火爆社区

Bethany College in West Virginia is 鈥渁 very small liberal arts school鈥� with 鈥渁 rich history full of tradition鈥� and a 鈥渃lose-knit community of students, administrators, and faculty.鈥� 鈥淏ethany is a wonderful college if you鈥檙e looking for small classes.鈥� The administration and faculty 鈥渂ecome part of your college family.鈥� The top brass is 鈥渁lways willing to help.鈥� 鈥淭here is very little red tape to speak of when it comes to anything.鈥� Overall, professors are 鈥済ood at what they do,鈥� 鈥減assionate about teaching,鈥� and 鈥渟erious鈥� about 鈥渃hallenging students.鈥� The curriculum is 鈥渨ell-rounded.鈥� 鈥淭here are a lot of classes that I probably would not have taken if I did not have to, and now I am happy that I did,鈥� muses one senior. Also, all graduates 鈥渕ust complete a senior project and take comprehensive exams鈥� in their majors. It鈥檚 not easy, but in the end 鈥淵ou feel confident that you know about your major and can get a real job.鈥� There are 鈥渧ery good academic programs in education, chemistry and psychology.鈥� Students also say that Bethany has 鈥渁 good reputation for biology.鈥� The equestrian program 鈥渋s known up and down the East Coast.鈥� The one big academic complaint is that 鈥渟ome of the science facilities and computer labs are due for an upgrade.鈥�

Most students are 鈥淲hite鈥� and 鈥渇rom the local tristate area鈥� of 鈥淧ennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio.鈥� A typical student here is 鈥渨ell balanced academically, athletically, and socially.鈥� 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 very many atypical students, but they fit in fine.鈥� 鈥淲e all have to fit in because we are such a small school,鈥� adds a chemistry major. 鈥淚t is nice to be able to recognize and say hi to about 85 percent of the people you pass on the way to class,鈥� says one student. 鈥淓ven if you do not know the person, you still say hello.鈥� 鈥淭he student population could very well be split into Greek and independent students, or into athletes and nonathletes.鈥� However, 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 really uncrossable borders,鈥� observes a religious studies major. Students 鈥渋ntermingle and get along well.鈥�

Bethany鈥檚 鈥渂eautiful,鈥� 鈥渟ecluded鈥� campus in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains is 鈥渋solated from everything.鈥� Students describe life here as 鈥渇riendly and inviting鈥� and 鈥渟omewhat like high school.鈥� 鈥淢ost kids here play at least one鈥� intercollegiate sport. 鈥淧eople play intramural sports a lot鈥� as well. Bethany 鈥渂rings in entertainment and offers things to do,鈥� but mostly, 鈥淪tudents are forced to create their own fun.鈥� 鈥淒rinking plays a big role,鈥� 鈥渂ut students who choose not to participate are not harassed.鈥� 鈥淎 lot of people participate in Greek Life on campus,鈥� and frat parties are very common. Otherwise, 鈥淭o have fun, many people go to the only bar in the small, small town of Bethany.鈥� 鈥淲e usually just dance, hang out, and have a good time,鈥� explains one student. Complaints about campus life include the food, which 鈥渢astes terrible.鈥� 鈥淗ealthier meal options, such as chicken that isn鈥檛 more fat than meat鈥� would be an improvement. 鈥淭he hills on campus make it hard to gain the 鈥榝reshman 15,鈥欌�� but 鈥淎t night, it鈥檚 too dark to see and in the winter, too icy.鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 not the kind of place where you worry about getting mugged walking at 11:00 p.m., but you do worry about twisting your ankle.鈥� When students need a taste of city life, Pittsburgh is about 40 miles awa