A tight knit women's college community with plenty to do. Not perfect by any means, and not for everyone, but to those who find themselves here, it is a home. Welcome to the sisterhood.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
First, there are certain things you shouldn't come here for. This school isn't great for nursing majors, and if you crave constant male attention. This school teaches you that women can do anything they strive for, and that you can rely on the women there.
Second, be prepared to be busy. Orientation events, performers, information sessions, Learning Over Lunch, clubs, movie nights and dances. This place always has something for you to do.
Third, don't fret. If you are struggling, there will always be someone here to help you: your resident director, your adviser, the Dean, the President, the lunch lady, your big sis, your academic coach. Someone can, and will, help you. All you have to do is ask.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Converse provides some challenging courses. The honors program, especially, challenged me. They have a fairly extensive general education program, which is to be expected from a liberal arts school. They cover courses in a wide variety of areas, from The Economics of Middle Earth, to The Biology of Sexuality, to The Statistics of Games and Gambling. The classes will challenge you, but many will also catch your interest, and that is where their strengths lie.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
As usual, dorm rooms are not perfect. Small, poorly laid out, and with the age of the school comes the struggles of the aging buildings.
However, the environment is wonderful. Your best friends is right down the hall, or just upstairs. You can go to the kitchen and make what you want, you can hang in the media room, play air hockey in the lobby. Walk from Dexter and Pell to Williams, Belk, or Cudd, and see your big. Enjoy some TV, hang out. Study in the 24 computer lab in all the dorm buildings.
The senior apartments are to die for. Recently constructed, beautiful apartments, with full kitchens, living spaces, bedrooms and bathrooms for its residents. Trust me, many people put up with the dorms just to get to the apartments.
Also, the majority of amenities are provided, from laundry, cable, phone, printing, meal plan, everything. As a person who isn't from the Spartanburg area, and can't go home, this is perfect.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
Okay, I know what you're thinking. The dining hall can't be great. The food really is wonderful. The chef, Daniel, listens to our requests and tries to implement them. You can submit recipes that you want them to make or specific foods you'd like to see, and they will make them. The cookies and desserts are wonderful, and believe me, this is why the Freshman 15 is a thing. However, as with all dining halls, the food can get repetitive or boring, and there can be the occasional screw up when trying to feed so many people at one time. However, for times like this, there is the on campus Sub Connection, where you can use your meals to get subs, wraps, salads, or soup, instead of the dining hall food.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Like I said before: this place will keep you busy. Magicians, comedians, and musicians all perform on the regular. There are chorale recitals and musicals and open mic nights: and that's just at the school.
Spartanburg has plenty to do: Westgate Mall, restaurants and bars in downtown (just a stone's throw from the school), clubs and nightlife, like the ever popular South 29, and so much more.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Converse, a private women's college with an award winning model program, unbelievable comprehensive special education and deaf education program, lowered its tuition by 43%. It made the New York Times. This institution is for its students, and they certainly learned that with the tuition drop.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Oh goodness. We practically have to tell people that this school is not a cult because of all our weird traditions.
We have stories of ghosts, from duels in the school's bell tower, to a hall mother who still watches over her hall. We throw pennies onto the school's seal and Dexter Converse's grave for luck (oh, and you can't step on the seal).
We have Big Sis/Lil Sis week, where we are given a big sister who helps us along the way, but we wear the attire for our class (odd numbered years are the Red Devils, and even numbered years are the Pink Panthers).
We fountain hop, trying to jump into each and every fountain on campus. Its harder than it sounds, and yes, it's allowed.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
This school is great for a student who wants a good support network, who wants to be challenged; a student who wants to be well rounded and well versed.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
OUR CLUBS RULE OUR CAMPUS!
Seriously.
The Converse Activities Board plans and runs almost everything.
The clubs run sales and events, parties and dances, you name it.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Sorry, we can't help here.
Converse may have no Greek life, but we refer to the school as one big sorority.
We have orientation, we do Big Sis/Lil Sis, we have mixers and events to meet each other: we even have events that you would not expect to be school sponsored: casino nights, Halloween parties, big overnight blowouts.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
This school makes safety a priority. All dorms are under double locks, with all access cards requiring a key code to gain entrance, and all academic buildings after a certain time require this as well. Most dorm rooms have safety locks, so that if the door is closed, it is locked, and that's it. Campus safety will drive you back to your dorm room from anywhere on campus, whether it be a dorm building, the library, or the entrance of the school.
A tight knit women's college community with plenty to do. Not perfect by any means, and not for everyone, but to those who find themselves here, it is a home. Welcome to the sisterhood.
First, there are certain things you shouldn't come here for. This school isn't great for nursing majors, and if you crave constant male attention. This school teaches you that women can do anything they strive for, and that you can rely on the women there. Second, be prepared to be busy. Orientation events, performers, information sessions, Learning Over Lunch, clubs, movie nights and dances. This place always has something for you to do. Third, don't fret. If you are struggling, there will always be someone here to help you: your resident director, your adviser, the Dean, the President, the lunch lady, your big sis, your academic coach. Someone can, and will, help you. All you have to do is ask.
Converse provides some challenging courses. The honors program, especially, challenged me. They have a fairly extensive general education program, which is to be expected from a liberal arts school. They cover courses in a wide variety of areas, from The Economics of Middle Earth, to The Biology of Sexuality, to The Statistics of Games and Gambling. The classes will challenge you, but many will also catch your interest, and that is where their strengths lie.
As usual, dorm rooms are not perfect. Small, poorly laid out, and with the age of the school comes the struggles of the aging buildings. However, the environment is wonderful. Your best friends is right down the hall, or just upstairs. You can go to the kitchen and make what you want, you can hang in the media room, play air hockey in the lobby. Walk from Dexter and Pell to Williams, Belk, or Cudd, and see your big. Enjoy some TV, hang out. Study in the 24 computer lab in all the dorm buildings. The senior apartments are to die for. Recently constructed, beautiful apartments, with full kitchens, living spaces, bedrooms and bathrooms for its residents. Trust me, many people put up with the dorms just to get to the apartments. Also, the majority of amenities are provided, from laundry, cable, phone, printing, meal plan, everything. As a person who isn't from the Spartanburg area, and can't go home, this is perfect.
Okay, I know what you're thinking. The dining hall can't be great. The food really is wonderful. The chef, Daniel, listens to our requests and tries to implement them. You can submit recipes that you want them to make or specific foods you'd like to see, and they will make them. The cookies and desserts are wonderful, and believe me, this is why the Freshman 15 is a thing. However, as with all dining halls, the food can get repetitive or boring, and there can be the occasional screw up when trying to feed so many people at one time. However, for times like this, there is the on campus Sub Connection, where you can use your meals to get subs, wraps, salads, or soup, instead of the dining hall food.
Like I said before: this place will keep you busy. Magicians, comedians, and musicians all perform on the regular. There are chorale recitals and musicals and open mic nights: and that's just at the school. Spartanburg has plenty to do: Westgate Mall, restaurants and bars in downtown (just a stone's throw from the school), clubs and nightlife, like the ever popular South 29, and so much more.
Converse, a private women's college with an award winning model program, unbelievable comprehensive special education and deaf education program, lowered its tuition by 43%. It made the New York Times. This institution is for its students, and they certainly learned that with the tuition drop.
Oh goodness. We practically have to tell people that this school is not a cult because of all our weird traditions. We have stories of ghosts, from duels in the school's bell tower, to a hall mother who still watches over her hall. We throw pennies onto the school's seal and Dexter Converse's grave for luck (oh, and you can't step on the seal). We have Big Sis/Lil Sis week, where we are given a big sister who helps us along the way, but we wear the attire for our class (odd numbered years are the Red Devils, and even numbered years are the Pink Panthers). We fountain hop, trying to jump into each and every fountain on campus. Its harder than it sounds, and yes, it's allowed.
This school is great for a student who wants a good support network, who wants to be challenged; a student who wants to be well rounded and well versed.
OUR CLUBS RULE OUR CAMPUS! Seriously. The Converse Activities Board plans and runs almost everything. The clubs run sales and events, parties and dances, you name it.
Sorry, we can't help here. Converse may have no Greek life, but we refer to the school as one big sorority. We have orientation, we do Big Sis/Lil Sis, we have mixers and events to meet each other: we even have events that you would not expect to be school sponsored: casino nights, Halloween parties, big overnight blowouts.
This school makes safety a priority. All dorms are under double locks, with all access cards requiring a key code to gain entrance, and all academic buildings after a certain time require this as well. Most dorm rooms have safety locks, so that if the door is closed, it is locked, and that's it. Campus safety will drive you back to your dorm room from anywhere on campus, whether it be a dorm building, the library, or the entrance of the school.