Sounds like a great trip! My S visited three of those. Davidson was not within his reach. Have you ever come across Rhodes U? Since we keep overlapping schools, thought I would throw this idea your way. S never visited as he was happy with his options, but it seemed like a good fit and is always high on lists for ‘happiest students.’ Good opportunities with St. Jude’s Hospital nearby. I can’t remember the stats but it wasn’t UR/Davidson/WF level; maybe it would be safety ish for her.
At Wake you could do an interview while visiting but S chose to do his later via Skype. And I learned, in our process, that UR EA isn’t much of a bump, just something to consider depending on where it ends up for her.
@TS0104 According to Wake’s website, they only do interviews on campus between June and Nov, so we would have to go back or have D do a Skype interview. And good to know about Richmond EA. I did see a stat that EA acceptance is higher than RD but a good deal lower than ED. I think ED was something like 48% and EA was more like 28%.
That looks like a great list for visits. Please do report back and let us know how you and D like Richmond. It seems to be one of the hot LACs at the moment. I wanted D20 to consider it, but she refused to go farther south than D.C. (We’re in New England.) I hear great things about it.
If you are hungry before or after your Wake visit there are cute places to eat in Reynolda Village, it’s a 5 minute drive from campus: https://www.reynoldavillage.com/food-dining
Penny Path Cafe has great coffee and crepes
Thanks @UGG2023! I’ll definitely be looking for recommendations for food! It’s good to have a plan for that kind of stuff when you go college shopping.
Another update - this one about her schedule next year. It’s all set.
AP Calc AB
AP Environmental Science
AP French
Honors Writing Seminar
AP Gov (first semester) & Psychology (second semester)
Yearbook
Gym (required here all four years)
Honors Writing Seminar is a class that the kids have to apply to get in. It depends on writing samples and teacher recs. There are two sections of 15 kids and they write creative non-fiction pieces. It’s run like a college level writing seminar. An assignment is given and the kids write first drafts. Then, they make enough copies for everyone in the class and an entire class period is dedicated to reviewing each student’s draft. Part of the class is learning to edit so, in addition to writing the pieces, kids have to edit all of the other kids’ essays for that draft review. It’s an amazing class. Kids learn a ton. Typically, the honors level kids either take AP Lit or this class as seniors.
D was considering AP Psych but she can’t fit it in since it’s a year long class. She could do it if so took early bird gym but that starts at 7:00 each day. We discussed it and she’s just going to take the other Psych class that’s offered since it’s one semester and will offset AP Gov which is also one semester. She wants to learn a little about psych since she hasn’t ruled it out as a major and she’s interested in the subject.
This might be controversial but she’s not taking physics. I know. I know. Kids should take physics,…but our teachers are SO bad both for AP and regular levels. The guidance department assures me that, with D’s interests, it will be ok. She took Bio freshman year, Chem soph year, Earth Science this year and then will take AP Environmental. Four years of science - all with labs. If she were applying to more elite schools, we would maybe have to rethink that but we’re sticking with her choice to not take it.
@NJWrestlingmom I go back and forth about posting the Elon comments we got from two local girls. I guess I will go ahead and write them here but everyone should of course be conscious of the fact that these are just two opinions. For us, they became fairly important because we know these girls and they went to our high school.
First, both of them never considered transferring. They like it well enough. They both said their classes are interesting and their professors are supportive and available to them if they need extra help. Both will have studied abroad twice by the end of their junior year and rave about those experiences.
One said that 80% of the students study abroad. She thinks that number is high because there’s not much to do on campus and things get a little boring. I guess that could be said of a lot of schools but she specifically mentioned that she didn’t feel like there were enough activities on campus and that campus is secluded. She wished she had a car but borrows one from a friend when she wants to go shopping, etc. I don’t know. Her comments just made us feel like Elon doesn’t have the energy that D is looking for.
Some other comments:
The food is not good. This is the fourth time now I’ve heard that. Both girls moved off campus sophomore year and cook for themselves. D21 really wants to stay in campus housing for at least three years and does not want to have to cook. I think she’s spoiled seeing S19’s photos of his cafeteria food which is amazing. Anyway, it’s a priority for her and I can see from S19’s experience that nice dorms and food create a comfort that really helps the kids focus on school.
The girls both really felt the 60%/40% split between women and men students. Really feel like there are fewer men and sometimes even take other girls as friends to their sorority formals!
Both have found jobs (they are both business majors) for the summer but said the Elon career center helped them with their resume but that was pretty much it. It was left up to them to hustle and apply for jobs. No alumni help, etc.
They both said sports not a big thing there. Neither is school spirit.
Overall, they are having a “fine” experience. They just didn’t seem enthusiastic.
Wake parent here, soon to be two kid Wake parent (gonna be working a little longer!) writing in defense of Elon. Full pay is $75,000 at Wake, about $50,000 at Elon. That’s a big difference. We have a friend whose son echoes some of the same complaints that have been listed here, but also says he’s getting a pretty good education. Another kid from our high school who graduated from Elon four years ago is now finishing up dental school.
The difference in tuition revenue (and endowment) has to show up somewhere and food may be one way to save a few dollars. Elon is a good value proposition, especially for that parent who has multiple children and doesn’t qualify for aid.
@marrast I completely appreciate your comments about Elon. I do think they do a lot of things right. For D, I think she could probably find a better match in a place like Miami OH or Denison for safer options. They would also end up costing less than full pay at a private school.
We are very fortunate to be able to pay full price for her to have the best fit as possible. I understand that most families indeed need to consider finances way more than we do and I agree that Elon is definitely a good value. No doubt. In D21’s case, we think she can just get the education that Elon offers at other schools that check more of her boxes.
@homerdog I’m glad you posted that. There isn’t a lot of detail to be found on Elon here IMO and as someone in an area where Elon is not known, we had to dig. @NJWrestlingmom I can PM you my son’s experience there if you are interested message me. I don’t want to derail the thread and also don’t want to become a CC Elon cheerleader!
Many students from here (Columbus OH) go to Miami of Oh, it is desired and I’ve never heard any complaints. I haven’t heard complaints about Denison either; it’s obviously a lot smaller and quaint; and is not less desirable than Miami, just fits a smaller number of kids (seemingly higher academics and $). My son’s friend who is a Miami student is visiting him in Elon as we speak!
I keep reading about Greek life at Wake and I feel myself getting more and more concerned. D21 would love to pledge. If she likes the school and then rushes and gets into a house she likes, then I think Wake would be a good place for her. BUT I’ve read a couple of times now that girls need connections to get into sororities. We only know two girls at Wake and I’m not sure if they are in sororities. We will find out. D21 will be able to get recommendations for a handful of sororities since a lot of my friends were Greek in college but it sounds like rush at Wake wants more than that. The sororities want the girls to know someone in the house or an alum.
I don’t think Big Ten sorority rush is like that. It’s more about the actual rush parties and if the women in the sorority think the freshman will be a good fit for the house, so I’m not very well versed on this southern version of Greek life. D’s social life in college will be important to her and I could see rush being a huge disappointment to the point that the outcome could affect her whole experience. With so few Midwestern kids there, I feel like D would be at a disadvantage.
Anyone know anything about sorority rush at more southern schools like this? What’s the story about how girls get bids and what it really takes?
@homerdog my DD19 did not have any connections in Wake sororities and she got a bid. Through out the fall semester she met sorority girls at parties, in classes, and club meetings and would then make “rush dates” typically a quick cup of coffee, or meal in the Pit, for one-on-one conversation. The girls in sororities are actively looking to meet freshman girls throughout the fall and have very casual conversations. Social networking I guess. That way once formal rush begins the week before spring classes start, she knew 1 or 2 girls in most but not all sororities. Rush at Wake is nothing like rush at typical southern schools like Clemson, Alabama etc. It’s much less intense. Wake rush seemed similar to rush at my DD’s friends‘ schools in the NE, Mid west.
That being said, rush at any school can be stressful. There are a lot of unknowns. My DD19 says many girls had favorite sororities they wanted to join in their mind before rush started, and ended up not getting invited back to that one, so they dropped rush all together. Some got bids from their 2nd or 3rd choice. (just like not getting into your first choice college). The key to sororities is network in the fall, prep ahead of time for formal rush (what will you talk about, what questions Will you ask, what questions might you get asked, like any “interview” etc) keep a very open mind thru formal rush in the spring.
This is from Wake:
“ The recruitment process is successful for the majority of women who participate. However, it is important to recognize that your student is exploring membership in organizations that are selective and looking for women they feel best fit their experience. In spring 2019, 471 women participated in sorority recruitment. Of those, 88% matched with a chapter, 9% withdrew themselves from the process (although they were still receiving invitations from one or more sororities) and 3% did not match
with a chapter. While we are very successful at placing women in recruitment, it is important to keep in mind that not all women join their first choice chapter. It also means that the process is that much more difficult for those women who did not have a successful recruitment process.
The recruitment process can be an exciting, yet emotional time for many women. We urge every participant to keep an open mind throughout the process, and we appreciate the emotional support and stability you can provide as a family member. Some of the women that withdraw from sorority recruitment midstream later regret their decision. You can help us by encouraging your student to see the process to
completion. Not every woman will be invited back to her top sororities, but that doesn’t mean she cannot find great friends and sisterhood in the remaining groups. We often hear students that withdrew from the process reflect that they wished they had been more open-minded to the options available to them.”
My DD19 says it was exhausting, just like taking a difficult class, just like applying to college, etc. in the end for her it was worth it. It doesn’t just happen, you have to work for it and prepare, just like anything else in life that is competitive.
I still remember the rivers of tears when my D got cut from the volleyball team in 9th grade. It was a crummy decision by the coach, IMHO, for reasons I won’t go into. My D also didn’t get her first choice of eating houses at Davidson (it’s not rush, though, so less personal) which also resulted in tears. I could name other examples, as I’m sure we all can. But each time she picked herself up, moved on, and it all worked out. (She loves her eating house now!)
If your D is interested in Greek life, and it sounds like she is, then I don’t think concerns about a successful rush should play any factor in choosing Wake. Maybe if she goes to Wake, rush and sorority life will exceed her wildest dreams!! Maybe it’ll crash and burn. But even if it’s the latter, she’ll be fine and will create another social life for herself.
There’s no way to predict – and into every life some rain will fall. If she chooses that path, just help her go in eyes open about possible outcomes.
Btw, nice to see Wake put out that info – very helpful to students and managing expectations.
“It also means that the process is that much more difficult for those women who did not have a successful recruitment process.”
I don’t know what this means. Of course it’s more “difficult” for the women who didn’t have a “successful recruitment process”. Do they mean it’s more difficult for the women who do not get bids? No duh.
@AlmostThere2018 Yeah, I get that kids can be resourceful and bounce back and find friends even if rush doesn’t work out. But, at Wake, it sounds like a big part of the social life is Greek and, if D is at a school where Greek is big, she will want to be part of that. Won’t want to feel left out and to have to piece together non-Greek friends for a friend group. I know it can be done. I also know that would be a giant disappointment for D so we need to try to get the best info available on this. She will have to read all about it and talk to students and decide if it’s worth the risk. Many of her other schools don’t have Greek life at all or have Greek life that is much less intense.
I have no connection to WF, but I read the statement “…for those women who did not have a successful recruitment process” to mean the women who had their hearts set on a particular sorority and didn’t get in, not that they didn’t get a bid at all. If only 3%of girls who rush don’t get a match, it is highly unlikely your D would be shut out of Greek life entirely, to the point where I wouldn’t even worry about that as a realistic outcome. The real issue is whether your D would be one of the girls who only sees one or two highly competitive sororities as acceptable options. Then yes, the possibility of disappointment would be high.
