@citymama9 I grew up an went to HS near Loyola Baltimore quite awhile ago, but I still have friends and family in the area. Roland Park and Guilford remain an affluent area. It is not in downtown Baltimore . The immediate area remains safe , but as @crazymamaB said there are some questionable areas about 1 1/2 to 2 miles down the road. It’s a wonderful school.
@LovetheBard, I heard though Yale students are generally happy. I also heard New Haven area has some good things to offer. I am sure each school has good and bad points, but yes, I agree that a kid should go to a school he or she likes. I also know a kid who decided to attend Brown after visiting the campus and found that she loves the school. I don’t have any reservation about my kid studying Humanities at Stanford, unlike some kids. I rather think it’s neat to be exposed to other areas and kids who are pursuing those areas.
@citymama9 I feel that my daughter would be very safe on Loyola’s campus!!
Down:
Skidmore for the reasons stated in the previous few pages. For the life of me can’t see the appeal.
Colby: Beautiful buildings, finely manicured lawns. Too sterile, a whiff of affluenza in the air. And don’t try to sell me on Waterville. I’ve lived throughout the Northern NE states in similarly sized towns. Nothing special. My daughter summed up the visit with one word: purgatory.
I love this thread because it is so funny.
I thought all the campuses I visited were nice, but two surprised me that I was not completely in love.
Davidson College: I think our tour guide did the tour backwards because we looked at the back of every building.
UVA It was so big I missed some of its more glorious views.
Swarthmore: the gardens were so beautiful I was ready to move in that day!
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I hope this isn’t too far off topic…There were a few excerpts from this article that resonated with me and my obsession with this thread! I don’t think any of us are ready to give up college visits, but I love behavioral economics and some of these points are good.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/26/well/family/skipping-the-college-tour.html?mwrsm=Email
@Deltamom2019 I believe there is already a thread set up to discuss that. http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1987675-skipping-the-college-tour.html#latest
@happy1 I figured as much! I’ll check it out…thanks!
Wheaton in Norton, MA–unexpectedly moved way, way up. This was a school that we’d placed on the Muhlenberg scale of “good safety school” with nice students and much to offer, but we were really surprised in a good way. It’s moved into that rare area of “safety that I’d be glad to go to.” The Wheaton campus was gorgeous. The people were nice. Can I just say again that the campus was gorgeous? Also there were majors and classes that you usually don’t find in a small LAC that I was happy were there, more “practical” classes that a student could take. Theory is fine, but it’s nice to also have practical skills. I feel like we found a hidden gem. Here’s a link to photos of the campus – http://wheatoncollege.edu/admission/campus-photos/ And it’s not that far from Boston, like 30 minutes or so?
Crossed off:
Conn College. First small LAC we visited and son just wasn’t “feeling it” (I liked the school). Touring the campus on a rainy day likely didn’t help nor did the thick haze of ganja smoke we had to endure in both dorms we toured (I get “keeping it real” but seriously??)
Bucknell. There’s a lot to like about it but after visiting, son decided he preferred not being in middle of nowhere. This and their aid package was significantly worse than what we received from every other school (HC, Lafayette, Lehigh, Union, Villanova, RPI, BU, etc.) For example, even after sharing our other awards letters with Bucknell’s staff and asking for more, their small “concession” would have left us spending $9k per year more than Villanova and $7k per year more than both Lafayette and Holy Cross. “Thanks but no thanks, Bucknell.”
Moved up:
Holy Cross. Son loved everything about the visit. Very welcoming environment.
UConn: surprisingly (to us) pretty campus and not as “big” as we thought it would feel. Spent considerable time chatting with various physics faculty and students who were all super helpful!
Lafayette College: Left with an excellent vibe. Terrific tour guide, welcoming admissions staff, beautiful and updated buildings, impressive labs, lovely campus.
Son ultimately chose Villanova (CLAS)
This time around with kid #4 (our library lover)
Crossed off:
Holy Cross: Tour guide not enthusiastic about her school, the dorm buildings looked like they were falling apart but they were building brand new sport facilities (DD not an athlete), and last of all DD could not imagine spending 4 years in the city of Worcester. She did approve of their main library.
Bates: no complaints but she just couldn’t find anything that stood out for her
Stayed on the list but moved slightly down:
Hamilton College: she liked the open curriculum, location, students etc. But in the words of my daughter " I expected so much more of a library from such a great school!" She applied but still was not excited about that library!
Moved up:
Rhodes College: she wasn’t thrilled about going south as she loves her snow and cold weather. Liked the students, professors, classes, college campus (2nd nicest campus in the U.S. in our opinion), she loved the library and Memphis.
Sewanee-The University of the South: before visiting not thrilled about hearing about large Greek life. After visit, this is the #1 most beautiful campus in our opinion, liked the students, classes, professors, loved their Equestrian facilities, and decent library. She found out the Greek parties were open to everyone after a certain time, and she felt as a midwest kid she would fit in just fine . Only draw back was very few restaurants and lack of snow.
The Catholic University of America: Not sure she wanted an urban school. Loved the location of the campus(while on campus you felt isolated from the city but right by a metro stop} , students very friendly, nice professors, great classes, loves Washington D.C. She loved the library.
Stayed the same: what she expected and library approved
Colgate. Bucknell, Villanova
@Dustyfeathers I grew up very close to Wheaton, and I agree, it’s gorgeous. If you liked Wheaton, you’ll probably also like Stonehill College (which is IN the town I grew up in. Throw a rock, hit a college in MA…)
http://colleges.startclass.com/compare/2003-2012/Stonehill-College-vs-Wheaton-College-Norton
@5anddone - on Sewanee. Greek parties are for sure open to all students. I think the only party that is private is when they have a formal.
Regarding snow - it’s not the midwest, but it definitely snows at Sewanee. This year’s baseball game vs Milsaps was cancelled due to snow. They’ve told us that Sewanee is the most southerly part of the US that gets consistent snow . She’s correct on the restaurants - There are six in town, with more options in Monteagle and Winchester/Decherd.
@maroon79
Yes, your right about some snow which, we did point out to her. We are from Michigan so she wouldn’t consider that “real snow” in her words. Despite this, Sewanee still remained one of her top choices. We figured it had to be a great school to make her forget her beloved snow! My last DD in high school told me to put Sewanee on her list to see in our college search.
Dustyfeathers, I second your positive comment on Wheaton (MA). I didn’t write a review as we toured on our own while school was not it session, but my daughter was one of the lucky ones, (probably because we live close) who had the mascot deliver balloons upon her acceptance. She wasn’t home, but I was and got to meet their Director of admission in a more casual atmosphere and was very impressed with the short conversation we had. She said she felt bad saying no to them because they were so nice and generous.
Down: Trinity College in Hartford we saw first and LOVED everyone we met, from admissions to rare books. The intellectual vibe and architecture checked off boxes number one and two.
But the campus had an unfinished building project mired in a puddle the size of a pond; and the immediate neighborhood was horrifying. I say that as someone who grew up poor in Queens, where I was once held up at gunpoint. I found that Hartford neighborhood horrifying.
Down: Wesleyan was an exciting prospect, but for the arrogant poseur in charge of our info session. He kept bragging about his academic trajectory from neuroscience to dance major. “Finding himself” was likely a very indulgent use of hundreds of thousands in taxpayer and donation dollars–other people’s money. Maybe to graduate in 8 years? He turned us all off. I hope his parents aren’t bankrupt supplementing his quest.
Up: Fairfield U was beautiful and polite. The cleanest place I’ve ever been. The head of biology/science is a brilliant and generous mentor. Son liked the school, but perhaps it was too similar to his previous life experience? I think I would have grabbed the chance.
Up: If at Conn Coll we had waded through ganja smoke like the poster above, it would have been off the list. We saw no drugs. We thought it was beautiful, and the professors seemed friendly and genuinely caring.
We were not sure about the intellectual vibe. But the students radiated happiness, more than any we’d seen.
Up: Columbia U really knows how to put on the dog. Combo of excellent academics, facilities, and bonhomie can’t be beat. Competitive of course, but in a way that inspires. Or so it seemed.
Up then Down: Fordham U first went up when we visited: Gorgeous, serious, and NYC!
But on admitted students’ visit later, the premed advisor seemed remote and bureaucratic. Felt we dodged a bullet ultimately when reading about their premed advising problems and putting the two together. Premed students on display looked miserable and exhausted.
Up: U Mass Amherst: The campus wasn’t pretty but the student vibe was productive and upbeat. Plus Amherst consortium offered interesting options.
Down: Hampshire College plummeted when we visited. We liked the idea of “entreprenuership” over your own education. In practice, the students seemed hungover or stoned and not terribly focused. He sat in on a science class in which students did not respond to the prof’s invitation for discussion.
Ok: U of Connecticut: He thought it was fine. Could make it work, he thought. Kind of liked the small town feeling campus has, and the town itself was pleasant enough, if not exciting.
There was a defeated air to some of the students. Though when we spoke to a few, they were helpful and polite. Faculty too were quick to be helpful. Science facilities were firstrate. But would undergrads be allowed to partake?
Down: Amherst College–which I thought was PERFECT–my son viewed with skepticism, as if it were some kind of Stepford school. I think he was wrong. But it’s his choice to apply or not.
Down: At Bard we both disliked the other people on our tour, and the glowering, smoking, depressed-looking students hanging out between buildings as it drizzled.
Grounds were weedy/woodsy/unkempt, buildings not great, and the library by far the worst college library we saw.
Up: Vassar has a stunning library. He most liked the students around us in admissions. They shared his dry sense of humor. The place was infused with a nice combination of wit and intelligence.
It was strange, though, when he applied, a quick window popped up asking him if he was gay. (Yes or No.) He answered, “No.” We’ll always wonder if yes was the right answer? There was a question like that for Amherst’s URM summer program too.
I marched for everyone’s rights, back in the day. Forcing a young person to make a declaration like that seems to me to be an antiquated and narrow-minded political correctness.
Up: Boston University, because we stayed in Brookline the night before; and then early walked down along campus, which was so impressive.
The science department administrator actually met him to explain how the program works. Very personal attention in such a huge school.
And Boston had been his home away from home since he was small.
great post thank you!
@IvyGrad09 just wanted to thank you for this wonderful mental image:
I’d also like to personally encourage you to visit one of my favorite threads: “What school was unexpectedly your least favorite when you visited?” We could use some more posters like you on it.
;))
@Veryapparent and @GnocchiB 
Thanks!
Although we didn’t tour, my daughter had her high school graduation at Stonehill College, it is very beautiful and seems to be an up and coming school. They have some new construction, but it doesn’t distract from just how nicely kept the campus is. Compared to when I visited schools, Stonehill was the most improved campus out of all our visits.