@1518mom We went back several times, and really enjoyed Knox. Campus feels comfortable, inclusive, all kinds of types together, getting along. The faculty my kid met with were phenomenal, both in their commitment to spend significant time talking with him about their programs and how he could connect and benefit from them, and in their own training and experience. Some of the campus facilities are tired-looking, but the administration is addressing facilities. The sciences have already been done, and a new fine arts center going up, athletics building already renovated and gorgeous, and of course, the centerpiece building, Alumni Hall (I think that’s what it is called), is a gorgeous renovation. Knox really felt like a place where a student could blossom.
@Midwestmomofboys Alumni Hall was still under construction when we visited. The sticking point for S18 will be the location. Right now he thinks he wants a more urban location. However, he knows that Chicago is only a 2 hr Amtrak ride away.
Now, back to the thread:
Moved up: University of Puget Sound, not interested at all to number one. Took her breath away when she saw campus, loved the class she sat in on.
Moved down: Goucher College: bad interview experience lead to “can we leave now?” Bryn Mawr: my non-conformist D didn’t like all of the traditions/superstitions. University of Puget Sound: HS kids who I really don’t like are going there; too much like home (vibe, not location).
Nothing crossed off, D’s top choices all are wonderful, but you do have to pick one, don’t you? Kind of wish she could go to all of her top four for a semester or two each, LOL.
Moved up after visit: Rollins. Very pretty campus in a nice town, and D felt comfortable there, and could see herself there after the visit. There is a country club vibe that put me off a little, but that really was the only thing I could find wrong with it. The school seems solid, very much the small liberal arts model school, and music and theatre seem like strong programs, and accessible to majors and non-majors. If I am wrong about that, I would greatly appreciate some one letting me know. The other strike against it is that it doesn’t offer a lot as far continuing with studying the Japanese language, but there are nice study abroad options, and there is an Asian studies major.
Moved down: Eckerd. Great school. Great fit on paper. D just can’t see herself there after visiting. Not sure why. Seemed very laid back, free spirited. More like a California vibe, so I’m speculating that might be why. No knock on California or free spiritedness intended from me. In fact, I am hoping to be able to move back to California (or somewhere on West Coast) sometime. But, not D’s thing I guess? I wonder if my kids just want to get away from what they grew up with and try something new, something that feels different.
Loyola New Orleans: After visit, it became her top choice, until she visited Rollins. Still a top contender. Edged out by Rollins after visiting Rollins. But final decision has not yet been made, so we’ll see. Lovely school in a great town. Great interaction with some of the faculty there. D loves New Orleans, and making the decision between Rollins and Loyola is a tough one.
Willamette: Didn’t move up or down after visit. Another seemingly good fit on paper. Very nice school. And the kids there are super welcoming and friendly. I think D felt like she wouldn’t be able to participate in theatre and/or music there unless she committed to a major. So it stays in top three, but it is not very likely she’ll go there. Also, she seems more attracted to the South right now than the West.
Gustavus: Stayed in fifth place. Had such a nice visit there. The admissions person we talked to there was the most interesting and friendly person we had interactions with on any of our tours. But the weather there is harsh, so it just isn’t in the cards . . .
Crossed off:
Georgetown, BU.
Georgetown: I disliked how isolated the campus felt and the crucifixes on the walls definitely creeped me out. I thought it was too Catholic. (Disclaimer: I am Jewish, so I just wasn’t used to that kind of stuff).
BU: I really didn’t like how long it took to walk from one end of the campus to the other. I also got a “cold” vibe whilst touring.
Moved up:
American! The girl giving the tour was so warm and bubbly, it made me feel right at home on campus. The campus was also incredibly beautiful, and I really felt at home when I stepped on campus. I wasn’t expecting to like American at all, but my visit moved it into my top 5.
My GW visit exceeded expectations, but that was my top choice both before and after visiting, lol.
@gonewiththeair Georgetown isolated???
As a Catholic school they should not have to hide that fact.
Georgetown is at the edge of one of the busiest commercial areas in Washington DC—yeah, it’s away from the nearest Metro station, but isolated?!
Crucifixes all over the place, though, yeah—Georgetown is arguably more visually Catholic than the place actually called Catholic just down the road.
I think if you are a student heading to DC in order to be at the heart of American government, yes Georgetown is isolated compared to GW which is a few blocks from everything.
Composite results of visits with two girls who wanted to be in or near a city in the Northeast, preferably Boston, New York or Philadelphia:
Dropped from the list:
- BU. Wanted urban, not ugly.
- NYU. Not a campus, just some buildings in the Village they call a university.
- Drexel. Just a collection of buildings and a co-op program.
- Holy Cross. Worcester and the color purple.
- Lafayette. Easton and Greek life.
- Bryn Mawr. Beautiful and historic but too much emphasis on traditions and rituals.
Moved down but not off the list:
- Delaware. Colonial campus, but the vibe was too secular and utilitarian after 12 years of Catholic school.
- Pitt. Those freshman housing towers, the huge cafeteria in the basement, the absence of grass and trees.
- Haverford. Felt somewhat masculine and a little worse for wear.
- Loyola MD. Nice enough, but didn't measure up to the other Jesuit schools we visited.
Moved up the list:
- Fordham. Beautiful gated campus in the Bronx, easy access to Manhattan. Overcame safety worries.
- Saint Joseph's. Palpable pride and spirit. Felt like a real community.
- Barnard. Compact but classical. On Broadway. Columbia across the street. The subway. Riverside Park.
- Swarthmore. Loved the outdoor amphitheater in the arboretum.
Started high on the list and stayed there:
- Penn. Fantastic. Locust Walk. The Quad. So close to Center City.
- BC. Almost too perfect. And they know it. Still hard not to like unless you can't stand preppy.
Applied without visiting: Scranton, Villanova
Eliminated from list without visiting: Penn State, Bucknell, Lehigh, Temple, Rutgers
Visited but never really on the list: Princeton, Harvard, Columbia
Two children, many schools applied to/accepted at, etc: based upon visits:
Down: William & Mary and UVA lowered on the totem pole (“personality” of the schools just not right)
Up/Validated: UNC Chapel Hill validated in more ways than anticipated.
Added: Oddly, some schools we “happened upon” during summer/holiday visits and due to someone mentioning…these schools weren’t initially considered, yet were highly considered after “random” visits…which resulted in follow up research and correspondence with faculty, etc…these schools presented with a variety of program choices, friendly atmospheres, responsive professors (many calling to answer questions about programs), great scholarships, and campuses: Colorado State, University of Montana, Montana State, West VA.
One child at Chapel Hill (she loves UNC; Univ. of Montana/Honors college became her second choice, and she is considering graduate school “out west”), the other child chose Colorado State (to start in August) - Montana State was appealing and Bozeman a great town, but the school is smaller than she wanted).
Yes, Georgetown felt fairly isolated to me when I visited. I had also already visited GW, which without a doubt made it same more so.
I don’t think Georgetown needs to hide the fact that they are Catholic- clearly plenty of non-Catholics love it! However it was pretty overwhelming for me and not at all the environment I wanted.
MSTEE
Rollins has been extremely generous with $$ for FL kids with high stats. I know 2 who went there, very happy to follow the $$. They could have gone to state schools, but wanted the LAC environment.
The school has strict rules about no drugs, and suspends. I worked with one such kid, after a suspension. The Dean there kept in touch with me thru treatment. I requested he have a single room when he returned, as he could be too influenced by others. Happy to say he has now graduated, and his Fa reported he did well. The boy has ADHD, and can make impulsive decisions.
I’ve worked with Deans at other colleges, and always have good experiences.
Summary of D’s reactions and comments. A list of shallow and random first impressions…:
Down Wesleyan. The campus is not pretty. It’s too big. I don’t know. Meh.
Up Yale. So pretty! It would be like living in Hogwarts. I like the science lecture hall we met in. The science/engineering tour guides seemed like ‘my sort of people’.
Down Amherst. It’s so pretty! I sat in on a great class! I like that there is not core curriculum and everyone takes classes they are actually interested in. BUT, the tour guide didn’t know anything about the theater program and there seem to be many athletes… It seems kind preppy.
Down UMass-Amherst. Ack! Too big let’s get out of here now!
Down Smith. I want to like Smith. I love the housing. I love the town. The campus is lovely. Our tour guide (a senior) seemed kind of weary and aloof, though very nice. I don’t know. The all women aspect is not my thing.
Up Williams. I love the location! The hills! The library! The theater! The little town! Mountain Day! I love J-terms.
Down Middlebury. They are really into languages. I’m not. But I like J-term even more now.
Down Dartmouth. Hmm, the students don’t seem like my type though those hanging out in front of the Outdoor Club are my type. Tower Library was a really nice place to study. Huh, they are starting to party early on frat row.
Down Wellesley. OMG, the campus is to die for! It’s like entering a Jane Austen novel. Oh, look, they are playing Quidditch with broomsticks. Why are all the students sitting at racially segregated tables in the dining hall? This is very odd. I like it here, but it’s not me.
Down Tufts. The theater program seems really welcoming! But the school is too big. Let’s go.
Down Reed. Did you notice how many times the tour guide said it was intense? The campus is pretty though looks kind of worn.
Up Lewis and Clack. Lovely campus. I like the science facilities. There is a dorm with an arts and crafts room attached to it!
Down U of WA. If I were to go to a big school, I would go here but I don’t want to go to a big school.
Up Colorado College. So pretty! Students get outside and go skiing or hiking all the time! I kind of like the block system. There is a science teacher that takes his class to Costa Rica during block. Later down: Their FA office was really snarky when I called to fix my FA form!
Up St. Olaf (overnight). That was great! Everyone was super friendly! J-term! I am so ready to be done with HS and start being a college student. They are really into the study abroad aspect. Do you think I could study abroad freshman year?
Down Carleton. They definitely seem nerdier than Olaf students. Everyone keeps saying it’s intense. I mean everyone says that. Everyone.
Down U of ID. The mountains are a lot farther away than I expected. It’s too big.
Up Bates (overnight). Ah, this is how a LAC is supposed to look and feel. I spent the whole visit hanging out with the theater kids! I like the outdoorsy aspect too.
great, funny post @liska21. Now I want to know where your daughter is headed!
Moved down:
Carleton: It’s intense. Intense. I don’t want to go to a place where people pride themselves on lack of sleep. Gender Neutral everything in a way she wasn’t that interested in.
Knox: So. Very. Dated. The classrooms/dorms looked like they’d been furnished during the Brady Bunch years. Sweet people, and the alumni center is brand new, but she won’t live in that building. Also, communal showers. Run down surrounding area.
Beloit: funniest president speech to admitted students EVER. He was a hoot! Science center new and nice! but it felt TINY and empty and Native America burial ground on campus was creepy.
Northwestern: got the impression no one was good enough to go there. Ever.
Dartmouth: Vineyard Vine store there must make a mint.
Grinnell: students were very very odd. Too isolated. Distinct impression there are lots of drugs and drinking.
UIUC: felt like a factory. HUGE. Had to take a bus to get anywhere. Facilities outside of Engineering quad needed rehab.
Up:
St. Olaf: had a lovely visit. Warm students. Lovely campus. Enrolled.
We crossed off University of Maryland after we visited. The speaker was boring, the tour group leader was even worse. It was a dreary day out and nothing excited us about this school. Now after we visited Ohio State that went to Number #1 after that tour. Oh boy does that school have spirit!
@doschicos Saint Olaf.
BTW, the first impressions did influence D but not directly. It helped her settle on the school size and type of academic calendar that she liked and the academic strengths that she wanted. It also allowed her to see that she could be happy at many different schools—unlike some of her friends, she did not have one ‘dream’ school. She also got a better sense of what sort of environment would allow her to pursue STEM & performing arts successfully. We spent 1/3 day on each campus generally. Tour, info session, eat on campus, wander halls of a couple departments of interest, visit the any noteworthy museums or collections on campus (for fun because we like that kind of thing), and then study in the library (SAT or homework). She only sat in on classes at 3 schools. Her final school list included 4 schools that fit her criteria (developed after touring various schools) but that she had not visited.
I am enjoying this thread and think it drives home the “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” idiom.
Lots of conflicting pov on the same schools, so you just have to know what’s important for you and your child.
I too found it funny that a poster thought G’town was isolated. We got almost the opposite impression. That being so close to the town of Georgetown could perhaps be a distraction, with students getting off campus to much and not building community on campus.
That same poster thought American was beautiful. Despite a fantastic and upbeat tour guide, my D found it depressing and not very pretty especially in the dorm areas of campus. She felt the whole thing was very generic and couldn’t pinpoint anything special about the place.
To each his own!
So readers of this thread - beware - you gotta make your own assessments.
@liska21 St. Olaf is a great school. We liked it a lot. I agree on not focusing on a “dream school” and advised my own kids not to follow that mindset.
Sometimes I wounder what people think tour guides should know. I was a tour guide at UNC in the stone age and it was made clear in training that we were to give the Student’s perspective and not try to answer major/program/admissions questions. We could talk about how we handled General College requirements and for our major but trying to have the knowledge of an admissions counselor - we did not.
@MinnesotaDadof3: You have made these points a couple of times now, so I will provide a different perspective. There is nothing to “admit.” Here is what the Swarthmore web site states clearly about the grade policy:
http://www.swarthmore.edu/new-students/grades
There are several reasons why a professor will determine grades as usual. The first is that the class may have sophomores, juniors and seniors in it, each of whom may be taking the course for credit. This is rather obvious. A second reason is that grades have a signaling function, providing students with information about what they are relatively better at. That is why it is useful to receive a grade even though it will not show up on the official transcript. Our D just finished applying (very successfully, I might add) to Ph.D. programs. No program asked for first semester grades. So, when you say that Swarthmore‘s policy "comes across as intellectually dishonest,” I think you are protesting too much, to put it politely.