(CMKC) Back in the mid-1980s, I spent three semesters at

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Date: Sep 05 2013
Major: Political Science (This Major's Salary over time)
Back in the mid-1980s, I spent three semesters at CMC, and it was very disappointing in a number of ways. My classmates were bright—there is no disputing that—but the college catered primarily to a loutish, self-satisfied, right-wing, white Southern California suburbanites with little imagination, taste or personality. Like at so many schools, sadly, getting plastered was the primary recreational activity. On more than one occasion, alcohol poisoning necessitated calling the paramedics. The crude conservatism (or, more accurately, right-wing politics) notwithstanding, drug use was pretty rampant too. Not long after I transferred out, several of my dealing dormmates were actually arrested in a police raid. The faculty and academics were quite good—I have to say that classes could be genuinely stimulating at times—but on the whole, the experience was ruined by the abysmal quality of life. The campus was, and is, hideous (although recently there has been a large spate of new construction, granted). Strictly speaking, this ought not to matter, but I always had the feeling that the extreme utilitarian ugliness somehow rubbed off onto the students' personalities. Or perhaps it was just a symbiosis. From what I gather, in recent years the college has supposedly grown more sophisticated and diverse; I cannot speak to that, but I wouldn't necessarily take the administration's word for it, either. CMC was very smug and wealthy back then, and nothing that has happened over the past couple of decades would seem to militate in the opposite direction. A substantial portion of the student body consisted of embittered Stanford rejects. For the amount of money the college charges, one ought to be able to find something far more stimulating…for example, go to Germany, learn German for a year, then attend a German university. The total travel and insurance expense would still far below what you'd have to shell out at CMC, and your horizons would be much more greatly expanded.

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You were there in the mid 80's, information that is completely irrelevant to a student looking for information about CMC now. Quit whining about your issues from 30 years ago and go watch The Breakfast Club or Sixteen Candles.

I must agree with the original comment; the campus is hideous. I went on a tour recently and I was not impressed. The faculty seemed great, but the tour guides were a horrible representation of what this school could be. First impressions mean a lot and I found this wasn't the campus I'd like to attend. That being said, people have a variety of viewpoints. It's always a wise decision to visit a campus.

It was true in the 80s and it's true now. Bunch of spoiled assholes. I'm looking to transfer after two years because they give a very generous amount of aid. Not easy for minorities to feel welcome, unless you are part of the 1%. Unless you want to major in Econ like the rest of these greedy prep boys then consider another institution.

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