<p>My D loves the fact that there is a free shuttle to the center of Portland! Do you know if it drops the students off anywhere near either of the Voodoo Donut locations? That was a great way to start the day!</p>
<p>Also, we are at Linfield today (in about two hours) I like the fact that it is close to the city, and looks like there are more than a few places for the students to hang out. We had a quick pasta dinner at a place called Giraldis. </p>
<p>But I have a question, what lead her to choose L&C over Linfield? Will have to say that for myself, L&C is my favorite so far</p>
<p>The choice of L&C over Linfield was an easy one for my daughter. We first visited Linfield together and I thought it was a very nice school. Small and nurturing with many classes and programs in my D’s area of interest. But there didn’t seem to be much diversity on campus. The town was cute but not a very vibrant college town. You must understand that we live in the Napa Valley, in a very beautiful, small, quaint touristy wine country town. Population about 6000. My daughter’s high school had 500 students. So McMinnville just seemed to be too much like our town. We know a student who just graduated from Linfield (same HS class as my D) and though he liked the school he hated how far is was from Portland. It is not easy to get there without a car and the drive, on small country roads with lots of traffic at times, can easily take an hour.</p>
<p>My D just loved everything about L&C but especially it’s close location to Portland. She loves going to concerts, walking around the city, all the great restaurants, etc. Coming from a small hometown that is close to San Fransisco my D loved that fact that she was going to school with this incredibly beautiful campus that was only 10 min from a great city. At Linfield they will tell you how close they are to Portland and how the students just pop up there for dinner or a concert but it just isn’t easy.</p>
<p>My D also loved the course offerings at L&C. And it has a great reputation. Pretty much most people have heard of L&C, at least on the west coast but many have not heard of Linfield. Linfield is a wonderful school though and could be perfect for many. Linfield also appeared a bit more “rah rah” and conservative than the more liberal L&C. My D’s roommate junior year was one of the stars of the womens swim team so they do have some good sports going on but I would not call L&C a “rah rah”, heavy into the sports school.</p>
<p>The free shuttle drops students right in the heart of downtown at the Pioneer Square Mall. I have heard of Voodoo Donuts but am not sure where it is. The great thing about Portland is the public transportation. From Pioneer Sq. you can get anywhere on the light rail, even the airport. It’s a very easy city to get around with out a car. My D loved using the shuttle the first year and a half. She had her car beginning winter semester her second year.</p>
<p>This is all a very personal thing. As you have stated a “gut” reaction type of thing. My D had the same impression that yours did about UPS. It was a cold and cloudy day when we visited 4 years ago and it just did not click for my D…off the list right away! All the schools you are visiting are very good but one will feel more right to your D. Once accepted my D spent the night at many of these schools which solidified her feelings. L&C’s combination of beautiful campus, great academics, great reputation AND close proximity to Portland made it a winner for her. I look forward to hearing your impressions about Linfield!</p>
<p>We though S4’s FA package at L&C was very generous. He received a scholarship for about 1/3 of the tuition, a grant for about the same amount, and $2,000 for work-study. He also qualified for Stafford loans. We figured that it was less costly for him to go to L&C than going to an OOS public university, mainly because most of the FA would have been in loans.</p>
<p>The thing I liked about L&C is that while you’re in Portland, the feel of the campus area is that you could just as well be 50-100 away. You get the benefits of a big city but are away from the day-today hassles of it.</p>
<p>Know you’re on your way to see Willamette but thought I would throw in a plug anyway. D will be a senior there and back when she applied it she ended up getting so much FA (merit and need) that it actually cost less for her to go there than for S who was attending a CSU as a CA resident (read - instate tuition). They have come through every year for her with great FA and she has really enjoyed the school. Did study abroad last year to Ecuador and I was amazed how much the program included (such as a week sailing aboard a small ship in the Galapagos, trips to the coast and other smaller cities). She was able to see the rainforest (amazon), whales, penguins, ran a 12 K race, go whitewater rafting, lots of hiking, etc.) all at the cost, minus the plane ticket, it would have been for her to stay here. She continues to write her host family in Spanish. Back to the FA at school - this year her aid did not include work study initially (she’s been a tutor at a middle school each year) but after she called them up they gave her a larger amount than she ever received before plus asked her to be a mentor to local high school/middle school students - also with pay. Willamette does a great job of taking care of its students. She has a car but seems to find so much to do around campus that she’s only been to Portland 3 or 4 times in 3 years. As I mentioned, my 2 cents worth.
PS another student who graduated from our same high school with higher stats than my D ended up with a good but not the greatest pkg. from Willamette, practically nothing from L & C, but a really nice one from Seattle University (where she will be attending in the fall).</p>
<p>Linfield was a nice college. Again nice buildings with a lot of trees and greenery. Colleges are so nice up here. My D comments on how much difference there is with the colleges back hom</p>
<p>One of the things that looks like a plus is that it has its own “College town” nearby. McMinnville has some very nice shops and restaurants. We ate at Giraldis Italian eatery yesterday (good cheap pasta), and today we went to the Red Fox Bakery (worth a look if you are in the area-great artisan breads)</p>
<p>The college was good. The dorms are nice, and the senior apartments are beautiful (the HP Apts). Interesting in that the college mandates you live on campus for the first three years! And the fourth years is guaranteed if you want it. </p>
<p>The college is on a 4-1-4 schedule, and I am beginning to appreciate the flexibility that gives the student. The seem to be strong in the major my D is interested in (History) </p>
<p>Again, the Merit aid seems to be very good. Can be in the 20-75% range. the admissions officer was very nice.</p>
<p>Last but not least. What a location! Literally right across the street from the State capitol Which means a great deal of opportunities for internships and other opportunities for the students. </p>
<p>Another great academic program (especially strong in the major my D is interested in: History) the campus is nicely set up, really like the stream running through it (you get dunked in there on your birthday, or your half birthday or your quarter birthday according to the guide) And five “star” trees are something else.</p>
<p>Merit aid up to 16K$yr, with 80%+ receiving some kind of financial aid (may be higher, but did not write it down). Entire campus is wireless. One of the pluses I saw was being right in the middle of a city. Also, your student ID also doubles as a bus pass.</p>
<p>The theater is going through a series of renovations, the first of which is just being completed. </p>
<p>there were enough people on campus where I got a good solid vibe from them. An interesting combination of old and new buildings. Food was good too (had the pastrami, D had the chicken strips) </p>
<p>After this trip this is how my D’s preferences break down:</p>
<ol>
<li> Whitworth</li>
<li> Lewis and Clark</li>
<li> Willamette</li>
<li> Linfield</li>
</ol>
<p>With University of Puget Sound out of the running. As one can tell this was less about informational gathering, and more about just getting the vibe. And if someone is going to live somewhere for four years that is as important as anything else. Sorry if the information here is scattered and more than a bit disorganized, but this is more like stream of consciousness than anything else. If anyone has any further questions/comments/information they would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Your D would be able to get a great education at any of the schools. If they are all ones she would love to go to, her job should be pretty easy. ;)<br>
When I was at a college fair last year the Whitworth table was right next to Whitman’s. I knew about Whitman so tried to get the rep to tell me what made Whitworth different. He gave me the usual LAC spiel and only after I kept telling him that he wasn’t telling me what was different about Whitworth did he say, “we are a Christian College”. Told him that was what I needed to know so if I had a student who was looking for such a school in the PNW, I would have someplace to steer him.</p>
<p>Glad you had a successful trip. All good schools. Let me add that if your D applies and is accepted at any of them she should participate in the admitted students overnight stays. Usually in congunction with an admitted student weekend event. My D stayed at Linfield and L&C. L&C actaully had a 2 night event so she really got a realistic feel for the school. Also good to know…schools like this offer non-binding early action applications. If she gets her stuff in early, I think by Nov 1, she will hear from most schools before Christmas. L&C said she’d hear by Jan. 15 and she got here acceptance letter on Jan. 15! Good luck during the rest of the search!</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. The Whitworth rep suggested a visit when the school is in, but for the final decision we will definitely go to the schools under consideration. And I will definitely see if my D will be able to get at least one in under early action. Always nice to have one in your pocket so that waiting for regular decision is less stressful.</p>
<p>csleslie51:<br>
I imagine that the fact that they are a Presbyterian College added to the positive vibe my D got there. She has told me she wants to do a visit when the students are in when she gets a chance.</p>
<p>Home again after all this. The info gleaned was worth it, and my D has a much better idea of what she wants, and more importantly what she doesnt want in a college.</p>
<p>Will probably do a little summary here later</p>
<p>Like I said before, people in the Pacific Northwest are truly blessed with the number of quality colleges in the area. Right now, my D only has one college from our home state of CA on her list, and four from the PNW.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your NW trip. I can tell you that several friends have had kids at Whitworth over the years and the reports coming back from them have been very positive. I would also note if weather is an issue, since you are from Napa Valley, that your daughter will see the sun a lot more in Spokane than in Portland or Salem (I have lived on both sides of the mountains). However, since you mentioned the beaty of the Napa area, there are few places, in my opinion, that compare to the Oregon Coast and the access to the Coast from Salem or Portland is easy. All good choices. Best of luck.</p>
<p>^FWIW, the original post was in '09, but I bookmarked it because my family is looking at the same variables. My son is admitted to Willamette, Whitworth, and Gonzaga, and has applied to University of Portland. He has gone to the same small Christian school for 13 years; about 80 kids in his graduating class. We live between Napa and Sacramento. We have visited Willamette, and we we planning to visit the others. Son loves North Lake Tahoe and boarding, but the PNW might be a climate shock. Oh, and we are black.</p>
<p>One more note. This was definitely the most successful of all our college trips. So far my D has gotten accepted to 3 out of the 4 colleges applied to from this trip (Linfield, Wilamette, and Whitworth). She wont hear from L&C by April 1. And the Merit aid from Wilamette and Whitworth make the cost on a par with a UC tuition, so that is very nice (not heard yet from Linfield regarding this). This will make for interesting choices come spring</p>
<p>Glad you are still following this ! How did you do the Whitworth part of the trip? Did you drive or fly, and from where? Did you look at Gonzaga? I can’t remember…</p>
<p>No visit to Reed or Gonzaga. Just was not on D’s Radar.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap: Drove from SF Bay Area directly to Spokane over one weekend. Went to Whitworth that Monday, then a college a day on the way back. Made for an interesting week, and productive one as well.</p>
<p>kumitedad I remember you helpfully chiming in when D1 and I did a small Oregon school tour last Spring.</p>
<p>Couldn’t get her to consider the other side of our state for Whitworth (which is ironic as she will be applying to the ‘closest’ SU on the other side as an absolute $$safety due to recent bad financial news) but we had a wonderful time in Oregon at Un of Portland, Linfield and Willamette. (Also checked out Pacific Univ which has great merit $ but it was crossed off our list due to surrounding area) She wasn’t interested in L&C, or Reed.</p>
<p>She has been accepted with great merit aid to Willamette and Linfield, accepted Un of P but haven’t heard of any merit$–that may be our oversight with application, we’ll see. Will have to wait to hear from apps that were just done this weekend, and two more to go, all for closer schools…and then see what the $$ looks like in a couple months! </p>
<p>From the Trip, her favs in order were Lewis and Clark (havent heard yet), Whitworth, Linfield, and Willamette. (accepted to all of those). </p>
<p>Willamette has a great location next door to the State Capitol, and Linfield is close to a really wonderful “college town”. She will be taking an overnight to Whitworth later. You are lucky in being so close to such great colleges</p>
