<p>My main point is that in the South, West and Midwest, you may actually have to go a long way from home to get to a top school, or even a good match, if you have very specific criteria. Just that change - in the weather, in the stores, in the food, etc. - is enough change for many kids. You don't have to drive so far in the NE. As we said, when talking to a Mom with a daughter at UMass Amherst - it really isn't that far from Hanover - nothing is that far from anywhere.</p>
<p>Well, I figure if I can get my son to go to Grinnell, I'll be able to shut down the entire Rose Parade just by mentioning where my two go to college. :) </p>
<p>On the other hand, my daughter does admit that even SHE isn't quite sure where Wisconsin is on the map. Every time the national weather report comes on the TV news, she keeps pointing frantically at the map and asking "Here? Here?" I just tell her to look for those funny little white things signifying snow. ;)</p>
<p>I grew up on Long Island (or, as we say, "Lawn-GI-land") and we always referred to New York City as "the CITY" - it didn't even nned its formal name. When I started travelling around the country, tt was a shock for me to discover that not all cities have boroughs that look like Manhattan. In fact, San Francisco looked like more of a town than a city. I've encouraged our son to consider colleges in different parts of the country - he'll enjoy the diversity and also appreciate the wonderful variations of culture and customs.</p>
<p>San Francisco, while not Manhattan, is similar in the sense that it is at least a regional hub concentrated in a geographically isolated downtown. There are some desireable places to live in what the locals tend to call "the CITY", especially for yuppies, DINKS, and retired and other rich people. In comparison with NYC, there are some pretty nice places to live within reasonable distance of the City, not that they are inexpensive.</p>
<p>Carolyn, We are from the East Coast. I still remember the day DH came home and asked how I would like to move to WI. WI is just one of those states that you never think about. Tell your daughter to look for Lake Michigan on the weather map. 50 out today so no snow. WI is a great place to live. I'm sure your daughter will be very happy here. If you ever need anything, just let me know.</p>
<p>Wisconsin IS a terrific place to live and we are perfectly happy for the rest of the country not to know it. You folks on the coasts can keep on thinking about us as beer drinking, brat eating cheeseheads. We'll just keep nodding and agreeing with you. </p>
<p>That being said, we have encourage our kids to go OUT of the midwest. So I have one in NY, one in Oregon and the third headed out east somewhere. It is always good to broaden one's horizons.</p>
<p>^I agree--this thread has made me even more interested in some of the midwestern colleges I'm considering (at this point, mainly Carleton, Macalester, and UChicago). :)</p>
<p>Yes!! Carleton is a great school! In fact, like what Carolyn has said, midwest colleges tend to be friendlier and such. I couldn't agree more with what she has said. :p But then again when I was doing the college search, I was contemplating between prestige and the midwestern feel and those two ideas kind of contradict each other. And that was when I found out about Kenyon!! :p thisyearsgirl, I believe all the schools that you've mentioned possesses such traits, i.e. prestige and the midwestern feel. :D</p>
<p>Mini, like what I've said before, yes, Kenyon needs to work on her diversity issues and from what I see, Kenyon, with a new president and a new dean of admissions, is actively recruiting minority students to reverse the trend of having just rich and wealthy students!</p>
<p>Having stayed in Washington D.C. and living in South Dakota, I can say that there are huge differences. People in my state are much more family and religion oriented and, for example, a South Dakota democrat is usually much more conservative than a New Jersey one. However, all people here aren't WASPS. 99% could probably trace almost all of their roots to north-western European countries, but many are catholics and for some strange reason they all belong to the democratic party in my town. it's really weird. But yes, even in a town of 12,000 we have "big-wheels" and protestors and tons of immigrating Mexicans for some new turkey and beef plants that will be opening soon. Some things are so similar, yet some things are completely different.</p>