<p>
</p>
<p>Are you available for parties?</p>
<p>ReadyToRoll - I think you said your son was accepted to UConn - is he seriously considering it? Are you concerned about the large campus, amount of people, or is he the type that is used to that environment?</p>
<p>FWIW, my son is looking at large campuses, mostly in urban settings. He likes diversity; from a large group I think he’d be more likely to find ‘his kind’. </p>
<p>In a smaller setting, he’d either fit in or he wouldn’t.</p>
<p>martina - thanks, that’s a different spin on it…it’s def. something to consider…</p>
<p>S is in band (talk about diverse kids, yet together over music) and while on the UConn tour, the guide said that he’d have 50 friends before even moving on campus, that would be a big plus I’m thinking…</p>
<p>In any event, we are 3 for 3 and I am soooo looking forward to any additional open houses/admitted student days - to let him take a look at the colleges ‘from the other side’ - as an admitted student. I think it will be different for him.
Besides, they usually feed us well… :-)</p>
<p>Peps,</p>
<p>Congrats!
With large schools, I think it is a good idea to check out the list of clubs and intramural sports, because those are good ways to quickly meet a bunch of kids with whom you have something in common, especially if your interests are offbeat.</p>
<p>yab - thanks -
This is so great of a thread.
Real kids, getting into real colleges. That’s what it should be called.</p>
<p>At first glance this CC website looked like nothing I could ever be part of… heck, I wondered why kids were doing Chance Me?
7.5 GPA >>>2400SAT>>> never sleep
The stats depressed me…</p>
<p>But here we are, getting good news as Christmas presents and there’s even more news coming in the New Year.
Thank you, I have read though so many posts on this thread and it made a difference.</p>
<p>Hope you all have a great holiday season!</p>
<p>yabeyabe2 - US News has the 6 year graduation rate for Susquehanna University at 82.0% and Moravian College at 76.0%. It is sad that the default is 6 years.</p>
<p>My S is 6 for 6 - Keene, Univ. of Scranton, Salve Regina, York ¶, Iona and Suffollk (MA). Never thought he would have so many choices.</p>
<p>The graduation rate seems very important to me. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Scranton - 79.8%
Suffolk - 50.8%
Keene - 55.8%
Iona - 59%
Salve - 63.8%</p>
<p>On graduation rates…might there be alot of transfer students that are put into that mix?
It happens…</p>
<p>Pepsmom- I would not consider Central Ct a big school, especially once you are on campus. It’s been a long time since I attended but recent graduates agree with me. </p>
<p>As far as UConn, the graduation rates may be lower because some of the departments are very difficult to get into and students may have to change their major. I know several people who couldn’t get into their education department and therefore switched majors</p>
<p>My son is now 9/9. I never thought he would have so many great choices. He is psyched to be in the decision making mode while most of the people he knows are just finishing up their apps.</p>
<p>MaryAnn, I think that it is a good idea to ask an admission’s counselor why a graduation rate is lower. Sometimes the answer will be satisfactory. I have done that. One reason is that a school had more pell grant and low income students than average, and a fair number need to take a leave of absence because they run out of funds. Other reasons may be: the school does not have a certain major (causing many to transfer), many students are nontraditional and take 1-3 classes per semester, many students within that school are taking a BA/MA combined program and/or teacher certification (may reqire 4.5 years).</p>
<p>Below is an article about the graduation rates I saw. It is interesting to see that Penn State has a very high rate; that the Susquehanna rate is basically the same for 4 years and 6 years; and that some federal aid runs out after 4 years.</p>
<p>WB, MaryAnn and Peps, given your undefeated seasons, perhaps you should become private counselors!</p>
<p>Susquehanna University has the fourth-highest graduation rate among the nation’s ‘very selective’ undergraduate institutions," according to a recent press release from University Communications. </p>
<p>The number of schools in the running peaked at 274, leaving 270 schools behind Susquehanna’s graduation record.</p>
<p>According to the press release, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), surveyed more than 1,300 of the country’s four-year undergraduate colleges and separated them into six categories ranging from “noncompetitive” to “most competitive.”</p>
<p>These ranges were based on each school’s admissions standards supplied by data from Barron’s “Profiles of American Colleges.” </p>
<p>The results of the survey were then published in a report titled “Diplomas and Dropouts: Which Colleges Actually Graduate Their Students (and Which Don’t),” which was released last June during a conference at the Wohlstetter Conference Center in Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>“We are particularly proud,” said Susquehanna Provost and Dean of Faculty Linda McMillin. </p>
<p>This survey ranked all of its schools on their six-year graduation rates. Susquehanna’s six-year graduation rate was 82 percent, ranking “fourth nationally and third in the northern U.S. region.” </p>
<p>A very small percentage of students at Susquehanna graduate in the sixth year, and the four-year graduation rate was above 80 percent. </p>
<p>“Susquehanna is selective, but we’re not Harvard,” McMillin said. </p>
<p>McMillin explained how hard the staff and faculty work at connecting the students and supporting them with anything that might be necessary to achieve their academic goals. </p>
<p>The report said that schools in the Northeast region of the U.S., like Susquehanna, house “many of the nation’s best institutions, and the distribution of graduation rates in this region reflects the high quality of many of these schools.”</p>
<p>In the press release, McMillin said Susquehanna relies on “proven practices” involving uniquely-intensive course work for first-year students and more specialized coursework such as capstones, as students progress through their educational careers.</p>
<p>She said that the “main thrust” is towards four-year college careers at Susquehanna as opposed to six-year stints. </p>
<p>McMillin said the six-year graduation can be attributed to several factors: struggle in classes, personal or physical problems and a late change of major not allowing enough time per semester for the classes that need to be taken. </p>
<p>Money is also a large factor in the six-year graduation. Most federal aid scholarships are only good for four years or eight semesters McMillin added, and that can also mean lost wages for those extra two years. </p>
<p>The schools ranked above Susquehanna include College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota, with a graduation rate of 82 percent; Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus, located in State College, with a graduation rate of 84 percent; and Stonehill College in Massachussets, with a graduation rate of 85 percent.</p>
<p>AEI’s full report can be viewed online at aei.org/docLib/Dip-lomas%20and%20Dropouts.pdf.</p>
<p>yabeyabe, were you meaning to post an article about graduation rates?</p>
<p>WB-
sorry I prob. didn’t write my post right, it was UConn that we are worried is too big, but he got accepted, and I personally think it’s a good match. (stiil dancing over that one…)</p>
<p>S likes the feel of Central - I have a sneaking suspesion that ,in the end, it will be his choice, but we will see… I think there will be many visits coming up - just wonderful to be in this position.</p>
<p>NE, thanks for the heads up that the first posting of the article did not come through. Peps, the kid sI know at UConn all like it–and on your accepted students visit, be sure to try the ice cream the Ag School makes; it is sensational. With Central CT, be sure to visit on a weekend to check suitcase school issues.</p>
<p>NEmom makes excellent points about possible reasons for lower graduation rates. Some of them may make you feel better about the rate, but worse about the school–such as many part-time students, which often means fewer students involved in night and weekend activities.</p>
<p>I would add that it is worth checking what % of the nongraduators transfer out and when; a fair number may leave any school after freshman year because it turns out they did not want to be far from home; in a small school; in a big school; or with too much snow. Departures after that may be a sign of dissatisfaction with the courses offered.</p>
<p>Pepsmom, yes my son was admitted to UConn. All schools to which he applied are fairly large, the smallest being 4,000 students, so he will definitely end up at a large school. I’m just not sure which one it will be. I am concerned about the size a bit, only because he is coming from a small high school. But in reality, he does have a big personality, and I guess I do see him at a “rah rah” type of school.</p>
<p>RE post #2072 - significance of sports for kids who won’t be playing and aren’t interested in sports mgt. (I know most of you have moved on…but I wanted to chime in!): </p>
<p>For a 3.0 - 3.3 kid I know, it’s a real deal breaker and why NY State schools for this NY kid are of no interest – no major football or basketball teams. (Hockey is not a key sport of interest for this kid). Kid wants to be teacher, so NY State schools would be a great choice - economically and otherwise - but child wants to go to a school like Indiana, Michigan State, Pitt, University of Cincinnati or reach for Penn State (still has a year to bring up GPA. PSAT was good, and Penn State loves this kid’s HS, so there is some hope!)</p>
<p>Major sports are not a minor factor for this student!</p>
<p>As far as graduation rates and UConn goes, I second what others have said about changing majors and classes. On our tour, the guide (a business major) was very honest. He said many students don’t think ahead, they change majors many times and there are required classes for each one. They either have to make it up during the summer or online, but they don’t always want too. He mentioned wanting to take a certain professors class for his major, he couldn’t get in, took another’s and later took this professor’s class for an elective. He is graduating in 4 years. He knew students who would put off that same decision and then realize they didn’t have the class offered that Spring.
They also said, at some schools, the students performance in high school might have been sufficient, maybe he/she had help or kind teachers, but in a large public school, you are more “on your own”, unless you actively seek it and some students don’t do as well initially.
I like to see good graduation rates also, but always try to see it in comparision to the school. If it’s a small LAC, my alarms go off more than with a large state school, but the reasons matter more than the numbers.
My son just met a friend for example who graduated from UConn a year early, 3 years. He told my son, he came in with some AP’s, did summer courses, took some online and was determined to be done early to go on to grad school. He was driven, but it can be done.
My friends daughter goes to Central and stayed on track, but you have to double-check requirements. She liked it but students do tend to leave on weekends and housing is not given to everyone. Beautiful campus if you have a chance to visit.</p>
<p>An article I read in US News rankings magazine a couple of years ago about transferring stated that on the average, about 30% of freshmen don’t finish where they start. They drop out, transfer, or maybe have financial issues & must go part-time etc. I guess that statistic some how stuck with me, so if I look at a graduation rate percentage and it is over 70% then it is nothing to get alarmed about. </p>
<p>It is really too bad they don’t publish statistics for “Percentage Transferred In” and “Percentage Transferred Out”, I suppose that would be too difficult to keep track of. </p>
<p>I know that when my UCONN D graduated that UCONN was pushing for “Out in Four” for all students & they were making a big effort! She managed to get “out in four”.</p>
<p>If my son were to choose UConn, he would have to go there for ten years to make the price equal that of Tulane’s. The difference is costs between some schools is rather amazing!</p>
<p>2boysima: my son is in the same situation as yours - HUGE sports fan (esp football - played varsity O line in hs). Wouldn’t even consider a school without sports, but with his 2.9 gpa there was a limitation on which D-1 schools he could apply to. We looked outside the box (we’re in Southern Cal), and he’s been accepted to Alabama, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona State, and Northern Arizona. All except NAU have major sports programs. Maybe one of those would be of interest to your son - Kansas seems especially interesting to us.</p>