<p>Soon the notices will start rolling in for RD applicants. Hopefully, my S will have multiple schools to choose from for his final selection. I am interested to know the thought patterns behind making final selections of your kids. Possibly list their top 2 or 3 criterias in helping them make a selection, and what, as parents are your criteria should they ask for your opinion. I know that this is an open question and there are many variables, but I want to make certain that we really look at all the possible influences. Perhaps, for some of you that already have multiple options can post the schools and which way you and your child is leaning and for what reasons.</p>
<p>We (I) made a detailed spreadsheet with all the factors that were important to my D. (and us).... we included some of the standard ones that USNWR uses, if they mattered to her, and then some that were very relevant to her.... was the science building old and dingy, or somewhere off by itself? how many people would she have to share a bathroom with? how accessible is grocery + other shopping? For her specific interests, how were the opportunities. Then, she and I went through the spreadsheet and highlighted the "best" school for each category. As we went along, we added more categories, as they came up in our discussions.</p>
<p>Then comes the totally subjective part....SHE had to try to figure out which things were the most important to her, because this exercise pointed out that there was no one school that addressed all her preferences. In the end, she made her decision on the school that "felt" the best, and the $$.
She's said that she couldn't have made a better decision for her. That's the best thing a parent can hear.</p>
<p>For my son it was all about the major. He's been pretty single-mindedly interested in computer programming since he was seven, so while a majority of kids change majors, I don't think there's any danger he will. He made the decision carefully - he went to the accepted students weekends and looked at course catalogs, but in the end, Harvard couldn't hold a candle to Carnegie Mellon. For more well-rounded kid, or one who cared more about location, obviously the choice would be different. Even for him, he didn't decide for sure until the day before decisions were due.</p>
<p>Gut reaction.</p>
<p>My oldest did not have a favorite when he filled out the applications. When he received the acceptances, we revisited his top 3 choices.</p>
<p>Academically, they were pretty equal, and equidistanced from our home. My husband and I felt he would do well at any of the 3. I told him, besides the academic issues he had to consider if he would be happy at the college. He immediately eliminated the college in the colder and snowy location.</p>
<p>My son liked the school spirit in the college he selected, the campus and the fact that the college had club and intramural sports. He was able to continue with the sport he participated in H.S. but not with the same pressures as being on a college team.</p>
<p>My son is in his 2nd year, doing well and happy. I couldn't ask for more.</p>
<p>We agreed that we cannot discuss it now. With 12 apps it may be either simple (if she gets into #1 or #2 or if she does not get anywhere except her safeties) or it may be VERY complicated. Beyond #1 and #2 school rank, money, location and our knowledge of schools do not go hand-in-hand. Also money is a variable for several schools, as well as level of admission (honors, scholars, etc). Calculating it now is a challenge worthy of Dr. Nash's brains. Plus, these discussions should assume non-acceptance to top choices, which is not fun.</p>
<p>It is nice to hear words like "gut reaction" and "felt" to make the final selection. After all, sometimes we feel that the schools make those types of decisions as well. Good points so far. My S has actually developed a matrix where he has the schools he applied to and matches each one up to the another. Therefore, depending on the schools that accept him, he already has an idea of what would be his choice comparably already taking into account academics, location, campus. Of course, then we will have to throw in such currently unknown variables such as FA. So from my point of view, the top criteria would be: </p>
<p>1- Financial Aid - If we can afford it, it remains on the list
2- Access to nearest family support - Mom wants him close by, but his other choices are within 1 hour drive of grandparents with easy train access so I am happy.
3.- Financial AID - If we can't afford it, it comes off the list.
4.- Where he feels will be most challenging for him. He is an against the grain type of person. He would rather attend at a school where he is the minority in thought and process.</p>
<p>citymom: no it is not fun to assume non-acceptance. I completely agree. My W always is saying, "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." I on the other hand like to check the map and make certain there is an alternate if the bridge is closed, that I have exact change for the toll, and learn a little history of the bridge and the region.</p>
<p>Except in the case of economic neccessity, revisiting and hopefully participating in full admitted students programs should allow a student to feel the fit. My second S had four fabulous acceptances two years ago, went on every fun admitted students trip, was showered with great stuff on those, and by the end of it knew just which school suited him. If you can spend the night and hang with students, that's key too.</p>
<p>It was completely based on feel for my son. All of the options would have been great academically. He picked the one that felt the best socially.</p>
<p>Your "top criteria" may not resolve anything. Financial aid is a yes/no. It sounds like all of the places he applied meet the criteria of "proximity" and "challenging". The problem comes up when you have to decide whether to pay a few dollars more (that you can afford), or travel an extra 100 miles, for a little more challenge.</p>
<p>FA for us is more a matter of how much, not necessarily yes/no. It is the how much that is the unknown. For example if school A offers substantial FA to cover most of the cost beyond EFC and school B does not offer much at all, then even we were leaning more toward school B prior, school A would now have to be considered more seriously in comparison. </p>
<p>Should all schools put together a great package that covers most of our need, then all is equal and we go to other points. I dream of that situation all the time. Wouldn't it be great to be able to not have money enter into the equation. But then I wake up and have to take it very seriously.</p>
<p>No. 1 was interdisciplinary degree program(Minds and Machines) which was a compsci/cogsci dual major geared to AI.</p>
<p>No. 2 was merit aid to reduce the tuition which he was responsible for.</p>
<h1>1. Does it have the program of study that S wants to do? (He applied to several that had programs that were 'interesting', but not they didn't have the one he REALLY wanted.)</h1>
<h1>2. (This actually took place before the applications were mailed.) Are there any family friends or relatives living within an hours drive?</h1>
<h1>3. We lucked out on this one, but it should have been a criteria: Is an International Airport easily accessible? (We live in Asia.)</h1>
<p>I thought it would come down to money. But then, I got accepted into two schools that offered essentially the same financial aid package. Essentially, it was a coin flip on the night before I had to decide.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Financial Aid packages, they varied as much as $15,000+ and NOT based on merit but need. Throw in merit and the discrepancies were huge.</p></li>
<li><p>Visits, after acceptance. His first choice was off the list quickly much to everyone's surprise, including his, since it was an EA school.</p></li>
<li><p>His last acceptance, his last school visited is the one he now attends. And it was linked to his major. All other schools he had a chosen major at when he applied, biochem eng+econ at Penn's M & T program, biochem eng at MIT, econ at Chicago, math+eng at Cal Tech and bio at Duke and UNC and engineering at the service academies, with a career pre-designated.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>He choose the one where he did not pick a major and liked the idea he wouldn't choose until sophomore year. He knew he could switch his major at his other choices but during his visit he began looking at it in another way.
He knew he might not have the chance, except for the next 4 years, to study and learn really different and varied subjects, at least in that setting. And so far that is exactly what he has done.</p>
<p>He picked the very last day as well.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>ps atg4ever, HI! NC neighbor!!</p>
<p>Choosing is as hard as waiting for the decisions!</p>
<p>My twins are listing pro's and con's of each school they're accepted to so I can learn what THEY see as the pro's and con's. </p>
<p>Having same experience we had with our oldest: you suddenly realize your dream of where your child will go to school is not one single school, but some composite you have in your head that is made up of the majors and academic programs of one plus the library of the other plus the location of the third and the dorms of the fourth and the general atmosphere of the fifth. Having to let go of that dream school and actually choose a real but imperfect school is a little bit like having your child rejected from a top choice.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>D's Stated List of Final Criteria (after selecting schools that could get her where she wants to be).
1) Rural or small town
2) where the town is the school and the school is the town (think Grinnell, Kenyon)
3) Male /Female no worse than 45/55
4) No overwhelming fraternity sorority presence
5) Easy and cheap airfare
6) Not in Texas. Not in any state touching Texas. (Our home state and where she intends to live.)</p>
<p>Results :
1) She's in Memphis. (750,000+)
2) She's in Memphis. (Rhodes has 1700 kids. The "regular joes" across town have never heard of it.)
3) 40/60-ish
4) Pledged KD first semester
5) She's in Memphis. (Memphis to anywhere $300, $360up if your kid doesn't give you the dates until 12 days before.)
6) She's in Memphis. Which is almost in Arkansas. But it's not. One out of six ain't bad.</p>
<p>In the end it came down to </p>
<p>1) She liked the smart kids she met.
2) She liked the profs she met.
3) She liked the campus.
4) She liked the academic and social opportunities presented.
5) They really wanted her.
6) It's not in Texas or any state touching Texas.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon... apply by tangibles, selection by intangibles. I like #5 on the final list you have.</p>
<p>It's kind of like a rancher that has to deal with a gas exploration company. Don't listen to the company's words to determine the true situation on the gound. Watch their actions instead. ;)</p>