dorms are not bad though, I really lucked out with a great dorm and floor. Past sophomore year you would like in a town house or suite, which sounds like a good deal, but the townhouses are DISGUSTING. Think like decades of over-partying and not having good upkeep. Additionally, I’ve heard that they are really overcrowded too. </p>
<p>I’m sorry if this seems like a long rant, but I’m trying to step up and help some of the seniors who are looking to use college confidential as much as I did last year. Although I myself am looking to transfer out, it is mainly for academic issues. As to whether you would like it here… well that really depends on what you are looking for. If you want to drink a loooott than you’ll be fine. If, like myself, you despise what is called the “Fairfield Bubble,” the invisible bubble that prevents people from venturing far off campus, then you might have some issues. Don’t get me wrong, I love my advisor, he is def one of the best professors here. As an experience, Fairfield has been wonderful. I’ve really learned a lot about myself this year, but then again that may because I am having a bit of a different experience than someone who lives close by. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to ask.</p>