While waiting around for decisions, I wanted to know who else applied EA I?
My daughter applied EA.
EA1 or EA2?
@porcupine98 Oops didn’t realize there were two. This was geared more towards EA 1
@TytoAlba Did you and your daughter get to visit? How did you like it? I applied blind, since it would be impossible for me to find time to fly out to Wisconsin.
@laliaM We liked it very much. We went out for a private tour, and we were very impressed with it actually. I didn’t quite know what to expect. The town of Appleton was fine really. It’s not a metropolis, but it certainly is better than Gambier Ohio where Kenyon is located. There are plenty of little shops, there’s a museum, there’s a Radisson, frankly for a kid is probably going to spend most of her time on campus, there’s plenty to do. The facilities themselves were actually pretty impressive. Well we didn’t get to go into a dorm, we did view the new student center, the science facilities, the library, and the art museum. All were very impressive. Things were well maintained, many of the building seems new, the kids were friendly, it was really a nice trip. she had a very productive and positive interview on campus, and even got a free T-shirt,. She’s not interested in the music component, so we didn’t spend any time talking revisiting the conservatory people.
There is one thing I will say about it which we thought was odd, and it was something that we read about in the student newspaper. I would suggest that for any school you were interested in you pick up a copy of the student paper and read what the letters to the editor have to say, and basically what the students feel is of interest on campus. One of the things that we read that we thought was strange was that the Lawrence meal plan for students does not allow them to have three meals a day for the course of the term. If you divide out the number of meals times the days and the term, you really are only covered for two meals a day, and you seem to run short for the term. That extends into exams. I don’t remember all the details, but it was something we thought rather odd and something that was commented on in the paper.
Thanks for the report. My kid applied blind (EA2) because of distance and time (it took until the EA2 deadline to discover he was interested), but everything we’ve read so far has been promising. I know it’s trivial, but also find their email communications to be very warm and welcoming.
@TytoAlba That sounds nice. Do you have any comments on the community feel? Does it seem closed off?
And btw about the meal plan issue I found this common among other colleges as well. I don’t know about Lawrence specifically, but when I went on a tour at Pitzer the tour guide told us that it’s usully not a problem because people end up eating out anyway and buying small groceries(probably how the ramen noodles + college student sterotype came about). So that doesn’t seem unusual for a college.
@porcupine98 yes I agree 110% about the emails AND letter et al. Very kind tone. Funny but warm. Appreciated the parent focused blog from admissions. We are looking for nurturing and I sense it.
@laliaM it freaked out a bit my kid but we assured her she was NOT going to go hungry.
@laliaM what do you mean by sense of the community? It’s a block from downtown Appleton. No idea if or how they interact. I can tell you that they run a shuttle to the mall where there is a target and you can walk to a Walgreens.
@TytoAlba well I meant the the actual campus. Did students seem genuinely open and laid back? Or was it a bit more reserved and hard to approach people?
You know i think that’s pretty hard to know really. We were on a tour. Kids were walking around. Did anyone come up to us, no. We ate in the cafe but not the main cafeteria. No one really interacted with us but it was 2pm and people were more using it as a place to study than an eating spot. I would say based on nine other campuses we visited, exactly like all of them. People mind their own business. Kids talked to each other. They walked around together. It was very normal.
Another parent here, with a kid applying EA. My kid liked Lawrence very much, a warm vibe, lots of different kinds of kids. The student center/dining hall is gorgeous, built alongside the river, with gorgeous views. Probably not my kid’s top choice, because his sport is not as competitive there as he would like, but there is much to love about Lawrence. As a parent, I appreciated the musical opportunities, much more porous than at Oberlin, where the school seems to be more firmly divided between Con and non-Con kids. At Lawrence, at least according to the faculty member in his instrument – who spent an hour with us – ensembles and private lessons with faculty are open to all students, not just Con kids.
@Midwestmomofboys : That’s one of the things I find attractive about it. My kid’s coming out of a school with a strong music program and wants to continue, but not at the conservatory level. Continued access at his level seemed more daunting at Oberlin.
The music is an area which is not a priority on DD’s list, although she is a cellist for the past 6 years. She’s very interested in science and wants a school with a great science program, strong in visual arts, and has enough kids who enjoy Dr. Who, NightVale, Japanese anime etc. Clubs listed on Lawrence seem to fit that, and hope those kids are really there. Smart, nerdy but also kind. Close to home is a plus as well.
Do you think we will have to wait until Dec. 15th? We got “likely” emails/letters from another school she applied EA a week before the official envelope came.
@Midwestmomofboys I see you and I have kids also applying to Knox! Small world.
@TytoAlba I might actually end up applying to Knox if I don’t get in my ED school.
@TytoAlba A less than two weeks away from decisions(11 days to be exact)!
Did anyone else get a “likely” brochure? I say it’s a likely because there’s a whole poem about move-in day with phrased like “You are a Lawrentian,” and “You, your 400 new classmates and your families…on campus the first day of Welcome Week.” I’m so excited can’t wait for official decision letters!