Drew University

Date: Jul 25 2004
Major: Political Science (This Major's Salary over time)
I figured I'd write this "review" so to speak, as an advice column for those in high school (or transfers) looking at Drew and other comparable schools. Drew and other institutions like it will appeal to some and turn off others…It's all a matter of taking an introspective look at yourself and what you want out of a school. Take the time while you're still in high school to really look at what you want out of a college and whether that school plays to your strengths and weaknesses. I made the mistake of not going into enough depth in my college search, and ended up focusing on and ultimately choosing a school (Drew) that didn't appeal to me. Ultimately, I decided to switch to a slightly less academically competitive state school here in New Jersey: in many ways, I feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders.

If you thrive in a highly competitive academic setting, where constant hand-raising and blathering in class are abound, and the grade/achievement/carrot is more important to you than understanding or grasping the material that you're studying, then Drew and places like it will appeal to you. If you detest such an enviornment, and prefer to learn at your own pace without that

pressure to perform,

then a school like Drew might not be for you, regardless of whether or not you can handle the work. Case in point: myself. I studied at Drew for the last two years and was able to maintain a decent (B average) GPA, yet dreaded going to class everyday and being conditioned to spout off answers to questions when called on randomly, simply out of fear of making a mistake. There was this constant struggle to avoid making any kind of mistake and to prove every day that you belong there from an academic standpoint. Eventually, I found it to be so obnoxious and distracting, that it became a hindrance to actually learning and understanding what I was studying.

I'd say somewhere around 80-90% of the students at Drew fit this "hyper-competitive" mold. While there are a number of smart kids there, the majority of Drew students aren't neccessarily that smart, but more hyper-competitive than anything else. Not only this but for most of these kids, Drew was a fifth, sixth choice behind whatever Ivy league schools they were turned down from. I know for a fact, because I'd spoken with many who said this, after I myself had admitted that Drew was higher on my list. So combine this with the cutthroat, hyper-achievement mindset that these kids have developed over the years and you wonder why people (both students and impartial observers alike) so often say the Drew student body is "apathetic."

Specifically, Drew has many good points. The professors (especially in the Political Science department) are excellent and easily accessible outside the classroom. I had maybe 1 bad professor in my four semesters. The campus is beautiful and maintained well for the most part and there seemed to be a number of active extracurricular clubs and groups on campus.

That said, Drew is NOT commuter-friendly in the slightest. 90% of the campus is residential and Public Safety goes out of their way to make sure commuter students are treated as second-class citizens. Parking is horrid, and Public Safety isn't afraid to simply take spots away from commuter students on a whim to accomodate junior and senior residential students, as well as faculty.

Again, my guess is that you'd get the most out of Drew if you're a highly competitive person academically, looking to live on campus and get the most out of the "college experience," and then go on to pursue teaching or a career in public service. If this is what you want out of school to prepare you for that kind of career, then Drew might be a perfect place for you. If not, I would look elsewhere. Again, my goal in writing this tome isn't to make one right or one wrong: It's to help you decide what you want out of college and what you want out of life as far as your financial future. But regardless of the choice you make, I would advise you to take your college search seriously: know your strengths and weaknesses, wants and don't-wants and look at a number of schools from differing academic settings. DON'T follow the trap set by your parents and teachers that the only way to financial success is through a highly competitive school. Don't be made to feel inferior or think that looking at a slightly less competitive school spells impending doom for the rest of your life. Many of the wealthiest people on this planet didn't even GRADUATE college, much less from a highly ranked school. Ironically, many of the Ivy League grads with 4.0 GPAS are the ones working for these college dropouts or perennial C students. With that in mind, I'd also advise you to get educated financially: something you can only gain from outside reading. Books about stocks, real estate investing as well as building businesses are good places to start. Good luck with your college search and if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at -B-