<p>My S was accepted to Conn College, which he loves. My concern is that it may not be academically challenging enough. I'm not trying to be flip or boastful, but he's got a genius IQ and thinks at a higher level than most. Is there anyone else who's kid was MIT smart but chose to go to a second tier school? What was their experience?</p>
<p>He wants to go into comp sci so the art & technology interdisciplinary approach is very appealing to him. It's exactly the type of thing he's interested in - game design, virtual reality, etc. But the program obviously won't be nearly as rigorous as CMU's, and I'm curious what others think and how they handled their situation.</p>
<p>There are many posts on cc about smart kids blooming at second or third tier campuses because, when they’re at the top of the academic heap, they get more opportunities handed to them. When everybody’s a genius, a prof who wants an assistant or who wants to fill a section of a really cool lab can pick anyone. When your kid is a standout, he gets picked.</p>
<p>Even no-name schools have weeder/killer classes. Read the Chronicle of Higher Ed. It’s tough to get a tenure track faculty position. Really good teachers/scholars wind up at these schools. They can challenge any kid.</p>
<p>And let’s consider that maybe a kid wants to have a little breathing room so he could, oh, I don’t know, have time for a girlfriend or get involved with governance. Honestly, the atmosphere at some of the uber-competative schools just might not be appealing. </p>
<p>If your son is happy with his choice and if the price is reasonable, congratulate him and stop worrying.</p>
<p>I disagree that programs won’t be as rigorous at schools outside of HYP and MIT. I think you may find that there are many schools across the nation with programs equal to or better than the “first tier” schools in many disciplines. If he likes Conn, and is happy with his choice, why not?</p>
<p>Be positive that he is happy with UConn. If he does get the call from SCS, you will see his reaction. I believe it is great that your son likes the choice he has. If he gets in from the WL, you can then support him whichever way he goes.</p>
<p>If your son truly has a genius IQ, it will not matter where he goes. Also, Conn College is a well-respected LAC, and I would not consider it to be second tier.</p>
<p>Agree that Conn College is not “second-tier”. It’s more like a “less well-known gem”, and I think it’s probably a great place for a really smart student with other issues that have damped down his performance some. He won’t be the only one there. Plus, it has a really lovely, special environment.</p>
<p>He may need to plan on getting a master’s degree somewhere in order to get onto the cutting edge of CS, but the whole package of the experience could (note the conditional) easily be far better for him (and not likely far worse) than going to CMU. (I am assuming there is some rational reason why, even though he is a genius, he was not an easy admit there.)</p>
<p>I agree with the other posters that Conn College is hardly second tier. He is not likely to find the kind of intensity as an MIT type experience (the Media Lab there hums 24/7 with both undergrads and grad students doing research) but if he’s excited by the environment at Conn College I think that speaks well for his integration there.</p>
<p>I would take a look at the internship and job placement record there for kids in the CS program though just as a cross-check. He doesn’t want to be in a program so far off the map that it’s tough for him to get summer jobs in his field.</p>
<p>my oldest, who is as bright as anyone, but not what I would term an intellectual, chose a school in this range, I suppose, though she could have chosen from others, and one, in particular that has a single digit acceptance percentage. She chose this school for various reasons, none of which include academic rigor or even reputation of program.</p>
<p>She’s a junior, and to say that her professors immediately recognized her talent and intellect and began to push her is an understatement. I sometimes think she actually ended up working harder by trying to avoid it, frankly, because after about a day or two in any class the prof knew her name and began to give her more work, more opportunities, etc…</p>
<p>At this point, the entire department considers her their project, and they find her internships and have introduced her to almost every visiting VIP who has come to campus, and she has had dinner with people who she never even hoped to meet. She is being pressured to go to a certain school for grad school, but I doubt she will. She is already working in her field. </p>
<p>I don’t know that a smart kid who has real talent and creativity can hide anywhere. Professors teach because they love research and ideas and if your kid is full of ideas and the type to show up when asked, it is very unlikely they will be missed or have an “average” experience, regardless of where they go.</p>
<p>Where else was he accepted? Does he have other choices that you feel are academically challenging?</p>
<p>I believe that fit is much more important than prestige and rankings. I know kids that had perfect GPAs and SATs scores who did not fit in their top tier college and ended up failing out. I also know other kids who were average students in HS and are blooming at college, since they are enjoying their classes and their college.</p>
<p>D’s experience.
-Graduted #1 from private prep. HS
-attended public state UG, we have no idea about tier, never checked rank. Was EXTREMELY challenged even in first classes that she had to take DESPITE of having “5” on respective AP exam. There were very few easy classes, most others were much more challenging than D. has anticipated.
-currently first year Med. Student. Surrounded by classmates from very top UG’s (most are from Ivy/Elite, couple lawyers). D. feels that she is prepared as well as others in her class, she is confident and was selected for opportunity that had only 10 spots with many applicants.
-looking back, still loves her UG a lot, visiting frequently, thinks that it matched her perfectly…and it was free (full tuition Merit)</p>
<p>Why do you consider Conn College a “second tier” school? Because it’s not an Ivy or equivalent? It is an excellent LAC which is well regarded in this region. It would not be considered “second tier” by many.</p>
<p>Your very bright son will be able to find equally bright students at Conn College. I’m not sure why you think this isn’t the case.</p>
<p>Bright students will find cohorts pretty much anywhere they go. Maybe not as many, or maybe not as many that are as intellectually passionate, but still, he will be fine. Its OK to be the top of the middle rather than the middle of the top, as they say.</p>
<p>Have you talked with your son – what is his take on this? Does he prefer to be around his academic peers? </p>
<p>He will be taking his prerequisites with the general population unless he’s in an honors college. I’ve found that most people gravitate toward their own tribe, but if it doesn’t exist, that can be a problem.</p>
<p>Definitely not a second tier school, whatever that means. If he loves it and you can afford it, thank your lucky stars. Try not to communicate your doubts to him.</p>
<p>If your kid loves the school & it is affordable, the situation is way ahead of what many other posters are currently facing.
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!
;)</p>
<p>My oldest son chose a college that was ‘beneath’ his statistical numbers and graduated last May. He had a great experience and is currently working and thinking about grad school. There are bright, creative, intelligent kids at all colleges. This son went through HS with an extremely bright and competitive group of kids that at time worse eveyone out… and I think my son enjoyed being at the top of the heap in his college instead of the middle of the pile as he was in high school.</p>
<p>exactly, my daughter was just sick of everyone trying to elbow everyone out of the way at her competitive high school and wanted to have some fun and not be all the time stressed out by stressed out, burned out people.</p>
<p>I think she made a really good choice for herself.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your responses - I didn’t expect so many so fast!</p>
<p>He’s been accepted to CMU’s H&SS but waitlisted at SCS - he’d have to transfer into it next year if he’s not accepted. I was told he was waitlisted because when they “sculpted” the class, he got cut. So he was in, but maybe his demographic was wrong. He was also waitlisted at Tufts. He was accepted to Case, Haverford, and ConnCollege. </p>
<p>Not being from the area, we had never even heard of Conn College, and it was simply by chance that we happened to even check it out. We almost passed it by. So I say that it’s second tier only because #1, we don’t know much about it other than what we saw on campus, and #2 because they show only 62% of their students as being in the top 10% of their class as opposed to Haverford, which has about 90% of their students in the top 10%. SAT’s and ACT’s are optional so it’s not a good indication of the level of the students’ intelligence, although the 75% who do submit their scores have numbers slightly below some of the top tier schools.</p>
<p>We plan on going to their admitted student day and I plan on finding out about their life after college. Supposedly they have a wonderful internship program, but I have no idea what kind of opportunities there are for cs majors.</p>
<p>S hasn’t really said much. I know he’s concerned about being able to transfer into CMU’S SCS, which is the hardest school to get into, although he really likes the college. I want him to see Conn again though as a comparison. He may enjoy an easier, more laid-back feel at Conn than the rigorous, work-your-***-off until you drop at CMU. I just wasn’t sure if Conn was a good school or not - couldn’t really get a handle on it since it’s not ranked very high (yes, I know - they’re not the best indicators) and for the reasons I stated above. I also noticed that there was only an 89% retention rate, which is actually lower than last year’s 92%.</p>
<p>College is what you make of it. My DH (a very intelligent person and excellent student who could have gone almost anywhere) went to his local university due to family reasons. This is currently a 4th tier school (so was the same probably back then). He took the classes with the most challenging professors–sought them out. He had a good college experience.</p>