Moved up… Gonzaga. Loved the feel and “vibe” of the campus. Even though it was 25 F & snowing out (we are from California so that’s cold) both D18 and her BF18 loved it.
Moved down and off: University of Oregon. Campus is huge. Students seemed unfriendly. Dorms were terrible. On the way back from campus the we saw two pairs of underwear left on the sidewalk. (ick) and that was the nail in the coffin.
Hah, you bumped us from Dickenson! I tried to schedule a tour yesterday but they were full, so we ended up going to Arcadia instead.
It moved up the list. I wasn’t expecting to be impressed, and honestly, I’m still not impressed. It’s not impressive except for the castle building.
But it’s nice. The student tour leader was personable, the campus is small, the dorm rooms we visited were nice. The classrooms looked OK. The admissions people were nice. It’s in safety school range for the kid so we weren’t expecting to be knocked out of the park. We weren’t knocked out of the park, but kiddo liked it well enough so it will fill that safety spot on the list. That makes me very happy because our list is heavy with reach schools.
We still want to get out to Dickinson sometime. Next time I won’t wait until the last minute to try and schedule the tour.
@ninakatarina Dickinson is definitely worth the trip. We have friends whose DD went to Arcadia for their competitive and challenging Forensics Science 5 year program. She had a very good experience there and came out with her Masters.
Gonzaga’s a real sleeper. With 5,000 undergrads and average of 23 kids per class, it’s a great small to mid-size school (7,000 students total). It has a connection with U. of Washington Med School. 99% of students receive financial aid. 50% of students are non-Catholic. If you want a Catholic School, this is it! Great place. Be a zag!
@preppedparent we are coming from a Catholic prep school so Gonzaga “felt” right. vs. U of O that is huge and feels impersonal.
Dickinson moved up: nice campus, happy students, general positive feel. Well run Admissions.
Kenyon: beautiful but confederate flags seen in nearby neighborhood freaked us out.
Cornell: moved up, gorges!, generally impressive and fun - ice cream class, wine making, great stories about renowned profs whose lectures are standing room only.
Stanford: the dream - this mostly from a great interview with stellar alumni. Visited years back. It’s very california…
Vassar: stunning campus, quirky interesting students, well done info session.
Brandeis: off the list
Hamilton: beautiful. Idyllic if a bit remote. Snooty admin staff kept changing DD name from what they assumed was a nickname to a formal name which isn’t her formal name and never was
Moved Up: UConn. I know they’re facing some major budget issues right now with a severe state budget slash, but I was incredibly impressed at the investment and improvement in this school. We did a self walking tour as we were doing a drive through on way to Fairfield. Multiple students stopped to offer us help and give us input. UConn sweatshirts everywhere. Really clean, well maintained campus and just happy looking kids. Will go back for formal tour and Huskie For a Day program.
Moved Off: Marist. So disappointed. Unhappy looking students, lots of girls trying way too hard with outfits/makeup. Horrible, uninformed tour guide, smug admissions presentation with clearly same tired jokes and cliches. Almost invisible security - three hours on campus and we didn’t see a single guard. And that’s my teenage son picking up on that.
Stayed Same: UVM. Met expectations, but Burlington exceeded our expectations. Great college town.
Moved Off: Fairfield. I keep trying to love this school. My D was a sport recruit there, so we went to visit several times as part of recruiting process. Just didn’t love the school or the players on the team so we moved on. S is now looking, and I just don’t love this school. Not totally sure why.
Reed: moved up due to intellectual vibe, no competitive sports or greek presence, love Portland. A bit small tho.
Bowdoin: off list although DH and I loved the campus and college town. DD felt the positives didn’t overcome the distance she would have to travel.
Middlebury: moved up - idyllic college town, fabulous languages program, no greek, smart, outdoorsy, wholesome vibe.
Williams: moved up - Tutorials! Hearing about these informed my DD’s entire college search. Since WIlliams is so selective, DD chose to look at other schools with small classes and highly intellectual vibe without greek life. She also LOVED that they have free music lessons for everyone!
@lauraaswim FWIW I had the same reaction to Fairfield as did both of my kids.
@aynrandfan Can you tell us why Brandeis came off the list?
@musicmom2015 My brother had a GREAT experience at Brandeis in the 70’s. He really wanted his niece to look at it so we included it on one of our college trips. He was particularly excited about his niece checking out the music program which he remembered as being wonderful. He was a bio major and got into fabulous med schools so Brandeis did well by him. A schedule change got us to campus a half day before tour/info session/interview so we picked up sandwiches and decided to picnic on campus and get a preview. It was a gorgeous day. It was during the summer so I’m sure the campus has a whole different feel other times but we’ve been on many campuses when classes weren’t in session. DD felt Brandeis was depressing and she didn’t like the style of buildings - 70’s seeming. We had a hard time finding a place conducive for a picnic. We had just left Brown which had the opposite feel, tons of courtyards and benches and lovely spots she could imagine curling up with a book in. The few people we spoke to were not friendly and none of us had interest in sticking around so we cancelled our plans and made a beeline for Bowdoin. I admit these are superficial impressions but DD wasn’t particularly interested in any specific aspect of the school and was really just checking it out because of her uncle. Also, the town felt sketchy although we do love Boston!
Bucknell: The tour guide told the group that she wished someone had told her of
Bucknell’s “drinking culture”. This comment didn’t sit well with my D who took it off the list.
Lafayette: My D loved it and applied which surprised me because it is a small school.
Tufts: Although Tufts is my top choice and still remains my top choice after visiting, the tour was very disappointing. To start, there were LOTS of people in each tour group. My tour guide was funny and definitely “quirky,” but he was a freshman and didn’t seem to know that much. The campus was very lively during my visit, and everyone seemed friendly and happy. Looked like a very comfortable place. However, we did not go into a SINGLE building on the tour! I had to do some exploring of my own after the tour ended. Still, I really love almost everything about Tufts, and it was really nice to see the school in person. (Also, I think I might be the only one that likes the hilliness of Tufts).
Brandeis: I was pleasantly surprised by the tour. The tour guide was very cute and bubbly and definitely happy to be going to Brandeis. However, I felt no connection with the school. It seemed kind of dismal. The (only) dining hall was not very appealing, and the dorms weren’t a selling point either. Also, the location is a negative for me as well. I think Brandeis is pretty much off of my list.
Amherst: Definitely moved way up my list. I wasn’t expecting the town of Amherst to be so lively, but the presence of U Mass Amherst down the street definitely makes the whole place seem a lot bigger. I really like how at Amherst, you’re able to take classes at the nearby schools (U Mass, Hampshire, Smith College, even if you’re a boy!). I thought the size of the campus was great, and overall, I was impressed by everything. The new science building they’re constructing looks phenomenal, although I am not going into STEM. We were also shown a freshman dorm, which was huge! Finally, I was really fond of their open curriculum,
Williams: Moved down. Just didn’t vibe with the school. The campus seemed spaced out oddly to me, and it didn’t look like a very happy place. The academics are great I’m sure, but I just didn’t like the school. I feel like I got a false impression though, so I am not sure what to think. I would like to visit again hopefully.
Middlebury: The campus is absolutely picture perfect. Everything is so pristine. Did not have an official tour but spent a long time walking all around the campus and going into buildings. Lots of students were out and seemed happy. Middlebury also has one of the best language programs, which is a big plus.
Bowdoin: Probably my favorite of the colleges I visited. The town of Brunswick is so cute and homey. My tour guide was phenomenal and really sold the school. I saw a student and professor chatting together and many students were socializing with each other. The campus is gorgeous as well, and I think it’s the absolute right size for a liberal arts college. They have a great history and asian studies program, which really suits me. The only bad thing about the tour was we walked through a dorm hall, but we were not actually shown a dorm? Overall, Bowdoin is my second choice right behind Tufts. The close distance to Portland is also a benefit.
I am so happy I got to see these schools. Visiting in person is definitely a lot more helpful than just reading about them online. I would be extremely thankful if I got into any of these schools (probably not applying to Brandeis).
@aynrandfan Thanks for this info, very helpful. We plan to visit Brandeis next year for our DD. It’s a school that looks great for her on paper but I’ve read various opinions about it seeming boring or dreary. Hopefully she will like it in person!
So excited, I have three colleges to report on!
My son didn’t think he would like a small school, but I was pretty sure Lafayette might be a pleasant surprise to him. I thought he would like the sports vibe and I was right. What was most interesting to me was the contrast with the visit I made with my daughter three years ago. My impression of the school then was good, but it wasn’t a place my daughter would be interested in because it felt very preppy. This time, it seemed very nerdy and sporty, but also quite academic. We had an extremely boring guide who nearly ruined the tour, but all was forgiven when we visited the student union. There were a bunch of rowing machines and the rowing club was having a marathon fundraiser. They had been at it for 36 hours! On the other side of the hall was a group of kids listening to a very loud boom box, blaring rap music. It was all very harmonious and my son really liked it. Neither of us minded the town. I think it went from being not on his radar to at least being on the list.
Next up was Lehigh, of hill infamy! First impression was WOW! Absolutely beautiful. No issues with the hills, we both thought they would help you get fit in no time. Second impression was a little more problematic. Where was everyone? It was around 2 pm, 70 degrees on a Feb day, and we hardly saw any students out and about. There were tons of students in the gym, and tons of students in the library. Maybe it was mid-terms? We stayed for 90 minutes, and kept hoping to run into more kids in groups or just walking to class, talking, or whatever. The dining halls were totally empty. We just didn’t see many people interacting. Those we saw seemed to be alone. We did see one small group of guys tossing a ball, but that was pretty much it. It was very hard to get any kind of vibe. My son thought it was gorgeous though. Not sure he will apply, as he has other schools he definitely prefers.
Finally, the legendary Penn State! I think my son drooled when he saw the football stadium. The whole place is enormous. Too huge for me, but it’s not me going to college. My son is looking for that rah rah atmosphere and school spirit. Penn State has that in spades. While we were on the tour, three different random students shouted “We Are”, and after the first time, we all got the hang of it and shouted back, “Penn State!” My son LOVED that. Very little was said about academics. I asked about tutoring centers and she hardly had anything to say about them, which is of concern to me. She said “if you want to get to know your professors, sit in the front row,” which didn’t impress me, though I understand classes will be big at a school of this size. We both liked the older part of campus, which was pretty. It helped that it was 75 degrees yesterday and everyone was out and about. People were very friendly. This college ticks almost every box for my son, except for being too big. He said that this was the place where he saw the most people that seemed like him. Definitely applying, and probably in position number 2 after Syracuse.
Another + for the list: Stockton University in NJ. We were not expecting much but it’s a safety for D19 so we were nearby and scheduled a tour, on Tuesday, when it was 70 degrees. Could not have asked for better weather, and the students made the place look amazing. It seemed like they were all out - professors teaching classes outside, several pickup basketball games, kids sunning themselves, a dance class practicing outside, etc. It was just a really happy and involved vibe, and I had been led to believe the school was more commuter (only about 40% live on campus) so I was expecting a lot less.
The food court had huge, great fresh-made salads, kind of like a Chipotle assembly line, and outside spaces to eat. The campus is modern, LEED-certified buildings, all airy and atriums and glass - almost no red brick and no ivy in sight 
The tour guide was OK, not the greatest, and the tour didn’t go nearly enough places (not to the library, not into the theater, barely opened the door to the rec center…), but we strolled around afterward and saw what we wanted to see. Also, they tour you into a freshman dorm, which I actually like, because it’s the worst on campus, and things get much better once you’re upper-class: apartments, set apart across a lake, etc etc. So you see the worst, non-updated space, and D actually didn’t mind it.
All in all, I’m sooo glad we went and D will definitely apply there as a safety.
@PureShores Regarding Bowdoin, sounds like you got lucky on the tour guide. This whole topic was started 3,225 posts ago by someone complaining about their Bowdoin tour and the reports on the tours are very POLARizing (no pun intended regarding their mascot… okay, maybe it was intended). When we toured they didn’t go into a dorm at all…
That said, Bowdoin’s Freshman dorms are amazing because every single one of them has a separate living room per room. Even if you are in a double you get two rooms. And the living rooms are fairly large. Main downside of Bowdoin housing is a good chunk of the non-Freshman housing is off-campus a little ways. So you’re never closer than you were Freshman year. But this housing is mostly converted apartments so students end up with a lot of space. My sophomore is sharing a 2-bedroom apartment with two others. It has a living room, bathroom, kitchen, small dining nook, both front and rear entrances, windows on three sides and parking right behind the building, all on a quaint residential neighborhood 1 block from campus. And that’s what they had to settle for as sophomores far down in the lottery.
^My son had a good tour at Bowdoin in June of 2017. He loved it.
@PureShores - Williams is not for everybody. People who hate rural areas, for example, or do not like to participate in class, might prefer another college. You have to narrow your college list somehow, and if the vibe is wrong for you, take it off the list! But the line about its not being “a happy place” surprised me. It is about as “happy” a place as you can find. Students love their college, have a great time, and become some of the most loyal alumni around.
@Musicmom2015
My daughter liked Brandeis way better than Wellesley and Bryn Mawr. The two women’s colleges were just too quiet for her. Yeah, the buildings were not so pretty but she didn’t care about what kind of buildings she would be studying in. She cared more about the hustle and bustle of the lively campus.
I hope your DD will visit the campus with an open mind.
We had a pretty eclectic list. My daughter will be the first in our family to attend college just as she is the first US born person in our family. Our knowledge of colleges was very limited. Consequently, we tried to look at different types of schools; undergrad, LAC and universities.
In no particular order then:
North Eastern. Massive Rock, paper, scissors tournament going on outside the library, complete with wildly cheering onlookers numbering somewhere north of 50. All harmless fun but our tour guide was stood there explaining how this was the number one spot on campus for quiet study.
Barnard. Tour guide mentioned Columbia so often we figured maybe just apply to Columbia. Construction and street noise, police sirens etc… convinced us both that maybe a major city downtown campus is not a good fit.
Tufts. We’d attended an info session. In our home state earlier in the year. It seemed to tick all the boxes. Nice campus, great onsite info session. Tour guides seemed more concerned with showing us just how wacky they were rather than offering any insight. Several people in our group left before the halfway point. We lasted slightly longer. That one hurt. Sorry Tufts, it:s not you it’s your tour guides.
Vassar. Loved it. Driving back to the Thruway stopped in traffic outside a gun store, within walking distance of campus. Irrational maybe but it left a bad taste.
Brandeis. Came highly recommended. Looked like a high school in need of repair. Not sure we saw a single smiling person. I don’t want to spend four years of my life somewhere no one looks happy. I hear you kid.
Princeton. Guidance councilor didn’t think it would be a good fit. Favorite teachers said not a good fit. Everyone we met was really nice in a very natural unassuming way. Tour guide was a great guy, the best backwards walker on the east coast I venture, info session direct and on point. Met with a member of admin after who arranged passes for us to explore further, specifically the library. Nice surprise after hearing reports of snobbery. Far from it. Felt like a good fit.
Bryn Mawr. No expectations, went with an open mind. Tour guides engaging and honest, it’s a lot of work but you get it done. One girl who did crew prior to classes another who took extra credits , I think that is right, taught dance in Philly and also involved in a play. Took the time to talk to my younger children also. Anthropology Prof in her office saw our group go by and came out offering to open up her classroom so we could take a look around. Very happy looking students on campus, and what a campus. Good info session and my daughter said her interview was more like a friendly chat than anything else.