I
believe that there is a lot good about Drew, but
I have become increasingly disappointed with the college because of
changes in the last decade. The Good —
The college provides a good education, many of the professors
are excellent, and the campus is very safe and beautiful.
Because of the college's small size, it's very easy
to get leadership roles in extracurricular activities. The Political
Science and Theater Departments are truly outstanding.
The
Bad — There is a lot of red tape for
small school. Housing is guaranteed for four years, but
room selection, and get repairs done is a royal pain.
Health Services is quite unprofessional, and I recommend going to
an off-campus physician or clinic.
The Ugly(e.g.,things that have
deteriorated in recent years)
(1) Computer Initiative — Drew was
well-known for giving every student a laptop as part of
the Tuition. Program was ended, and now college will
sell a laptop if an incoming student wants one.
(2)Social Life & Policies — Drew was never a party
school, but treated its students like adults. In the
late 1990s, the alcohol policy was lenient, and so the
college had some social life. Now, Drew has one
of the strictest alcohol policies in the state (hundred of
students issued citations each year), and most students leave campus
on the weekends or just watch TV.
(3) Class Sizes
& Professor Accessibility — Classes sizes have gone up in
the last decade, and the school now uses a decent
amount of adjunct (part-time) professors. An incoming students should
expect to have some larger classes (>50) during their first
two years.
(4) Costs and Financial Aid — Drew is
the most expensive college in New Jersey (even most expensive
than Princeton!). A year at Drew costs $52,500 not
including books and personal expenses. The school used to
give out a lot of scholarships and financial aid, but
that has been reduced in recent years.
Advice —
If your family has a lot of money or you
are able to get a lot of financial aid, Drew
may be the right choice particularly if you like theater
or want to go into politics/public service. If you
really can't afford Drew, I very strongly advise against going
into debt to come here. It's really not worth
it.