Overall Experience
For the majority of Davidson students, the net result of their college experience is highly favorable. Students here do occasionally get frustrated, and there is no question that each and every Davidson student has moaned about his or her workload at some point during his college career, and with good reason. Even so, most realize that the rigorous academics here are what give Davidson its tradition of excellence, and that all their hard work is, in the end, well worth the name on the diploma. Davidson is a work hard/play hard community, and there’s no question that you’ll put in some substantial hours at the library, but you can also expect to let loose on the weekends.
When assessing whether Davidson is a good school for you, it’s important to determine how the pros and cons line up with your own expectations for your college experience. Don’t come here expecting the endless beer-fest you’ll find at larger state schools like NC State because it’s not going to happen. Don’t come here expecting a student body with great ethnic diversity because you’re not going to find it. Don’t come here expecting enormous big-school facilities with endless food courts and 70,000-seat stadiums because they simply don’t exist. You will find, however, that the school personally caters everything to the needs of its 1,700 students.
What you can expect from Davidson is an outstanding community of students who respect and trust each other. You can expect a lake and a sprawling green campus disproportionately huge in comparison to the size of the student body. You’ll find a D-I athletic program, complete with a D-I-caliber sports complex that most small liberal arts colleges would drool over. You’ll find yourself face-to-face with even the most celebrated athletes on a day-to-day basis, and they’ll be headed to the library just like you. You’ll soon recognize the faces around you, and you’ll find that after a little while, few people are strangers. You can expect to have a good time drinking and partying, but it will not rule your life at college. You can expect some good-looking guys and some good-looking girls, with intelligence to boot. Most of all, you can expect top-notch academics, taught by top-notch professors in top-notch facilities, which all contribute to an interactive and personal learning experience that’s simply unparalleled.
There’s a lot to look forward to at Davidson. And, as you’ll find when you graduate, even more to look back on.
