What schools would you say have the most down-to-earth kids attending?

Parents Forum
1

<p>Wanted to get some opinions on this as my s goes to a school where many kids are on the snooty side and he is considering a transfer to a more down-to-earth environment.</p>

2

<p>State universities in general.</p>

<p>My son, who is exceedingly unpretentious, attends one and has found many people like himself. There’s a huge range of family income levels at state universities, as well as plenty of very smart people who deliberately chose the state school for financial reasons. </p>

<p>My personal favorite in terms of lack of pretension is William and Mary, which is a state school but relatively small and relatively academic. But that’s a matter of individual taste. My son is at the University of Maryland at College Park, which is huge but he doesn’t mind the size.</p>

3

<p>From visiting colleges last year: Brown University(Ivy), Northwestern(Big Ten) University, Willamette University(LAC), and UCLA(State Univ.).</p>

4

<p>Don’t know about the other three, but NW is prep central: <a href=“http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/2005/11/17/Play/From-Purple.To.Plaid-1920117.shtml[/url]”>http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/2005/11/17/Play/From-Purple.To.Plaid-1920117.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>You might consider schools that have a high percentage of graduates going on to volunteer positions.
<a href=“http://www.washington.edu/alumni/uwnewslinks/200602/article_corps.html[/url]”>http://www.washington.edu/alumni/uwnewslinks/200602/article_corps.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>Try out the Midwest. Ditch the coasts.</p>

7

<p>I took some undergrad classes at NU and the people were all very down-to-earth…</p>

8

<p>Isn’t the “M” in Texas A&M for “Mining”? Sounds pretty down-to-earth to me. Then there’s Colorado School of Mines. The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology might count, too, but adopting a snooty pseudonym (New Mexico Tech) isn’t very down-to-earth.</p>

9

<p>I was very impressed with the student body at Va Tech during the recent tragedy there. The students came across as very level headed and down to earth. I am an old alum, so I am a little partial to the school. I do agree that state universities are the way to go if you are looking for that type of student.</p>

10

<p>JHS, that’s funny! </p>

<p>Also, Rhode Island School of Design has a pottery major.</p>

11

<p>Definitely Allegheny.</p>

<p>Agree with Va Tech. I’d been told how friendly and open the campus was, and when we visited with D, we weren’t disappointed. She’s going to William and Mary, though, so I hope Marian is right since she’s hoping for unpretentious/authentic.</p>

12

<p>UC Santa Barbara</p>

13

<p>The colleges in the midwest that we visited were not snooty – Kalamazoo and College of Wooster. I visited both of those with my daughter. She also visited St. Olaf and Pacific Lutheran, and they are not snooty, either, though if you live in the midwest, some there think St. Olaf a little snooty compared to the other Lutheran Colleges – it’s all relative, I guess! </p>

<p>Also Humboldt State in CA – son goes there – definitely not snooty!</p>

14

<p>Wisconsin, the vast majority of students work while in school.</p>

15

<p>Big school? Small school? Academic interests? Personal interests? Preference for geographic area? City, suburban, rural? If he has preferences, we can narrow it down & make some good suggestions!</p>

16

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<p>You forgot the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. For what it’s worth, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology has a giant “M” on the mountain behind the campus, and usually refers to itself as “NMT,” which I think you would agree is less of a mouthful. Another consideration – if there is anywhere in the US more “down to earth” than Socorro, New Mexico, I haven’t been there. (John starts there in the fall.)</p>

17

<p>Regarding Post #8–Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University–Very down to earth student body that is also very conservative…By the way, their engineering programs are outstanding and their ice cream is to die for! Weird combo, I know; but all true!</p>

18

<p>Posted by kelsmom:
“Big school? Small school? Academic interests? Personal interests? Preference for geographic area? City, suburban, rural? If he has preferences, we can narrow it down & make some good suggestions!”</p>

<p>I think he would prefer medium to big school, as of now he is a communications major. I don’t think he would want to be in the middle of nowhere, so a college town or city nearby.</p>

19

<p>Full Disclosure: I’m a life-long Midwesterner, but I do believe the Midwest has the market cornered on down-to-earth types. Given your son’s preference for a medium to large school in a non-rural setting, I concur with those posters who have recommended U of Michigan and U of Wisconsin. Ann Arbor and Madison are both great college towns.</p>

20

<p>Washington U in St. Louis. That’s very much in the heartland. I’ve never been there, just seen it on a map and know a few smart people who went there.</p>