Features •7
6• F e a t u r e s
Scripps vs. State: Do I See What UC?
Freshman Perspective:
The Expectation vs. the Reality of Scripps Life
Kehaulani Jai ’15 Staff Writer
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o begin with, let’s establish a few things: first, this is simply a comparison between a private college and a public university. I’m not making a case for or against University of California schools as opposed to private colleges. In fact, I almost went to a to UC college myself. Also, you the reader are the judge here. I’m just the writer, trying not to succumb to bias despite my beautiful surroundings. With these thoughts in mind I interviewed two students at the University of California, Berkeley and a Scripps student, Juliana Canas (’16). From these students’ interviews, it becomes clear that this can’t simply be a superiority assessment of the “whose grass is greener?” sort (though if it were, our gorgeous grounds would undoubtedly take first prize). Indeed, Berkeley has its own unique character. Ian McGregor (’15) speaks of “a little creek” running through campus in addition to a few unique architectural features, drawing com-
parisons to East Coast universities. Likewise, to Vivian Nguyen (’16), Berkeley is “known as the poor man’s Ivy league school.” Yet Berkeley’s overall precinct contrasts starkly to the “picturesque” campus that Canas fondly describes. “Berkeley is urban. Very urban,” says Nguyen. McGregor recasts this urbanity in a different light: “it looks like they literally squeezed [Berkeley] into Oakland . . . I would definitely not choose this campus as an eyepleaser.” Another contrast is dining hall food. “It’s not that it’s bad,” says McGregor, “it’s that the prices at the on-campus cafés are just ridiculously high.” Nguyen doesn’t hesi-
tate to call Berkley food “pseudo food” any more than Canas does to call Scripps food “amazing.” Additionally, when asked how difficult it is to register for classes on a scale of one to ten (ten being extremely
photo | Pink Chutrakul ‘15
difficult), Canas says four, Nguyen says nine and McGregor goes off on a tangent: “If you’re smart, it’s pretty easy; if you’re dumb, it isn’t.” He never gave me a number. In the area of college preconceptions, Canas says she expected “a lot of parties” and “more boys in
class” but was surprised to find Scripps “so quiet.” According to McGregor, a more immediate party culture can be had at Berkeley: “Welcome Week is the week you go to frat parties . . . you thought partying happened in high school, but coming to college...(feel free to insert your favorite hyperbolic phrase here).” Nguyen, meanwhile, says, “A lot of people have to go to the hospital for alcohol poisoning, but it’s still fun. . . [Just] bring pepper spray [and] have common sense.” In the end, Canas says, “there’s no other college I would want to be at,” while Nguyen says, “I definitely like Berkeley so far.” Always the deep thinker, McGregor emphasizes the necessity of fitting his college’s culture, which he feels he doesn’t. Whether surrounded by fountains and gardens or protests and parties, “fitting in” ultimately depends on personal preference, finding your niche and embracing what ‘UC’ around you. Case closed.
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cripps students were in for an unexpected surprise this summer when news of an error in financial aid reporting was discovered. President Lori Bettison-Varga was forced to send out an email bearing an unpleasant realization for the Scripps community. The message, issued on June 28, stated that “average cumulative loan debt for graduating students for approximately 10 years” had been underreported by Scripps to the Common Data Set. Scripps “voluntarily provide(s) statistics for use in higher education publications,” Bettison-Varga assured students, and Scripps still strives “to meet 100 percent of documented student need.” But although this spares the school the ridicule and shame endured by Claremont-McKenna College last year following their SAT score scandal, the backlash of such an error still has repercussions. First, Scripps
was forced to conduct an external review of the issue, as well as a “forensic accounting of our student loan statistics” under the guidance of O’Melveny & Myers LLP, according to the email. Forensic accounting is a branch of accounting dealing with any anticipated legal action, as could be expected from falsification of data. Beyond these procedural measures, however, Scripps’ claims of integrity could be threatened by these kinds of oversights if they continue. Students in attendance last year at Scripps will remember an even bigger discrepancy with Scripps’ ranking in U.S. News & World Report. Scripps was ranked 29 on the list of Liberal Arts Colleges, a sixplace drop from the previous year. The first factor in this decline was an underperformance in six-year graduation rates for the freshman class entering in 2004. The other, however, was an error in reporting the number of students who graduated in 2010 in the top 10 percent
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good friends with fter a long year of aptwo girls rather than plications and susjust the one so it penseful waiting periods, worked out.” the freshly minted class of Other first-years 2016 are firmly established noticed discrepancies as the youngest members between their preof the Scripps community. conceptions and realThe wealth of infority. First-year Aidan mation provided by the Harley recalls that Scripps website, admiswhat she heard about sions office, campus tours, “socioeconomic and current students, informacultural diversity” is tion sessions, and regional not actually reflected welcome receptions paint on campus. a picture of what life could “I really feel that be as a Scripps student. But there are parts of are the notions freshmen Ariana Turner ‘16 evaluates the accuracy of the admission office publication. the Scripps commuhave developed a result of photo | Stephanie Steinbrecher ‘16 nity that were played these sources of information tunately mine is really small and has down by my tour guides and the adaccurate? “I decided on Scripps after a bunk bed. I didn’t even know there missions office. My roommates and I I experienced the Discover Scripps were such small rooms at Scripps. come from different places… yet we program. No other campus comLuckily I like my roommate and she have had almost identical cultural expared, in terms of how welcoming the is good with design!” periences,” she said. community was,” said first-year Kay Housing at Scripps surprised many The Scripps website declares that James. Like many prospective stufirst-years. “After seeing and hearing, the student body is composed of “28 about the wonderful housing, the idea of being in a triple was a little disappointing,” said first-year Ariana Turner. “I was surprised that I was placed in a triple just because a girl and I requested each other as roommates… but I ended up becoming
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No other campus compared, in terms of how welcoming the community was
Trouble in Paradise: Scripps Underreports Student Debt By Alexandra Vallas ‘15 Copy Editor
By Stephanie Steinbrecher ‘16 Staff Writer
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dents, James’ time at Scripps greatly influenced her and put Scripps at the top of her list. Since becoming a student, only one thing has changed her incredibly positive outlook about living at Scripps. “When I was on campus I saw a few large dorm rooms. They gave me high expectations,” James recalled. “Unfor-
photo | Caroline Novit ‘14
Sarah Olsen and Phoebe Maddox share a tattered ten dollar bill and cry as they are reminded of their immense student debt.
of their high school class. The college reported that 39 percent, rather than 70 percent, of students had graduated in this margin. This also affected the selectivity rating of Scripps, dropping from the coveted “most selective” to the lower “more selective” bracket. But Scripps students can rest assured that things are coming back together as the academic year begins. This year, Scripps is back to the top 25 liberal arts colleges, tied with Macalester College at the 24
My roommates and I come from different places… we have had almost identical cultural experiences
position. The Scripps community also currently is waiting to hear the outcome of the student debt review. Bettison-Varga offered her own words of reassurance in the email to the campus, saying, “We remain fully committed to our primary mission, which is to develop the intellect and talent of our students through a high-quality education.”
September 27, 2012 •The Scripps Voice •Volume XVI • Issue Two
Scripps freshmen cram for finals. photo | Caroline Novit ’14
tunately deceived after spending my first week here… almost everyone I know [goes] party-hopping and [is] dressed for the LA fashion scene,” she said. “I didn’t see any of that in the ‘small women’s liberal arts college’ brochures or on the website… my expectations may have been a little much, but the reality is just nowhere near what I expected.” While some first-years may be surprised by residential and social life, many feel that challenging academics
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The party scene is definitely not what I thought it would be given that Claremont is such a small, quiet town
by far exceeded expectations
have “by far exceeded expectations,” says Harley. After all, the learning experience is the primary reason many students choose Scripps. Rodriguez was enthused about the Art Conservation program, while James articulated her love for the supportive faculty and resources like the CP&R office. Firstyear Bethany Ho said she decided on Scripps because of the “small studentto-faculty ratio and the opportunity to minor in music in addition to having a science major.” Every Tuesday when first-years gather in Garrison Theater for Core I lecture, we are reminded of the main reason we are all here, and that is never disappointing. The transition to college life is rarely an easy situation. However, many upperclassmen will attest to the fact that everyone gets in the rhythm of college (and Scripps) life in time. The class of 2016 has been on campus for
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percent students of color” and boasts of the resources open to students of all ethnicities, cultures, religious, and sexual orientations and identities, but 28 percent is certainly not a majority and the lack of immediate diversity is detectable among first-years. Said Harley, “I hoped that coming to college I could perhaps meet women who could open my eyes to other experiences and give me some perspective. I’m sure I still can, but it seems they are simply a lot harder to find than the admissions brochures assured me they would be.” Similarly, first-year Abigail Rodriguez was initially surprised that student life that was very different from what she gathered it would be from information provided by Scripps. “The party scene is definitely not what I thought it would be given that Claremont is such a small quiet town,” Rodriguez said. “I felt unfor-
the idea of being in a triple was a little disappointing
less than a month, and it will not take long for students to find their respective niches. When asked what she would tell her high school senior self, James responded, “I would tell her to do her best and not to stress out, because an even better time is coming.” Despite misconceptions and unfulfilled expectations, few would contest the accuracy of this expectation.
September 27, 2012 •The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI •Issue Two