<p>It would help if the threads didn’t get started pitting one school against the other in the first place. It invites trouble.</p>
<p>I agree…and I mentioned the same earlier in this thread.</p>
<p>The problem begins when a person posts and the title includes a part that asks about School A vs School B…and posts the same question in both schools’ forums. It just invites trouble as others start cross-posting in each other’s forums and the discussion devolves.</p>
<p>Instead, people should just ask something like…“Why did you pick _____” in the school’s forum. </p>
<p>It is unfortunate that one simple day or “half-day visit” of a campus tour can “make or break” a person’s impression. On any given day, any school may not be able to give each and every visitor the info or whatever that’s desired. If one school has faculty available to speak with and a few labs to visit, then that’s going to make a much greater impression than just driving by buildings. </p>
<p>I know that last year when we were touring schools for older son’s PhD program, there was a huge difference with impressions based simply on a few hours visit…the school he actually chose had the worst day’s visit…it was a Saturday…campus empty…hardly anyone to speak with. It compared very badly to a few other schools that had been visited on school days with tons of people giving son lots of attention. </p>
<p>As for Bama…I do think Bama needs to improve its regular campus tour…and maybe even offer 2-3 distinctively different tours…one STEM/pre-health oriented, one business/econ/communications oriented, and one “everything else”. Unless the campus tour has changed recently, it still does not hardly feature the new Science and Engineering Complex…except to do a “back-side drive by!!” The bus should stop near Phase II on Hackberry, the people could get out, walk thru that breezeway into the Science Quad area…and at a minimum they should be taken inside Shelby.</p>
<p>Lastly…Robotbldmom is right. When someone posts in the forum of their or their child’s chosen school, they’re going to be more spirited about their choice…and maybe a bit “over the top” in their words about why they chose the school and why they didn’t choose another school. It’s just poor form for someone else to then copy/paste that person’s post in the forum of the school that wasn’t chosen.</p>