My son will be senior this year and pursuing Electrical engineering with either minor in music or at least participate in their ensembles (concert and jazz). His school has a partnership with the college so he has been exposed to their engineering professors and facility. He also has interaction with music professors there who enjoy his playing. I don’t know if all the exposure he had already has turned him off. Meaning that its already like a 2nd school to him and doesn’t look at it as a college. Financially it is a good price. He likes the atmosphere of Drexel much more but there is significant difference in price. Any suggestions. We are trying to have him keep an open mind and do an open house in September .
I can see where it might seem like a bummer to stay in same area when classmates are going away. Will he be able to live in dorms if he attends that school or expected to commute? I had a friend in college who I think lived near campus and whose parents were professors there. I think she received full tuition. Her home was probably closer than some of the college residence options. She attended the college but lived in college housing which I think allowed for some independence.
@1Lotus We would be open to him living on campus so he has more of the college experience. He also NEEDS to be on his own!
We live about 15 min from school D2 went to. Hugely cheaper than next alternative. We made it more attractive by letting her have car there and paying for parking so she would feel more independent of us. Also gave her as much monthly spending $ as older D at OOS school. She made lots of new friends even from same town (but from other HSs) and rarely saw others from her HS between it being large college and different majors. I didn’t expect her to come over and she reaped the benefit of not having to take as much to her dorm (easy to switch out clothes). Save massive amounts of money by time she finished and is now using that money in her grad program.
Are these his only two options: college 10 mins away or Drexel? I went to a community college that was walking distance from my HS and it felt like an extension of high school, with many of the same classmates. In the end it worked for me as I was not ready to go away to a 4-year university but later transferred to a UC as a junior.
With my kids, I have a budget for college but will allow them to apply to a broad range of colleges in and out of state to see which ones are the “best fit”. To be honest with you, I don’t think there is anything you can say or do to “sell” the local college to your kid as it’s only based on the concept “it’s cheaper”. Assuming you are in-state MA, what about some of the very good public universities for engineering (e.g. UM-Amherst)?
I agree with living on campus. I tell my daughter she will be exposed to a lot of different parts of our town than I take her to (the college/bar scene) so it WILL be NEW. Also, some parents in this situation sweeten the pot with assistance for summer trips or vehicles.
He doesn’t need to be sold on it today. He should apply for all special programs or activities. Don’t pressure him now. Do expect him to keep open mind. If other reach schools are unaffordable, don’t allow him to apply.
Maybe make it clear that he can live on campus and you will let him have his space. My son will be a junior at Rowan. A lot of his friends there live within 10 min of the school (Clearview area). They all lived on campus, will have an off campus house this year.
But I agree with letting him look at other schools. Make sure he understands the finances too. If one school means more debt for him, try to make him understand that piece of it and that Rowan engineering will get him where he needs to be. My friend’s twins (both live close to Rowan) both transferred out of Drexel and finished at Rowan. Both gainfully employed and living on there own immediately after graduating.