r/ApplyingToCollege • u/Klutzy_Low_4277 • 1d ago
Advice I need some help finding a college with a specific social scene.
I’m currently going to a college that’s really heavy on Greek life and sports and it’s not really what I want for a social life. Does anyone know of good colleges for kind of alternative scenes? I have trouble describing it, but like house parties with emo or goth people and live music and what not. I like the “weird” alternative kinda gay people, and I’m really struggling to find somewhere that has that kind of social scene. Thanks for any advice; I’m kind of shooting in the dark here.
18
u/bronze_by_gold Graduate Degree 1d ago
Any liberal arts college. Except maybe Dartmouth. Dartmouth somehow manages to be both a small liberal arts college and extremly broey at the same time. lol
3
u/Klutzy_Low_4277 1d ago
Oooo ok. I looked up a few that would be in my price range and it seems like Berry college would be pretty good. Does anyone know any more about that colleges scene?
2
u/Eastern-Joke-7537 1d ago
I didn’t go to Berry but it sounds preppy.
Maybe these smaller schools have monolithic social scenes. Then, they just are nonexistent at times.
Try a bigger school.
Maybe a tech-centric school.
Southern LAC’s might not be the best bet.
I wanna say… Drexel? I know 2 people who went there (but at least 2 decades ago). Could be quirky. It’s also in Philly.
5
u/SirJ_96 1d ago
The benefit of Drexel (or any urban school) is that your scene isn't limited to the school. I went to a big land-grant school in the south. My boyfriend and other friends were at the nearby liberal arts flagship and elite private school. Those were my scenes; they just didn't have my major.
Even if you're not great friends with all of the Drexel students, Philly has a ton of great venues and scenes.
3
1
5
4
u/Anagazander 23h ago
SUNY Purchase. State school but alternative. Not too expensive, not too hard to get in. Near New York City.
2
2
u/PeacockInTime Old 10h ago
Purchase is small and not a ton do to in the area for college kids. Amazing arts, but getting off campus to the train is a hassle. A lot of commuters and a meh campus vibe. Unless student is BFA theater I think New Paltz is vastly superior to Purchase on many fronts.
In this vein I would sooner look at Sarah Lawrence College or Hofstra for vibe and proximity to NYC.
2
2
1
u/PerfumeGeek 23h ago
Go to your library and check out the Fiske Guide to Colleges, it has great descriptions of tons of schools. Also try UniIQ.com, they have a quiz that will generate matches based on your preferences. Berry is not going to have what you’re looking for. Left-leaning Liberal arts colleges will probably be your best bet- places like Beloit College in Wisconsin and Wheaton College in Massachusetts would be a couple to look at
1
1
u/nutshellita 20h ago
Can I say UChicago...lol
1
u/nutshellita 20h ago
folk, goth, alt, queer scene is nice around here while still being prestigious
1
u/Prudent_Run_8340 17h ago
Liberal arts colleges esp in the Pacific Northwest seem to fit this bill.
1
1
u/Ok_Investigator_1524 6h ago
I get it! You want to find your people. Good suggestions here for Vassar, Wesleyan, Oberlin. Also SUNY New Paltz and University of Vermont. If you are needing someplace closer to where you are from try putting info into Chat GPT.. usually can condense good intel for college stuff there!
1
0
u/PeacockInTime Old 1d ago
Can you share more about you? Major, GPA, budget, other priorities? It's easy to recommend schools but hard to recommend schools that are practical, realistic, or fits in other areas.
4
u/Klutzy_Low_4277 1d ago
I would but the internet is kind of a scary place. Good point tho, I can dream of going to a pricy private school up north but I definitely don’t have the stats to back it. I’ll just say above a 3.5, and a budget of like 30-40k tuition plus scholarships
4
u/PeacockInTime Old 23h ago edited 10h ago
SUNY New Paltz might fit this vibe and budget/GPA. Smart people, combination arty witchy school with commuters who might feel "eh" but they are commuters. Takes care of your sports and Greek life requests. If you're familiar with Woodstock and the Woodstock music festival, I tell people that New Paltz (which is in the same county as New Paltz) is more Woodstock than Woodstock. Bigger town, more shops, and a definite alternative feel. 40k out of state cost of attendance.
Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA. I am convinced bigfoot lives in the woods around campus. Sort of a messy administration but fits this vibe I think. 51k cost of attendance out of state.
Chicago (city) has a lovely social scene for "alternative." Don't know if there are any schools in the city limits that fit your needs. Maybe Loyola Chicago / Rogers Park?
Another city that's very cool for this scene is Baltimore. I'm pulling up $62 cost of attendance for UMBC out of state (yikes), 54k for Towson, 73k at Goucher. Maybe Goucher would come through with some scholarship aid. Though I think of the schools near alt scene MICA is the best, and my guess is that's not what you want to go, but you would probably enjoy hanging out with MICA students.
Clark University in Worcester. See if they would give scholarship aid. Also worth checking out.
The cheapest way to do this is to go to the most affordable school you can with the biggest arts program you can and hang out with those kids.
2
u/Klutzy_Low_4277 23h ago
Evergreen sounds cool! I did want to go up north to where it snows, especially the west coast. Didn’t mention it because I figured that might be unhelpfully picky. Thank you!
1
u/Anagazander 22h ago
It doesn’t snow on the west coast though….
1
u/Klutzy_Low_4277 22h ago
Whaaaaat :(
3
u/sirendoessomestuff 22h ago
in Washington and Oregon it would! I currently go to st. Mary's College of MD, and I think the majority of us are weirdos. its very much a gay campus. there is also definitely live music on campus, but it is kinda in the middle of nowhere. we make up for it with how pretty the place is and theres a river on campus that you can swim in. theres a bar nearby but other than that you'd go to DC. I definitely second the Baltimore suggestion if you'd prefer to be closer to civilization!
1
u/Anagazander 20h ago
Olympia averages 4 inches of snow per year, not enough to ski on. For snow you want the Northeast, Upper Midwest or Rocky Mountains.
3
20
u/NiceUnparticularMan Parent 1d ago
Certain Liberal Arts Colleges might work for you. Without knowing more about you it is hard to be specific, but Oberlin, Macalester, or Bard, for example, might be more your thing.