G reen Mountain is a uniquely captivating place. As the Princeton Review noted about the school, “The typical Green Mountain College student would be atypical anywhere else.” For many, it is a safe haven where one can freely pursue his or her academic passions without having to jump through some of the commonplace, institutional hoops. However, this isn’t the case for everyone.
It’s no secret that GMC consistently struggles with a low retention rate. Back in 2007, 62% of the student body from the year before returned. That leaves the college with a lot of slots to fill, which can create a whole slew of different problems. Before diving in that, I took the time to catch up with some folks who are strongly considering leaving GMC after only being here one semester. They gave a refreshingly honest and clear line of reasoning as to why many students may unintentionally rushed into GMC a little too quickly.
“At first, it’s extremely captivating,” explained Make a Difference Scholar, Braden Thibodeaux. It is not often that someone who has a full-paid scholarship opts to duck out on a semester’s worth of frustration, but Braden assured me that he was well-grounded in his concerns. “I remember seeing a lot of pictures on the school website and Facebook. Upon visiting the campus for the first time, I realized it was really that beautiful”. Thibodeaux explained that, for the most part, the college does a fairly good job of accurately portraying itself to potential students who are willing to do a little investigating. Unfortunately, there are always some things you won’t find out about a place within a few days worth of evaluation. For Braden, a gradual, yet weighty realization aided him in rethinking GMC as his primary educational platform.
“Of all the things, quite honestly, the drug problem is one of my main complaints.” As unorthodox and potentially negating this idea is to the school’s reputation, perhaps this is one of the issues of which new students should be briefed—especially if it is hampering the academic integrity of otherwise motivated students. With the trusty use of a well-conducted survey, the college could fix this problem before it ever really starts by fairly informing students about the heavy drug use on campus. When I suggested to Thibodeaux that some would argue that the drug issue is exaggerated and avoidable, he countered with, “On two occasions I have found joints in the shower—the shower. That’s two times too many; to me, that is definitely abuse.”
In some ways, Braden wondered why he did not see it coming. “When I visited as a prospective student, I got this vibe that you could do, pretty much, whatever you want here and get away with it—academically and socially.” The drug problem may stem out of the general lack of pressure to withhold oneself on, really, anything. This, I think everyone would agree, has its finer and more dismal moments. Braden spoke not just for himself, but for others who are considering leaving the school as well. “For those of us wanting to leave, I think that initially students are intrigued and captured by the whole ‘Green Mountain way of life’, but are eventually burnt out and, to some degree, disgusted by it.” Thibodeaux explained that the liberal education model often translated, for him, to a degree of nonchalance, which ultimately inhibited the school from stressing the seriousness of its academics.
The Sophomore-level student made some useful comparisons between GMC and a state college he attended before coming here. “Sometimes the presentation matters a lot. My old college back in Texas had a police station on campus, the professors were pretty strict, and it adhered to a more conventional curriculum. The traditional setting I experienced at Lamar University motivated me to be more responsible. Not everyone needs that, but I’m realizing that without it your overall amount of success could hinge on how you feel later and whether or not you’re motivated. I’m not comfortable with that; at times, I am my own worst enemy.” Ultimately, Thibodeaux explained that the entire GMC experience was inhibiting to his sense of responsibility, which he values more than any amount of book-sense or scholarly knowledge.
Even if a student is academically satisfied with the school and generally accepting of the social landscape, other unsatisfied students feel constricted by the small-town setting. “It’s easy to get sucked into a lot of the interesting and open-minded people you meet here on campus before it dawns on you that Poultney is very isolated,” explained first-semester Freshman Carolina Leis. “I was a little overwhelmed by the emphasis on environmentalism. I realized that I am not as passionate about conservation as Aldo Leopold was and, while I’m okay with that, I’m not sure everyone else is.”
Ironically, while GMC is made up of the sort of characters who would be open to a healthy serving of campus diversity, there is an easily-identifiable, campus archetype—the neo-hippie, liberal-minded, conserving, farm-working, sort of folk. Granted, this may be a stereotype, but—as Leis would agree—a pretty accurate one.
“There is a lack of diversity on campus, in the classroom, and in the town.” Leis said. “Sometimes, it just feels like there’s not much to do around here other than stop by Shaw’s or Poultney House of Pizza… I decided to transfer to a school that would address all of these issues.” On a conclusive note, Leis explained that this seems like a college where “you are either totally in or totally out—if you’re somewhere in the middle, you probably won’t enjoy wondering where you ultimately stand.”
Wherever you stand in terms of the school, it is clear that these issues are important and that the constructive criticism and personal complaints from the student body are essential tools in refining the institution’s goals for the future. GMC is a provocative environment that fuels strong opinions on both sides of the fence. For Braden and Carolina, GMC enticed with an initial spark, but failed to accommodate them adequately for the long term. If this says anything, I believe it showcases the reality that college-to-student communication is not always as encapsulating and earnest as it needs to be, on both parties’ parts.
While avoiding this dilemma is the ideal scenario, actively working to do what is right for students—or young people altogether—is instrumental in ensuring them a solid academic and professional future. With that note, remember to wish Braden, Carolina, and anyone else who may not return to GMC good luck in their endeavors, whatever they end up doing. I say that confidently knowing that even the most ardent GMC apologist should be able to admit that it’s simply not the place for everyone.
