<p>nem ~ I wanted to like Etown - I thought the campus was very nice and in a lovely residential neighborhood. The town was small, but very often those small towns can be friendly. It was also close to Hershey. I was somewhat impressed by the presentations of the administration in the morning (but maybe because I wanted to be. H, who is very familiar with open houses as he does them for his college, was not. Neither was S). So we talked with admissions, stayed for lunch, which I thought was fine and went to the dept. presentation. That is where they lost me. A major part of visiting a college is what life would be like in your chosen major. The faculty member they had presenting (she was also the dept. chair) was SO unexciting, uninspiring, dull, boring, that none of us could see S there. She ran out of things to talk about after approximately 15 minutes. There were only 2 or 3 families there including us, so she asked if we had any questions. I asked one based on information she had given. She took offense at a term I used in the question (although it is a very common term in that industry) and never really answered the question. So I was now done and S and H were past done.</p>
<p>We had picked up a copy of the student newspaper as we liked to do when we visited colleges to see what issues are being discussed. Their major issue at the time was something about having to put RA’s (or higher) in buildings that did not already have them because students were doing far too much damage to the buildings. But the students were whining back that by doing that they were being treated like babies. </p>
<p>I’m sure that other people have other experiences, but just wanted to share mine. I had a friend who graduated from Etown about 30 years ago and was very happy there, which was one reason we looked at it.</p>
<p>I really do not know anything about this school. I just know one student who just graduated. She was a solid B/B+ student and worked for her grades. She was always a serious focused student. She enjoyed Etown and I recall her being very genuinely enthusiastic about her school.</p>
<p>I feel as if we had a very productive trip. He has 2 definites to apply to and 2 to return and visit if he brings his grades up next year.</p>
<p>Our tour guide at E-town was very nice and we know someone who graduated from there recently who had a great experience. So I think this might be a great school for some people.) Also, they gave us a carrot cake ( avery good one) as part fo the tour.</p>
<p>I have to tell you that we fell in love with Sheetz. We ate there every morning. I wish we had one nearby.</p>
<p>Sheetz the gas station?? No way - Wawa rocks! </p>
<p>Sometimes it’s the things that have nothing to do with a school that will sway a student one way or another. I remember being impressed that there was a Sonic near my oldest son’s college and mentally adding that as a plus for the college!</p>
<p>Wawa is good too. Some of their food selection is a little better than Sheetz, actually. My daughter was pleased to find a Wawa when she moved to Va.</p>
<p>Re: E-Town. I am becoming more and more convinced this is a love it or hate it school. Academically it’s a good school and I thought it was a cute campus but when we drove though with #2 she refused to get out of the car, LOL. The kids I have known who have attended have either loved it or left.</p>
<p>We didn’t realize that Wawa’s was the same type of place. We’ll have to try it out. </p>
<p>We now drive around the campus before we tour. If my son hates the school from its appearance, it is very painful to go on the tour and then interview.</p>
<p>I’ve found that there are pluses and minuses to every single school and by going on the tours you can narrow down what you like. For instance, we were all impressed with the professors at Lycoming and my son talked about how that would be a priority for him. We both also liked the size of the town. I remember when my daughter and I visited Bloomsburg University of PA we were very unimpressed with the campus but thought the dining hall food was great and the open house admissions talk was informative and interesting. My daughter really didn’t want to see Bloomsburg after we got there but it helped her realize that academics were indeed important to her and having good food options might bea priority too.</p>
<p>If I’m taking the time to drive to a college, I figure my kid owes me the courtesy of doing the tour and seeing the college with an open mind but I do understand that a stubborn kid makes an unappealing visitor and leaves the open mind in question. An interview would also be bad if the student doesn’t want to consider the school.</p>
<p>Coming in very late to this thread with a very inconsequential comment: some of those Ugg-type boots are knock-offs which are much less expensive.</p>
<p>Have you considered any liberal arts colleges in Maryland? My daughter is a senior this year at Goucher College, which is a lovely liberal arts college near Towson U. in Maryland (right outside of Baltimore). This one’s also listed in the book Colleges that Change Lives, and has a solid science program, and a great study abroad program as well. Great town of Towson, lots to do and very close to the Baltimore Inner Harbor.</p>
<p>Have you considered the University of Scranton? It always is ranked extremely highly by US News and World Report and the Princeton Review and has an excellent biology deparment.</p>
<p>Suggest you and your child consider the University of Scranton. It’s very highly ranked by US News & World Report and Princeton Review and has an excellent science program.</p>
<p>U of Scranton was on our original list of schools to visit but my son crossed if off after he checked out the website. </p>
<p>We did visit schools in MD. They were one of our first visits. He liked McDaniel, and U of Mary Washington. I can’t remember where Goucher stands. I do remember that he didn’t like it that alot of kids were smoking around campus. I’m wondering if McDaniel will feel too small to him now. </p>
<p>kathiep- I totally understand where you are coming from, but I find the tours tiring and never ending if there is no interest. E-town was the hardest because I knew instantly that he wasn’t going to like it. If we visit TN/KY and I’m paying for flights/hotels then he will have to see each school.</p>