<p>My D and wife and I visit UR last Friday as they were holding their first Rochester Experience Day of the Month. </p>
<p>We had never visited previously and were anxious to see this school that D had decided to apply and ultimately was accepted and offered.</p>
<p>The Dean of Admissions offered one of the best Welcoming addresses I have ever heard.
This guy could be a public speaker, he was engaging, honest and made UR to be one of the best possible decisions we could make.</p>
<p>I enjoyed the campus, the facilities, the parent panels and figured it was a done deal.</p>
<p>Then my D told me NO WAY</p>
<p>What? did you not see what I just saw? This was an exciting campus, you would love</p>
<p>No, she Told me She would hate it...</p>
<p>so, we move on and I will be thankful for the time spent on campus and on this forum.</p>
<p>You have been all very helpful and informative.<br>
Wish you and your students the best in your road ahead.</p>
<p>Pretty funny. I hope she likes where she goes.</p>
<p>Funny! My daughter and I JUST had the same exact conversation. We are going to visit this Saturday and she told me she has no intention of going there. HUH? Is it September yet? I’m so hoping she changes her mind. Why did your daughter say she would hate it? I wonder if they have the same reasons…</p>
<p>Yes, actually if you all are going to put stuff out there this provocative please share the reasons. The rest of us might like to know, and maybe there are reactions/issues that those of us still deciding have already considered and dismissed or are still weighing in making a final selection.</p>
<p>Back in the spring of 2006, my d had just the opposite reaction. We had an outstanding visit, had many of her specific questions answered, felt welcomed, wrote the deposit check and didn’t look back.</p>
<p>Most of my daughter’s reasons are NOT legitimate. I won’t say here as I know there would be a defensive reaction. : )</p>
<p>Just silly 17-year old girl stuff. </p>
<p>She is concerned about being isolated on campus. I showed her the information on the new retail construction but that doesn’t seem to sway her. Her older sister went to UVM in Burlington, VT which is a great college town. I think it spoiled her.</p>
<p>Well, the irrational teenage stuff is important to us teenagers. My reason for not applying to Stanford (not that I would have gotten in) was, seriously, “too many palm trees.” It just felt wrong.</p>
<p>First off, I will admit that my daughter’s response to the school is from the mindset of a 17 year old girl and should not be held as being either accurate or valid. This is merely her opinion and whether she was right or wrong, this is from her personal observations.</p>
<p>I waited a few days for the visit to digest so we could chat and learn why she had such a strong response.</p>
<p>First, she was initially attracted to the idea of a research focused institution, but after the day kind of felt that the constant bombardment of the word research in every possible conversation was almost bordeline cultish. She said, if we got a a dollar for anytime someone said “Rochester is focused on Research, Faculty do research, Students can do Research…We could pay for her tuition from that alone”. She was worried that the end product might be the research and not the undergrad student.</p>
<p>Also, for D she wanted a true small class experience, and learned that many of the intro classes were over 300 students in a lecture. Of course, they break that down with smaller groups with a TA, but she didn’t like the idea that many of those TA are undergrads themselves.</p>
<p>We observed that the school is culturally diverse, but when we looked around most of the Indian kids were sitting together, many Asian kids together, many African American kids together, but we saw very few groups where all were mixed together. She felt it was like self imposed segregation.</p>
<p>They told us that while the weather in the winter is going to be cold and snowy (no big deal as we are from Chicago) it is usually Grey and overcast and that those that suffer from SAD have real issues for many months. D doesn’t mind cold but likes a bit of sunshine to brighten the day.</p>
<p>In the end, I just think that somethings click and others do not for students. SHe was able to clearly define that the issues that don’t work for her outweigh the ones that do.</p>
<p>Hi Darthdad. I think her reasons are very valid! Very interesting observations. SirCadogan-I also like the palm tree comment. This is my third time going through this and I have heard it all. : ). We are going to Rochester on Saturday. We have been twice before but both times were on holidays so there was not much student activity.</p>
<p>And this is why I feel visits are incredibly important. U Rochester (and other schools) definitely DO have their feel/fit and students can generally feel it when they are on campus listening and talking to others. If it’s not “them,” it really isn’t them and such is life. My guy went there (the first time) just like any other college visit and came away more enthusiastic than the vast majority of schools he had visited. After he went on Accepted Students Day, he was 110% certain. He hasn’t wavered since and is currently enjoying himself as much as any parent could hope for (not to mention doing well with academics).</p>
<p>There are oodles of colleges out there. Find the right fit and kids are likely to not only do better, but also enjoy their time more. All three of my boys are (or will be) going to different schools due to being different people. (Oldest wanted Christian/business, youngest wants tropical Bio - neither are U Roc. Middle - at U Roc - wanted research and Pre-med.)</p>
<p>I wish all parents/students well in finding their fit!</p>
<p>Oh, and just to add about the diversity IRL, my guy’s pics definitely show it’s not a segregated school - not among his friends and study groups anyway. ;)</p>
<p>Darthdad, that actually was helpful. That didn’t bother me or my daughter, but they do talk about research A LOT. I may be wrong, but I suspect the continued rise of the school is going to come from growing buzz about the liberal arts side of things there, which I think IS there and quite good. My older kid at another school would have loved the “science-y” feel and focus, but my younger one is attracted to the size, diversity, range of opportunites and potential combinations, like IR and Film for example. My sense is that kids can carve out a pretty intimate experience rivaling top LACs. My question is actually a little different. I get the sense that UR fits a lot of kids in a variety of ways, like not being able to think of one thing that doesn’t fit or make sense, but still being left with some hesitancy that I don’t understand. I can’t figure out if this is because of the “it’s in Rochester” effect, the “sleeper” quality in terms of notoreity/prestige compared to some of the usual suspects, or some “wow factor” that seems missing. I am, however, very comfortable that it is a great school where my kid will get a great education and great experience and I will be more than happy if it is her final choice (top 2 right now) over the next 2 weeks.</p>
<p>If your acceptances leave you with good and affordable choices, then it’s all about finding the school that feels right. Rochester has it’s own vibe and it attracts some students and turns others off. I have two boys there and they love it - love that their profs know them (even profs in their department that they haven’t had for class know them and have conversations with them, etc.), they love that they can dive in and get very involved in their particular interests, and that it’s easy to get the classes you want. My oldest son actually loves grey weather, so it doesn’t bother him at all, but it can definitely wear a person down by the time the pretty spring weather hits. Neither of them have had big classes at all - most are between 15 and 30, with a couple more around 70-100, but they aren’t pre med or taking those big science classes like bio or orgo, which I assume are the big classes. They like the TA led workshops.</p>
<p>If a student wants the energy and fun of a rah-rah sports scene with massive crowds at televised games, they won’t find it going to UR (for some students, that’s a plus - they don’t enjoy the tailgate scene or the hero worship that accompanies big time sports. But it’s a lot of fun for some students and something they want to have as part of their experience). And while my sons don’t mention missing it, I think it does suffer by not having that college town area within walking distance with sandwich shops and coffee places. I’m really glad they’re building that in conjunction with the city - I hope it’s done in time for my freshman to benefit from! It’s supposed to be done in a year or so I think. I have no idea if the level of self segregation is higher or lower at UR than other schools.</p>
<p>Darthdad and firsttimelisa - it sounds like the visit was well worth the trip! Glad your kids are narrowing down their options - good luck wherever they end up!</p>
<p>I think they talk about research in the same way places talk about coops: as a differentiator. There is always selling involved and that you can, if you want, become involved in actual research relatively easily as an undergraduate is, like a coop, a legitimate differentiator. They may use the word too much. That is what selling does to you.</p>
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<p>This is a big plus IMO. My guy just e-mailed in earlier today telling me he had the last time slot for signing up for classes so he was a bit concerned, but it didn’t matter. He got everything he wanted in the time slot he wanted. FWIW, he hasn’t minded the larger pre-med classes. Students in them enjoy each other’s company (and provide nice study groups - no evidence of cut throat competition that he’s seen). Recitations are small, so no question has ever gone unanswered. He also knows his profs and they know him. The classes aren’t THAT large (compared to many at other schools).</p>
<p>But again, I’m just sharing his experience. If the school isn’t “right” for a student, I really recommend they go somewhere that is right for them - not just my middle son’s favorite place. (He’s another who wasn’t interested in big time sports, so other school’s big sports pitches did nothing for him other than make him question their love of academics…)</p>
<p>Having a son and a daughter I can certainly appreciate the crazy reasons kids decide to like or not like a school. The campus visits are crucial to see if your child could see themselves there.</p>
<p>My oldest son is there, my youngest couldn’t be paid to attend. I don’t think there is anything wrong with any reason a child narrows the choices down if they did their homework and visited. </p>
<p>What I love so much about it for my son - his classes have actually been very small, he has relationships with professors - goes to lunch, office hours, and really engages them in conversation. The curriculum with the clusters vs gen ed requirements at other schools allows him to pursue what interests him. </p>
<p>Registration - I got the call this morning that he registered and got everything he wanted at all the times he wanted. I’ve heard friends telling horror stories of registering at different schools. </p>
<p>Personally I would not deal well with that weather. I think he’s gotten a kick out of it and it hasn’t bothered him except one night, the coldest night when he needed to take a trip to the ER. Campus police actually gave him a ride back to the dorm.</p>
<p>I don’t think my daughter ever had a class with more than 100 students and that was in psych. Some of her classes were under 10 students. I will agree that the greyness of the weather does wear you down. One plus is that as weather fronts move from west to east coast, Rochester actually does have a spring season whereas at older d’s school in the Boston area, spring weather really never arrived until finals week or move-out. We had a spectacular day for accepted students visit and also her graduation, outside on the quad.
I will agree that a walkable college town would be most desirable and hope that for those just beginning or current freshman, it gets built sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>Great thread. D is visiting next Friday. She is choosing between 4 at this point. Creekland, eyemamom, and PinotNoir, your posts from last year made me encourage D to investigate U of R. We visited last fall during fall break, so there were only athletes on campus that day, but she really like Dean Burdick’s speech. He is a great speaker. She is going back to get the vibe. They honestly have opportunities in everything she is interested in now - Brain, cognitive science, music cognition, neurobiology, and audio engineering, computers and computation neuroscience. </p>
<p>Any advice before she visits? She of course will narrow her interests once she gets to one of these 4 schools after first or second semester next year, but she wants to make the most of her visit now.</p>
<p>If you have time, go out to dinner on Park Ave. You’ll see how close it and Eastman are from the River Campus. Shuttle run back and forth. </p>
<p>Much of her interest is in the newer part of the campus, like Goergen, so make sure you walk over there. Not connected to the tunnel system but very close and just as close to the research centers across the street. </p>
<p>I think I would try to picture a day. You come out of a quad dorm and go a few paces to the academic quad - which is framed by Rush Rhees Library (which is really beautiful) - or from Sue B into the back of the library whose name I forget and into the corridors if the weather is off. You should see where you can eat and where you work out. That gives you sense of the compact area that really is a school experience. In nice weather, my kid likes to ride along the river and a group goes to one of the parks. </p>
<p>That is most of your life. The rest is going shopping for food and stuff and going out with friends. That is why I suggested Park Ave because it’s a few minutes away and has a great feeling and nice places to eat. If you’re staying in Henrietta, that’s the closest mall and where nearly every chain store in existence lives. But people also go further afield, mostly through friends with cars but also through shuttles and even zip cars.</p>
<p>My kid decided not to but has friends in sororites. As you may know, in NY a sorority can’t have its own house. Weird but they have to be in a dorm. So they have floors in some dorms, mostly in Phase - Hill Court is perhaps the official name - which is behind SueB. A little further away but the rooms are really nice. Sororities do things like rent out clubs and restaurants, so that’s one form of social life.</p>
<p>About the only other comment is that you live in a bubble in college. That’s true no matter where you go. You’ll barely set foot across the river except to visit a friend in the apartments or in a house. How much you use the city is up to you. I try to remind people that the experience of school is at the school so you have to decide if you feel comfortable at the place.</p>
<p>Wow, thank you. The weather has been really cold here, so I hope it is warmer next week. I am printing this whole thread out for her.</p>
<p>mom - too bad we can’t get a discount off tuition for referrals! 
And I’m sorry for laughing but was there seriously a day for athletes there? I just can’t picture it.</p>
<p>I think what clinched it for my son was the day he went back to visit with his dad he got a tour just the two of them with 4 tour guides - they were training. They were varied backgrounds, from around the world, one was a transfer and they all just talked as they walked around. He got to hear why they chose it, what they liked, didn’t and little things like their favorite thing to do, what they did when not in school, etc.</p>
<p>He sat in on a class in his intended major and was really excited when he could follow along with what was going on, but more importantly got to see the kids interacting and how exactly a college class was taught. Granted he changed majors, but it was still a valuable experience. </p>
<p>The truth is your child will probably be fine in a lot of places, and she’s the one who has to be there the next 4 years. If you don’t mind - what are the other 3? I think we’ve all looked at a lot of comparable schools. I don’t think Rochester is the be all end all for every kid - it just happens to be a great fit for mine. And what he really likes is being around other like minded kids. So if when she goes she couldn’t see herself at any of the schools - take her word for it.</p>