<p>Yeah.. that's what I thought. U. Rochester has a high percentage of kids with Ivy like stats... thus maybe these kids are not all that challenged as compared to kids at some of the other colleges I mentioned. It is a great school and I'm thinking a reach my D at this point as compared to the others.</p>
<p>Nightengale--</p>
<p>Don't get caught up in the ivy "name brand". The point of the new ivies list that Newsweek put together is that there are many schools out there (like the 25 they listed, for example) that will give you an education just as good as the ivies will.
The ivy league per se did not exist until the 1950's when it formed as an athletic conference. Before that, "ivy" just meant old, traditional, elite, etc.</p>
<p>Unless you've actually attended all 5 of these schools I don't think you can rank them in ANY meaningful way. </p>
<p>IMO</p>
<p>We also have heard great things about U Rochester. It's reputation just seems to keep getting better and better. I think if it was a bit further downstate it would be even more competive than it is now -- the distance and winters def. scare some people off.</p>
<p>"Unless you've actually attended all 5 of these schools I don't think you can rank them in ANY meaningful way."</p>
<p>-I think you mean unless you've VISITED.. not "attended" There is probably nobody on the planet who has attended all five schools I asked about. Thus, none of them could ever be ranked in a meaningful way. Like it or not we have to find some way to rank them via visits, word of mouth, research, overnight stays, and so on. I guess you make the best informed decision you can. I think input from other parents and students is a plus.</p>
<p>Please pay no attention the "academic rank" disconnect you mention, it has to be a complete snafu of some kind. Rochester is definitely the best on your list in terms of reputation and definitely has excellent academics.</p>
<p>Rochester, without a doubt.
Nice campus, nice size, tons of undergraduate research opportunities. It is ridiculously expensive.
If you are a NY State residence, there is an automatic grant/scholarship (around $7,000 ??- look it up on website)
It is somewhat of a medical school mill. Lots of bio majors and attached to large teaching hospital.</p>
<p>Hi Nightingale.</p>
<p>Why THESE 5 schools? If your D is truly interested in going to a smaller Catholic college, Rochester shouldn't be on the list at all. I think the other 4 are basically fine, mostly regional schools to which your D might consider adding Merrimack College (MA) and St Anselm (NH). But with D's record, I'd suggest that she also reach for Holy Cross, BC, and possibly Trinity (Hartford). BTW I think the more prestigious colleges may offer her more merit aid.</p>
<p>My own D felt Providence was too athletic and too Catholic; and she didn't feel that she fit in at Fairfield at all. Bottom line? Be sure your D visits all the schools on her list, preferably while students are on campus.</p>
<p>Original poster, Nightingale:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Just base your ranking on what you know or have heard.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
"Unless you've actually attended all 5 of these schools I don't think you can rank them in ANY meaningful way."</p>
<p>-I think you mean unless you've VISITED.. not "attended" There is probably nobody on the planet who has attended all five schools I asked about. Thus, none of them could ever be ranked in a meaningful way. Like it or not we have to find some way to rank them via visits, word of mouth, research, overnight stays, and so on.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, actually, I did mean unless you have attended all five of them. (And I know no one has actually attended all five.)</p>
<p>I just think you have to be VERY careful about other people's vague "rankings" - what the heck are they based on? You never really know! Did they rank it higher than some school they know nothing about or have never even stepped foot on campus? Or their ranking might be completely irrelevant to you. Perhaps someone has ranked them based on a major you have no interest in. Or distance from their home entered into it. Or the availability of handicapped housing. </p>
<p>You state it's time to get serious. I would suggest you not start with hear-say. Don't base your college search on rumor and forum myth.</p>
<p>There are some good visit reports on here, so they might be worth looking at. Otherwise, I think you'd do better if you listed what's important to you (assuming they are criteria that aren't on the school web sites).</p>
<p>Weenie- Please don't make assumptions about me. For the record I am not "starting with hearsay" and a couple of those visit reports are mine. I am merely soliciting opinions, which I thought, at least in part, was what this this forum was for. I seriously doubt a poster would espouse an opinion of a college based soley on the "availabilty of handicapped housing" unless I mentioned my D was handicapped.. which she is not. And if, bizarre as it may seem, someone did render an opinion based soley on "handicapped housing" I think they might mention handicapped housing in their post. And if they did mention handicapped housing in their post, and my D was not in need of handicapped housing, I could then choose to disregard that portion of that particular post. With all due respect please let ME decide what is "irrelevent" to ME. Parents visiting this forum are some of the most well informed around. If I chose to draw on that knowledge I shall. The information I get is not the beginning or end of our search. As I mentioned in post #25 I, like most other parents will glean all the information I can, without actually "attending" the college myself .</p>
<p>My son is considering Providence, Fairfield and Loyola. Which has the best reputation?</p>
<p>This thread is SIX years old. Starting your own NEW thread would net you better responses!</p>
<p>I would list them in the order you have them. My husband would reverse the first two, and list Fairfield ahead of Providence. I don’t see a significant difference in “reputation” between Fairfield and Providence, but I think they have a different feel to them as Providence is in the city (although a self-contained, treed and grassy campus) and Fairfield is out in the tony suburbs.</p>
<p>Please use old threads for information only, don’t post and revive them. Use the New Thread button to ask your question.</p>
<p>Closing.</p>