<p>My D has been accepted, and we are trying to determine how the school is perceived outside of North Carolina. While we are excited about the school, we're wondering the following:
1. How is Elon perceived by employers?
2. Is it really true that it's an "up and coming" school and on the rise?<br>
3. What are the prospects that graduates of Elon will get employment outside of North Carolina?
4. Is anyone concerned about its' small endowment and the impact on the school?</p>
<p>We are also considering Tulane, Northeastern, and Amercian if you care to comment on these schools vis-a-vis Elon.</p>
<p>I can say that 5-6 years ago - I had never heard of Elon. Then I found out that my boss went there many years ago. Then it was a neighbor’s daughter was there and loving it. Then it was one of my husband’s younger co-workers was a graduate and had great things to say. Then I noticed more and more cars in our suburban Maryland area with Elon stickers. Then I took my older son for the ACT and saw several kids wearing Elon sweatshirts. So - it certainly seems more visible of late.</p>
<p>My older son applied and was accepted. While he ultimately chose another school - we were very favorable impressed with Elon and younger son has it at the top of his list.</p>
<p>I do feel that it is well-regarded - at least on the east coast. Not sure if people in the midwest or west coast would recognize the name. I 100% view it as an up and coming school - but you don’t have to take my word for it. Elon has a whole page of awards and rankings.</p>
<p>The small endowment does not bother me - because I can see them moving forward with ambitious expansion and construction projects. I believe the endowment will grow as more students graduate and the alumni base matures.</p>
<p>It’s hard to compare your other schools to Elon because they are all in more urban areas. You can’t really discuss Tulane without mentioning New Orleans and American - while a beautiful suburban campus - offers awesome access to DC. I think if city life is important - than the others are better choices. It just depends on what type of campus atmosphere your D is looking for.</p>
<p>sgaynes: I’m assuming you did not attend the March spring orientation program…or any Phoenix Friday programs…if you did, you would have found out the following:</p>
<p>Please forgive me if my % are slightly off…</p>
<p>Between 70-80% of Elon graduates have participated in internships all over the country; in fact, there are actually programs that exist that place students in internships in LA, NY and London…especially for communications and business…it also appears that there is some NBC/Universal pipeline for Elon students (lol; PM me if you want more info)…</p>
<p>totally agree with RVM as usual; Tulane has NOLA, American has DC and Northeastern has Boston…it just depends on what your D wants…</p>
<p>I live in New England and I’d say Elon is becoming slightly more well known here, especially among the younger generation. I occasionally see Tshirts or car stickers for Elon. The high school and college kids seem to have heard of it; adults, not usually. My daughter is considering Elon because of the warm weather, study abroad options, and “engaged learning” but we haven’t visited yet, so I only know of it from the Internet, brochures etc. So far,it’s her first choice.</p>
<p>My son goes to Northeastern, and I went there many years ago for grad school, so I can give you a few comments about that school. When I was a kid Northeastern was considered a commuter school for B students interested in engineering who couldn’t afford to go to college without the co-op program. There are certainly people around here who still think of it that way, but from my son’s experience, I think Northeastern has evolved to something very different. It’s quite competitive to be accepted now and the students who attend are from all over the world. It has become much more of a prestigious, residential school. Northeastern is very, very, very career focused. If career preparation is why you’re at college, it’s a great place to be. I don’t know how somebody interested in liberal arts, or learning just for the sake of learning would like it.</p>
<p>The co-op program at NU makes it easy to explore careers and earn some serious money to help with tuition. NU is also very urban, right in the middle of Boston if you want that urban flavor (personally, I think it’s too busy and urban, but my son seems to like that atmosphere). On the downside, housing is tight and expensive. My son lives in a run-down single room on a busy, noisy street. His room is literally the size of my walk in closet, and it costs $4000 per semester. NU’s also a very large school and he seems to have limited interaction with his teachers. He’s quite happy there overall, however.</p>
<p>It sounds like you’ve got lots of good choice. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your responses. My husband and I are very impressed by Elon, and know that it’s on an upward path. We are still trying to determine how much credibility it has post-graduation, and what having an Elon diploma will mean in the work world. My D is probably going to major in either Communications and/or Human Services with a minor in Leadership. She has been invited to participate in the Leadership Fellows Program, and we are factoring that honor into her/our decision.</p>
<p>I appreciate all of the input, and know that whatever we decide, it will work out for the best. She has some good choices, for sure.</p>
<p>Additional thoughts/ideas are always welcome!</p>
<p>D has been accepted to Elon as well as several other schools. We are very supportive of her going to Elon. Most importantly, we understand that where she goes to school matters less than what she makes of the school while she is there. Elon stands out for her as a place where she believes she can thrive. She points particularly to the fact that the teachers are known to be very accessible, which fits her learning style. If she does well there, or anywhere, she is just as likely to get into graduate school, or find a job that suits her, as she would at most any of the schools to which she has also been accepted. We recognize that Elon does not have the same name recognition as others. I agree that its reputation is greater in the East, and moreso even in the Northeast, than elsewhere. You can say that about a lot of schools. Many people in the West can’t name three NESCAC schools if you spotted them the first two, yet those of us in the East know that NESCAC is a gold-standard for LAC’s.</p>
<p>I say go with fit. Northeastern is an awesome place to experience Boston, and gives an amazing education. The weather sucks and it’s expensive to live there. American is all about politics, and all about Washington DC. If your kid is a domestic political junkie it’s a great place to be. Tulane I would say by reputation is the weakest for providing an undergraduate education and post-graduate job prospects. That’s just my opinion. Elon is in a dead town with nothing to do, but the weather is a lot milder than up north. And, with a car, there are lots of places to go within a short drive.</p>
<p>sgaynes, if your daughter was invited to be a Leadership Fellow then you must have been at the Fellows’ Weekend, right? In that case, didn’t you see how accomplished so many of the Fellows alumni are? How they hold impressive jobs at big name companies and in high government positions beyond their years? Didn’t you attend the internship seminar and hear first-hand the amazing access these kids have to Fortune 500 companies? And that instead of getting coffee and filing papers for superiors, these kids actually get to do real work and build real-life resumes? That Elon students do hands-on research with their professors and aren’t just assistants as they are at bigger schools? That their professors know them and mentor them and guide them in their studies and work and experiences abroad so that it all adds up to a resume that means something when they graduate? That they aren’t just numbers sitting in the back of a room? If you weren’t impressed by that weekend and all the accomplished students they exposed us to and the opportunities these kids have there, then maybe another school is for you. But, maybe you’re asking because you didn’t attend. And I couldn’t agree more with laxtaxi who says that what’s important isn’t the name of the school, but the opportunities afforded the kids while they’re there and how they take advantage of them. Good luck with your decision. Should your daughter decide to attend, she undoubtedly will be spending a lot of time with my own son who is thrilled to be attending as a Leadership Fellow in the fall!</p>