Princeton Review: Wheaton College is Stone Cold Sober, With Great Food
Wheaton College ranked second in the Princeton Review rankings for its book, "The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition," The Today Show reports.
The Today Show reported Tuesday the Princeton Review's top picks for colleges with the best facilities, happiest students, best food and quietest party scene for its book, "The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition."
Ranked second in the list of "Stone Cold Sober" Schools and first for best campus food, Wheaton College had a presence in the rankings when the Today Show reported the lists Tuesday.
Julia C
1:03 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
It's also number one for LGBT-unfriendly, but let's not mention that...
Roger
1:27 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I doubt that it's really number 1 Julia (or is there a study for that too?) As private religious schools go, believe it or not, Wheaton has a rep for being very liberal.
Still, many parents are willing to compromise in some areas so their kids are in an educational environment that doesn't abuse alcohol. True, there are a lot of good schools that are able to 'manage' alcohol on their campuses but, having attended Wheaton and other colleges, I really don't think that Wheaton is the ultra-conservative institution you might think it is.
Charlotte Eriksen
3:30 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Julia, could you send me the link to that stat? I did not intentionally omit it—I just didn't see it. Thanks.
Julia C
5:26 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Charlotte, here's the link: http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeRankings.aspx?iid=1022614
Julia C
1:12 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Also, it was definitely not on the list for happiest students or best facilities. It IS listed for best food, runs smoothly, good town-gown relations, and low alcohol and drug use.
Julia C
1:56 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
When I say 'number one,' I'm referring to the Princeton Review list that this article is actually about. Here's Wheaton's rankings: http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeRankings.aspx?iid=1022614
This includes #1 for LGBT-unfriendly and #16 for most conservative.
Also, you say that this is the parents' compromise? Last I checked, college students are supposed to choose their own schools and, as young adults, are responsible for making their own decisions regardless of how prevalent alcohol and drug use are around them.
Roger
4:29 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Julia- My sincere apologies. It was lazy and unfair of me to jump to the conclusion that this was a made-up stat. Please forgive me!
dave
2:10 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Given most know of the college's reputation for expected, conservative behavior -the term once applied: use Christian discretion- I am not amazed its ranking as dry. The contract students signed years before did not permit, drinking, dancing, movies, cards.
It was changed to provide movies -again discretion. During that time, however, it was rumored to have a high level of pregnancies (recall high could be one or two in comparison to Christian colleges) Given all the restrictions and sex not being on the list, I suppose no rules were broken. The joy of unfounded rumors.
Becky
3:10 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I couldn't see the Princeton Review link without setting up a profile or something, but I doubt their list of "LGBT-unfriendly" schools is well researched. Wheaton College is a conservative Christian school, but it does not shy away from LGBT issues. When a group called SoulForce came to campus to protest some of Wheaton's policies, they were not ignored or shunned but welcomed and even engaged with in open, honest debate. I bet there are a lot more campuses where "unfriendly" views are not put down on paper, but where LGBT people would find harsher circumstances than in a loving, Christian environment like Wheaton College. Not that Wheaton is perfect by any means, I can certainly attest to that, but it gets a bum rap from people who don't see the forest for the trees.
Roger
4:34 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Well said Becky. I'm not a Wheaton College booster by any means but they don't deserve the kneejerk reactions that they often receive.
Julia C
5:25 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I'm not sure how accurate their research is, but I believe they form the lists based on questionnaires filled out by students at each university or college.
dave
5:54 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I took some summer school course at Wheaton College years ago. What I found were students that were industrious, curious, polite, and believe it or not, one never felt judgemental. It could be they expected others to be Christian thus never expected to be in a situation to judge. More important, religion never entered into discussions of material. There was no Christian bent. And more interesting, each instructor went to great lengths to make certain students were learning, took extra time to help those in need, recognized need without being asked and all invited students to their homes for chats that again had no religious slant.