3.0 to 3.3 (GPA) Parents Thread (2012 HS Graduation)

Parents Forum
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<p>RWU Accepted Students Day: Overall this was a good visit. They almost lost my son right at the start . . . two hours of sitting in the dark listening to really uninspired opening remarks . . . I mean, it was fine; it was just very generic, they could have been talking about any school – small classes! study abroad! your professors will know you! study abroad! So much about study abroad . . .WHY must every college put so much emphasis on study abroad – doesn’t almost every college now have study-abroad opportunities? Anyway, my S doesn’t care about study abroad (he may end up doing it but it’s not a factor in his college decision) – and the appeal to him of RWU was that it’s twice the size of the LACs, but the speakers kept calling it a “small college” and talking about close relationships with professors etc. and S was grumbling angrily that he doesn’t want to go to a college that’s like a high school. I thought he was going to insist on leaving then and there, but things did improve after that.</p>

<p>We had a tour . . . the tour guide was super sweet but kept saying, “This is your tour, so tell me which buildings you want to see,” and I kept saying, “Well, we’ve never been here before, so I don’t know what there is to see . . . what do you think is worth seeing?” Then we saw the dorms; they were fine, not beautiful, not horrible. The campus is right on the water, so a lot of the dorm rooms have water views. One dorm we visited had a sign up saying something to the effect of, “please lock the bathroom door if you are having sex in the shower.” I decided not to bother asking if the bathrooms are co-ed. :o</p>

<p>I chatted with a couple of students who work in the tutoring office . . . there is a LOT of support available. I think someone already wrote this – there is a tutor assigned to each math class, and the tutor actually attends each class and takes notes, so knows exactly what was covered in class. I was really impressed with that. </p>

<p>I was worried about the “Rich White Underachievers” reputation. It is definitely very white, not much diversity in evidence. If the kids are rich, they weren’t flaunting it on Sunday afternoon – almost every single kid on campus was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt. Very casual.</p>

<p>The location is pretty good. Bristol has a small “downtown” area with shops and restaurants, but that is about two miles from the campus. I don’t know if the school runs shuttles there – nothing was said about this, that I heard. Providence is 20 or so minutes away; there is a public bus that stops on campus and goes to Providence every hour or so; freshmen get a free bus pass. Newport is also very close.</p>

<p>At this point, I feel the way I did before I saw the campus – if S is going to refuse to consider the LACs that accepted him, this is the next best option. He and I felt the same way about it – liked it but didn’t fall in love, didn’t have that gut feeling that he belongs there.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the report simpkin. I am not convinced of the value of accepted student days yet…your report has been helpful.</p>

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<p>Congrats, Snowflake on SLU, excellent school, one of my kids is an alum.</p>

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<p>Sing along with me now: Money, money, money, MO-ney, MO-NEY!</p>

<p><a href=“In Study Abroad, Gifts and Money for Universities - The New York Times”>In Study Abroad, Gifts and Money for Universities - The New York Times;

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<p>The article points out that most of the study-abroad programs are run by third-party entities anyway, not the colleges themselves. So I don’t understand why it’s promoted so heavily to potential students as if study abroad was something special and unique to that particular college.</p>

<p>Someone on CC had the theory that some colleges promote study abroad so hard because they wouldn’t otherwise have enough housing.</p>

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<p>I can see where study abroad might seem that way - but actually a lot of kids study abroad with other schools’ programs, so it’s not really a way for their college to make more money off of them. Actually, my D’s study abroad cost several thousand dollars LESS than a semester at her regular school (including the travel expenses), and we didn’t pay her school a penny. My guess in this day and age it’s considered attractive that study abroad is available, so it’s just a general selling point.</p>

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<p>My D and I were also at accepted students day at RWU, and it was quite an eye-opener for her! For some reason, she just didn’t feel it this time - this was our 2nd visit. But the clincher for her was the student only seminar - no adults allowed. (Simpkin - did your S attend this?) D says she knows there will be drinking on any campus she attends, but was taken aback that that was all that was talked about in a 1 hour session! How to sneak it on campus, how to fool the RAs (though they are usually in on it, according to the current students.) D just didn’t feel like it was the right fit for her. so I would say that accepted student days do help - she didn’t get this feeling the first time she visited, and it is a feeling of relief for me that we did visit again!</p>

<p>Simpkin - they do run RWU shuttles into Bristol.</p>

<p>After the accepted students day, we drove to Quinnipiac. Our contact there set us up with a student on Sunday, and we did another tour, ate lunch with her, saw some areas we didn’t see when we visited in the summer, and were able to observe the current students. D really liked the school, and had a much better feeling about it. So now it’s down to QU and Bryant. At least the decision is getting closer!!</p>

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<p>He did go to that. He told me about it but I didn’t realize that was the entire focus of the discussion. Lovely. Not a deterrent to my kid, unfortunately.</p>

<p>I’m glad you’re getting closer to a decision – I don’t feel like we’re approaching clarity here, at all.</p>

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<p>simpkin and EmmyBet, if you read further into the articles (and many others have been written), the kickback/incentive goes from the third party provider to the college. So at least the student, for once, isn’t gouged. But competition among all the 3rd party companies has increased the potential for it becoming a profit center for the colleges. So the colleges are basically saying “Pick a program, ANY program, but pick a program and study abroad.”</p>

<p>newtothismom, some part of me appreciates the candor but whoa…</p>

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<p>I can’t access that article, sorry. I guess you just have to look carefully into what program you use. My D’s program was directly through another university, and we paid tuition to that university (and the credits were from that university, which transferred to hers). If they wanted to share the money with her university, that was their choice, but it still was a drop in the bucket compared to what her school would have gotten if she’d stayed there all of junior year. Since her school required 8 semesters of study, I can’t feel like they would consider study abroad a money-maker for them in any way. Really, even with a kick-back, they lose money when students go.</p>

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<p>What puzzles me about the increasing emphasis on study abroad options is that it seems like such a disconnect from our still shaky economy and job market that so many colleges talk more about study abroad than helping students find jobs. Although some schools try to sell them to parents on the basis of employers liking applicants with overseas experience, I doubt kids think in those terms.</p>

<p>Of course, throughout the recession, it has been rare to read on CC of parents telling their kids to focus on schools’ job placement records as much as their sports teams.</p>

<p>I know many kids have a wonderful time abroad and that the cost may be less than the regular cost of their colleges. I wonder, however, whether that time abroad is nearly as much about learning or gaining job skills as it is about hanging out in fun cities.</p>

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<p>^^interesting point yabeyabe…was just told this weekend that at D1’s school (Syracuse), students are being encouraged NOT to study abroad during the Spring Semester of their junior year anymore due to need to use that time to find Summer Internships…</p>

<p>Some schools, including Syracuse (and Elon) highly encourage internships when students go abroad…so, in a way, that would be gaining job skills I imagine…</p>

<p>But I “get” your point…well taken…</p>

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<p>Hi Rodney</p>

<p>I think the internships abroad are a good idea. In those European countries which have a " business city" and a “fun city”, it is interesting to compare how likely the kids are to go to the business city (Frankfurt, Milan, Madrid) vs. the fun city (Munich, Florence, Barcelona).</p>

<p>I respect that kids may well be right that it is a once in a lifetime chance to spend months in a exciting foreign locale.</p>

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<p>I agree with all above. It is a great time to travel, and that is precious.</p>

<p>But both of my Ds’ study abroad experiences will be very helpful in their job opportunities. D1 went to Africa and participated in several research projects, also managed to obtain an excellent summer internship in her field via the internet (which she barely had access to) while she was there.</p>

<p>D2 will spend a semester (albeit FALL of junior year) in a unique training program in her field which will greatly enhance her education and experience. Plus she’ll be in a very fun European city (or maybe London is both fun and business???).</p>

<p>I’m thrilled any kid now can study abroad. When I was in school it was nearly impossible to organize or afford, and I would have both enjoyed and benefited from it educationally.</p>

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<p>Back when I started reading CC, I found this thread. It helped me help my S create his list of colleges, and I learned that including at lest one safety that COULD be a financial safety as well was important to do. We found one and he applied, was accepted early and given a nice merit award. Today this same school sent our first FA package and it meets 99% of need! I am so excited that he finally has a school he’s into and that we can afford FOR SURE.</p>

<p>I felt the need to share since it was you guys, my fellow parents of B students, who helped me make sure he applied there. Now he truly does have a safety, a real one.</p>

<p>SO relieved :slight_smile: :)</p>

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<p>Ohiobassmom: Congrats to you and your family!!</p>

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<p>Ohio, congrats! I wonder if there are any kids on cc who understand the importance of a financial safety?</p>

<p>Emmy, London is the perfect example of business + fun city (for foreigners, New York is the equivalent), although some colleges and kids prefer non-English speaking countries. Susquehanna requires its business students to take any time abroad in London on a designed business course.</p>

<p>Simpkins, your emphasis on graduation rates makes perfect sense to me, despite McDaniel’s excellent reputation. I suspect part of Lycoming’s success stems from none of its freshmen going there for big time sports or proximity to a big fun city or a beach, all of which lead to some kids falling behind, but I am confident they also must monitor kids more closely than many schools. </p>

<p>Although I am not surprised that the graduation for girls is much higher than boys, I have never seen a good explanation of why. Perhaps boys are more likely to decide careers requiring college degrees are less desirable than jobs in the trades or military? Or more likely to have gone to college only for sports or frat parties? Or the demands of boys’ varsity sports are more often incompatible with academic success?</p>

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<p>^ I’m just glad it turned out to be a financial safety. There aren’t many that are both financial and academic for a kid with a B average other than the local branch of our state flagship.</p>

<p>By the way, I in no way mean to call this school a “safety” as if it’s not one he’d like. It’s lovely, or so it appears online and on paper. We will visit in person very soon :)</p>

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<p>Congratulations Ohiobassmom!!! </p>

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<p>I think they do monitor them. That was the sense I got from the open house. The word “intrusive” was used. This is exactly what my son needs and exactly what he doesn’t want.</p>

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<p>My oldest son did a study abroad in the fall of his junior year in England (not London) because he needed to do a required May term at his home college that year. What we didn’t count on, however, was that his abroad college had NO breaks during fall term so he really didn’t travel much at all. Of course, the English GF could have had something to do with it too!</p>

<p>I was thinking our youngest would do a Spring abroad, junior year, so he could travel afterwards, but that would really work best if he could nail an internship before he left and have it start a bit later. hmmmm.</p>