Lawrence University - Down - We didn’t actually visited the school, but was at the CTCL tour last night in Austin Sheraton Hotel.
It was an energetic presentation and there was a Financial Aid info session after the Admission Intro, which was informative.
S24 talked to the admission officials from Clark, Goucher, and Allegheny and got a good feel on all three of them, especially Allgeheny. He really wanted to attend virtual sessions with Goucher, but was told they don’t offer that (which is why there has been none listed on the site for months), that was a downer.
As his school mate was interested in Lawrence and the school was on his Safety list, he had gone and asked for more info. However, not sure what he was told, but he said nothing clicked. I suspect its because it is located in Wisconsin, too much snow!
If you can find out whether it was the weather or something else, please report back. It’s a possible safety for us as we whittle her list down. Thanks!
Just asked S24, it was the weather. In fact, the IR program looks alright to him, but he just couldn’t get over how cold it will get.
Last visit of the PNW mini-tour for my child…
Whitman College STAYED THE SAME.
Kid and his other parent attended the Discover Whitman event, which included a tour, info session, lunch in the dining hall, essay writing workshop, and a student panel. We had taken advantage of the awesome Whitman College Merit Aid guarantee pre-read, and knew going into the visit that kid would receive a substantial award if he was admitted/enrolled. Whitman has many of the features kid is looking for: smaller LAC vibes, incredible rock-climbing center on campus, access to the outdoors, and a focus on strong relationships between faculty and students.
The perceived drawback to Whitman is that it is rather remote. We are from the east coast, and Whitman’s location in Walla Walla would make it hard to get there with a minimum of transfers. After spending several days in Portland, my kid found Walla Walla to be weirdly empty feeling and overly sanitized. He said there were lots of cute shops and restaurants…but nobody out enjoying them.
The campus tour was meh, with an uninspired guide who rushed them through in order to make it back on time for the info session. They didn’t even mention the climbing center, but luckily my kid had walked around campus the night before and was able to look through the windows and see the awesomeness ahead of time. Unfortunately for the Admissions Office, there was construction happening literally outside the entrance to where the main Discover Day events were taking place. Loud noises and obstructed walkways did not make for a welcoming environment.
The essay writing workshop was fine–no earth shattering revelations there, but nice to hear confirmed some of the advice we often see on sites like College Essay Guy, etc.
Overall, despite a somewhat underwhelming day of programming Whitman remains on the list–and will warrant a second visit should he be accepted.
Lawrence- we did visit. Great programs. Nice campus on the river. Cute town very walkable. The only downside for my son was there were only like 2 places to get food on campus and he felt a few buildings were a bit “dated.”
Hey guys! I’ll go ahead and post.
W and M (UP) - loved the campus and the community. Being from a rural community, it seemed like quite the upgrade in terms of things to do. Also loved the business school and the heavy focus on study abroad. While the dorms and dining halls could use some work, they are planning to remodel and build new dorms and a dining hall within a few years. Absolutely love the fine arts building! All the people seemed really friendly and fun as well.
Bucknell (UP) - info sessions was realistic and the presenter was really cool. He gave lots of good tips on college applications in general. The campus is beautiful and seems close-knit. The business school and programs were amazing! There also wasn’t as much focus on Greek life as I’ve seen mentioned and it seems to be separate from non-greek dorms, which was nice. It seemed kinda small, but I could get use to it.
Richmond (SAME) - beautiful campus! The leadership school seemed intriguing, but they’re business school seemed generic. The general vibe of the campus was that it was white, rich kid school. Campus was in a beautiful location and their networking seems strong.
Cornell (SAME) - obviously ivy League, so my judgment might be clouded. Beautiful campus and Ithaca seems like a pretty cool town. The facilities were amazing and the dorms are nice. Getting around campus was a lot of walking and it seemed a bit big. Also, if you’re planning to be a business major, they only have one major option.
W and L (DOWN) - I love the town it’s in and the location, though the campus felt small and disjointed. It seemed like a bit of a party school and didn’t feel very friendly. Music program was lacking for my tastes.
UVA (DOWN) - way too big. Campus felt a bit dirty and there were people everywhere.
My son didn’t like Lawrence either and we are also from central Texas. And I can say it was 100% the location, he just couldn’t get past “Wisconsin”. (For the record, I have no issue with it at all — I went to a midwestern LAC.) He also didn’t like the trimester calendar and the shabby workout facility. It seemed like a really supportive place with a great music program, but no-go for him.
2 posts were merged into an existing topic: Off-Topic Discussion from “Colleges Crossed Off List or Moved Up After Visiting”
Starting from last summer
Fordham - Down. My daughter didn’t like the feeling of the campus (even though it is beautiful). No rhyme or reason she just didn’t like it. I didn’t really like the surrounding neighborhood either.
Boston U - Down. Again, just a feeling she had from the campus.
Syracuse - Up. Loved the tour, the business school and all the opportunities with studying abroad and internships etc.
Seton hall - Up. Enjoyed the tour and campus.
(sorry those were all last summer so my memory is fading on them)
Just recently we went to Philadelphia
Temple - same(good). She had a good feeling researching this school and it seems to be a good fit for what she is looking for.
Drexel - Up. She loved their model of the co-ops and not taking summers off. For her staying busy is what makes her happy. I have heard some bad things about it but it might just be the right fit for many students. If she did attend, Drexel she would do the 5 year that has three co-ops. It would mean graduating with 18 months of real work experience.
More colleges lol.
Vanderbilt (DOWN) - absolutely loved the campus and I loved all the opportunities they had, but being I hated Nashville as a city. If Vanderbilt was in any other place, I would’ve loved it!
Cedarville (DOWN) - admissions guides were really friendly and all the people seemed great. The campus was just a bit isolated and it seemed very crowded with buildings (especially as they build more). There was not enough trees or nature.
2 posts were merged into an existing topic: Off-Topic Discussion from “Colleges Crossed Off List or Moved Up After Visiting”
Just toured 7 colleges in a week.
USC- UP. D24 loved the campus and the energy she felt. We did both a general tour and an info session for Marshall school of business. We were all impressed with the presentation and what that particular school offers. I don’t like the location or the general glitzy feel but D24 does.
LMU- DOWN Had a great tour guide who pointed out all the opportunities the school has to offer. Info session was full of good info and actually helped D24 decide she doesn’t want a religiously affiliated school. We found the campus lackluster as far as the architecture and felt some of buildings were a bit run down. View from certain spots is magnificent though.
Chapman- DOWN . We were underwhelmed with the academics except for film school. Didn’t like that the campus blends into the neighborhood. Many sophomores have to take a shuttle to get to their housing which isn’t on campus- that didn’t seem appealing.
Claremont McKenna- UP. Added this at last minute because we had time and it was in the area. D24 loved the personalization that this small school offers while at the same time offering what a bigger school can due to consortium. Tour guide was full of information and so engaging. With the focus on leadership, economics and politics, it is a great fit for D24. Beautiful setting but buildings aren’t quite as pretty given they were built in the 1940s
U of Richmond- UP. D24 was blown away by the beauty of the campus. Seemed like a very personalized experience could be had here. Lots of opportunities for those seeking them out. Liked what we heard of leadership and business school. Did not seem very diverse.
Duke- DOWN. We had an awful tour guide. He started off the tour by telling us it was his last tour so he could say anything and we couldn’t get him fired. He told us he regretted his major every day. He said Duke made it practically impossible for him to successfully complete his major. He had no work life balance. He told us that since he was premed he knew nothing about the humanities or arts departments. Since he hadn’t used career services he knew nothing about what they offered. He told us not to go visit East campus since there’s nothing there. This is where freshmen live so seemed like a place prospective students would want to see. He pointed out what he thought were the 3 ugliest buildings on campus- all on science drive because that’s where he spends his time. He told us not to bother visiting Humanities buildings because they are old and depressing. When tour ended D24 said that given she loved what she saw of campus (we spent several hours there after tour) and given the strengths of the departments she’s interested in, she will still apply but would need to come back to get a better sense of what the environment is like. She said she would not want to spend 4 years there if the tour guide was representative of student body. I was especially disappointed as I am an alum & interviewer who had an amazing experience there. I am still in shock over the tour.
Elon- UP. Great tour guide who made sure we knew about all the opportunities available. Beautiful campus. Not much of a town but liked the one street or two with restaurants and shops. Like that this school caters to students at so many academic levels. Not very diverse but felt welcoming and inclusive. It’s a les
3 posts were merged into an existing topic: Off-Topic Discussion from “Colleges Crossed Off List or Moved Up After Visiting”
Visited Davidson yesterday as part of dropping off S21 at UNCSA -SAME- visited with music department chair and had a trial lesson with instrumental teacher that were wonderful. Loved the music facilities that were modern and accessible. Definitely a music department that wants students to participate and has tons of opportunities for both majors and non majors. The campus is gorgeous and the town wonderful but just couldn’t get a feel for the school itself with an empty campus and a tour guide that concentrated on his interests and trying to be fun. Will definitely stay on the list but not move to an ED replacer.
My D23 is interested in equine science or equestrian studies so you won’t be getting a review of visits to Ivies from me but rather schools that probably have not been mentioned on CC!
In May, we were across the pond so we visited Hartpury University in the UK. It’s a small school outside of Gloucester, near the Cotswolds. They seem to be known for their sports and their equestrian programs. I think this one moved down on her list (not sure if that makes me happy or sad). She thought it was “too old”! Hello?! We’re in jolly ol’ England, of course it’s going to be old! To be fair to her, few of the buildings were updated but they were in the midst of building a new library and they had a new student dining center. The equine programs are pretty impressive and her opinion of them did not change. Unfortunately, our tour guide didn’t give us much time at the equestrian center. My daughter was concerned about the housing situation. Most upper classmen live in Gloucester which is about 15 minutes away and the buses only run between 9-5 so if she needed to be at the barn early she would have a hard time getting there. (Why is it so hard for our kids to imagine making friends who would be willing to give them rides? Or living on campus longer?). Anyhow….the admission counselor was very nice and seems like she will be very helpful if we decide to pursue this one. And as of now, D23 says she still wants to apply. (Fun fact….some of the Harry Potter films were filmed in the Gloucester Cathedral!)
Back in the states….we toured University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio and that one is UP. UF (now don’t confuse it with Univ of Florida!), is a small (about 3500 total students) religious school, about 45 miles south of Toledo. They have a well-known equestrian program. My daughter was sold when they told her she would be spending 2-3 hours a day, every day, at the equestrian center, plus Saturdays. She also got to meet the coach of the hunter-jumper team (they practice at 5:45 am!) and that was encouraging. So her major would be equestrian studies-English (they have a Western major too). It is a BS degree. And she could double major in Equine Business. I was impressed that they encourage the equestrian students to double major. The campus was small but had some newer buildings. Seemed like lots of options for housing so upper classmen didn’t immediately jump off campus. But the barn was about a 15 minute drive from campus. They had a shuttle that ran Mon-Fri, 8-5 (plus Saturdays to the barn and WalMart) but again she’s worried about how she’d get their for practice if she made the team and how she would get there on the weekends. But after freshmen year we could see letting her have a car at college. One nice thing about UF (remember, not the Gators!
), is so much is included with tuition—parking, laundry, and BOOKS! Having just dropped my middle kid off at Purdue where everything comes with a charge so they can keep tuition flat, this was a nice selling point. DH is having a hard time with the major (if it were up to him, all our kids would be engineering majors 
) and the cost, but the merit aid was pretty good. Anyhow….as we were driving back D23 asked if she could fill out the application from her phone or if she needed to wait to do it when we got home.
Other schools we plan to visit…Delaware Valley University (I think I learned of that school here on CC! And they have an exchange program with Hartpury!), University of New Hampshire, University of Kentucky, and Colorado State University.
I’m going to reply to you in the off-topic version of this thread 
We visited 3 Colorado schools over the summer.
University of Denver - beautiful campus in a nice area. This was the only one we couldn’t really get a good feel for (because it was summer). The Admissions presentation was not great, and our tour guide, while nice, did not match up well with my kids. We just couldn’t figure out the “vibe” of the school. Both of my kids will keep it on the list, but will definitely need to revisit while school is in session if it becomes a top choice.
CU Boulder - Another beautiful campus in a great college town. I had heard negative things about the presentation, but it was fine. Our tour guide was good also. Both of my kids will apply - it will come down to cost and whether they want a large school. But it definitely seemed like an amazing place to spend four years with plenty of opportunities.
Colorado School of Mines - the perfect school for my stem kid and not a match for the other kid (as expected). The campus has a different feel than the other two, but still very nice. This was the best admissions presentation of the three (by far). The tour guide, while not really a match for my kids, was entertaining and seemed to convey the vibe of the school. If a student is an engineering/techy kid, this school seems like heaven. The town is small but cute.
LeMoyne in Syra cuse: UP
She went in knowing nothing really about the school. And it was her first Jesuit college visit. Shes looking at criminology, forensic science (they have a 4+1 program with Syracuse U) and a dance minor.
D25 toured Le Moyne in Syracuse. I work at a Jesuit and I think it would be a great environment and teaching approach for her learning needs.
The smaller school works well for her as well. The buildings were mostly updated. I was pleasantly surprised. She liked what she saw with diversity on campus. Campus smelled good and was clean. Staff were amazingly helpful and even gave her a private tour of the dance studio and theater. Their sports go D1 this year. Guaranteed housing for 4 years. Dorms were typical but not bad from what we saw but no a/c. Sports facilities were adequate. Small campus means fewer buildings but 3 of the halls are connected which they say helps in winter.
Cons: No real walkable town nearby. School colors of green and yellow. (And why are they the Dolphins?)
It definitely stays on her list!
Just returned from touring McGill which my son really liked. Our tour guide was from VT and there were more Americans on the tour than Canadians. School has a nicely located campus in the heart of Montreal. It seemed pretty bustling and there was a lot of energy on campus. As McGill admits entirely on stats it is a very good likely choice for S24. Another tidbit —if you come in with 24 or more AP credits you can start as a year 1 (sophomore equivalent). I think S24 could be happy here if other schools don’t pan out so the trip was well worth it.
I can share some Summer '22 visits. Full disclosure-- I’m writing this as the prospective student so it’ll be lacking the entertaining observations parents make about their kids on tours 
this is still my favorite CC thread though and some of these schools get brought up pretty often on here so maybe some helpful info?
UGA - Did a self-guided tour and wow was it miserably hot (can’t hold it against the school) and difficult to get around (definitely holding against the school). I’m someone who LOVES to walk around/explore places but besides one pretty area, the campus felt nearly unwalkable and cumbersome to navigate. There’s a reason they stick y’all in shuttles for the official tour.
Carleton - Town is nondescript but safe and cute. Info session was decent. Tour guides were great. Very funny and seemed to genuinely like their school. Campus felt small and contained, pretty but not super memorable. Definitely a sense of “we work very, very hard and we’re proud of it,” but more laid back as opposed to competitive. Personally, I left with an overall positive impression of the school but just could not see myself there at all. Note: Didn’t get a chance to see the abortorium but it’s supposed to be fantastic.
St. Olaf - Heard so many great things and really wanted to like it! Info session was good, tour was odd. There were lots of tour guides and not a huge number of kids/families, so many (including us) ended up with a personalized tour. I like being able to observe and blend into the background a little so this wasn’t ideal for me, although I realize it would be for some. Tour guide was actively taking notes on me which sealed the deal as a no. Pretty campus. Friendly admissions counselors that were happy to talk with kids and parents were waiting after the tours alongside water and other refreshments. It was a super hot day so that was nice.
Macalester - Favorite location of the Minnesota LACs. I liked the info session, and the campus is underrated IMO. Our tour guide (plenty of people on this tour, thankfully) was majoring in what I would be majoring in, and was super nice when talking afterwards, but that conversation ultimately made me realize the department wasn’t focused on what I was interested in, so I took it off the list. Also a little too artsy/alternative/political for me, plus felt really small. The school did provide water after the tour, which I always appreciate.
Smith - Immediately off the list since I a) don’t fit in with the super political set of kids and b) there are almost zero places that I have visited and wanted nothing more than to leave, but Northampton is one of them. Cool housing system though
Hampshire - Tour guides/student staff were so nice!!! Charming info session. The school itself (which I also found too small/quirky) has been described as “summer camp-y” which isn’t inaccurate. It’s not what I want in a school but I’m sure some would love it. If you go, be sure to visit the absolutely wonderful children’s book museum!
Mount Holyoke - Despite how I felt about Northampton, I liked South Hadley. Campus is BEAUTIFUL: collegiate Gothic towers, lots of red brick, jaw-dropping library. Seriously, it might have been a little too intense for me. Oh, the dorms are nicer here than most if not all of the other schools detailed here. Good info session-- they were very upfront about being need-aware, which some may want to keep in mind-- and they really emphasized the culture and benefits of a women’s college as well as their many traditions (overwhelming from my perspective but not inherently negative). Still probably won’t apply but compared to the rest, MHC was probably my favorite school I toured last year.
Middlebury - The most “elitist” school we visited. During the info session, the lady said they wouldn’t compare a private New England school to a public school in (where I’m from) 
It felt like my area was being used as the “poor area” and I thought it was hilarious! the attitude was “you’ll be lucky if we accept you, and we know you’re coming if you get in” (don’t they take like 70% of their class ED? Because it showed) they also drilled in the fact that they don’t give merit aid. The other kids in the info session also felt more already “connected” with the faculty and staff; one girl on our tour ran into a teacher she recognized. Our tour guide was great, very outgoing, gave an engaging tour. The campus and buildings are gorgeous, and the interiors (just as if not more important imo) equally so. There was an acknowledgement of the fact that the school is most well-known for it’s language offerings, but environmental science/studies was definitely being pushed. Great sandwich shop in town. This tour is when I realized “hey, maybe I don’t like LACs.” Second favorite school I toured, still won’t apply.
Marist - We went up to see Bard and Marist had an open slot the day before so figured “why not?” Was never really a contender and didn’t become one, but impressed with what they had to offer. Skewed pre-professional. Had the best info session of any school I toured. Campus was pretty, right on the river, almost too perfect/manicured. Tour guide was clean cut and seemed to represent the student body well. This school is the anti-Bard.
Bard - Went in expecting to like it and was disappointed when I didn’t. No info session which wasn’t a good first impression. The other kids on the tour were not kids I would jive with, and their parents were relentlessly asking the tour guide questions. The tour guide was an international student who the school appeared to be overworking with tours (too many people on ours)-- I don’t think she had the full English ability to deal with the condescending questions from a few of the parents (not her fault AT ALL; those parents seemed to be trying to put her in a hard place). She didn’t have too many great things to say about Bard, not that I blame her. Seriously side-eying the school after that. As for the tour itself, we only went into one building.
Last year’s tours were very helpful in finding out what I didn’t want from a school, so hopefully I’ll find one I really click this semester. I’ll be posting the rundown on those visits after they happen!