Haven’t toured the University of Miami (that’s Florida), but Miami University (in Ohio) is a stunning bit of brick colonial-style beauty—and not just the buildings, but the entire campus, what with the clear planning that’s gone into all the quads.
I mean, I thought my undergrad institution (Maryland, College Park) did an amazing job of implementing and sticking with colonial architecture—but that’s just the building styles, not the structure of the campus as a whole, which Miami has. (Miami doesn’t have all the pretty white columns, though.)
Yep I am talking about Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Sorry I should have specified, especially because I know University of Miami and Tulane are much more comparable than Tulane is to Miami University but I ruled out the University of Miami in favor of Tulane after I got my decisions for both.
Moved down: Brown - Obviously its an Ivy so its a great school but there wasn’t much to do in the ‘college town’ and Providence isn’t the most exciting city.
Crossed Off: BU - Tour guide was so unenthusiastic and D was beginning to realize that while she loves visiting the city, she wanted the campus feel at her ideal college. Georgetown - D was only casually interested to begin with but the small campus sealed its fate.
Moved up: Cornell - Being on the very open and green campus helped my daughter to realize this was an important feature of her ideal college campus. Northeastern: D was able to have good interactions with the department head for her intended major as well as some students. Yale: Great on campus interview, great tour guide, bigger and nicer campus than we expected.
My D had the same reaction to Swarthmore. While I loved it, she hated the idea of eating every meal in the same dining hall and seeing the same people all the time.
@ProllyBrokeSoon …we toured Miami, and loved it. However, the reputation of a party school quickly took it off the list. It is such a small town, and there is very little to do. We have run into alumni that have agreed that if you don’t want to party, like party HARD, don’t go. And coming from Wisconsinites, that’s saying something. I followed local newspapers, campus news, Twitter, just about anything hoping we could get different views, but sadly not so much.
@NJParent49 if your D found Brown to be boring with nothing to do in the city, how could she be excited to live in Ithaca NY?
My son goes to Northeastern and one of the selling points was the nice quad they have as opposed to BU which is just strung out along a busy city road.
Yale: pretty nice campus, but again New Haven vs Providence?
It’s good your D has identified a nice campus as an important feature. Good luck.
re Miami, I was shocked when my Aunt told me one of her other nephews had decided to go to Miami in Ohio. She added (re party school), it’s “known as the only college you come out dumber than when you went in.” That’s enough to cross it off anyone’s list.
Off the list after visiting -
MIT, BU, Harvard - Although MIT has the beautiful Dome, etc. much of the campus is run down and the area surrounding it didn’t seem very nice. Plus all those connected building left my California son concerned he’d never get to be outside! BU was same as others have said around it not feeling like much of an actual campus. Harvard was living down to the stereotype where students seemed snobby, etc. Also, our rental car was broken into while we were visiting so that really messed up our impression of the whole area. Oh well!
On the same trip, we visited Brown and S did a one week class there. Really nice people and some beautiful parts of campus but he decided not to apply because he felt the area was a little boring. He also felt like there were multiple protests during just that week and didn’t want that type of environment constantly disrupting everything.
I’m pretty sure that’s plug-compatible (including the “only”), and probably hundreds of colleges have been referred to that way, including places like Harvard and Yale. If simply hearing a mention along those lines is enough to strike a place from one’s list…
Some people around here insist that, if you send your child to UIUC, they will become an alcoholic. Apparently, this has happened to two kids in our neighborhood as they flunked out and are in rehab. Crazy how anecdotes can become widely accepted opinions.
Oh, my. Oxy is a “middle of the road” LAC? Please. In the SCIAC–indeed, west of the Rockies–it’s outpaced only by Pomona and CMC among co-ed LACs–perhaps Reed as well. (I don’t consider Mudd a liberal arts college, and CalTech is a different beast altogether.) The campus is lovely, and Eagle Rock has a cool vibe. It’s more urban than Claremont, to be sure, but still a lovely spot. Is it hilly? Yes, it’s hilly. (Colleges built on a hill tend to be that way.) Son #1 chose CMC, and the Claremont Colleges are sui generis, but Oxy is a very, very fine choice for somebody seeking a good LAC in sunny Cali.
Crossed off UCONN (protests were ridiculous), Rutgers (bus system seemed awful), Boston U (D did not seem friendly) and some smaller safety schools (crossed off mostly because there were better options).
SCIAC? Can people just spell out the colleges, so we don’t have to guess, How much time does it take to spell out University of my State. CMC, I have no clue, sorry. I’m guessing Oxy is Occidental.
Go UM.
@RightCoaster Ithaca is a pretty happening place, for college students, in terms of lots of student bars, inexpensive restaurants, hiking, sailing, snow sports, concerts, and just amazing beauty. One feels one is back in 1968, and everyone is wearing love beads and going to the Farmer’s market for their produce and outdoor music. The locals that is!
Providence is the New England city with MOB roots and not a lot to do , kind of dangerous feel, and no college life so much.
This thread is so wonderful. From the moment I saw the Csails building at MIT, I loved the architecture. No Ivy, no red brick. I’m pleased my son is there and can walk to other buildings in warm tunnels. It is so much personal,perspective.
@RightCoaster Re: “if your D found Brown to be boring with nothing to do in the city, how could she be excited to live in Ithaca NY?”
Lol. So true! Cornell is my alma mater and we spent a few days to visit the campus and the surrounding area, never dreaming she would like it. Downtown Ithaca was even more dead than I remember and there’s nothing much in College town other than the still awesome bagel shop. But I think because the campus was bigger and prettier than many we visited and we spent some time in the gorges, swimming at one of the falls, etc. it made a huge difference in her perception.
Ithaca, New Haven, Providence - none really hold any interest to me without the colleges that are in them.