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

[RussianMom]

Here are some highlights and the college list movement after the last week’s road trip:

1. JHU & Peabody are off the list, were great on paper and checked all the boxes my kid has for her dream school(s), including research opportunities for undegrads, and a dual BA & BM degree. Did not connect with the JHU campus at all, kids we saw were not very happy or engaged with each other. Peabody tour was given by the dance student, she did not know anything about music programs - could not provide the context or feedback for a lot of things. Peabody buildings are gorgeous, but literally fenced & gated off from the block of the city they are in. Did not get an impression of a very collaborative place. And did not get an impression of the school embracing the community around it.

2. Brown, added to the list now - did not know what to expect at first, campus is very pretty, loved the Providence and proximity to RISD, very creative and collaborative vibe. Students seemed engaged, smart, happy and, yes - quirky.

3. Wellesley is off the list, campus felt “summer campy” to my D23, and a bit too remote. Did not see a lot of students, but ones we saw were mostly walking or doing things on their own and did not engage with each other.

4. BU & BU School of Music - left on the list, but moved down, school felt huge and the campus spread out in a weird way. Another school that checks all the boxes for double major, undergraduate research and a location in a place with great cultural life and opportunities, my kid LOVED Boston.

5. Tufts - moved up closer to the top, our tour guide was a double major - smart, witty and absolutely adorable! D23 loved the campus on a horrible rainy and windy day. Everyone was so welcoming and students looked engaged and happy. We heard a lot of “I can see myself here!” from our kid. Mention of a freshmen outdoor backpacking/kayaking experience got our kayaking obsessed kid very excited. But Tufts + NEC = BA + BM is the main reason, of course!

6. NEC - up on the list, but in combination with other schools only. We toured to check it out still, and D23 loved, loved, loved it! Very collaborative atmosphere, happy students. All these wonderful sounds that hug you once you get closer to the block it is on - my kid was in heaven! Will not apply, as she wants an academic major to be a part of her education.

7. Harvard - it will be added to the list now, D loved to see a lot of kids on campus with their music instruments, it seems music could be a big part your life here. Program with NEC is a plus. More diverse and approachable student body than she thought. Spoke to a couple of people - really loved conversations, smart, but well-rounded kids. Surprised how supportive the school is (once you are there). Residential colleges system - huge “pro” for her.

8. University of Pennsylvania - will most likely be added to the list, we did not plan to tour the campus, tours were not offered when we were driving by, so just stopped for a couple of hours, did a self-guided tour and D23 talked with the admissions office student receptionist for almost 30 minutes, he was so patient and nice with her, answered a lot of questions. We had a meal on campus, in the student center and got to see their “accepted student” weekend in action. Campus is absolutely stunning! Everyone we interacted with was welcoming and helpful. No music performance major, but there is an opportunity to take lessons with the ourside instructors and join many ensembles they have on campus.

[CULSE]

deleted

[Cloudybay23]

@RussianMom I believe the dual degree program with tufts/ NEC is a BA/BM. different from the harvard NEC program which is a BA/Masters

[CavsFan2003]

For me, Caltech flew up my list, although it was already pretty close to the top.

The campus was absolutely beautiful, in my opinion—very pretty Southwestern architecture and lots of shade and greenery. I also loved how the campus felt cozy and small but not suffocating. The people were so, so kind, as well! Its facilities are top-notch for STEM, as expected. The weather is absolutely perfect; on the first day I arrived, it was about 60 degrees and cloudy, and people were APOLOGIZING for the cold!! It was insane to me. Every other day was 70+ and sunny. Caltech’s location is also really nice in my opinion. From what I saw, I really liked Pasadena and I appreciate how I can still have fun in LA while being in a quiet place outside of the city. I also really, really appreciated how students seemed not perfect if that makes sense? Like I felt no pressure while there to be dressed super nicely, or speak absolutely perfectly—it felt super accepting and comfortable.

Anyway, if you can’t tell, I’m going to Caltech lol

[DadOfJerseyGirl]

@CavsFan2003

I’m going to Caltech lol

That’s awesome! End of a long journey

My best wishes to you.

[Izzy74]

We’re back from our Southeast road trip with D23 and S25 so I have some new schools to report.

Elon - moved up for D23. We were there on a beautiful day and she loved the campus. They have a fabulous Communications Design program that really combines Communications/Advertising with Art. The town is tiny but cute and she doesn’t seem to be bothered by the location. Towards the top of her list.

High Point - a controversial choice I know. D23 loved it. My husband loved it. S25 and I thought it was silly. The campus is unbelievable. If you’re in the area, go see it because it’s not something I can describe. Movie theaters, 6 rec pools, a planetarium…classical music is pumped through speakers while you walk through campus. But for all its silliness, I did like the emphasis on life skills, getting a job, etc. I’m not the kind of person who would enjoy it there, but D23 is less academically inclined (she’s 3.6 UW student, she works hard, she just doesn’t love academics), so maybe it’s the right fit for her. I think it will come in way over our 50K budget so it may not be an issue in the end.

Wofford - off the list. I liked it. It reminded me a lot of W&L where I went to school. D23 found it too small though and S25 found it not nerdy or outdoorsy enough. Would recommend though for anyone looking for a small southern liberal arts school.

Furman - moved up. Everybody liked Furman! Beautiful campus, a little bigger than Wofford and has a good Communications program. Students felt happy and seemed in D23’s words “normal.” Loved the study abroad options and I’m ready to move to Greenville. If they had a climbing team S25 would be all in.

Berry - Off the list. We know someone who attended Berry and they recommended it. The admissions officer asked everyone in the info session which high school they attended and they were all Georgia high schools. Our tour guide told us he makes sure to go home at least once a month but lots of people go home more often. We live in the PNW, so that isn’t what we’re looking for. The main campus seems old and needs some upkeep. The “castle” area is beautiful but far from the main campus.

Sewanee - Husband I loved it because the feel of the school reminded us a lot of W&L which we both attended. Ultimately though I think it suffers from the same problems as Wofford for D23, too small and no Communications program. Our tour guide was kind of nutty too, which was funny but a little off-putting. S25 liked it.

Ultimately, we learned more about what D23 is looking for. I’m trying to plan one last trip to Texas to see Baylor and TCU which I think she’ll love.

[kcoug26]

Visited 6 Southern Schools recently, and D and I had pretty similar opinions. These were all on pretty equal footing before we left after researching programs, etc. and there were definitely clear favorites after our tours were complete.

UT Austin - Moved down for both. This campus made us realize Urban campus is not what D is looking for. Other than having somewhat rundown dorms/rec center, it seemed to be in a part of Austin that didn’t feel super safe. Our tour guide was also just Meh and kind of trashed the athletic department. D not impressed, and didn’t feel any kind of connection like she hoped to the university as a whole. Will not apply.

Texas A&M - Moved To the Top for Both - Completely different feel than UT Austin, and made D realize how much she loved College towns. From the moment we drove into town D felt happy and everyone was very warm and welcoming, and I mean everyone. There was a connection with the tour guide who did a great job of making a large campus feel smaller. Loved the tradition, bus accessibility, and safety measures for students. Tied for Top 2 and will apply.

Baylor - Kind of stayed in Limbo for both. D loved the campus, loved the tour, loved the goodies they presented, and could feel a positive campus vibe and felt it a good fit. However, Waco left something to be desired and D wasn’t sure about what to do off campus. Campus felt safe and well loved. D met a new friend on the tour and exchanged info for future discussions. Town is hopefully having a resurrection with all of the construction we encountered. Solid choice, will apply.

Texas Tech - Down for both. Had high hopes for Tech based on Guaranteed merit & OOS tuition waiver making it very affordable. We arrived very late and night and didn’t really see what we were driving into. When we awoke, and headed to campus we were very sad to see so much Brown! The dead grass, buildings, etc. were all the same sad shade of brown. D thought everyone seemed sad. Presentations were well done, tour was ok, and materials provided very comprehensive. However, D did not like more than our In-state U, and will not apply.

OU - Way up for both - We didn’t know what to expect by this one, and it was kind of a last minute addition before we left on our trip. From the moment we crossed the Red River in Oklahoma D was happy, everything seemed to turn green. Arrived on campus and much like TAMU, Norman and OU just gave off a good vibe. Worst admissions presentation of the bunch, but best tour guide for the walking tour by far. D really enjoyed the guide and her very positive energy. OU had the best dorms we saw. Moved into a tie for #1 with TAMU. good thing too, because TAMU seems to be a tough admit for OOS. OU will be a solid safety with merit. 2 thumbs up for that!

TCU - Moved Down - Sadly TCU ended up moving to the 4th spot of our 6 campus tour. Somehow, I don’t know if was the day, our guides, or just the end of a long trip, but our tour guides came off as pretentious and uniformed at the same time. They spent the tour talking to each other instead of guests anytime we weren’t at a formal “tour stop” where they could spill their info. These were also the only Freshman guides we had of our 6 tours, so maybe just inexperience. I think the overall combo just didn’t work. D didn’t feel like other students at the tour were as friendly or engaging as they were at Baylor, TAMU, and Tech. D said Will not apply.

So in the end our 1500+ mile road trip that started in Austin, ended in Dallas and swung through West Texas and Oklahoma was so much fun for D and me. D got clarity on the types of colleges that were a fit, and what were not. I would call the whole thing a success. Now to sort through all of these brochures, shirts, and other goodies.

[DadSays]

Haverford - Down. Admittedly, we were there on a Sunday and the campus was dead, but the dumpy dorm/apartments at the a$$ end of campus looked like a housing project. It was kind of depressing.

[MWDadOf3]

Big spring break trip with DD (11th grade, thinking MechE, but possibly CS or a different Eng.) Starting from St. Louis area.

Vanderbilt - Up. Pretty campus. Liked that the freshman had their own part of the campus to live. Good tour guide. Liked “Maymester” concept. Nashville itself was OK, but arguably the campus was a little TOO in-the-city.

Ga. Tech - Down. Campus was mostly lackluster. (Brown grass, scrawny trees). Self-toured. D probably engineering, but leans towards a U. that’s more robust (not so STEM focused).

Duke - Up. This was barely on the list at all - was a visit of convenience, on the route. Self-toured, early in the morning (only time available with schedule). Campus very pretty. Green, landscaped, consistent architecture, woods-y/garden-y spaces to explore. Engineering buildings close to main campus. Felt like students mostly stayed on campus housing. She needs to research more, but went from non-entity to serious contender. But far from home.

UVA - Flat/down. My alma mater, so I wanted to show her and nostalia-fy myself. Engineering quad was nice IMO, but D was not overall impressed. Very rainy day of visit probably contributed to underwhelming response.

CMU (Carnegie-Mellon) - Down. Didn’t really feel very college-y in the rah-rah, let’s hange out together sense. Location in city not the greatest, either, in our opinions.

Michigan - Down. D, not a sports fan at all, appreciated the buzz in the air the night we arrived (Michigan was playing during NCAA basketball tournament). But tour next day was cold. Main campus not so pretty, and a bit road-y. (Ann Arbor downtown nice, though, but also expensive). Secondary campus, where engineering is based, felt more office-park, less college-y.

Valparaiso - Down. Bad weather again (rain). Just didn’t strongly appeal to D. Maybe a little small, bland.

Purdue - Up. Cold (snow on ground upon arrival). D liked better than I did. Probably safety school for D, but she liked it - thought it was reasonably pretty. We cut short the 3 hour long tour(s)/info session by about 30 minutes as it was cold, we were underdressed, and it was the last stop on long tour.

===

Outside of that big tour, we’ve also seen Northwestern (Up - D had been nervous about trimester system, but liked as she heard details, and liked campus), Illinois (UIUC) (Up - D liked, though it felt kinda big and while main campus was pretty, surrounding town not so much), Wash U. (WUSTL) (Up - Big sister goes there and likes it, and youngest D maybe didn’t just want to rehash big sis’s path, but framed next to other schools she’s seen, she appreciates it - pretty school (buildings, grass, landscaping), location is nice and close to home, strong students.

[Wjs1107]

My daughter was completely turned off by Georgetown because of this. She found the instagram feed Georgetown.hotmess and it ain’t pretty. I’m also very alarmed by the number of stories I read about children becoming very ill due to mold exposure at various schools.

UCLA’s 4 years of guaranteed housing looks better and better (though cramming 3 kids in a room meant for 2 is also less than ideal)

[happy1]

Let’s get back to the thread.

If you want a more general discussion regarding the importance of housing, dining or anything else please feel free to start a new thread on that topic.

[Southoftheriver]

Tufts, down and out.

Traveled to Boston for their Admitted Students Day - the first time she had seen campus. There were/are so many things to love about this school. Innovative programs, research, commitment to civic engagement. Also beautiful campus and amazing views that we caught on the loveliest of spring days. D attended two classes yesterday, had a Zoom call with the department chair of her prospective major and meeting with a researcher.

It felt like this school could be the dark horse, but she just didn’t feel a connection. Most students in the classes didn’t participate in the discussion and seemed shy and subdued. Just wasn’t right for her. Couldn’t have known without a visit.

We adored Boston. Loved seeing the North End, the rowing on the Charles and the string of incredible universities here. It has to be the most fantastic college “town” anywhere. Stayed at the Row Hotel — nice and convenient. Highly recommend.

[Christyski]

Greetings! I’ve spent a lot of time reading these threads, this one in particular, and until now haven’t contributed a bunch so here goes… headed ‘east’ from the midwest for a spring break trip with husband & DD (junior, wanting to go east or west, large uni’s, near mountains, cold weather seasons, Business major) to visit husband’s family in NY and friends in VT and had a little time for drive-by, admittedly superficial, type college visits; more in depth study will have to be virtual. Wants a campus feel within a community in order to feel a part of the community with community services projects, events, etc. Warning-- D was not super excited about any of the visits even though these are some of the schools on her list. I think the college search in general has been overwhelming to her. She doesn’t want to attend our hometown large D1 school because it’s, for the most part, in our backyard and I work there as well, but honestly, it would be the perfect school for her.

University of Rochester - Down. D did not like the campus vibe and the location within Rochester. Thought the buildings looked dumpy and campus was sleepy. I personally thought it was a nice, contained campus and thought Rochester has a lot to offer, at least visually. The city around the campus has a more residential feel with only just a small ‘town square-like’ area of a few restaurants/shops. Downtown Rochester is obviously further away from the campus.

Syracuse - Same/UP. Campus was hoppin’ on a Saturday with some type of youth fun-run fundraiser (Greek sponsored?) with young kids and college kids running through campus. Lots of activity and energy. Campus was really pretty (and it was a cloudy, misty March day) and the architecture on campus is stunning. Business School offerings look appealing. Has the feel of our home city that houses a major university with DI sports vibe; which she enjoys. The mini town (strips of stores/restaurants) right on/by the campus was nice (Insomnia Cookies!) but we didn’t have much time to actually experience the downtown area of Syracuse.

Skidmore - Down & Up? This one wasn’t a true contender but since our family are in the Saratoga area and after years of visiting, thought we’d finally check out the campus. Really pretty, condensed, forested campus, surrounded by residential, lots of ample parking (is that a check against with all that cement in a small area?) and the proximity to Saratoga (the downtown, the arts offerings, the track, etc) can’t be beat. No wonder liberal arts lovers love this school! Looks very intimate. D just wished a bigger school was in Saratoga, she’s always loved the town.

University of Vermont - UP. More clouds/rain. We started comparing the number of annual days of sunshine to our area and all the schools she’s considering. UVM actually mirrors our annual days of sun at home so I guess that’s good? Loved Burlington downtown area (we’d been before but she was only 8 & didn’t remember much but the Church St outdoor restaurant we went to). UVM is perched on the hill above the downtown and, according to our neice who went there freshman year (& then transferred to a school in New Zealand) said it’s ‘FREEZING’ to walk across campus in the winter, maybe the wind whipping off Lake Champlain? As I recall, though, her freshman year was the year many states, including ours, got -30 below weather for a stretch. Is UVM usually excessively cold? I thought the buildings/campus looked ‘tired’ and I really wanted to like it. However, D really liked the campus, specifically some of the older buildings in the old red brick style and thought it felt big but definitely not too big. Proximity to mountains, outdoor recreation is a plus and laid back feel. And water! Beautiful lake. So it stays on the list!

UMass-Amherst - this is one I wanted D to like because their Business School has alot to offer and I think D would fit well with campus from what I remember when I worked there for a very short time while in grad school in the area. She did not like the campus, thought the buildings looked old and shabby and the dorms looked like… not appealing. We’ve reminded her it’s what takes place on the insides of the buildings that matters but yes, it does help to like your surroundings. The town of Amherst was as I remember but boy, the traffic sure is different than 30 years ago. Trucked over to Northampton and it was a steady line of cars. There was a large ‘camper’/homeless population in Northampton that we were surprised to see. D did not think my description of Northampton from 30 years ago, Boho/hippy, fit what was going on there now. Smith College is not a contender but I pointed it out as we drove on and she wasn’t impressed. Not surprising-- she just doesn’t like the Liberal Arts College feel.

Separate trip last summer, 2021:

University of Colorado-Boulder - UP. For a large campus, it’s nicely contained, landscaped and D liked the continuity of the architecture. We biked through campus and down to the Pearl St area. D felt like she could fit in there but is very concerned about the ‘party’ reputation. However, with such a large school population, I think she could find her people. Boulder was not quite the shimmering oasis of perfection that I always gave it back when I used to live in Fort Collins 35 years ago, but D definitely liked it). Proximity to mountains, outdoors, hiking, skiing, the whole appreciation of that is a real draw to her.

University of Denver - DOWN. Darn. I thought she’d like it. Too urban. Too much city. Too small of a campus. Residential area around it was mid-century (20th) run down. Although it’s hard to know when you don’t know where you’re going. D would not give it a chance and didn’t want to take the time to ride up to Cherry Creek shopping area and see other parts of Denver. (the only part she’d been in previously was downtown for a Rockies baseball game several years prior and on many I-70 drives for ski trips). D did participate in a virtual admissions meeting a couple months after our visit and did admit that the people seemed great (both admissions people and student presenters) and the programs appealing.

Colorado College - DOWN. Not unexpected. Too small of a college/liberal arts. Colorado Springs was really crowded. She didn’t like the city and we couldn’t get out of there fast enough (for her). The mountains in the backdrop are stunning though and the proximity is hard to beat.

Well I hope those thoughts help anyone out there looking at these schools. I’ve really appreciated reading other posts on the various schools that I know we won’t be able to get to and may or may not stay on her list. We’ll see what this summer brings.

[blueberriesforsal]

Just back from Minnesota!

We went into this trip with S23 excited to visit Carleton (his #1 choice), and lukewarm on visiting St. Olaf and Macalester but thought it would be a good idea to visit both since they were close by. Presenting in the order we visited:

St. Olaf: WOW. We had a terrific guide who was engaging, thoughtful, and took the time to reflect and answer all of our questions as we walked. They spoke about different student’s experiences and perspectives in addition to their own. When S and I had a question about Great Conversations and the role of religion at Olaf while we were coming to the end of our time, he offered to stay and wait for us to finish our final information session so that we could chat further.

Campus was terrific, and we were visiting on an absolutely frigid day (an unseasonable storm was blowing through), and from a Mom perspective I noticed how every building we entered and walked through was full of natural light from the large windows (and two and three story windows were quite common in many buildings). There were nooks to gather in nearly every building to study or chat in front of windows, and I felt that if I was stuck inside in a freezing Midwest winter, I wouldn’t be stuck inside dim rooms - the natural light indoors was a tonic.

Perhaps a small thing, but as we went through the dining hall our guide explained that backpacks are left outside the hall as the expectation is that students eat and talk together, not do their work during meals. And when we came back through to eat lunch in the dining hall later we certainly saw that: 95% of the kids were deep in conversation, chatting and laughing and there wasn’t a laptop in sight.

My kid really enjoyed St. Olaf and could see themselves in that community.

We next went to Carleton, which went down after the visit. The tour was fine! But it was just “fine.” The students we saw were keeping to themselves, and in contrast to what we’d just seen at Olaf, the dining hall we went through had kids all on their laptops instead of talking. There was a lot of mentions of how intense it was at Carleton, how hard it is, how they do a full semester of work in a trimester. And my kid observed that Carleton has a great website and a great photographer, but in person the buildings looked much smaller and darker. He also noticed more expensive clothes on many of the kids and a bit more intensity. He said that because he had such high expectations of Carleton he thinks it was easier for it to come down as a result. But we left the visit with him thinking he wants to apply to see if he can get in - but doesn’t see the benefit to being stressed out all the time.

Macalester: it was 12 degrees with the windchill. Not ideal! We walked away from this tour thinking it’s a fabulous college for those that want to go to school in a city, but still be in a neighborhood in a not super urban environment. There are incredible options for internships in the Twin Cities and great networking for the Midwest. My S really wants the true residential college experience, and felt that with the high number of juniors and seniors moving off campus, and “the vibe” we got when we were there - that it was the school for people that really wanted to be “in the city” and dispersed in that culture, than embedded on campus.

[SoCalDriver]

Your tour of St Olaf sounds identical to ours! I agree with everything you wrote. It’s quite a place!

We didn’t tour Carleton so I was interested to hear your thoughts even though we aren’t considering it for financial reasons.

Sounds like your S favored St Olaf. I don’t see how anyone can tour that campus and not love it.

[blueberriesforsal]

Carleton is really going to be out for us due to financial reasons as well. And it’s something that my pragmatically minded S23 already sees at the end of the day - if he were to get in, it’s not going to be worth all of the debt. We did the trip as I wanted them to see all three schools even though I knew Carleton wasn’t likely to pencil out - and I was sure that S knew that as well before I booked the tickets.

(Long story short, we would have plenty of aid with FAFSA, but wealthy other parent negates any and all need based aid while they also refuse any contribution towards education expenses whatsoever. There was a slim chance they might, but it’s now a confirmed 100% NO, they will not. S23 can likely - hopefully - get enough merit to bring Olaf and Whitman into a range where we can swing this with next to no debt.)

We are off to visit Whitman on Monday, and I’m hoping it’s a great fit for them. S is planning on living in the PNW when they’re done with college and there are Whitties all up and down the West Coast. Lots of community and networking for jobs at that point (he hopes!), whereas Olaf wouldn’t have nearly as many alums out here. (Also, opportunities for lots of outdoor activities in Walla Walla, akin to what S is used to here in Portland. Our frigid trip to Minnesota in mid-April, where all the grass was brown and there wasn’t a single leaf on a tree - was a good reminder that the climate can be a challenge!)

At the end of the day though, I could see my S at Olaf, and I’m really glad we made the trip.

[3kids2dogs]

We went on three school tour for Spring Break, we went to UGA, FSU and UTK. My kids like their schools big in both population and school spirit. Prior to the trip, my son would have ranked the schools, FSU>UGA>UTK. After the visits, he ranked them UTK>FSU>UGA

Crossed off (or at least way down the list): UGA
Not only is this school kind of a reach for my son, he did not get a good vibe from it. We arrived the evening before our tour and he didn’t love how much vehicle traffic there was around campus (he said it was like every student had a car and was driving it…alone) and then when we were looking for a place to eat dinner, he wanted wings and we couldn’t find a restaurant with wings on the menu (from Google). That sent Athens way down in his eyes - what kind of a college town doesn’t have a wing joint? Info session and tour were great. He commented that while he didn’t love UGA, he was glad he went on the tour because the guide was “inspirational”. He thought campus was too big, too traffic-y and not enough kids were wearing UGA merch (his physical measurement of school pride/spirit). He also said he noticed a too many (for him) kids walking alone, working alone…just alone. He’s an extrovert and needs people around him.

Way Up: UTK
Neither of us went in with any expectations. I had been there in 2014 and 2015 for the finals of a competition my kids competed in and I spent probably 3 or 4 nights in a freshman dorm in 2015 with my son and yet neither of us had much of recollection of the campus. I had vague snippets in my mind: of the basketball stadium, the dorm we stayed in, the dining hall but that was about it. We arrived the evening before our tour and drove around and were so impressed. Cumberland (the commercial area on the edge of campus) was tailor made for students and had all of his favorite chains: Chipotle, Canes, Cookout… and he was loving that. Info session and tour were great, and campus was really nice. Lots of new buildings including a beautiful business school, nice landscaping, good use of outdoor space, etc. Observed school spirit was off the charts - everyone was wearing orange. My son said he felt like he could be friends with the tour guides and he saw lots of kids walking together, eating together, working together. A very good sign for him. Also, Knoxville looks like a nice small city and he likes that the school is right next to the city, but that people are not using campus streets as city through streets (a complaint about his sister’s school UofSC). All in all - this school went WAY up the list. I went home and looked into the school a little more - why didn’t I remember it being this nice? Turns out the entire school was under construction when we were there in 2015. Now it’s full of new buildings, and they closed some streets, added greenspace, etc. No wonder it looked different.

Stayed the Same: FSU We also arrived in Tallahassee the evening before our tour. Because storms were forecasted on tour day, we walked the entire campus the evening before (around 5:00pm). Campus was compact and completely walkable from one end to the other in 20 minutes. Huge green lawn with lots of “after school” activity: a volleyball game, a spikeball game and tons of people on blankets hanging out enjoying the space. That made my son feel good. Lots of tropical landscaping (ferns and palms - you know you are in Florida). There was no real info session, just a student led walking tour. Storms stopped just before our tour so we got the full experience. Very nice, informative tour. Some buildings renovated, some haven’t been renovated. The business school is one of the non renovated buildings - that was a bit of a bummer, but on the other hand, a fancy building doesn’t mean that the education is any better. Overall, good observed school spirit (not as omnipresent as UTK) and it is staying high on the list.

[3rdinf]

Down: Olin, MSOE and Rose-Hulman. All were way too small. All were too narrowly focused on engineering as tinkering. Athletics and physical activity were limited especially at Olin. Campuses were more office parks than hallowed halls. Aid was relatively small.

Up: Washington & Lee, Bucknell and Augustana College. All sized just right. All great liberal arts curriculum where DS can study engineering physics AND double major in math. Each has great big brand new athletic facilities and superb opportunities in extra curricular music. Very good to awesome financial aid.

Same: Cornell. Very big gorgeous Ivy League campus. No word on financial aid.