Went up: USC (Cal), per D18 and H. D actually did NOT like the metro LA area, even Santa Monica, where they stayed, but she loved the school. She did the full campus tour experience, plus sat in on several classes over two days. She said she felt very much in her element at USC. D found the students to be laid back, smart, focused, welcoming, and curious about her. Professors were very helpful and accommodating, and the class visits helped D clarify what she wants to study. She said she felt like she’s always been a student there. The elusive “fit” in its full glory. Now she just has to be accepted!
Went up: SMU, per S20 and me. This was a first for me: I came away with a good impression of the school despite a so-so tour guide. The info sessions were stellar, though, and we had lots of opportunities to chat with current students and just wander around campus. The campus is very pretty and laid out well, in a pleasant Dallas neighborhood. SMU has a very interesting vibe. I can see how it could be off-putting to some, with the heavy Greek influence and emphasis on the business school, but S thinks it could be a really fun place to spend four years, and I was surprised by how much I liked it. That’s why they play the games, right?
@ChrisG77 she will loves Rollins. It is the cutest college town I’ve ever been to. My daughter doesn’t go there, but plays there so I’ve been a few times. The school is right next to the cute downtown shops, the Amtrak station is there, there is a golf course right there, historic houses surrounding the course.
Florida doesn’t have (much) snow, but it does have winter. In Jan and Feb it can get quite rainy with high temps in the 30’s. Floridians consider this just slightly warmer than the north pole and bundle up like it’s nuclear winter. If you are in a classroom or office, they’ll turn the heat up to 80
@ChrisG77 I look forward to reading your thoughts on Rollins and Emory after your visits:) Also, has your D visited SMU, and if so, what did she think?
re post 2802. What Florida are you talking about? Many Florida universities where the LOWS are in the 30’s, not the highs. Likewise snow is a real rarity. Plus, winter is the dry season- no more daily rains (which come and go quickly). It is not the desert so of course there will be around a couple of inches of rain monthly even in the dry season. Retired to Tampa from WI and have followed the weather, noting differences. btw- finally becoming cool enough to be outside without sweating.
Not the poster asked, but yes the humidity is high here. I walked out of the air conditioned grocery store the other day and my glasses steamed up- the converse of walking into a building in an up north winter. It was muggy. Finally the Tampa humidity is going down. Worse than the up north summer’s phrase “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity”. H loves it- reminds him of India (and the summer rainy season of the monsoon season).
I lived in Jacksonville and usually Feb was rainy and cold (not cold to me, but to those delicate flowers from the south). They had snow for the first time in a long time two years ago. I think right along the Georgia border gets a trace of snow occasionally. I found Florida in the summer unbearable. I stayed in my air conditioned house, went to my air conditioned office, shopped in the frozen food aisle.
But Rollins is still the cutest college town there is. Humid but not too bad during the school year. Don’t stay for summer school. My daughter has to go back to school around Aug 15 and it is really hot, but she’s in an ocean town so that helps.
The humidity is really bad in all parts of Florida. It’s a physical presence, kind of like trying to walk in a wet sponge that’s been in an oven. I could not stand it -I have the kind of hair where every day in Florida was a bad hair day. There are maybe three months I love Florida weather. I don’t like weather extremes, though, so YMMV. My ideal climate is 60-80 degrees. I just can’t find a place like that without earthquakes, though!
@ChrisG77 Trinity is my top pick for DD (It’s on her short list) and Rollins is high on both of our lists. I’ll be interested to hear how your Rollin’s visit goes. @twoinanddone thanks for the information! I’m looking forward to our Rollins visit in February. Spring Break we will be touring Furman, Elon, High Point, & Christopher Newport and I will report back. We visited Trinity this summer and DD (junior) really liked the school, but only had GW & American to compare it to (schools DS -senior- toured). The science building is amazing and the dorms rooms are huge and cleaned bi-weekly. She’s heard the food is bad and that’s really an issue for her because she likes to eat healthy foods. The cafeteria was closed for the summer, so we could not try the food or see what it offers.
An aside on the Florida weather for students considering the state. Most of the time, the humid, 90’s weather lasts until the end of Sept. Then, the drier, still warm weather, low 80’s, until end of Oct. Depending upon whether you are in North, Central or South Florida, the winter is anywhere from low 70’s, high 60’s to high 50’s, low 60’s. It is usually dry. Sometimes you can get some damp rain in Jan. and Feb. The humidity starts back up in May. This year, we just got a break in the temp. and humidity in the Tampa Bay area this week. Last winter, we put the heat on in the house only on 2 rainy days during the winter. Students will generally only have to deal with the heat and humidity for Sept, part of Oct and part of May.
@sahmkc You may want to peak at Wofford College if you’re looking at Furman. About 40 minutes away. If your child is a Jr, check into Furman Scholars and Wofford Scholars program for Jrs with high stats and test scores. They offer generous scholarships, but they have to be nominated in the spring of their Jr year by the GC. College of Charleston may be another option, especially the Honors College.
Thanks! @carolinamom2boys I will look into Wofford & the College of Charleston. I think Charleston might be too far away for this trip, but Wofford would be easy to include.
“The humidity is really bad in all parts of Florida. It’s a physical presence, kind of like trying to walk in a wet sponge that’s been in an oven.”
The hardest thing for me to get used to was wearing glasses. I had just started wearing glasses all the time. I’d get out of an air conditioned car and my glasses would completely fog. Open an oven door, glasses would fog. Walk out onto the patio, completely unable to see anything.
We visited WVU and all their dorms have a cleaning service. Once every three weeks, though. I shudder to think of the damage that can be done by teenagers in three weeks.
I can see custodial staff cleaning bathrooms, common spaces, hallways but find it odd that they are cleaning individual dorm rooms, too. Are they hanging up the clothes strewn across the floor, cleaning out the dirty coffee mug, making the bed?