Emily
Eckerd is absolutely amazing! Sometimes I honestly think my number one complaint is that it is too amazing, which can be a slight bit distracting. The academics can be difficult, but as long as your willing to talk to your professors, most are willing to help you succeed! Not to mention they are interesting. From the wonderful marine science program to interesting liberal arts classes, there are many cool majors to choose from. Also, the people here are wonderfully laid back which makes the school truly feel like a community.
Harper
Personally, Eckerd was not the right school for me. However, many people here love the school. In order to fall in love with the school, you must be a druggie. seriously. The drug scene here is out of hand. People do hard core drugs on the weekends save their pot for the weekdays. I have only been here for a semester and the party scene is already getting old.
I hate to say this but the people here aren't very nice. Especially the girls. Everyone forms their own cliques within the first week and if you aren't in one, then you are screwed and have to work extra hard in order to make friends.
The smallness of the school has really gotten to me, I wish that the campus was bigger. Oh the campus, thats a whole different topic. It has a great location, a waterfront and a "beach" but the campus buildings are not the best. You would think they would be since the school is just fifty years old.
Eckerd was voted the second pot school in the nation (by the princeton review, i believe) and it definitely shows through. The only common thread between the awkwardly diverse student body is everyones passion for pot, and, trust me, it gets old. If you don't smoke pot then this school is not for you.
One thing that truly bothers me and might be the reason why I am transferring is the fact that most of the students here aren't very intelligent. A lot of kids seem to think that they are going to summer camp (autumn term is sometimes nicknamed as "summer camp") and its shows. I truly believe that this school would be better if it was more selective. It has great potential but, unfortunately, it didn't work out for me.
Joe
Frankly, I would not change one thing about Eckerd. My experience at Eckerd is the best thing that has happened to me, and I know almost every one of my friends feel the same way. The lifestyle at Eckerd is extremely laid back, full of sunshine and just hanging out with friends. The dorm life is great, each dorm basically becomes a family.
If I could change one thing it would be to get ride of our new "head of security" because in the last 3 years he has really taken things down hill. I mean this in the way that he thinks that enforcing certain rules make the student body feel safer, when all in all it just makes life a pain in the ass.
School pride varies, if you're big into sports you will find the kids that have a lot of school pride, but if you live say in Kappa, you don't believe that sports actually exist at Eckerd.
I really wish that I could sum up Eckerd in a simple way, but frankly I cannot think of one way to describe it. The lifestyle is like nothing you will ever experience, you are living in the "Eckerd Bubble" as people like to call it. Since Eckerd is a closed campus, meaning that there is only one entrance onto campus and you must drive through security in order to get on, you can feel very safe. There are some robberies on campus, but I for one have not locked the door to my room for several years and have never had a problem. If you're laid back, love the sun, and don't mind hanging out with a bunch of kids, having a bit to drink, and smelling a lot of select herbs, then Eckerd is perfect for you.