<p>DD has been accepted to several schools and I am trying to steer her to the schools that I believe are more "prestigious" but would like some opinions on whether that is really important in the grand scheme of things. After the merit scholarships, the cost is the same at all schools although we are in-state at Illinois. She has been admitted directly to the business colleges at UIUC and IU and the Nursing college at Iowa. Her boyfriend is a current freshman at Iowa, which is her preference. We have made multiple visits to these schools, and she has spent the weekends at the dorms in Iowa, which has increased her comfort level with that school.</p>
<p>She has been accepted into the Hutton Honors College at IU and the Kelley business program has been very welcoming with lots of receptions, hosting DD in multiple business classes and she can apply for the Kelley LLC, which seems to have a lot of benefits. Intellectually she can appreciate IU but she did not get that "I can see myself here" vibe during our recent campus visit.</p>
<p>We still have to attend the Admitted Student event at Illinois and I can try to arrange an overnight and shadowing opportunities with a business student, but am beginning to wonder if it is even worth the effort. According to USNWR, Illinois overall ranks considerably higher at 41 than IU or Iowa at 75. Should this matter? She is not especially interested in studying business, but is not likely to enjoy nursing, either, IMO.</p>
<p>What is she interested in? Nursing is quite a commitment and the science and math core is not for someone who might “not enjoy it”. Why did she put those majors?</p>
<p>What are her academic strengths, what does she enjoy? Her passions?</p>
<p>We are from CA but my daughter went to UIUC (for a very specific program). She has had no problems finding jobs & says that the school is held in very high regard even though her major is not in Engineering. I think you cannot go wrong with UIUC in the midwest. I know a number of kids at Kelley & know that their business program is highly respected. Beautiful town also but I am not very sure about Indiana (I personally had some not so good experiences there - but that was 25 years ago). Unfortunately know nothing about Iowa. </p>
<p>If she is not studying business or nursing, then I UIUC or Kelley are moot. Why did she apply to these programs to start with?</p>
<p>She became “interested” in the medical field as the result of a career trek to a large teaching hospital’s career fair. She was primarily motivated by the income potential for MDs. Once she learned about the years of additional schooling she chose nursing, but mostly because of lifestyle reasons. She attended Camp Cardiac at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and participated in a year-long Medical Explorersprogram which gave her exposure to all medical careers, even hospital management and has volunteered at a hospital in that CT lab, but has not been able to shadow any nurses. She sat in on two nursing classes during a visit to Marquette and is scheduled to do the same at Iowa later this week, so she can at least see if she likes the coursework.</p>
<p>As far as her preferred subjects, she has finally found a course she likes which is anatomy. She says she prefers science courses over Math/English/History but cannot imagine what jobs she could get with a science degree. She loves fashion and piano!</p>
<p>I had her apply to the business programs because I believe there is a great variety of fields and industries for her future employment esp if she comes out of a good program.</p>
<p>If it’s overall prestige in terms of name recognition, even internationally, UIUC has it. Look up the best colleges in the world, and you’ll see what I mean. Kelly has more name recognition than, well, I don’t even know the name of the business school at UIUC. </p>
<p>Frist, for nursing Iowa ranks 11, right behind illinois (us news). Second, ignore all rankings. </p>
<p>At this point “comfort” is a very big factor. She needs to go somewhere where she can thrive. I hope the boyfriend isnt the primary factor in that…the school will always be there but the boyfriend might not. </p>
<p>I would hate for her to pick Iowa for nursing then discover two years later when her actual nursing courses begin that she doesn’t like it. She would then transfer to some other department, none likely to be as highly ranked than either Kelley of UIUC. Alternatively, she could start with Business at Illinois and then transfer to nursing if she really was unhappy with business, but I’d have to convince her that UIUC is more prestigious. She’ll think it’s all about bragging rights for me.</p>
<p>She shouldn’t enroll in a direct entry nursing program unless she is absolutely certain she wants to be nurse. I’m sure she can handle the coursework, but it sounds like there’s still a very strong interest in business. Nursing programs offer no flexibility to dabble in other fields. </p>
<p>"am trying to steer her to the schools that I believe are more “prestigious” "</p>
<p>You need to get over that.</p>
<p>What do you think it gets you? more money? no. </p>
<p>Do you think people know State School A is better than State School B. Uh, usually, no. Not even employers.</p>
<p>Why do you think she won’t like nursing. For nursing, it really doesn’t matter where she goes. She could commute to a local state school with a reputable BSN program and be fine.</p>
<p>Let her go where she wants as long as it’s affordable.</p>
<p>“We still have to attend the Admitted Student event at Illinois and I can try to arrange an overnight and shadowing opportunities with a business student,”</p>
<p>Sounds like you’re trying to shove her into a major of your liking. It’s her life.</p>
<p>At some schools, the business and/or nursing majors are impacted, so students attempting to declare or change into these majors face a competitive admissions process or other hurdles. Best to check each school for whether this is the case before deciding which school to attend.</p>
<p>That’s true, and these schools are among them (at least in the case of nursing at Iowa and business at IU). But I don’t think that’s a good reason to enter a narrow preprofessional college you are “not especially interested” in. That’s a reliable recipe for poor performance.</p>
<p>I guess my biggest concern is that in choosing Iowa she will in fact be following her boyfriend and am worried about how that will affect her college experience. If I can convince her that Illinois is “better” from a name recognition standpoint, she might be persuaded to study something there, preferably starting in business which she might come to enjoy. </p>
<p>I honestly don’t see a huge difference between the 3 schools from a prestige stand point ( I say this as a parent of a current UIUC student and 2 that have graduated - 2 engineering and 1 business school ). Mine picked the school as it is excellent in their majors ( accounting, EE, computer science ) - internships and job placement is excellent and this was their first choice school. However, IU Kelley is a top undergrad business school and Iowa’s nursing school ( I’m assuming she was a direct admit ) is excellent - she cannot go wrong with any of these programs. Sounds to me like she is really an undecided major and will need to figure it out as she goes along. Obvsiously if she was admitted to these programs she is a smart girl. Let her figure it out — the boyfriend issue seems to be what’s really eating at you - have you told her your concerns about going to school w/him? Forget the ‘prestige’ factor…3 Big 10 schools, more alike in my opinion than different - sounds like she is the type of student who will do well wherever she goes. Iowa’s health sciences programs are excellent, btw - top notch teaching hospital right on campus — I love UIUC but they do not have these facilities in Champaign/Urbana. Best of luck.</p>
<p>She should go with her gut. Even if you think one school is slightly higher ranked, if she doesn’t “feel it” there, it’s out. I’m a Midwesterner and have lived in several different states in the region. IMO, there is no big difference between the reputations of the schools she’s considering.</p>
<p>The main issue is for her to determine her interest in nursing or business. This needs to be considered in the context of how easy it is to change major at each school. If her interest is neither nursing nor business, then she needs to consider how easy it is to change major to whatever she does want to major in at each school.</p>
<p>The best match school(s) from an academic standpoint will then follow.</p>
<p>“I can convince her that Illinois is “better” from a name recognition standpoint, she might be persuaded to study something there, preferably starting in business which she might come to enjoy.”</p>
<p>Again…stop trying to manipulate her into business. If she wants that major, then fine. but your not-to-subtle manipulations could backfire.</p>
<p>If you don’t want her to follow the BF, then be honest about that. Talk about your concerns and listen to her.</p>