Elon University - is it as good as it "looks"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can honestly say that I would send my kid to a local community college or a third-tier State University before this place.

I am the original poster. This the information I'm try to obtain. Why do you say this?

[Anonymous]

It has been ranked as the most beautiful or among the most beautiful college campuses.

[Anonymous]

So it's beautiful, with pretty green grass and bunches of fun......nice start - but I'd try and find a little more substance .......

[Anonymous]

I had a friend who went there, loved it, and went on to get a Ph.D and become a molecular biologist. And this was before it became a "hot" school.

The arrogance of some people on DCUM knows no bounds. Really, you seem like miserable folks who exemplify why people in other parts of the country hate DC. You should just die now so they can carve your resumes on your tombstones and be done with it.

[Anonymous]

I know a number of people who went to Elon and every single one raves about their experiences and really seemed to love it. There are only a few schools I've encountered that have engendered so much love and loyalty from their alumni. There also seems to be a strong (and well-connected) alumni base in the DC area from what I can tell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:funny all the people i know who went there were the ones who couldn't get into any other school or were total f' ups.

when did schools for rich dumb and f'd up kids beicome known as rising.....

I went to the college in the early 90's and Elon was mainly a school that kids went to that couldn't get into any of the VA state schools.

[Anonymous]

Any time someone asks about a school that is not considered a top SLAC or Ivy, there will be posters sniffing about how its inferior. Its a combo of snobbery and narrow-mindedness-- folks who let US News do their thinking for them.

[Anonymous]

It had a bad reputation 20 years ago when it was Elon College. I am from NC, and saying someone "should go to Elon" was the same as saying they're stupid. It was that college, the one you'd insult people with by saying that's where they should go because they're just soooo dumb, and then you'd throw in a couple of good "Your Momma" jokes and insult the Tar Heels or the Blue Devils, depending on who you were trying to put down. Hey, it was a small town and we had a long school bus ride!

But I've heard from people still in NC that Elon has worked hard to improve itself. I think some of the opinions you might get will be based on people's perception of the school when it was Elon College. Just make sure it's not pulling the same nonsense as another NC school, High Point University, which was featured as the poster child for "Schools that are not worth the money for any reason" in the new William Bennett book.

[Anonymous]

My son attends a local private that sends a few kids to Elon each year. The kids that attend are are at the bottom of the class - lets just say Elon is not included in the marketing materials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son attends a local private that sends a few kids to Elon each year. The kids that attend are are at the bottom of the class - lets just say Elon is not included in the marketing materials.

Exhibit A for typical DCUM snobbery. This person has no specific or direct information about the school, no idea what its approach to education is, but can't pass up the opportunity to assert that the students who go there are dummies and her little son or daughter is, of course, superior.

Another way to spin this: Kids who weren't successful in the grind of certain DC privates found what they needed at Elon, learned to love learning and went on the great success. You can't see this if you are fixated on your DC's college competition (and you clearly see it as a competition) but I can tell you having graduated from a Big 3, that many of the students in my class who were concerned the bottom of the class, found what they needed in their less prestigious colleges and have had hugely successful careers.

[Anonymous]

I meant considered the bottom of the class

[Anonymous]

I don't see why you'd spend $40K/yr for your child to go there unless you have no cheaper public in-state option. If you're motivated enough to succeed at Elon, you're motivated enough to find opportunities anywhere. I went to a school that has a beautiful campus and nice weather, and it's really not so bucolic if it's not a good fit academically and socially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see why you'd spend $40K/yr for your child to go there unless you have no cheaper public in-state option. If you're motivated enough to succeed at Elon, you're motivated enough to find opportunities anywhere. I went to a school that has a beautiful campus and nice weather, and it's really not so bucolic if it's not a good fit academically and socially.

In Virginia, the $40,000 would be worth it for our family because DD doesn't "fit" any state schools where she'd be accepted (or to say she'd love W&M but her chances of acceptance are remote).

[Anonymous]

So if the money is no problem, and you don't really care that much about the brand name (I would say VA Tech>Elon>JMU/ODU and Elon=University of Richmond, but that's just me), and you think it's a good fit and DC likes it, then I think it would be a fine choice. They seem to be trying really hard over at Elon to improve their school. I think it would be great to go to a school where the admin and prof's are actually working hard to make the school a nice place and really care about the university, and there is emphasis on making the students happy and giving them a good experience. Total opposite of my college experience at a name-brand school, that's for sure.

It's also close enough to drive but far enough away to give DC some freedom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see why you'd spend $40K/yr for your child to go there unless you have no cheaper public in-state option. If you're motivated enough to succeed at Elon, you're motivated enough to find opportunities anywhere. I went to a school that has a beautiful campus and nice weather, and it's really not so bucolic if it's not a good fit academically and socially.

In Virginia, the $40,000 would be worth it for our family because DD doesn't "fit" any state schools where she'd be accepted (or to say she'd love W&M but her chances of acceptance are remote).

Is there any specific program your DD is interested in at Elon? The reason why I'm asking is because I grew up close to Burlington. The area is a dump to put it charitably and about an hour away from anyplace interesting (the triad or the triangle). If your DD interested in coming to NC for college, what about some of the North Carolina Publics? With the stats now required for Elon, your DD would probably get into UNC Wilmington, UNC Asheville, Appalachian State, or NCSU. These are all in better locations than Elon and would be significantly cheaper even OOS. If your DD wants the LAC feel then UNCA might be a good choice. It's student population is comparable to Elon's and Asheville is a beautiful city. FWIW, I went to one of the public unis I mentioned earlier and was able to transfer to UNC-CH without too much difficulty, so if Chapel Hill is on DDs radar, that's one way to get in.