I think you should feel great! Nice job navigating some specific requirements to get to a well-balanced list.
1 Like
Vassar was her favorite but its no longer on the list? Easy to get a ride or a train ride to NYC, Boston, etc.
Thank you for pointing out my mistake yes, Vassar definitely is still on the list! I will try to edit that post. We love Vassar! It could potentially be an ED contender, but Barnard and Tufts are the favorites at the moment.
3 Likes
Looks like your child has a great list!! Just a note that Barnard, Tufts, and Vassar are (or appeared to my children to be) very different schools and environments - though all sharing that they are EXCELLENT. But I would think that few students would have these as their top three unless they were still deciding what they value most? (And if so, then that’s my daughter, who was still figuring out what she valued between very different schools, right up until the end of March, but then she didn’t do ED because of this - and her choice ended up being her original “wild-card” application). She, and we, are glad that she didn’t apply ED .
2 Likes
While these are three distinct schools, there is a certain type of kid who would find their tribe - and a larger one at that - at all three. Based on this, I think I could take a pretty good stab at the social scene this student wants.
I agree that in other ways, including classroom experience, location, etc., they are different.
While she will have to pick a front-runner for ED, it’s not at all a bad thing that she can very happily see herself at any of them. It’s refreshingly healthy in contrast to the do-or-die dream school mentality!
5 Likes
very good point!!!
2 Likes
Yes, they are different, but all along we have emphasized that nothing is “perfect” and there are trade offs and the right social fit/vibe is paramount. If a kid can’t find their people it doesn’t matter how great the professors are. I could elaborate on why she loves Barnard Tufts and Vassar and yes, she does love different things about each of them but, when touring, she felt she could see herself thriving at each of them.
6 Likes
My two cents is I think that is exactly. It is becoming clear to me there is fit on paper and there is intuitive fit, and ideally your final list of schools satisfies both. Intuitive fit by nature cannot be reduced to something you can easily define/describe in posts on the Internet, which is part of why in-person college visits remain an important part of the process for those who can manage them. And as long as you have a sufficiently loose idea of paper fit, it is entirely possible the list of schools that feel right intuitively will cut across a variety of school types–and that is good!
3 Likes
If grad school is a concern about Hampshire, let me reassure you.
I’m a Hampshire graduate, I went to Columbia University for grad school.
Hampshire was incredibly helpful in preparing me for grad school. I have a professional degree, I’m not an academic.
65% of Hampshire alumni go on to a more advanced degree within 10 years of graduating.
1 out of 4 start their own business (me again).
In top 3% of all schools producing research PhDs.
If it’s not a fit, no worries- it’s not for everyone.
But “can I get into grad school” is absolutely not an issue.
4 Likes
Hope Hampshire survives. They seem to have lost a lot of faculty when they were on the brink of closing.
They’ve been in the press for laying off IT in favor of some kind of outsourcing, I think, but they’ve also hired a “substantial cohort” of new faculty members. This year was also the fourth year of admitting a good sized class. Glad to see progress!
2 Likes
They’ve also made the smart move to welcome students from the New College in Florida who are turned off by the ideological directions that institution is taking. Hampshire is offering spots to those students at the same sticker price they were paying in Florida. So Hampshire might lose a little money in the short run (financial support for more students) but they might benefit in the long-term from a new pipeline of students.
4 Likes
What Hampshire is offering to New College students raises Hampshire significantly in my opinion. It is just wonderful, and the type of move I would love to see more schools make.
2 Likes
If I can be a little cynical . . . Hampshire has been struggling for a long time. So they have the room for a lot of transfer students. They also desperately need the revenue. So it’s a win-win situation for both the school and students.
Schools that aren’t struggling don’t have the room for a large influx of students, and aren’t in as much need of the $$$.
2 Likes
Well, of course it serves Hampshire’s purposes, as well. But it’s a win-win for the college and the students. Hampshire’s the first college to do it, but I think a few others are following suit, including Binghamton.
3 Likes
Agreed that Hampshire could use an influx of both students and $$$, but New College of Florida isn’t a great source of either. It’s a tiny school (~650) and students near the finish line will probably just stay and graduate. And the few that do transfer to Hampshire won’t be bringing much money with them as tuition is only $6,916/yr and that’s before Bright Futures and other merit.
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.