Cedar Crest College

Date: Jul 29 2014
Major: Chemistry (This Major's Salary over time)
I was overwhelmed and excited by the fact that the science department is top notch. If you want to go into the sciences, and you are a female, this place will push you to be the best woman scientist you will be. An excellent atmosphere, many teachers of all fields will remember you and know you. It's a great feeling. You will get pushed, and they have research opportunities that you should use to your advantage.

The buildings, especially Moore Hall need repair. This year, the second and third floors had a gnat infestation during the summer. It was aggravating to deal with the constant bugs that are in your room. When it comes to the water I don't know what is in it, but you can't make ice cubes with it. Those things leave your drinks with a weird aftertaste.

Since it is a small school, you will have people who just knows everything about everyone, including deep and personal information. That can be really annoying. The drama that goes down There is a lack of racial diversity that has to be acknowledged. But that isn't a problem. Many people are friendly, and there is a few clubs that you can join.

There is a strong LGBT culture , and many of the women there are lesbian, bisexual or bi-curious. I have met a few transgendered folks there too. Many of the women are very open with their sexuality, and that is something I had to deal with constantly. It's not a negative, and I don't mind what people do in their personal lives. However, sometimes it's frustrating to hear some of my peers call someone ignorant because of their personal beliefs about sexuality when they aren't blatantly attacking others. Some of the LGBT members do get preachy when it comes to their sexuality. I'm not ragging on them, it's just that people have to be fair with sexuality and beliefs. There are some ultra conservative people who are flat out ignorant. You have a little of everyone.

The food needs to improve. Badly. The food that is served upstairs in the Dining Hall is not even that great (I found a dead fly in my salad and a tree branch in my soup), so I didn't have a choice. The food at the Falcon's Nest is the same thing over and over again. They are also extremely overpriced, for very little food.

One of my personal gripes with Cedar Crest is their overemphasis on community service. I may get a lot of flack for this one, but it is really messing up my schedule as a rising sophomore. Some of the community service that they offer you is very demanding of your time, especially for science majors. I would prefer it if we can do it on our own time, not forcefully designate a generic schedule for all of the students to follow. Since I don't own a car, I can't travel long distances. It's completely unfair on the student.

This school is a good school, but every school has their faults. This what I experienced as a freshman, but I really love the school for the emphasis on women empowerment and education. The president, President Ambar, is AMAZING. Please meet her. Love her. She makes the school come alive. :)