<p>Like so many on CC, my son is at the end of a long journey of college selection. He applied to many wonderful institutions, we went on several visits, asked hundreds of questions and spent a few sleepless nights trying to make the "right decision". Sometimes there is more than one "right decision" and in his case he narrowed it down to 2 schools: Marquette and one other university. We visited each school more than once, emailed and spoke to many current students and graduates and he went back and forth with which school to choose. It is a great problem to have (some students don't get accepted into one school they love) but an agonizing one as well because obviously you can only go to ONE school (at a time).</p>
<p>Ultimately, and with great regret, my son has chosen the other school. He still loves MU however the other one offers a few courses of study that MU does not. Honestly, it was almost a coin toss. I know he would have had an incredible experience at Marquette. For everyone who is interested in MU, he and I would give it the highest recommendation. </p>
<p>Thanks to all of you that shared your experiences and insights and best wishes to all of you. I hope that everyone's college decisions are easier than ours were!</p>
<p>HeartArt, congratulations to you and your son! I know how torn you both were, but it seems like you both felt an inexplicable pull to the other school. At the end of the day, I always believe in trusting my gut.</p>
<p>I’m still hoping my S ends up at MU, and so would have liked to spend more time with you at Parents Orientation! I wish you and your S the very best. Thanks for all your wonderful input here on the Marquette board.</p>
<p>Wishing your son the best of luck at the school he chose. With such support from the family, I know he will do well.</p>
<p>Our S made the commitment to MU. I believe it was always his first choice but there were other offers and opportunities to check out. So we are hoping for the best for our Golden Eagle!</p>
<p>HeartArt and 1tgmom – All the best to both your sons! 1tgmom, I hope he has a great first year – feel free to PM me anytime with any questions.
HeartArt – I may be PMing you about “the other school,” as it is on my junior’s list – she loves MU, too, but doesn’t think she wants to be in Big Sis’s shadow!
Cpeltz – I hope S is happy with his final decision. Sometimes there’s a lot of high expectations with dream schools and the inevitable freshman year adjustments are almost harder whereas – kids go into schools that were not their first or second choice, and by Oct. say they couldn’t see themselves anywhere else. Here’s hoping that’s your son’s story.</p>
<p>HeartArt–I was in your situation a few years ago when I thought my daughter picked the wrong college to attend. In fact, it took me a week to mail in that response card where you state that you will not be attending. Seriously, I walked down to the mailbox everyday, and just could not put that note in the box.</p>
<p>Three years later, and my daughter could not ask for a better experience at her university. She a TA for eng 101, is on the dean’s lists, has lots of friends…what more could I ask for? I hate to admit this, but sometime parents are wrong, and the kids are right (but let’s not let this get around, okay) :D</p>
<p>No beastman, I have posted before on another thread that my son was trying to decide between two WONDERFUL Jesuit schools that are very similar to each other. The other posters on this thread already know that the other school is Saint Louis University. Sorry to be mysterious! I just wanted to focus this thread on how much we respect what great school Marquette is.</p>
<p>Ha! Yes, I discovered as much five minutes later as I was over on SLU starting a newbie thread in which I wondered if SLU and Marquette were not similar! Funny.</p>
<p>They are similar in many ways and also uniquely wonderful schools. We fell in love with both universities which is why picking one over the other was so difficult. You should definitely look at both places.</p>
<p>My son had been struggling with his decision for a couple of weeks, but ultimate chose Marquette! I couldn’t be happier, as I think MU offers the perfect blend of size, intimacy, fun, and great academics in a wonderful city. Woo hoo!</p>
<p>Oh, cpeltz, that’s great news. So good to have the uncertainty over with and just start moving forward.<br>
I don’t know if I ever asked you his prospective major??</p>
<p>Thanks all. Son doesn’t know yet what he wants to do, but is thinking law, which leaves most majors as possibilities. His second option was an east coast LAC, but he eventually realized that a mid-size school with an urban environment is his best option. I’m proud that he came to that conclusion, as I think he’s absolutely correct! Now, he has to make dorm selections…</p>
<p>My niece started at Marquette last year grumbling and dragging her feet because it wasn’t her first choice, but she came to love it in very short order. My daughter is a grad student there and has really put her roots down in Milwaukee. It’s a nice community.</p>
<p>cpeltz, I notice on another thread that your son looked at Ripon (which gets no play on CC). We visited there as well with our younger daughter, but she ultimately decided against it. Did it rank very high on your son’s list? It’s quite different from Marquette!</p>
<p>Mary, I think Milwaukee is a great city, and fortunately my son doesn’t think the weather will be a problem. We’ll see about that, since he’s born and raised in Southern California!</p>
<p>We visited Ripon, and the people there, both in administration and the students, were very warm and welcoming. Ultimately, it was too rural for S, and the student population was not geographically diverse enough for him.</p>
<p>Cpeltz, our sons are kindred souls. Son is looking for an urban, not rural, campus, and a geographically diverse student population.</p>
<p>We’re from the other LA, Louisiana, and so our sons will grumble together during the winter. Mine says the same, he doesn’t think the weather will bother him. Yes, I’m waiting to see, too. He’s anxious to go somewhere with snow, and I hear he’ll get plenty of it. He’s dying to make snow angels!</p>
<p>Montegut, have you visited yet? My H went to MU, and it’s nothing like the school he attended in the 70’s. I was shocked at how wonderful it was, lovely campus, warm people, everybody seemed engaged…I hope it’s every bit as amazing for my S as I think it will be. (and he plans to do a study abroad for one of the winters )</p>
<p>Yes, we visited last summer, in July. Got a brief campus tour. Would have liked to have seen much more. Great info session at the beginning, though.</p>
<p>Best thing was meeting with an engineering department representative afterwards, with just a few other kids. And the rep was in the biomedical engineering department, which is son’s intended major!</p>
<p>Son is also interested in study abroad as well as doing coop, internship. Also wants to do the BS/MS program. So we’re looking at a six year investment here. </p>
<p>Son loved the Joan of Arc chapel on campus. And the computer science building was awesome. </p>
<p>Even though it was summertime, there were a fair number of kids on campus, and those we encountered were very nice and helpful. A young lady directed me to the health center, so I could see the pool. Yes, they have an indoor pool. A lot of kids were working out. </p>
<p>Have you checked the website about Late Nite Marquette? That looks like something fun and safe for the kids to do.</p>
<p>Keep us posted, and let us know what dorm you decide on. I’ll be picking your brain on that one.</p>
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