<p>Got the bad news from W&L on Saturday. Not a finalist. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly wish he had the offer as it would, at a minimum, be validation. But W&L trailed Richmond all along. I just hope this is not an indicator for the Richmond Scholars Awards. Now we’re down to four: Richmond (the favorite and waiting for Richmond Scholar finalist decisions), Wooster (admitted offer of $20.5K and still waiting for College Scholar awardees), Denison, and Wofford (go for scholars day on 2/20)</p>
<p>I’d like to extend my deep thanks to all of you for your considerateion. It’s difficult to have a good kid and constatntly measure him against the superstars that reside on this site. </p>
<p>Wildwoodscott, I’m thrilled for your son’s status at W&L! I hope he wins the biggie. I can’t imagine the thrill of a ride to such a well recognized institution. Congratulations.</p>
<p>WP Thanks for your support as well. You stand out as an advocate for my DS. I am apreciative of all your kind words.</p>
<p>Back from a campus visit with both my DU son and my W&L son. I cannot emphasize enough that finding the right fit means trying on different schools for size. S1 picked W&L and they picked him – and I assure you he is below that average benchmark quoted on the website, so we can anecdotally validate W&L’s characterization of the selection process. </p>
<p>But enough about that school on Denison’s website, because I am a Denison parent and fan with good reason! Most importantly, S2 picked Denison for himself, for his own reasons, even though he almost certainly could have gone to W&L and his brother there has always been his best friend. Doing your homework means visiting the campus and venturing beyond the tour guide’s path. When we visited Denison the first time, we sat in the corner of Huffman dining hall (more upperclassmen than freshmen) and in the Slayter Commons bldg and in a classroom building (no guide!) just watched students walk by, talk to each other, etc. From that first time, S2 could see himself at DU. And obviously DU agreed, offering him a generous scholarship even with an ED application. And the match has been a great one for both S2 and DU – he’s involved in EC’s that were part of the DU attraction for him, learning as much outside the classroom as inside, and he has friends who will be friends for life while doing very well academically. What more could I ask for him?</p>
<p>So my advice is to do that homework, which means reading CC of course, but also going to visit off the beaten tour path. Then pay attention to that “gut reaction” bc, if you have made lots of thorough visits, then it means something. In our case, it means a very happy and successful DU student :)</p>
<p>Grin – good luck with the others! I hope Denison stays high in the running.</p>
<p>fwiw – S1 got the Johnson at W&L, was a Jefferson Scholar finalist at UVa, but didn’t make the Richmond Scholars finals. But he has a good friend who is a full RS and his best friend is also at UR. Further evidence that schools know who they are and who they want to invest in.</p>
<p>Lemme pile on w/ the good luck and totally biased, warped well wishes that DU stays hi on your good list. Could hardly go wrong w/ any, and some/all might become a good “home” to yours.</p>
<p>And let me add …Esquette helped us in this crazy journey several years back, lending invaluable and right-on perspective when our egoes, ignorance, and pre-conceptions disguised common sense and logic. I told her that if it did not work out, we could easily blame it on her. Well, I guess she’s off the hook. Seems to have “took.” Thanks, E! :D</p>
<p>Richmond has cast my DS among all the non Richmond Scholars. Apparently, he’s only special to me!
I’ve learned from another post that Denison has sent letters. I’m very eager to see what the postman will bring. Wooster and Wofford have been almost stalking him (in the very best of ways).
Hope Denison will follow those leads rather that those from W&L and Richmond.
We’ll see…</p>
<p>I’m still willing to take all bets of $100 and under …that grinfixer, jr. will be hearing happy homilies from the home of the Big Red. “Come Monday …It’ll be all right! Come Monday, DU’ll be holding him tight…”</p>
<p>And that the check’s in the mail as I type this Satday night!</p>
<p>I’m gonna offer a few speculating views, that are worth precisely what this is costing.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>DU is more liberal than W&L among students. They succumbed to the Obama line more than W&L, which simply suggests DU students may be less politically engaged, more vulnerable to uninformed lemming effects. </p></li>
<li><p>W&L is a more visible institution, especially in business communities. </p></li>
<li><p>W&L is a real “Southern” u, whatever that means.</p></li>
<li><p>Greek life is more evident @ W&L, of necessity. Lexington is near nowhere, beyond miles of really beautiful scenery.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Engage Esquette in this one …she’s spent days @ both.</p>
<p>Would you go so far as to suggest that DU has a conservative bent?</p>
<p>Went to Hillsdale with my DD and was blown away. This is after visits to DU, Wooster, Richmond, Wofford, Rhodes, Southwestern, Davidson, and Kenyon. Wish it had appeared on my radar for my DS.</p>
<p>Not that I have any reservations against a “qualified” student, but when you decline all state and federal support, were the first declare non discrimination and are therefore afforded the opportunity to choose ANYONE who meets your academic standards, it’s a pretty attractive environment.</p>
<p>Redefining conservatives in the very best of ways, Hillsadale stands on it’s own. I hope DU appreciates the lead…</p>
<p>As both a DU and W&L parent, I can say that conservative students can certainly feel comfortable on both campuses. W&L prob has more of a reputation for conservative student body but that reality is changing so that all points of view are available as part of the campus political conversation. Don’t want to sound too PC, but I really have seen that with the shift in student body due to the extraordinary fin aid. </p>
<p>Like WP, I get the sense that DU has a more middle of the road political presence, with neither “side” (I just hate those labels) dominating the conversations. I can tell you that when my son and his roommate voted in the pres. election, they had no problem walking down the hall and loudly (well at least the roommate) announcing that they were not voting for Obama. No repercussions at all, one way or the other. </p>
<p>Grin – hang in there! Not surprised by UR decision – the kid we know and love who got the full ride there is an int’l from Africa, by way of two European countries and a US private hs, speaks 6 languages, everybody loves him, plus highly recruited soccer player. Hard to match that profile! </p>
<p>One of the things we like best about DU is their scholarship philosophy – they believe in spreading out the wealth, making college more affordable for a bigger percentage of the student body (e.g., middle class folks who don’t qualify for any/much need based aid), instead of giving the bigger dollars to a smaller percentage of students (all deserving no doubt). We love that the vast majority of DU kids get some merit aid - I have always believed that students will work hard to be deserving of such generosity and opportunity. That means working hard in the classroom and giving their talents outside of it. </p>
<p>I told you Esq.uette’s views would lend far more genuine insight in comparing these 2 places! :)</p>
<p>However, one comment made me smile …the reality, a good one for sure, that a student could walk down the hallway proclaiming their affection, loyalty and votes for Obama. My guess is the vast majority @ DU proclaimed such.</p>
<p>Conversely, mine made the comment that she and her pal had McCain buttons …and it was a LONELY day on campus. I suspect that DU was a monumental Obama landslide, and would be interested and quite pleased to learn my observation is totally off-base. The good news, if there is any here? Those Obama voters didn’t exhibit much purple hair.</p>
<p>That noted, the more important question about this specific illustration? </p>
<p>Who would they vote for today? :eek: I’d like to think they’d not be fooled twice, being the bright young folks we believe them to be. Are they learning anything? </p>
<p>Lord, help us. And don’t allow this moment of instruction to be fatal to future possibilities.</p>
<p>P.S. Grin …your point of Hillsdale is on the money. It is a literally one-of-a-kind institution in the USA. Grove City also proclaims the same of no fed aid, but it is a far different institution than Hillsdale, driven by pricetag that ultimately impacts the resources available to students. Hillsdale is very unusual and interesting.</p>
<p>Founder’s scholarship of $18,000 per year! Happy? Indeed. Will the DS make the move to Granville? My guess would be no. Although he enjoyed our trip there, he had DU as his third choice behind Wooster and Wofford.</p>
<p>Surely there is lobbying to be done and I eagerly await the flattery and correspondence that other accepted DU students have enjoyed. </p>
<p>We’ll see what happens.</p>
<p>IMHO, one of the glaring weaknesses of the others is the obvious lack of passion exhibited by parents on this forum. WP, Esquette, and Erin’s Dad have been very informed, eloquent advocates for Denison. If I were to visit again with my DS or perhaps my DD, I’d love to meet any of you at Whit’s. The custard is on me.</p>
<p>Thanks once again for all kind encouragement and well wishes. The comments you’ve made to help guide those of us struggling through this process have been nothing short of selfless. </p>
<p>I’ll let you know where we send the deposit.</p>
<p>Grin …1st congrats on the scholarship! Always good, even if it’s a #3. </p>
<p>You’ve offered genuine insight to a complex issue on the passion thing. And I don’t think you’re off the mark.</p>
<p>For another day’s exploration. </p>
<p>How 'bout them terriers! (Or whatever Wofford’s mascot is …NCAA bid! A great boost for a 1200 student body school! I remember when Davidson had 900 and made the final 4 under Lefty Driesell.)</p>
<p>btw, Denison a “conservative” bent? NO WAY. (had to clean my screen …) While not feverishly or fanatically political, this is a place that was swamped by Obama-mania, has a “naked week,” and a “coming out” day. Not many Hillsdale undergraduate degrees among the faculty. Count on it.</p>
<p>Congrats on the scholarship Grinfixer. Good luck in your DS’s further scholarship fishing. Will DD be looking at schools soon? I know when my DD2 looked she decided early on not to attend her sister’s school so she went west.</p>
<p>I’m sure DD will look in Ohio. Centre, Hendrix, Juniata, and Allegheny are on the radar. Once again looking for merit money. As stated previously, visited Hillsdale and she loved it. Beloit not so much. </p>
<p>I’ll ship DS off just in time to begin visits with the DD. DD2 will be two years after that. That will be all. Except for DS 2 nine years later.</p>
<p>WP – haha not sure you read my post correctly – they were announcing that they were NOT voting for Obama and did feel comfortable. Son does not feel like he’s overwhelmed in his conservative views. </p>
<p>Congrats, Grinfixer and family on DU and all your options! Your comments re passion of DU board strike me bc one of the things I have always known about DU is how devoted their alums and students are. Have seen it in action recently as well, when we hosted a last minute dinner for DU alums in our hometown to meet with a DU rep, we had 100% turnout, with one alum even travelling 2 hrs just to get together with his friend in our town. Maybe it’s just cyber-passion hasn’t hit DU yet ;)</p>
<p>IMHO it’s VERY important to make campus visits for accepted students seriously considering enrolling (unless the decision is purely financial, of course). I have known quite a few who changed their minds and a couple who wished they had done so.</p>
</p>