Top 5 things I liked, (strike that), LOVED about Transy as a prospective student!

5.) Holding Doors
I think I have mentioned this before, but one of the coolest phenomena I noticed at Transy as a prospective student was the incredible concern every student seemed to have about holding doors for one another. I know this sounds like a really silly thing to focus on, but it really showed me the closeness of the students on this campus and the general kindness that runs rampant here. Listen, when I say people hold doors here, I mean they hold doors like it’s their job. As a prospective student, I once saw someone neglect to look behind them until a door was already beginning to close on someone behind them, RUN back to catch the door before it closed and hold it open. Since I’ve been a student, I have caught myself doing the same thing without thinking.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Like any community, there are factions—I’m not trying to say that everyone loves everyone and there are never any conflicts—that would be silly, but the fact that even these factions and quarrelling parties can put aside their differences to uphold such common courtesy as holding doors proved that Transy and the community here was different, and I wanted to be a part of it.

4.) Greek Life

My high school classmates would have laughed if I told them that I wanted to be in a sorority—I’m just not the usual “type,” you know…the “type?” Anyways…the last thing I thought I would fall in love with at a college would be their Greek system. I loved how Transy did not have Greek houses, which I thought offered a lot more regulation and proved a greater emphasis on solidarity within the Greek community and a greater focus on academics and service. Also, some of the women I met here (from ALL the sororities, mind you) were women I looked up to--strong women, women who took school and service seriously. I loved that. It was just different. You could tell that members of greek life had their priorities in line here, unlike on a lot of campuses, and it was something I genuinely saw building up my life and enhancing my academic and philanthropic performance rather than hindering (not something I saw from other greek systems). I guess that’s why Transy is ranked among the top Greek Schools in the nation. That’s a pretty big deal, folks, and I think it becomes apparent WHY as soon as you stay on campus for a night or two!

3.) Location, Location, Location

Lexington is wicked sweet. I love this place. I love attending a small school in a relatively large town. That way, when I want to get lost, and not see anyone from my campus for a little while, I can do it! Not to mention, Lexington is spread out. It’s not so overly crowded that you can’t still see trees and grass and open spaces between buildings. It’s not SO spread out, though, that you always have to drive to get where you want to be. I can, for example, walk to 3 coffee shops, the public library, countless restaurants, the opera house, numerous art galleries, the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, Rupp Arena and tons of places to volunteer from campus if I so choose. I honestly couldn’t ask for a better location.

2.) Professors

I remember sitting in on classes when I came here for my overnight visit and thinking, WOW, this is not what I imagined, but it’s exactly what I want. I remember the first thing that the professors did when I walked in to sit in on their class was come up to me, shake my hand, introduce themselves and tell me when they would be in their office if I wanted to talk to them one-on-one. This kind of threw me off, because I was still under the impression that professors walked in the room, lectured, and walked out. This definitely doesn’t happen here. Every professor I have had so far derives great pleasure in helping their students. They are driven to help their students succeed and want that one-on-one interaction. I can’t tell you how many times a professor has saved me by sitting down with me in their office and listening to me talk out the problems I’m having with an assignment. Most of the time, just them sitting there and listening helps me talk the solution out to myself, but when I have been truly stuck, they don’t hesitate to offer up suggestions and encouragement (and sometimes even tea and cookies!) to help me along. They’re great and I don’t know that I have ever appreciated a group of people more than the faculty at Transylvania.

1.) Liberal Arts Education

One of the things I asked our University President, Dr. Shearer, when I came for my scholarship interview was, “Why is a private liberal arts education more valuable than, say, an education at a state school?” Well, I don’t really remember what he said, but it honestly doesn’t really matter what he said, because while I was at Transy, I lived the answer. During my visit, I sat in on a Foundations of Liberal Arts class, a Chemistry class, and an English class, and the common thing I noticed in each was the tendency to make reference to or use other academic fields to explain concepts in their own field. It was amazing to me how in the English class I heard a reference to a psychological phenomenon to question the believability of a character’s behavior, and what’s more—everyone understood what that student was talking about. I just saw countless examples of how a liberal arts education allows you to integrate ideas from across the academic spectrum to develop a more complete knowledge of the subject you choose to focus on here. It’s incredible, and it’s not something I think you could readily find at a larger institution. But don’t take my word for it! Come visit us and see for yourself!