My son is in the final couple days of deciding between Le Moyne College and Elmira College for nursing. Both nursing programs seem quite solid with good NCLEX scores, etc. Really looking for some useful first or second knowledge about the two schools re mostly student life. He will be a resident at either school and both will cost the same. Concerns with Le Moyne are the larger commuter population and reports we have seen of it potentially being somewhat cliquey as many kids come from the same high schools, but bigger city. Elmira is more residential and seems to have an inclusive culture but is very small at 700 students. Looking for the school that will welcome and engage him as he has a physical disability and easily defaults to his room, and want him to flourish in college. His sport is sailing, but not available at these two schools. Esports is big at Elmira but not LeMoyne and represents an interest. Any direct knowledge about the schools or the situation in particular is appreciated.
I’m replying mainly because this may be the first time I’ve seen my alma mater, Elmira College, mentioned on CC. Take any comments I make with a grain of salt, because I attended EC on a good scholarship back in the early 90s. I know that the nursing program is and has been one of EC’s strengths. One of my friends in college graduated with her degree in nursing and has had a very successful career in North Carolina. I think a lot of the nursing facilities are in the renovated Cowles Hall, and everything looked very new and modern when I last visited several years ago. My wife graduated from EC with an elementary education degree and has been a teacher her entire career. I went to law school after my time at Elmira and graduated near the top of my class. I still work as an attorney and enjoy it very much. If your son is looking for a small campus and close relationships with faculty and friends he may like it there.
I can’t give you any information about LeMoyne College. I’ve never been there and I don’t know anyone who has attended. Good luck to you and your son.
I live in Syracuse, so have some experience with LeMoyne! I hung out with friends there back in the 90s, and my current HS Senior has hung out this year with friends she knows there. Also, my current HS sophomore is already considering LeMoyne. (She is a diver and has done camps there and loves the coaches and the campus). Even though there definitely are a lot of local kids, many do live on campus and are excited to meet new friends! The ones we know almost always stay on campus on the weekends. We have several large high schools in the area, so it makes sense that you might hear of several from the same high school being there? That happens at most of the colleges close to here. I know multiple kids from our high school going to each LeMoyne, SU, SUNYs Oswego/Geneseo/Cortland/Bing ect ect The kids I know there are very open minded and accepting and I can imagine that everyone can find their tribe! We are very liberal and not religious and I’d be thrilled if my younger daughter chooses LeMoyne in 2 years. It’s a beautiful campus too! Definitely reach out if you want my daughter to ask her friends any specifics! Good luck!!
CarPay. Thanks much. We really like the tight knit nature of the school. Only issues for my wife and me are the small size (at 700 kids, will it seem too small over time) and the predicted financial stability over time, eg Cazenovia College. I know that they just borrowed on their endowment in order to enact strategic plans approved by NYS and suspect that they will come out ahead. Is there any scuttlebutt within the alumni network with better info? Thanks
Mrspuma. You are not making this easy. We really like Le Moyne and the president is great. Our daughter goes to SU, so convenience-wise Le Moyne would be great. Actually, my nephew is also at SU and the other just committed yesterday. Big draw if Elmira is the committent to eSports as a varsity team, sponsored by the dept of athletics with a coach, etc. I can’t say that I completely understand this, but kids seem to love it.
A coworker’s kid is at LeMoyne. He’s somewhat reserved and the family worried about whether he’d be happy. Very quickly, he had friends, a lot to do, and rarely came home. Just one person, but the experience has been nothing but positive.
Lol! Sorry? 
I used to jokingly tell my kids when they were little that they could only go to SU or LeMoyne and now my oldest really is going to SU (we never thought we could afford it, but the huge scholarship she was eyeballing actually became a reality…) and my younger one really does love LeMoyne…so who knows?! Lol Good luck!!!
Sorry, I don’t have any inside scuttlebutt. We live in western PA now, so my wife and I don’t follow the everyday happenings at EC, and we don’t have much contact with other alumni from our class anymore, either. EC was close to its capacity of about 1,300 students when we were there. At that time they had some pretty generous valedictorian/salutatorian scholarships, plus they had one of the best D-III men’s hockey teams in the country. (I think they’re still pretty strong today.) I know the (Tommy) Hilfiger family – he’s an Elmira native – has been helping EC set up a new fashion business school program, and EC also entered a partnership with LECOM medical school a few years back. I believe it set up a Guaranteed Admissions Program (GAP) or something similar for EC students. I think the college is on better footing than Cazenovia was, but I’m also pretty sure they would rather get enrollment back up over 1,000. There are many LACs in the country right now that would like to boost their enrollment numbers by 300 to 500 students just to get back to where they were thirty years ago.
Agreed. Both my daughter and nephew somehow got 1870 full scholarships. Nearly impossible to pass up and complete surprise.
Right?! SU ended up being cheaper than the SUNYs. So thankful! Back to LeMoyne, I have heard they are pretty generous with merit aid. I’m hoping this will be the case for my younger one, especially with diving. My senior’s college search just ended, and it’s back on the saddle on June 15 for my sophomore! Lol Good luck to all!
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