Moments that make you scratch your head during tours

Worst.Name.Ever = Ursinus

I try not to hold it against a student tour guide when they get some fact wrong, but the guide ought to notice if the errant fact doesn’t make sense. My guide today told me that a particular unit of the university has about 100 students and only admits 2 students per year. I said, “Per major?” “No, just 2 per year.” “And they have 100 students?” “Well, there are some graduate students too, so some stay longer.” For 50 years?

That @Hanna‌ is an actual head scratcher.

^^Not a math major?

^^ well, not Applied Math anyway.

Maybe a math major, giving the tour in base 3.

So interesting these negative impressions of Case Western. We are local and made S visit in November on a day off from school just to see how he would feel about a more urban school. My H, S and I were all very pleasantly surprised by the info session and the tour. I feel like the info session was one of the best we have been to (have been to more than 15 or so with my older D) as it focused on outcomes (i.e. starting with graduation and what students do after Case) and then tried to sell the student experience rather than focusing on how hard the college is to get into or basic facts and figures (I got the impression that it was a new/revamped presentation). The attitude of our presenter that day was very welcoming and that Case would be lucky to have these students attend. Tour guide was quirky and engaging as well. I was not expecting much from Case and if it weren’t 20 minutes from our house I think my S would be putting it on his list.

I recently gave a tour where I waited behind for a parent as my partner led the rest of the group (there was one very specific thing she wanted to see) and on our way back to the group she asked the following:

Q: Are there bars in town my son can go to?
A: Well, there are 2 right in town that are across from the train station bus stop (about 3 minutes away) and one more if you drive.

Q: Well what about fakes? If my son has one can he get into the bars?
A: I don’t know anyone who uses a fake ID, I certainly do not so I can’t really answer your question.

Q: Ok, what about on campus can he drink here?
A: We are a damp campus, if a student is 21 they are allowed to have a 6 pack or a bottle of wine.

Q: So that means my son can’t buy a liter of vodka if he wants to


We had a wonderful tour of Pomona, but two things stood out for me.

First, was the mom of a prospective applicant who was entering HS junior year. She asked about what courses were “required for admission” and pointed out “Last year WE took calculus and AP Physics” The tour guide replied “Don’t let the admin officers hear the ‘We’ since only your daughter is applying”

The other head shaker was the gentleman (and I use that term usely) who embarassed himself (and his son) when he asked “So’s they say y’all gots a QUEER student group - how duz mah boy join THAT” while the young man just covered his head with his arms


Our tour guide was terrific - he kept it respectful, and said while he himself was not a member, one of his room mates was and pointed out the location of the building that had the student club rooms.

At Williams, we toured one dorm, and there was a distinct odor of marijuana. Additionally, there was a letter posted on one of the doors that said “We appreciate your love of plants, but please respect the other residents and refrain from smoking them on the premises”. If they know this is a problem, why bring the tour to see it?

Would you rather that they hide it from you? If that is the prevailing attitude on the campus, it is better to know about it before you sign up if it isn’t for you. There are plenty of people who would not be offended by that.

Personally, I would rather they DEALT with the problem by notifying DEA, having a raid, and kicking these dopeheads out on their sorry butts.

They claim to be a top-tier LAC, and the fact that they seemed so nonchalant about it was disturbing to my daughter and me.

We had a freshman tour guide at Lewis and Clark who a) never stopped talking long enough for anyone to ask questions and b) made everything about her
 this is where she has biology, this is the awesome gym where she takes such and such fitness class. At least she was enthusiastic and cheerful and liked the school, but her tour got kind of old after a while.

@Jazzii: I think you passed your “mystery shopper” test. Hope your semester is going well.

Oh
 I want to be a college mystery shopper!!!

John Lee Pettimore? Is that you?

[Steve Earle – “Copperhead Road”](Steve Earle - Copperhead Road (Official Music Video) - YouTube)

You know, the DEA performance on raids isn’t exactly flawless. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have them storm the dorm, breaking down the door next to my student for a pot smoker or two. After you’ve lived in a state in which the voters have decided to make dope legal, it doesn’t seem so important anymore.

@PartyKing No, I was not a fun guy in college, but I met my husband there.

We lost a family member as an innocent bystander caught in a drug sting. Forgive me as I do not have much patience on this issue.

I am not naĂŻve enough to think all liberal arts colleges will be substance free.

But to avoid threadjacking, this incident was definitely something to make me, and others on the tour scratch our heads.

Isn’t medical marijuana legal in Massachusetts?

Whether it was or medical or not, smoking is not allowed in dormatories.

It may be against the school’s rules but neither the DEA or police are going to get involved when the state allows some sort of legal use.