<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone has made their final decisions yet. We were at Accepted Students Day last weekend with our son and he just couldn't give us a final answer yet! He's driving us crazy. I'm going to call to see when he could sit in on a class next week over April vacation. We're hoping that will seal the deal on his decision.</p>
<p>Anyone else?</p>
<p>Best,
CCL</p>
<p>I know a few really great kids who are starting at Clark next year. Not sure if they’re looking at CC at this point; is there a Facebook page?</p>
<p>Yes, there is a Facebook Page, I just had my son join!!:
[Official</a> Clark University Class of 2014 Group | Facebook](<a href=“http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=361313405064]Official”>Facebook Public Group | Facebook)</p>
<p>So, CCL8, is your S’s screen name on facebook, CCS8? lol.
I have encouraged my S to join also.
I have to admit that throughout the entire college app process, I was hoping he would ultimately choose Clark; I bit my tongue many times. It has to be his decision. I am grateful that the planets aligned…</p>
<p>So, CCL8, did your son finally choose Clark?</p>
<p>My son was down to the wire between Clark and an in-state school – and he finally picked Clark! It seemed like the right choice to me all along, but I too (like merlin) had to bite my tongue and see what decision he made.</p>
<p>Hope my son gets to meet your kids as Clarkies! :-)</p>
<p>Hi Merlin and Hope4,
Yes, my son chose Clark!! We actually went over to the campus yesterday to make it official with all the papers, deposit, etc.! Then a wonderful student from the office took us on a quick tour of the freshman housing because my son had no idea what to put on the housing request form, and didn’t remember the dorm set-ups. It was great. We met more great kids and friendly folks. It definitely made me excited for my son. </p>
<p>The 2014 Clark Facebook page is getting very active. I’ve encouraged my son to really try and get to know some kids now. Seems like a really nice bunch of students.</p>
<p>I’d love to have our kids meet!<br>
CCL</p>
<p>I agree. The potential is pretty exciting. Actually, I think my S is a bit weary of the college process, ready to focus on other stuff.<br>
Never a dull moment. This week, drama at our house has been about prom. Never thought that would happen with a boy!</p>
<p>I chose Clark, I’m really excited to go! I’ve been wanting to go there since I first checked it out.</p>
<p>So how is everyone doing? Did move-in go well? My son is quite happy and is having a great time thus far. He likes all of his professors, and aside from a bit of dorm noise, it’s all good. He came home for part of this weekend and was quite happy. It was nice to see him!
Hope all is going well with everyone.
Best,
CCL</p>
<p>clark caters very much to freshmen. its all downhill after freshmen year.</p>
<p>coming from a junior at clark.</p>
<p>Care to expound? !!! Are you happy at Clark??</p>
<p>Freshman son is very happy at Clark. He plays a varsity sport and seems to feel that all players treat each other well–no prima donnas. I think we will hear more about classes and profs when he comes home for the long weekend.<br>
Only time will tell if the glow continues. </p>
<p>I would be interested to hear specifically what changes after freshman year.</p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong I like Clark, but I am looking forward to graduating at the end of this year. It is definitely time to move on.</p>
<p>I’m sure there is no perfect school out there and that there are problems with every school, but the ones at Clark are just getting old and I no longer feel like dealing with them.</p>
<p>I think one major difference between freshman year and every other year is the social scene. In my experience the relationships made during freshman year are all very shallow, you meet a TON of people, never really get to know many of them all that well, then end up living with them sophomore year because you think you know them well enough. </p>
<p>Sophomore year comes around, you most likely end up living in an on campus suite with a bunch of people who you think are your friends and then the drama begins. You realize that you didn’t know these people as well as you thought you did, and that there are some major differences between you. I have seen this many a time. In my opinion the Maywood hall suites are where friendships go to die. </p>
<p>I think the main reason this happens is because of the large number of selfish people there are who go to this school. It is amazing. My best friend and one of my current roommates is one of the most selfish people I know. The only time I have ever seen him put any effort into doing anything for anyone else is when that someone else is a girl he is interested in. Otherwise do not expect a damn thing from him.</p>
<p>As you are probably aware, when compared to other schools, our campus is fairly small. Yet, last year, a majority of my friends lived in Maywood and could not be bothered to visit my roommate and I who lived in Johnson which is across campus. We had people over twice during the entire year, and that was because we were having a party. </p>
<p>I don’t know about you, but there is just something wrong when you put so much effort into being someone’s friend and they give absolutely nothing back. During first semester last year my roommate and I would go over to Maywood every night to hang out with people, but towards the end of the semester we had both just gotten tired of always having to be the ones to go over. This happened with multiple groups of friends. </p>
<p>If you asked me freshmen year if this would have happened to my Sophomore year roommate and I would have said never in a million years. People just seem more outgoing freshmen year, but then something changes… I never would of thought it would have happened to my Sophomore year roommate because he is a fairly popular kid, and people like him. I realize I am not the most popular person in the world, but people do generally seem to like me, or so I’m told. </p>
<p>Freshmen year, my Sophomore year roommate’s room was a hangout spot. It would always have people in it who didn’t live there just coming by to say hi or hang out. I figured if I lived with him things would be the same and people would always be around our room to hangout. It wasn’t…</p>
<p>Another problem I have noticed with Clark that a bunch of my friends have noticed and agree is a general problem is that there is a lot of hand holding by the administration freshmen year, and even to an extent Sophomore year. Your advisor generally recommends doing X, Y, Z, then you do them. But once second semester Sophomore year arrives and you declare your major, do not be surprised if all of a sudden you are completely abandoned. It seems to be fairly common.</p>
<p>Advisors generally assume you know what you’re doing, and what classes your required to take to complete your major, and they generally seem to be much more hands off than freshmen year. The problem is though a majority of people don’t know what they’re doing. I know more than a few people who more than likely will not graduate on time, and some who can’t do fifth year anymore because of this. </p>
<p>Even if you properly plan everything, which I have, it can still be difficult to finish all your requirements because of the amount of red tape you have to deal with. The consortium is one example. Admissions loves to talk about it on tours, but very few people actually take advantage of it due to how difficult it can be to get things approved, and because none of the faculty actually know anything about it. You have to do a lot of running around to get things approved, and even then courses do not always show up on your transcript. They most definitely do not count towards your GPA either. </p>
<p>However, some people are forced to use the consortium because Clark does not offer a wide enough selection of upper level courses is certain subjects, such as math. One of my roommates, a senior math and physics major, has already taken all the math courses they are offering this semester. That is how much of a small selection of upper level math courses they offer. A common joke among my friends and I is that they should change the academic catalog from saying that a math course is offered every other semester, or every other year, to once in a blue moon, because as far as we know, they haven’t offered certain classes in over 3 years.</p>
<p>b_symlink, thanks for explaining.<br>
I have to wonder if the social situation is different at other, similar size colleges. I think there is a rhythm to the college experience, which includes boredom, disappointment or disillusionment during the sophomore year. Perhaps, that “sophomore slump” motivates some students to study abroad during their junior year. After that, there is just one more year until graduation. </p>
<p>I appreciate knowing about the issues with advisors and registering for required courses. I will advise my son about the possible difficulties. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you.</p>