Dale
Denison is very small. Extremely small. At 2,100 students, it is the size of some large high schools. Also, it is secluded and is on top of a beautiful hill. Granville is beautiful but it is home to a lot of families, and is not ideal for college students. Because Denison is so secluded, there is a great sense of community. I noticed this last year after minority groups felt that they were being attacked on campus. The entire campus came together and listened to one another- which was extremely powerful. Another powerful moment of community was when we tragically lost a member of our campus to a car accident. Because Denison is so small, almost everyone knew or knew of this student, and came to the candlelit vigil.
The problem with the small size and seclusion of Denison is that there are only so many people. Rumors travel fast and catty high-school style gossip is definitely present. Also, you see the same people everywhere, which can be good except if you are not good friends with someone and would prefer not to see them everywhere.
Samantha
Well, Granville is a pretty boring town, but we have a kickass ice cream place. There's nothing entertaining to do at Denison unless you like to be constantly wasted or want to drive 30 miles to Columbus. The campus is pretty, but it's on a big hill so it's windy as hell up there. It's treacherous in the winter time, as the roads are all covered in ice; I've seen several cars get stuck trying to get up the hill. Bring your tire chains.
Brian
The best thing about Denison is the small community feel. People really get to know a significant portion of campus while spending time there. While a smaller school isn't for everyone it is something that Denison has to offer. One thing that I would like to change would be to have more people attend sporting events. It seems hard to get people to attend these events only because with over 150 student groups on campus there is a lot going on so people usually have their own commitments during games. Granville is a quaint college town that is nice and safe and there is plenty nearby to do as well as a good number of on campus events.
Heather
The best thing about Denison is definitely the academics. Almost every professor I've had has gone out of their way to help students and to make themselves available to talk, whether it's about class or just life in general. The advising process is fantastic - my first advisor was too busy to meet with me, but after choosing a new advisor, I discovered why so many students love their advisors. Your advisor will meet with you any time you need to, and often will invite you to dinner at their home or have lunch with you on campus. It's very comforting, especially as a freshman when sometimes you need to vent about a difficult class or your crazy roommate.
The school is the perfect size, in my opinion. I always see people I don't know, yet many faces are familiar, which is comforting. Students complain about the small size, but in the end, they seem to acknowledge that the small size makes Denison what it is. Granville is the smallest town I've ever seen (with only Kenyon's Gambier beating it out for smallest town in the world), yet the restaurants are great and the town is overall a nice place. Students don't do much in Granville for fun, but it's nice to be close to other eating options.
I feel the administration at Denison does its job well. Everyone in the Registrar's office is extremely helpful; they'll take the time to fix your schedule with you or help you fill out paperwork for other things. Even the Registrar himself will help you out. Academic Support, Residential Life, and the President of the university himself are all very available and willing to speak with you.
Ryan
If you are one of the half dozen or so commuters, you will always have to park in the furthest parking lot, because Denison does not have commuter only parking.
Lauren
the best thing about Denison is the opportunity to develop close, meaningful relationships with professors who truly care about your success. Denison is the perfect size; i know a lot of people from all departments and interests, but it doesn't feel smothering. most other people my age have no idea where Denison is, but other adults i talk to are always impressed and mention a friend or relation who went there. i spend a lot of my time in fellows, the 24 hour computer lab, and slayter, the student union. Granville is small, but there are some cute restaurants and shops and lots of charm. it's also close enough to Columbus to go into the city for entertainment. the administration is very approachable and consistently listens to student concerns. in November, we had a campus wide forum about diversity issues on campus. a few stupid students had been harassing others and we as a student body decided we wouldn't stand for it and we united together in opposition to hate. everyone seems really proud to be at Denison, we there's not as much school spirit in the traditional sense of caring a ton about our sports teams.
Ainsley
Since I'm from NY, most people haven't heard of Midwestern schools, so they assume I go to a bad school. They classes are pretty hard and the professors all expect a lot from their students. A lot of the time I feel like I'm in high school because the student body is so small. The campus is beautiful, especially in the spring or right after a snowfall. I hate the gym because the facilities are pretty bad (considering this school is so well-endowed, it's pretty ridiculous). Gossip travels like wild-fire here; one can't keep anything secret for long. The boys suck.