Colleges your child crossed off the list after visiting, schools that moved up on the list. Why?

Parents Forum
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S20 and S21 visited Temple and Drexel for open house weekend.

S20 l liked the co-op opportunities at Drexel and the majors within the business school. They appear to make it easy to double major. I also liked what I saw from the business school. They seem to be current with curriculum and technologies that are actually used by businesses. Overall the open house was well done.

Drexel seems to be mixed bag of opinions on CC and other forums. Trying to get a better picture. Should know in a few weeks if Drexel is an option.

S20 also liked Temple. Larger than he’s looking for but he was accepted into University Honors and should be accepted into Fox Honors. We both like what we saw and heard. The curriculum is current with options to branch out into various areas of interest. We especially liked the Fox Honors presentation. Excellent student ambassadors and staff. Son is admitted with Provost scholarship so it could be an excellent option.

S21 liked the film school and program at Drexel. My wife also liked what she saw and heard at the presentations. He will apply next year. Temple was a mixed bag for him. Wasn’t as impressed with the film school presentation and thought the area was “sketchy” but warmed up to the school as the day went along. Not sure my wife was thrilled with North Philly but we really liked Reading Terminal Market.

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Syracuse went to the top - loved the kids she met, loved the options for her major, the dorm, the school spirit/sports, the architecture on campus. It was even freezing and snowy and she still loved it.

Colgate - up. Would be a super reach but again loved the architecture and campus. Also liked all the students we met. She’s not big on small schools, but she liked this one,

4684

My D20 removed more colleges that she visited than kept on her list.

  • Reed - moved off - she did not like the weather in Portland nor the vibe
  • Brandeis - off - tour guide basically said he hated the food and she didn't like the campus layout (too many hills for her)
  • VCU - went up on her ranking after visiting. She liked the community service and loved the athletic facilities. However, she didn't like enough to apply.
  • Harvard - off - she decided it wasn't for her (vibe wise)
  • Stanford - way, way up. It is her impossible dream and she is applying just because she said she would regret if she didn't try (although she has a 99.999% chance of rejection). I understand why my parents would not allow me to look at California schools - it certainly would have been my top choice too.
  • College of Wooster - up - she liked the campus and the diversity. She felt some of the students were 'quirky' but then admitted so was she. She loved the chocolate milk in their dining area
  • Duke - off - she said that if felt too preppy
  • UNC-CH - about the same - she would attend but doesn't like the size (felt too large)
  • Bowdoin - up - it is one of her top choices
  • Bates - up - probably the top choice that she has any chance of getting in
  • Wellesley - liked it - but not as much as others so didn't apply

-Wesleyan - up - also among the top of her choices. I think she liked Middletown as much as the school itself

  • Davidson - down - just did not like it
  • Rhodes - about the same - made the cut to apply but would need to visit again to see if she really wanted to go
  • UVA - off - too big and not her scene (this made me a little sad as I grew up in VA)
  • William & Mary - off - didn't like being so close to Colonial Williamsburg and did not like that the dorms didn't have A/C.

All of the visits did solidify for her that she would probably be happier at a small, LAC or be in an honors college program at a larger school. We tended to visit schools as the opportunity arose and only last spring did we seriously start focusing on ones she thought she may apply to. She is still applying to several that she has not visited (mostly reaches) that I told her we would visit if she was accepted and it was financially feasible.

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tigerdad - my bad should not have stated no sports, my son did not think the Ivy League conf was any good - his opinion not mine

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momofsenior1 - i agree with you that that Tulane, ND, Villanova and UNC have low acceptance rates, but his college counselor told us those were matches for him based on his SAT, GPA and strong ECs, hence his picks

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Recent visits:

Butler-stayed about the same. She really liked the location and size but didn’t love the campus. Tour guide was great and new freshman dorm was the best dorm room we’ve seen. Common areas in the dorms were also awesome.

Depauw- went way up. She did not like the location so she really wanted to dislike the school. However, she loved it. Students all seemed super nice and friendly. Cafeteria was beautiful and food was great. I think this is a well-rated hidden gem that doesn’t get much love on CC due to their Greek life. She actually liked how it seemed fully integrated into the school and there seemed to be a good mix of other social events as well. Also seems to give great merit money.

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Moved Up: Columbia and University of Chicago. Son loved their urban settings and the “vibe” of being part of major research universities.

Moved Down: Amherst, Wesleyan, Bowdoin. Son loved the schools but felt they were too small (and their towns were too small too). He also was very disappointed with Georgetown. Felt the campus was small and “pokey” and didn’t like the SFS session.

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4689

Happy to see one of my favorite threads
moving again!

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OFF THE LIST:

Muhlenberg -Good tour, great academics and excellent admissions presentation but son felt campus was too small for him. Nearby city was just okay.

Clark - Tour was short, saw very little and no actual classrooms, students seemed smart but a bit too homogeneous in opinions & size was too small for son.

Roger Williams - Tour did not show any actual classrooms. More focused on dorms vs. academics. Tour guide with other group at same time was from our hometown. Was surprised admissions did not put us with that guide.

University of Rhode Island - Initial summer presentation & tour was excellent and it was high on the list, but return visit for open house was beyond bad. Rushed open house tour that felt like we were running from site to site unnecessarily, no presentations by intended departments, no access to food to remain and experience campus. Overall a huge disappointment after summer visit. Left open house with it off the list.

Towson - good admissions presentation but campus just didn’t feel right for intangible reasons. Just not the right fit. Nothing bad, but didn’t fit.

Drexel - Didn’t like the alternative schedule they have of 4-5 years and campus felt too disjointed. Admissions presentation was good. Proximity to UPenn was a downside. During tour a couple of UP students disparaged Drexel openly. Got the feeling it was the poor relation to the ivy UP - living side by side but never interacting.

Quinnapiac - Gorgeous campus but split into two campuses a couple of miles apart & too far to walk. Bad parking if had car. Tours were perfectly rehearsed and executed identically by tour guides. No admissions presentation at time we went. Other people on tours seemed disinterested, overly well dressed for summer and spent a lot of time looking at their phones while touring. Son did not feel he would fit in here.

George Mason - So much to say here, but I’ll just say it was not the right fit. Left with it off the list immediately.

ON THE LIST:

SUNY at Buffalo - Students looked unhappy & meh tour. But stayed on list as safety as inexpensive in state option.

Penn State UP - Way too large & awful tour guide unable to answer basic questions, didn’t point out any academic buildings we passed, took break in the middle and only saw one gigantic classroom in the dark. Dull admissions presentation. Stayed on list because so many people recommend it and thought maybe we were not getting a good sense of the school. Did not walk to town as we just wanted to leave after walking and walking the huge campus.

UMASS - Seemed a bit bureaucratic in size & design. Tour guide didn’t mince words - was direct but not overly excited about the school. Construction everywhere made for confusing parking situation. Felt like a state school. Bus to town but could not walk. Yet son thought he would consider seeing it again perhaps. Good academic reputation.

UP THE LIST:

UCONN - Summer tour guide spoke with each student. Good admissions presentation during Fall open house but department missed the mark a bit - no professors in son’s intended major attended and they sent student advisers instead. :confused: But son loved campus and school spirit. Strong reputation for academics.

UD University of Delaware - Average to poor admissions presentation with dimly lit room, poor audio system & poor communication during check in, but tour turned it around. Great campus with nice classrooms. Tour focused on academics and experience as a student. Convenient town right through campus. Good reputation for academics.

WAY UP THE LIST:

JMU. - Excellent admissions & dept presentations. Well organized open house with clearly planned department events. Students seemed happy and proud to attend. Professors expressed and exhibited that they enjoy working with the students. Tour guides seemed genuine and not overly rehearsed but real. Great town nearby in walking distance.

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Most of our visits have been standard, run of the mill visits that gave us great insight into the school, classes, campus life, forms, etc…but there were definitely a couple that really stuck out.

We toured Georgetown after my DD’s Naval Academy Candidate Visit Weekend. Now, it may have the immense high regard she had for USNA that turned her off of Georgetown, but it was the ONLY school we visited that she immediately crossed off her list and didn’t end up applying. The tour was honestly hard to get through because you couldn’t hear the guides at all with the planes flying overhead. Due to close proximity to the airport, there were constant low flying planes and I couldn’t imagine that sound all day everyday. The other parts of the tour were very lackluster…the upper class man housing we walked by had full windows and most of them just had stacks and stacks and stacks of empty boxes of beer. None of the students we saw were smiling or engaging, heads down, and no eye contact…and it was a weekend. It just wasn’t a great feel on campus.

Now on the opposite side of that coin was a school that wasn’t necessarily at the top of her list, but they have a great program she’s interested in so we went to visit Western Carolina University. Everything about that visit was top-notch. It poured the entire visit and from the moment we stepped out of the car the student volunteers had the music playing and were greeting everyone with huge smiles on their faces wearing their raincoats and holding their umbrellas. It was high energy and every single person seemed ecstatic to be there. The information fair was packed with engaging students and faculty discussing different programs. When we next to the next stage of the day, they handed out ponchos to every single person. We were there all day and it didn’t matter whether we walked past a faculty member, student volunteer, or just a student…every single person smiled, said hello, engaged, and was friendly. It was quite simply amazing. That day moved that school move up quite a ways on her list! We have toured numerous schools and no school has even come close to what they’re doing right there!

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I’ll add the caveat that my dd is applying/auditioning for BFA Dance programs, so her preferences are very much focused on the specifics of the dance program.

Went down:
Peabody Conservatory: Ok we just did a drive-by, but that was enough to knock it off the list. Wants a real campus and Peabody is basically a building in a very sketchy part of Baltimore

Temple University: Liked the campus a lot but the dance program really isn’t what she’s looking for

UNC-Greensboro: Ditto. If she were not looking to get a BFA in dance, this would be a very strong contender. The dance program really is great in so many ways, and there are fantastic people on the faculty, but not the best fit for her

George Mason: Again, dance program not the right fit. School is very diverse but dance program (faculty and students) is not. Focus on performance/modern more narrow than my dd wants.

Went up:

Towson: Were ready to drop from out list, but dd changed her mind after our visit. She loved the campus and we really liked what the dance department folks had to say. She applied and was accepted, will probably go back for audition/visit this spring.

Montclair State: Campus is really nice and it’s hard to beat the combination of a green suburban campus and NYC half an hour away. Program seems rigorous, and it’s one of the few programs where BFA Dance students can be really involved in musical theater. One of my dd’s top choices.

VCU: Dd loved this place. Dance program felt like home, and a good balance of technical training and a creative track. Students there seem to love the program. Dd loved the audition class. Urbanish but still has a campus-y feel.

University of Illinois: Dd loved the campus and the general setting. Dance program felt like a great fit. Lots of opportunities for collaboration across departments within the college of Fine Arts. Downsides are it is cold, expensive and far from home, so not sure it will make the final cut.

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Fortunately, D20 and parents usually had the same positive & negative impressions of the schools we visited.

Went up:

Goucher - beautiful campus, new freshman dorms, excellent tour guide

Willamette - We only toured this one because we were in the area anyway, but it was a surprise hit. She did not end up applying, but liked the campus and the general vibe.

Loyola Chicago- she loved the urban setting

University of Denver - another one we mostly toured because we were in the area and now it’s probably her top choice. It’s a perfect size, semi-urban location, and she loves the mountains. She is interested in their Pioneer leadership program

Went Down:

Harvard - the campus is a tourist attraction - too distracting to have tourists constantly in the middle of campus. Also, unfortunate encounter with a very strange person in Harvard Square Starbucks.

Lewis & Clark - Bad tour guide, rude, pushy people on the tour with us, crappy dorms… everything seemed run down.

Clark - Worcester is still a dump, and the people in the admissions presentation were super pretentious.

American - I honestly think she didn’t like it because we toured it the day after Georgetown and the campus is just not as pretty. I liked it.

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@threegirlpileup What is dd top 2 choices?

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@momstress2020 VCU and Montclair State
Still have to visit Ohio State and Adelphi, which are still under consideration. She’s visiting and auditioning at Adelphi in January. Ohio State we’re going to wait to hear about OOS merit aid before visiting.

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@LP2024 I love your school list, we may have crossed paths at a few schools.

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Crossed off: University of San Diego. Maybe unpopular opinion, but it was “excessively perfect”-looked as though students didn’t walk on the grass, sit on the benches, etc. and felt like a rich kids school. Very secluded from the surrounding area- felt like a castle on a hill, with a security gate and everything.

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Crossed off: Cal Poly Pomona- felt totally like a commuter school. apparently not many students even live on campus.

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@highschoolsen20r: The majority of the CSU’s are commuter schools since that is how they were setup to service the local student population. I did notice you applied to Cal Poly SLO which has a much lower commuter population and a small town feel. This is one reason that SLO fell off the list for my niece whom wanted a more city feel.

Also Chico state and Humboldt have a lower commuter feel to their campuses due being more isolated.

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My current college freshman engineering major was excited by the idea of Wellesley but dropped it off her list after visiting. Although they have several different ways one can earn an engineering degree through top schools, the STEM dean suggested those options are better for those who decide on engineering after they arrive, not those who plan on engineering from the start. She was very honest that only a small handful of students (one or two a year) complete the double-degree engineering programs. Wellesley is exceptional; just not for my daughter.

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For S21 we’ve seen VA Tech, JMU, VCU, Randolph-Macon, William & Mary for official tours. Plus visited George Mason for various events, attended a summer program at Georgetown and has visited Cal Poly, UCLA and UC Davis while visiting friends and family in CA. CA schools are out of our budget but added to getting a feel of different campus preferences.

Wants to major in something in the realm of math/statistics.

Ruled out urban and small schools :
VCU = hated it, too urban
Randolph Macon = too small
W&M = too small, generally didn’t like the vibe
Georgetown seemed small
UCLA also too urban

Likes big colleges in a smallish “college town:”
VA Tech
JMU
Cal Poly

UC Davis had the feel of the college town while closer to a city. If we could afford it would probably be on the list, in large part because he likes that it’s close to his grandparents

George Mason initially as dismissed as too close to home but moved up after attending an info session at his HS.

After all these, he loves VA Tech and has no desire to look at any more. We’re taking him to the Spring Open House at VT for a 2nd look, maybe spending some time with a friend’s son who is there. If still #1 after that, he’ll probably apply ED. His back ups at the moment are JMU and George Mason (that surprised me, the admissions rep must have done a great job with the info session!).