Paul, you indicated that your wife works at West Chester University. Since Fodors doesn't have a way to send members personal messages, I will have to use this forum to communicate. My daughter was accepted to the school. We toured the campus on a Saturday and I noticed that the campus was very very low key. Can you ask your wife to find out if a lot of the students leave or go home on the weekends? I really appreciate your help. I'm a mother I worry!

I can't answer [guessing you are right] but will say that when and where I went to college freshman year, it was like that - 90% of the students went home. I hated it! I left after that first year. The campus was dead on weekends. And although it was close to a large city, it wasn't one I wanted to venture to alone.

"Hello" and "Thanks" from Paul's wife. To address your question: Our WCU students include (a) a substantial number who commute, (b) a substantial number who live within a relatively short distance (a 1-hour to 2-hour drive) from the campus and for whom a weekend home visit is not problematic, and (c) a substantial number who live in the areas adjacent to the campus whose proximity to their residences may take them away from campus (but still close by). Additionally, a substantial number of students work at one or more part-time positions whose jobs take them from the campus into the community, especially on Saturdays. With that said, however, there are still many students routinely on campus on the weekends, as seen in the student apartment and residence hall occupancy. You are very correct that the campus seems "low key." Many students are in the library, while many are at the cultural events held on the weekends. We are not close to what I would call a "party" school (but we do have Friday p.m. and Saturday p.m. parties that occur that are not nearly as "wild" as those at other places where I have been a faculty member). There is a very active Greek system, but there appears to be much more emphasis on philanthropy and campus-based cultural activity than on the "party till the cows come home" mentality that I have experienced on some campuses in my work as a Greek system advisor. So, the bottom line is that a student who wants to remain on campus can find plenty to occupy his/her time if that is his/her preference. If you would like to communicate with me directly, I would be very happy to hear from you. Check out my contact information in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, for which I am the chairperson.

Deb, I'm chiming in briefly here only because I happened to attend a birthday party a couple weekends ago where one woman was talking about her twin daughters who both go to West Chester U., one of whom transferred there after being unhappy elsewhere her freshman year. Both daughters stay there on weekends (I'm not sure what type of residences they live in) and at least according to Mom, sounded quite happy.

I appreciate all your input. This college selection process is quite daunting. She's waiting to hear from Temple, Drexel and Towson before her final decision.