<p>I know there is a thread similar to this one currently going to but I also want suggestions to this problem:</p>
<p>Basically all my college acceptance letters/deferrals are in except for Virginia Tech (April 1st) and I have finalized my choice on a #1 school: Clemson University. However, I told my parents about this decision and they were a big problem. They went on for an hour or so about how the South is basically the worst place on earth (I live in Boston) and how I will end up job-less if I go down to the South since all the jobs are in the Boston area. It appears to me that they want me to go to Northeastern University or Purdue University since it is ranked very high for engineering.</p>
<p>Northeastern and Purdue are very good schools except they aren't very high on my personal list. I am planning on getting a job right after college and am not one of those people who are worried about the whole issue of the prestige of a college. I love Clemson University because of the friendliness of the student body, the beautiful campus, the school spirit and from what I have heard professors are very engaging and helpful. I have yet to read a negative comment about this school. Northeastern's just a little too close to home (10 minutes away) and I would like to go somewhere new for college and I visited Purdue over the summer and it seemed a little bit too big for me (30,000+ students) and not much to do in terms of the surrounding area. However my parents would prefer that I go to school close to home (Clemson's 1000 miles away) since they do not think that I am responsible enough to go off to college far away and if not that, they would like me to go to the most prestigious college possible for engineering (in my case, Purdue). However, I am not worried about prestige at all.</p>
<p>My question would be: Should I follow my parent's advice or should I stick to my convictions about where I want to go to college? I don't want to get in any fights with my parents over this college decision. Any advice you can give would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>well my parents have told me that they will pay for my college education as long as I keep my grades up. However, I don’t know if they will break this statement if I decide to go to the south for college</p>
<p>I think that if parents are paying, then it would be best to come to an agreement on the school. If you can’t convince them on Clemson, then you should look at the other alternatives.</p>
<p>Tell your parents the South actually rejoined the Union about 1968.</p>
<p>While there are southerners moving to Boston, people from Massachusetts are flocking to the South in even greater numbers, lured away by lower taxes and better weather.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry too much about post-collegiate employment prospects with an engineering degree from whatever school you choose. Engineers will be in demand so long as society needs things.</p>
<p>You’re unconcerned about prestige because you can always tell yourself, “I could have gone to Purdue.” So not only can you tell yourself that, but you can also (falsely) tell yourself, “I am unconcerned with prestige. I am a good person.”</p>
<p>So you will have two ways of boosting your self-esteem, whereas prestige-seekers only have one way. So, yeah, I would say you’re no better than those whose only concern is prestige.</p>
<p>As to the actual topic, I would say go to Clemson, unless, and you know your parents better than we do, you think it’s likely they’ll get really mad and threaten things you would not like to be threatened.</p>
<p>“You’re unconcerned about prestige because you can always tell yourself, “I could have gone to Purdue.” So not only can you tell yourself that, but you can also (falsely) tell yourself, “I am unconcerned with prestige. I am a good person.” So you will have two ways of boosting your self-esteem, whereas prestige-seekers only have one way. So, yeah, I would say you’re no better than those whose only concern is prestige.”</p>
<p>Jeez, I’ve read that five times, and I still can’t make any sense of it. What the . . . huh???</p>
<p>Anyhow, if there are no jobs in the South, why are all these New Yorkers / New Englanders moving down here, calling us “Youse guys” when any well-bred folk would call us “Y’all”?</p>
<p>You really shouldn’t go to a school that’s WAY too big fro you (Purdue) you might feel lost. It seems like you really like Clemson. Tell your parents that you should go to the school you can see yourself in for the next 4 years. </p>
<p>Remind them that if you end up going some where you hate, you might have to transfer and go through a lot. </p>
<p>P.S. I don’t know if Northeastern is the greatest school for engineering, then again I might just be thinking they’re only good for their CO-OP program.</p>
<p>One point you may bring up to your folks is that it is much less expensive to live in South Carolina than to live up north. Besides, where else are you going to get real southern BBQ and sweet tea? (Just kidding, sort of). Seriously, living in a different region of the U.S. is a learning experience all its own. The weather is much nicer, too.</p>
<p>colmomto2 is correct aboutthe sweet tea and BBQ, except for maybe you go to go a little closer to the lowcountry. but back on topic, Clemson is an extremly good school, and over the last 5 years or so there engineering program has become top notch and if it is where you want to go, then you should come down to the south.</p>
<p>As a transplant from NJ to TN almost six years ago, I can tell you that is a common attitude from people in the Northeast about the South in general. We make the same (actually a little more) in salary here in TN, pay no state income tax, no road tolls, low property taxes etc. The housing market here is stable; we haven’t had the loss of home equity that our family members in NJ & FL have had. While my area is more conservative politically than what I was used to in NJ, people are not “rednecks” (at least not where I live.) It is a much more relaxed place to live. You couldn’t drag me back up north for a million dollars :)</p>
<p>Have your parents visited Clemson with you? When we have friends visit us for the 1st time, they usually have their preconceived notions erased within a short period of time.
Good luck!</p>
<p>I have not visited Clemson with my parents yet, I will be dragging them down there April 16th and 17th I think so hopefully they’ll get a good impression during the trip.</p>
<p>VT is the other college that I would consider going to. It does sound like a good compromise possibility considering that it’s closer but my parents (being Asian) weren’t very happy either with the school shooting and the stabbing (despite the fact that it can happen anywhere). Currently VT is #2 on my list. Pitt is also still in the running but it would be only if my parents insist on me staying up north or if I decide that Clemson is too far away.</p>