When he announced his school choice to my mom, sister, and uncle over zoom last night, they asked him, “Why OSU?” and he answered without hesitation, “Because it’s the BEST!”
None of this “Well… it has some really good programs…” sort of apologetic sounding stuff that me and my husband have been saying…
So I now plan to practice saying my son’s answer instead, when people ask this inevitable question 
Y’all.
Kid is touring Bama.
Kid is loving Bama.
For all those parents here preparing to say goodbye to their children after 18 years, take a few minutes to read this wonderful piece “Saying goodbye to my child, the youngster” by the late Michael Gerson:
https://wapo.st/3okfS5m (no subscription needed to read).
“Eighteen years is not enough. A crib is bought. Christmas trees get picked out. There is the park and lullabies and a little help with homework. The days pass uncounted, until they end…18 years is a window that closed too quickly.” Truth.
I will say that I only agreed with Michael Gerson’s political positions half the time or so (ha! none of you can figure out where I stand from that!
), but I always read his columns even when they annoyed me—dang, but the guy could turn a phrase.
Congrats to your kid!
My kid committed last night to his favorite UC but that means giving up the perks of honors colleges at some other schools, and I warned him that means will be fighting for classes/housing etc.
My older kid has benefitted from priority reg and guaranteed housing at her school, so DH and I were very supportive of looking at those OOS opportunities at ‘less highly ranked’ schools, but it was clear which place my kid loves most, so that’s where he’s decided to go.
I think if they are happy with their choice and it fits our budget then that’s really all we can hope for.
LOL, I live in the PNW, my kids went to The College of Wooster and Williams. My friends kids went to Davidson. No one out here knows any of these colleges including family. At least people know your school out here and that SAE program sounds top of the line. From all of us here CONGRATS to him for being accepted to the BEST program in his field!!!
Honestly it’s hard not to. If you like large - it’s for a gorgeous quad, everything is new, manicured, no trash anywhere.
It’s just super nice.
For kids into aesthetics and for boys into seeing lots of girls everywhere (half dressed), it’s hard to beat.
Exact same thing happened to my kid. I could literally see him falling in love with the school.
He was apparently highly impressed with the female tour guide, dressed to the nines in a bright red dress, pearls and 3-inch heels, walking backward on grass as she led the group.
And he’s already mapped out how long it takes to drive to New Orleans.
No moss grows under this boy.
For my son, it was visiting the engineering building right around 5 pm when they were about to close, the two students that stayed around to answer questions, and the kind administrator that handed him a piece of swag – a backsack form the chemical engineering department. And everything else!!
@tsbna44 was saying the same thing, as to what kids are getting impressed by … The university seems to know what it takes
Have they heard of Reed there?
One more thing, I don’t know your situation but if you can, go have dinner at the “River.” And then take a walk along the Black Warrior river.
I’m living vicariously through my husband’s texts.
This, just now, about the head of Blount honors coming out and introducing himself while my kid was inside talking to a professor.
"He was wearing a light straw wide-brimmed fedora. There were two such hats on the entire campus. One on his head and one on mine. Game over. "
Glad to hear it’s going well! The tour was an eye-opener for us, for sure. Our son loved the dorms, the quad, the buildings, the Honors program resources, and several other things. Keep us posted on whether it’s ultimately enough to sway him that direction.
I’m so glad your son is getting the love you wanted for him, and loving the school back! Also, gotta love the matching fedoras. Meant to be!!
Speaking from the Far Northwest😁, yep, we’ve heard of Reed here.
Here it’s seen as kind of an odd place, sometimes mentioned in the same breath as Evergreen State.
I think there’s some recognition that it’s got a level of prestige attached to it, but the West doesn’t really have the same level of attachment to its LACs as you see in the Northeast and Midwest, and even really as the South—the LAC tradition isn’t nearly as entrenched out here, and lots of people don’t know what to make of them.
You know what, even if he ends up going to Pitt, I am so so happy that he is finally getting a day of love. Truly, it means so much to me, that he feels like the school wants him.
No, not Whitman either.
I talked to a friend who attended a T15 or T20 and heard confusion in their voice when I mentioned the low-ranked school that offers many possibilities for 23.
Friend mentioned the higher ranked school where 23 got in and where 23 does not want go and asked why not.
At dinner, a different friend complained they earn too much to get FA and then said they would not be willing to pay 60-80k for a “podunk college.” This friend did not attend a fancy school.
Considering my kid is considering a college some probably call podunk, I didn’t feel great. I also wondered who IS this friend? They no longer seem like the person I knew long ago.
But these friends don’t know the college like we do. They have not done the research, met the professors or visited the school to see the resources. They think education and prestige matter yet they haven’t used their skills from their own education to research or examine their prejudices. That’s what I took away from these conversations.