Elon University Top Questions

For me, the best thing about Elon is the people. Students and faculty here are focused on an excellent education and help is always available when you need it. I don't think Elon is too small, which is often a reason people choose not to go here. I enjoy knowing my professors personally and having the opportunities that Elon provides. When I tell people I go to Elon I encounter blank stares. Because Burlington is a small town lots of people have never heard of the University. However, the Burlington community is a true college town where community members support student organizations and athletics. However, because of its size, there isn't much to do off campus. (But there is always somethinig going on on campus, and we are never bored.) Elon has a great deal of school pride. At any athletic event you will be surrounded by a sea of people showing off their maroon! I spend most of my time with friends either in my room/apartment or in the communications video editing labs. (Oh, the joys of being a communications major...) Elon's administration is the most helpful group of people I've ever come into contact with. Professors are willing to stay late to help students on an indvidual basis, and they always return e-mails within a few hours. Currently, the biggest controversy at Elon is its drinking policy. The administration doesn't like student drinking to put a negative light on the university. However, many college students drink, it's a fact of life. The most frequent student complaints normally deal with parking and food, both of which could be better. The experience I will always remember is studying abroad in Guam during Winter Term. I spent a month on the island with 15 other students recording a dying culture and doing service work with the island's elders.

I am only from 45 minutes away and I was very worried that I would be too close to home and that I would not want to stay on campus that much. This preconcieved idea is not true at all. Elon University could be considered the "Elon Bubble" because its students enjoy campus life so much! The size of the campus is PERFECT! Walking across campus is enjoyable because you will always see at least one familiar face but I am sure that when I am graduating there will still be so many students in my graduating class that I have never seen before in my life. The town of Elon does not consist of a whole lot but Burlington is only a few minutes away so students can easily travel a short distance to find every other need. There has been a lot of talk about the amount of alcohol use of Elon students, but I am sure the problem just seems larger because the school is small. Students are extremely responsible and this "contraversy" should not be hurting the schools reputation. When i see tours walking around campus, I have the urge to go up to every kid and tell them how amazing Elon really is. It is so wonderful. I could not see myself more happy at a different university. The weather is beautiful too!

Elon is GORGEOUS. You know how you wake up at 7 a.m. and are pissed off because you have to walk to class? Well, as soon as you set foot on campus, you'll automatically be in a better mood just because this place is so beautiful to look at. If you look at the guidebooks and pamphlets that the school hands out, you may think that the pictures are photoshoppped because they are so perfect, but if you visit, I guarantee that what you see is EXACTLY what you get. Elon is a great size. There are about 5,000 students, which means that you will always be meeting new people, but you'll see plenty of familiar faces walking around campus. The class sizes are small, which is a plus, and the professors really care about you and your education. Every single professor I've had knows my name and something about me because they take the time to get to know you. Elon's administration is very well run. Leo Lambert, the president, (we just call him Leo) has done a lot for the school, and the students love him. He's like a celebrity. But the good thing is that you will actually see him around campus every now and then. Elon is really into improving the quality of student life, from the food to the dorms, to the services provided. They are always looking for way to improve. The only bad thing (in some students' opinions) is that they are really cracking down on partying. Only four years ago, according to the seniors, the number of parties on any given night was double what it is now. The social scene is still very active, but I think we just have more serious students. I wish there was more pride in the athletics. Granted, the athletics simply aren't that great, but we don't have a lot of supporters aside from football games. And football games are more like social events than sports games. We have the "Phoenix Phanatics" though who are always there, rain or shine, decked out in red and gold, going crazy. There are about 200 of them altogether, and on a good day, most of them will be there. A few cute and unusual things about Elon: Supposedly, Elon means "oak" in Hebrew, so students are given an acorn as freshmen and recieve an oak sappling when they graduate. It's kind of corny, but I think it's cute. Also, we have the largest fountain in North Carolina on campus. Elon loves its fountains. And the entire campus burned down in 1923 and then was rebuilt, which is why our mascot is the Phoenix - we rose from the ashes.

The big picture? Elon is an amazing place to spend your college years. Its an amazing place to learn, with great professors who are willing to go out of their way to help you-- inside and outside of the classroom. It is full of great people, and I've made some of the best friends of my life here. I like the small/medium school feeling because the amount of people in my classes doesn't overwhelm me, but I don't feel like I'm in too small of a bubble. Sure, the Elon bubble exists, but you are going to get that at most schools this size that aren't near/in a big city. Burlington is an okay city to have close to campus-- you can get everything you need, as a college student, there because they have a big grocery store, Target, Walmart, and plenty of fast food places (I recommend Cookout for the best milkshakes ever!). I guess some people complain about the lack of diversity here, but all I can say is that they are working on it. I really don't notice the lack of diversity, so it doesn't really bother me, but that's because I came from a high school that was the same way. One complaint I have is that the freshman require health and wellness class is basically a repeat of everything you learned in high school health. Other than that, students have a big voice here in the overall operation of the school. If something needs to be changed or improved you can bet that they will have a large say in if and how that happens. Overall, I'm proud to tell people that I go to Elon, even if they have never heard of it before. I got into schools that are more reputable than Elon, but I picked to come here because of ALL the great things it could offer me, moreso than just a school with a recognizable name: atmosphere, fun, experience, engaged learning, small classes, great spirit, lots of networking connections, and more.

One of my favorite things about Elon is the campus itself. It is a state botanical garden, and is one of the most beautiful places in the South. Former President Clinton visited last week and said, "This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen...it makes me want to go to school again." Also, the study abroad opportunities are virtually unparalleld. Our "winter term" -- a month long mini-term, gives students the opportunity to take interesting classes on campus, or study abroad for a month period.

Elon is very much the center of town. There is not a whole lot to do off campus although you can find things nearby like the movies or bowling if you need a weekend off campus. Also if you have a car, you can get to the beach or the mountains relatively easily which is really great. There is a ton of school pride and with really good reason. The majority of students love this school. The teachers are wonderful, the campus is gorgeous, the people are friendly, and in general it's just a great place to be.

This school is just the right size for me. I see people I know everytime I got somewhere- but I don't know everyone so there are always new people to meet! Everyone is very friendly which is one of the initial things that attracted me to Elon- even people you don't know wave and say hi.

Personally I feel that Elon has changed way too much in the past two years. Having only been here for three years becuase I transfered, there has been so much more emphasis on business. I would have like to see the school stay the way that it was becuase it was much more fun to be at a college that had restrictions but did not bring the hammer down like they do now. My friends and I like to refer to Elon as the no fun zone. The size of the school is a good size, I think it could be a little bit bigger. Three years ago when I told people that I went to Elon they would always say "where is that. Now when I tell them they are oh really "I heard that that is a great business school" I have spent most of my time in the library while on campus. Not that I am a good student just that I have tedious work that is annoying. Other than that I am usually at my house or at the bar. The most recent controversy on campus that occured at the end of my Junior year. Sophmore and Junior year, we all used to be able to enjoy baseball games on the left field side line and torment the other players verbally and enjoy some drinks. Adults, and students could come together and enjoy a suitable baseball experience. Now there is a fence where we all used to hang out and a restriction has been placed on who can sit with that area. I personally think the attendence of the games has been struggling becuase of it. The most frequent student complaints that I hav heard is that there is nothing fun that we can get away with anymore. The administration is transitioning the University into a prestigous school and personally I am glad that I am leaving.

Elon is a perfect sized liberal arts school. The undergraduate enrollment is steady around 5,000 students which is small enough to feel a sense of community but large enough to constantly meet new people. For a smaller sized school we have plenty of resources and will gain more prevalent name recognition in years to come. The town surrounding is completely based off of the college campus however Greensboro and Raleigh are within driving distance.

Elon is the perfect size if you enjoy seeing at least one person you know wherever you go, while also seeing unfamiliar faces each day. It is a good size if you like personal relationships with your teachers, and a classroom of typically 20 students. Attendance is important here, you will not have any lecture classes. The Arts at Elon are fabulous; the drama program is one of the best in the country and the Art Studio for painters, potters, and digital artists is very nice. The football and baseball games are a lot of fun, and Greek Life is at its best at this institution. Elon University is the college you should select if you want to work hard, academically and philanthropically, and play hard too.