<p>My D is applying early action to Clark. She's visited twice and really loves the school. Her stats should put her in the running for merit aid. Does anyone know if EA admits get merit-aid offers, or do those wait until the RD season? If she gets $$ here, she's quite likely to make it her home next year.</p>
<p>Son applied EA to several schools and ultimately chose Clark. The Clark merit aid was not revealed until after RD season. The wait was tough!</p>
<p>Wow, that’s a tough wait! Did they let you know that something might be coming?</p>
<p>I’m wondering what would make someone a good candidate for merit aid from Clark? Certain test scores? anything else? thank you. (My son and I visited last week and he loved the school.)</p>
<p>What about Clark did he love? There have posts here that Worcester is an awful place to live. My D liked Clark’s look book but is leery of Worcester.</p>
<p>Being a native from Massachusetts, and living pretty close to Worcester, I have to say that Worcester is not that bad! I am always saddened by the bad reputation that Worcester has, especially when it comes to the college scene. Your child is much more likely to be affected by crime living in Boston than in Worcester. I went to school at University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and believe me, Worcester is no Lowell, either.
Worcester is just a city that time forgot. At the turn of the century it was a bustling metropolis with a rich history [and many rich merchant owners, bankers, and the like]. As industry moved out, so did much of the prosperity. Sadly, being the third largest city in New England, it does get a bad reputation, but as for a place to go to school, I don’t think it’s bad at all.
Trust me, I love Boston, and lived in Cambridge for six years, but I’ve actually recently even considered moving to Worcester. I’m excited about the revitalization projects that are underway, and Clark University plays a big role in this, and one of their missions is to be a part of the community and help with its renewal. </p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Clark and while he probably could commute, he lives there. Urban life is interesting, but I do not feel he is unsafe or in any way disadvantaged by being ‘in Worcester’. In fact, I feel the opposite. The Consortium of Colleges is amazing and Worcester is a great college town. It’s just a hard working city. Worcester has amazing restaurants, museums, and now even the Hanover Theater, which is bringing in amazing plays, musicals, and artists. It’s also much more affordable in Worcester to do almost anything.<br>
I’m looking forward to seeing a brighter future for Worcester, including transportation changes, downtown revitalization, and greater prosperity. Looking at the growth even now, with WPIs huge new bio-medical complex, new medical centers, and the like, it seems things are headed in the right direction, and will provide the much needed jobs and resources to the whole community.</p>
<p>During our Parents Weekend at Clark we had the opportunity to take a bus ride with one of Clark’s Vice Presidents to drive through the community and get a history of Worcester. I was really proud that my son was attending Clark, and would be a part of that changing history. </p>
<p>Please think about what Clark has to offer, and also think about what your son or daughter may also have to offer and contribute, not only at Clark but in the community. Clark students are very active in so many areas. My older son is at UPenn, and I certainly wouldn’t have him anywhere else, because I felt Philly was not a great place. In fact, I feel quite the contrary. I’m proud of him being in Philadelphia, working with inner city high school classes, volunteering, and being a part of the community.<br>
Good luck to everyone considering Clark. For us, so far so good. We feel quite blessed.</p>
<p>Cheers,
Paula</p>
<p>Thank you, CapeCodLady, for a thoughtful and helpful post. I will share it with my D, who had better be writing those Clark supplement answers tonight! (Her EA app is due on Monday.) She’s an urban girl and has no issue with Worcester, although she did get scared when she visited recently-- she got stuck in the Worcester train station after dark, alone, 3,000 miles from home, with what appeared to be a 2+ hour wait for a train. A few tears. We decided to splurge on a cab ride for her, and it was the right call. But if she actually goes to school there, she’ll learn how to work the system better!</p>
<p>Anyway, helpful input. I assume your son is happy there? What is he studying? Is he involved in anything special?</p>
<p>Dear researching4emb,
I would have been in tears, too, stranded at a train station 3K miles from home in the dark, alone! Glad you sprung for the cab to where ever she needed to go! I’m sure she would have been fine, but still, when our kids travel it does make us a little nervous. Interestingly now, though, my older son takes a 1 hour flight to Philly back and forth independently about 3 or 4 times a year to come home to visit. He’s like a pro at it now! I just drop him off, and the rest he does on his own. Nice to see them get so independent, and us be able to loosen that umbilical cord. [ps: flights to Philly are cheaper than driving there to get him, with gas, hotel, tolls!]
My son at Clark is technically undecided, but went in to study French and Communications, as well as the International Studies Stream. The nice thing is that they are encouraging him to explore, which is great. I’m a teeny bit nervous about fulfilling the curriculum requirements, if you are not in a set major that outlines that for you. I will look over his spring selections with him, and he will meet again with his adviser to be sure he stays on track.
As for happiness, I think so. He’s pretty quiet, so I think he might be a little lonesome at times, which is perfectly normal as a freshman. He’s not a partier, which I’m happy about, but I would like to see him a bit more connected. He’s involved in several clubs and did do one of the Clark Trek pre-orientation programs to start the year. He hasn’t gotten a Work Study job yet, again another thing I hope that he can get started with soon, but he really has to do that himself. He applied for a few jobs, but was not qualified for some, and needs to keep looking. It’s tough once the busy semester gets rolling. </p>
<p>All in all, things are going great considering freshman year can be such a transition. The mid-term grade report was funny though, you only get grades if you are a C- or below, so while he knows he’s above that, he’s not exactly sure where his grades are at the moment, as he writes a lot of papers, and hasn’t had feedback on them all yet. I’m thrilled about the papers, him, not so much ;)</p>
<p>Good luck. I’ve heard the merit is very good for the ones who are accepted with distinction. Keep in touch!</p>
<p>Best,
Paula</p>
<p>ps: Merlin, how is your son doing???</p>
<p>Thanks, Paula. It all sounds good. I’m just waiting for my daughter to finish her Shakespeare homework, and then I’m going to do one last proofread of her essay and supplements, and then tonight she’ll click the “Send” button to Clark!</p>
<p>Worcester is fine. Just be careful. Park is fine, even at night. Main St is not, and I would never go there.</p>
<p>The scariest thing I’ve ever had happened to me was what looked like a meth addict ask me for money at the grocery store, but he kinda snuck up on me from behind exactly as I was getting in the car. He said he needed money for “gas to get his newborn child and wife home from the hospital.” I just gave him a few dollars and he left me alone. Other people just said no and he left them alone too.</p>
<p>I think that says something though. I’ve managed to make it all the way to my junior year (that event happened this year), with the scariest thing ever happening to me being that someone asked me for money.</p>
<p>CCL8 aka Paula, thanks for asking. Son seems very happy at Clark. A highlight of the fall was when his prof for freshman seminar, Literature in Baseball, arranged a baseball game for all the members of the class. Son figures the prof must have played before, because her skills were impressive. I think this is typical of Clark, to personalize learning and to value relationship building between students and faculty. Note: Son is rarely gratuitous in his praise.</p>
<p>Interesting to hear that other students have not received many grades on paper; I was beginning to wonder if my son was just not eager to discuss his grades, despite the fact that they are generally good. </p>
<p>The Park Av. neighborhood between Clark and WPI, while not as sketchy as Main St. is worthy of the $5 cab fare, for those who want to travel on a cold or wet night. There are several restaurants near WPI and Son has a friend who attends WPI. The friend reports that the restaurant, Sole Proprietor, has sushi for $5 after 11:00PM; very popular with WPI students. The boys grew up together and I imagine they will visit often. Mr. merlin and I noted, when we had dinner with both boys, that WPI is much more rigorous–not that we were surprised. WPI friend was shocked that Clark students do not necessarily take calculus, or any math at all. We chuckled. </p>
<p>Looking forward to Thanksgiving break.<br>
Happy Turkey Day to all!</p>
<p>My D hit the “Submit” button late Sunday night, so she’s officially in the early applicant pool for Clark. A huge weight lifted off her after getting in that first app. The next weight will be getting in, which seems extremely likely. But you never know until that notification comes…</p>
<p>The more I learn about Clark, the more I think it might be the best of her several very fine choices. We’ll see what happens and what she thinks…</p>
<p>That first app is big! I think it makes the others easier.
Clark was my first choice for Son for several reasons. I encouraged him to explore other opportunities. In the end, the choice was his. I tried not to rejoice too loudly. lol</p>
<p>I graduated from Clark back in May and loved it. I lived off campus for two years (ie in a random apartment in Worcester, albeit very close to campus) and really never had any issues with safety.</p>
<p>One of the best things I found about Clark was the community within the school - we are very proud to be Clarkies! It’s also cool to have an urban school that doesn’t try to shy away from the neighborhood that surrounds it – we have an open campus and there is a lot of interaction between Clark and the Main South community.</p>
<p>Can someone talk about the on-campus dining experience at Clark? :)</p>
<p>Has anyone else on the forum applied (or has your kid applied) EA to Clark? I hope people post when they hear news, and if they have any insight. It sounds like my D and her EA peers should hear in a couple of weeks.</p>
<p>
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<p>Its like every other school. Its good for the first few months of freshmen year and then it gets old. By the end of sophomore year most everyone is ready to go off the meal plan. </p>
<p>There are about 3 places to get food on campus. Two are in the university center and include the main dining hall and the bistro. The other place is jazzman’s cafe which mostly has coffee and pastries. Its in the library. </p>
<p>I was never big into the bistro or jazzman’s. I mostly ate mainly at the cafe, because the other options were never worth it. The only time I would get food at the other places was when I was trying to use my dining dollars.</p>
<p>@researching4emb, yes I’m a senior and I have applied EA to Clark, and I believe I’ve actually gotten in (I’ve got an e-mail from a senior admissions director saying how impressed she was by my file :)). I don’t really know the EA reply date yet though, but I am eagerly awaiting it!</p>
<p>Wow, Drelnis, that was fast! Congratulations! My D hasn’t heard yet, but I figure it will be another week or two. I’m happy for you. Is Clark high on your list?</p>
<p>Thanks! Although I’m waiting for the confirmation though, you can never know what will turn up on decision day xD</p>
<p>I have absolutely no idea actually, I guess I’ll find out first the places I do get in, and then contemplate my choices then :D</p>