Parents of the HS Class of 2020 (Part 1)

I think you need to message one of the administrators. @CCadmin_Sorin should be able to help you.

I could use some help in helping my daughter decide on a college. D20 is trying to make a decision between Duke Kunshan University and Bates College. I think her heart is telling her to go to DKU, but both she and I really wish she had a chance to visit before making the decision. Bates College is wonderful and I personally would feel more comfortable sending her there as it is a known quantity and an excellent institution. DKU, however, speaks to her desire to continue learning Chinese in an immersive environment while studying science. However, the program is only two years old and therefore there is no outcome data to compare with Bates. The fact that she would graduate with a degree from Duke University, though, does give me some comfort. I just do not know which way she should go. Any thoughts on questions she should be asking each program as she makes her decision?

I wouldn’t want my child to go that far away (to China) in the current environment. I would choose Bates, and do a 1 year study abroad in China (if that is possible).

FYI - D20 just told me last night that all AP exams are “open book”, can use notes, etc. I guess this is one way to deal with possible cheating


Thanks for this info. I hadn’t heard. He’s a link to the story. I’m happy about this - I want my D to be able to get her college credit that’s she’s worked so hard for this year.

https://palyvoice.com/155393/news/breaking-ap-exams-to-be-open-note/

@typiCAmom Sorin messaged me but should have sent it to you. He said,

@lkg4answers, thanks, will message him or her!

S was accepted at (among others): Haverford, Hamilton, Colby and Cornell (A&S FYSA). Not interested in starting in January, even at Cornell. Right now we think it’s between Haverford and Colby, thinking pre-med and English major, but also S is a non-drinker (Colby concern?). Any thoughts would be appreciated.

We visited WashU twice and loved it both times. The campus is amazingly beautiful, and functional. Every person we interacted with was beyond helpful, from check out at the bookstore, and food service, to professors running full programs. Daughter was interested in their Beyond Boundaries program and got in, but because you don’t join one of the colleges she was not able to compete for their bigger scholarships. She got a great situation at Tulane, so we are perfectly happy, but WashU would have been amazing,

@RPianoDad I don’t know
 In this particular pandemic year, a January start might be ideal, and I would have said Cornell seems the best of those?

@RPianoDad: Between Colby and Haverford, note that drinking would be more prevalent at Colby: https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=lots-beer. Colby offers an excellent English department, however. Haverford, with select courses chosen at Bryn Mawr, could be excellent for English as well. If Hamilton is still under consideration, note that it is often noted for its literary attributes:

https://contently.net/2014/11/06/resources/10-best-colleges-creative-writers/amp/

https://www.flavorwire.com/409437/the-25-most-literary-colleges-in-america

@twokids2go , Bates has this to say about studying Chinese: https://www.bates.edu/asian/academics/chinese/

My D attends Bates. She minors in Japanese and knows kids doing Chinese. The Chinese program is good, but it doesn’t have huge numbers of students. That can be a good thing, because students will get much more individualized attention. Bates’ language program has been exceptional for my D. I can tell you that I personally know current Bates students who have received national scholarships for their language skills. Those students had never taken their foreign language until arriving at Bates.

Bates offers a yearlong program in China. I am biased, but I feel that attending Bates and doing a year long study abroad program might be the best of both worlds. I am a Sinophile and I love China, but I’m not sure I could handle living there for four years? Good luck to your D!

Students drink in college. Some don’t. I think it’s a fools errand to try to discern truth based on reputation or anecdotes. Or rankings of x or y based on non statistically viable student surveys.

I do think schools that are more remote do have less to do in theory.

In Boston. If you ask the students at BU NEU or BC where they go to party and drink most frequently in their first two years.

MIT.

@twokids2go: Note that while Bates doesn’t offer its its own abroad program in China, those it approves (e.g., https://www.chinainsight.info/education/general/231-associated-colleges-in-china-a-hidden-gem.html) may be offered for an entire year (early summer through late spring) and may involve a language pledge (communication in Mandarin only).

D is still hoping to take a gap year and go abroad for an intensive language study at a university (non-credit, pre-collegiate program, so hopefully it is ok). I really want her to start her studies on campus here in the U.S., even if she “loses” a year. First impressions matter, both with fellow students and professors, and I wish D gets a chance to start on the right foot.

Her admission decisions took her on an emotional rollercoaster, not to mention the pressure from being quarantined, and I can already see how it is affecting her. She mentioned how on their admitted students group or chat, or whatever, someone who got in REA posted something along the lines “welcome everyone who finally got admitted, we’ve been long waiting for you guys to join us”. Under normal circumstances, when hearing in person, I think D would have seen it for what it is - a good-hearted comment. But because she is so cranky, she saw the post as condescending - though after talking about it, changed her mind. I know this generation is a lot more online oriented (gosh, saying it makes me feel so old!), but no amount of experience in virtual communication replaces the value of being around others in-person, what do you think?

@RPianoDad D19 goes to Haverford and it would never be considered a dry campus- my daughter’s job is actually as a Quaker bouncer- they monitor parties for safety. That said, she doesn’t drink and still has SO much fun every weekend. There is definitely no pressure to drink if you don’t want to.

I think this can be true anywhere. My experience was not the same as @privatebanker at MIT; I never drank but had a wonderful time.

All results are in for D20. Three rejections in the last week, all super-reaches/lotteries, so no tears. ?

Accepted: UMich LSA, WashU StL, Ohio State, URichmond, Miami of Ohio, Temple
Rejected: UMich SMTD, UPenn, Brown, NYU Tisch

She’s leaning toward UMich or WashU, possibly URichmond. Any thoughts on those?

She’s a math major, but interested in a liberal arts approach, and would love to participate in theater. (She had applied to a dual degree program at UMich, LSA+SMTD; was accepted to LSA, rejected SMTD.)

Has she considered the RC? All LSA students are also allowed to take any of the RC classes and participate in the activities
theater being one of them.

Thanks! We need to learn more about RC. Just heard it mentioned lately. I’ll remind her to look into it. Seems like something she would really like.