You are talking about Honors - which is not for everyone btw. It provides great things though.
If you want to be in a ctiy, you go to Pitt. If you want to be in a huge campus, middle of nowhere - then PSU.
Both are fine schools but different.
Honors is more inclusive at PSU - anyone can take Honors classes at Penn.
But these schools are different - with Pitt smaller.
I would not choose based on Honors. I would choose based on fit of the school.
Daughters happiness matters most! Yes money matters. So most likely Schreyers it is. Just feel this kid didnāt needed any of her hard work to go to a instate school.
I confess that I donāt know anything about Schreyers. Perhaps someone with more knowledge can chime in. However, Pitt was on S23ās list and I was impressed with their campus resources and vibe.
I donāt think you should get hung up on rankings as all of these schools will provide a fine Comp Sci education. Find the school that fits better.
So this is the mistake (to me).
Everyone says - I worked hard, i want to go to high rankedā¦I want pedigree, etc.
Guess what - you are there four years. You have to be happy.
All the - I worked hard, I deserve a high ranked school or special program - goes away the minute you step on campus if youāre not happy.
Iām not saying donāt go to PSU. But if I wanted the city, smaller campus, etc. - I would not hesitate to go to Pitt over PSU Honors.
All Iām saying.
Pitt is a wonderful school as are PSU and Rutgers and all you got into. And the Honors has benefits - that some take advantage of (my daughter) and some donāt (my son).
Now which would the student be most comfortable at? Not - which is the payoff for her hard work.
The hard work will pay off in spades in the long run - kids, not the school, make their success. And you want them happy.
If thatās PSU or Rutgers - then great.
But if she prefers Pitt but feels they are not honoring her HS work - thatās the wrong reason not to choose it.
And if sheās all about the I worked hard pedigree - sheād be at UVA or UMD, even without Honors.
All Iām saying.
Good luck.
Daughter likes more urban thatās why it is huge disappointment for us. So I thought Rutgers might be better since they have given her merit scholarship to match Penn state. Looks like there are issue with transportation so this is what it is.
So I personally feel demotivated and all her sacrifices such as missing only wedding in this country we ever got invited to attend a debate tournament and made it to nationals went useless. She could have gotten to PSU with her eyes closed as I donāt care for any honors or not. I believe she too is feeling the same, well what can we do.
I would rather have her attend a local community college if she is willing to and save 15K from paying to PSU.
You got into UMD and UVA and sheās disappointed.
See my last message.
Itās all about perspective.
All these schools are great - and getting into UVA and UMD CS are evidence of that.
All that said, her outcomes will likely be similar from all schools.
If she prefers Pitt, she should go to Pitt - and she can still take Honors classes even if not in Honors.
In the end, she needs to be happy. All the ego stuff will be gone the minute she hits campus.
And Pitt is world class.
Rutgers is nothing like Pitt - nothing.
However, admittance to Schreyer is almost as difficult as admission to Ivies. Schreyer is a top-notch honors college, one of the best in the nation., with many, many benefits and special opportunities for its students. Pitt is a great school, but Pittās honors program isnāt nearly the same. (I donāt know enough about Rutgers to comment on its honors program.)
I understand. My point is any average kid gets into their state school in the end thatās where my kid is going to right?
She has gotten into UPitt honors but she is not excited for Pitt.
Thanks. We donāt like its Rural campus. If it is me I would go to Rutgers than PSU.
I personally would sent Penn (Schreyers) due to more personal attention.
@sllemon: I tried to find out myself - but have there actually been multi-year stats (letās say over ten years) by college, that do show that certain āsomeā as a group actually do have noticeably higher rates than less elite schools?
I realize that any given year/semester one or the other school will have a āclusterā that will create an outlier for that one year that will then make the news (specially for brand name schools that might be considered even more news-worthy), which is why looking at long-term trends is crucial to qualify that perception.
Thanks for your detailed message. I agree in the end kids have to be happy. I know right now she is not! Thatās why it feels so bad. Thatās why i never worked that hard in my life and I have done only things which comes natural to me so i never faced what she is facing!
I hope she finds a good group where she fits in wherever she goes. Her high school years were awful due to Covid.
I can relate. DD got excellent choices but due to BS/DO prefered route she may end up not in college she likes for UG. She could avoid applying to 20 schools, apply to 2 safeties and be done instead of running around all senior year. Result would be the same. She is heartbrokenā¦
I posted in the old thread - this year, in my NJ town, Iām seeing many top kids not get into Rutgers or the neighboring big state schools. Maybe dig deeper to see who gets in - the admissions rate might be high but I know in my town, thereās a lot of self-selection. My B student didnāt bother to apply to Rutgers because in our area itās an A student school - not an easy admit.
Pitt is not a difficult admit yet itās world class.
Alabama is not a difficult admit yet it has more national merit scholars than any school in America.
You need to separate the ego from where is the best school for her to be happy four years.
My god, she got into UVA and UMD CS.
What more does she need for the ego ??
Being from this area - Schreyers is really coveted and highly regarded. Everyone knows that it is a game changer and it is exclusive. Those that are saying honors college doesnāt matter - donāt realize that some are different than others. The alumni network from PSU is hard to beat. The kids that attend LOVE it. There are tons of opportunities for philanthropy (THON!!!) and activities.
I personally donāt like the location of PSU or the campus vibe (super party culture - like bigger than any of the āpartyā schools that make the lists - there just isnāt anything else to do around there). However, with Schreyers it is attractive and has so much to offer.
I would choose Pitt (w/ honors)over UMD at this point just because of the costs. But everyone family has a different feeling about $. I am not sure the Rutgers is going to be perceived as āmore prestigiousā or better than the in-state options. I also donāt know if it will come with the alumni network or better name rec. than PSU or Pitt.
I know your daughter is amazing (look at those acceptances!). Her peers know she is amazing. She needs to run her own race and look out for her needs, not justifying her college choice. I completely understand your frustration and feelings of sadness. However, there are amazing, top students at PSU. There are people from NJ and other states who travel far for the opportunity to study there. There are amazing elite students who are upset that they didnāt get in, or canāt afford the OOS tuition there. She will shine and have a great experience at whichever school she chooses. Right now it seems that everyone in their schools is caught up in who is going where. Two weeks after high school graduation, no one will remember or care where anyone else went to college. She should make the decision that is best for HER future and for your family (financially). She should choose the school that she is excited to attend and she will thrive and make her mark. She should not feel that she is settling. Pitt is an up and coming GEM. Schreyers is a brass ring that thousands reach for and they chose your daughter!!
No. Some flagships are extremely difficult to get into. Many of my sonās classmates were denied at UF. These kids were in the top 10% of a private college prep school. Kids with 1450+ SAT scores and lots of AP classes. The whole package. Be proud of that UVA acceptance. Itās an amazing school and a beautiful campus.
Not saying Schreyer is not great. But then why not have applied to ASU or U of SC
Honors colleges are a part of an experience.
You have to be keen on what they offer (each is different) but more importantly you have to still like your school - the environment, size, weather, location.
CS is going to get a good job from any school. Yet I know two PSU CS (cyber) struck out and that includes reaching alumni. That part is way overstated btw. But CS - the student will be fine at any of these.
No one is denigrating PSU. But suggesting it be chosen for the right reason. Ego is not that reason.