Providence College

Date: Jul 01 2008
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
It is true that PC is a conservative place; there are a lot of deeply religious students on campus and a lot of Republicans (yes they do actually exist on college campuses, I was surprised too). There are parietal rules about the dorms, and while they are somewhat annoying, you can almost always get around them if you're enterprising enough and practically everyone does. That said, they only apply during the first two years when you live in dorms—the apartments on campus have no such rules. When I was there, they really only applied to the female dorms.

All I can say about the parietal system is that you will look back on it after college fondly. PC is a quaint type of place where chivalry is still encouraged. Male students hold doors, walk their dates home at night, and still go on actual dates—very different from what I experienced at the state university where "date" consisted of a kegstand at a frat and, if all went well, a groping session before the blackout set in. Providence is not like the state u; there are no frats or sororities and, in this respect, very little cliquishness. You will know most of your class when you graduate.

Providence is a school that will make you into a gentleman or a lady—slowly and imperceptibly over four years—and when you graduate that mark will stay with you. There is a sort of "cookie-cutter" image to many PC grads, but it is really only the mark of refinement and manners that stands out because Providence does leave that mark while other schools do not. Providence grads are respectful, honest, honorable, intelligent, witty, and clean-cut; grads leave here as genuinely good (maybe a bit too idealistic, if that is a drawback) human beings and because of this, they stand out.

I didn't think the Catholicism was overbearing, but if you are hyper-sensitive to religion and school mixing, you might be a tad uncomfortable at first. I came from a public high school, as a dyed-in-the wool FDR Democrat and an open atheist. I also came to PC with an open mind and I realized right away that the religion on campus is a mix of window-dressing (crucifixes in the classroom, for example) and Church history (western civ and theology courses). I was never proselytized to or pressured to convert or accept Christianity and most of the religion in the classroom is in DWC where you learn how Christianity and the Catholic Church evolved throughout and influenced the course of western history. As a non-religious person, I found this to be one of the most valuable parts of my education because the truth is that for over a thousand years Catholicism had enormous impact on the course of European history; secular schools that gloss over or ignore this fact are not doing their students any favors. Nevertheless, even in DWC, religion is never taught like I imagine Sunday School would be; mostly it is taught historically.

The core curriculum is rigorous and very broad. DWC focuses on the western cannon and, especially if you are in the Honors Program, you will read the most important works from Herodotus-->Sartre. You will know the great books, the great philosophers, and the course of western history; PC puts this all together in a single two-year course that really gives the student context. You will write a lot of papers and read a lot more than most of your friends that go to other schools, but you will leave PC with the confidence that only such a challenge can instill.

PC students do enjoy an active social scene. There's a lot of late nights spent at seedy nearby bars and neighborhood parties. There is a lot of bonhomie and bonding that the party atmosphere brings on the weekends and it is different than partying at a massive university because you know most of the people you go out with. Naturally some students go overboard but most just sow their wild oats and that's it. PC has several formal events—a "Junior Ring Weekend" and a Commencement Ball which are both black tie events and which most students attend.

Like I said, PC does leave a mark—the respect and deference students show their professors and their peers continues after commencement; "unfortunately" you will be a gentleman or a lady for the rest of your life.