Grove City College

Date: Apr 28 2009
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
Grove City is a unique place. I had a great four years there, but oftentimes found myself frustrated with the bureaucracy of the administration.

The school views its role as "in loco parentis" - in the place of the parent - which is why they institute the rules such as same sex dorms, intervisitation rules, no alcohol on campus, etc. While a good number of students break these rules, it still sets a standard at the college which gives it a sense of integrity that is difficult to find at your standard university where it's an absolute free for all. And even though I didn't always fall in line with these rules, I am still grateful that these standards were in place and upheld.

If you're looking for a social life, you're either regulated to Friday night ice cream socials and board games, or Greek life. I went the Greek life route, and was really happy with it. Of course, this depends on which group you join, and you'll see that some sororities and fraternities are just glorified Bible studies while others can rival Animal House. Parties are underground and hard to come by unless you're in the proverbial "circle of trust." There is a bit of tension between independents and Greeks on campus, and everyone is pretty clique-ish.

The school likes to censor any negative news, so if you're entering Grove City with rose-colored glasses, you can choose to either keep them on or take them off. Many of the negative reviews of GCC come from students who shouldn't be at Grove City in the first place. It's a school dedicated to a Christian education, and if they don't like it, they really should transfer. The academics are pretty difficult, and sometimes seem worthless. Professors are a hit and miss - some are absolutely fantastic while others will subject you to 'death by PowerPoint.' There is rarely any class discussion because a lot of professors think that it's best to cram your head with as much information as possible instead of actually allowing you to process that information. I think that was the biggest downside to the classes: Most students are just going for the 'A' instead of having a desire to learn.

All in all, I really valued the education that I received here and I know that I am better educated than many of my peers who didn't receive the classic liberal arts education from state schools. You also can't beat the tuition. The social scene is lacking but still exists if you join the right group. Yes, most students are Christian and Republican, so if you share that same view, you will thrive here. If not, look elsewhere - you'll end up writing ridiculous, angry reviews just to vent your frustration.