<p>I'm having a hard time coming up with parameters for my junior D though I have several schools in mind that I'd like for her to look at (she herself has no schools in mind). The only things that she has mentioned she wanted are "a school far enough away that parents have to take a plane to get there" and "no elite schools." She is a "regular" girl (some have referred to her as "earthy", though that doesn't really give a good picture of her, maybe unpretentious would be better) who likes opera, thinks chemistry is one of her easiest classes this year, likes languages, don't know yet about the PSAT scores, since they didn't take as a sophomore. Picture is still fuzzy. No passion that has been nurtured and developed since toddlerhood here . . . no hooks. Bright, but not tippy top bright. The language and opera interests are fairly recent. (Will they stick?) </p>
<p>Some possibilities, because we looked at them for S: St. Olaf, Tufts, Grinnell. Last year she liked the idea of Harvey Mudd, but she seems much less of a Mudd type this year. I have thought about Whitman, PLU and UPS up in Washington. And I want her to take a look at Wellesley, and possibly Middlebury (too elite?). And some UC's will be on the list. Probably San Diego and Davis. UChicago could appear on the list (brother goes there/both parents went there/ and now BOYFRIEND is applying there . . .)</p>
<p>I don't know when this picture is going to come into focus. I hope by this spring she'll have a sense of what to go for . . . If you folks have any ideas, please feel free . . .</p>
<p>I have 3 kids and the process was/is different for each; and it's gotten increasingly more difficult, open-ended with #3 now a senior mostly because he's not yet found a definite passion to study.</p>
<h1>1: Location: Northeast but absolutely not NJ; LACs and universities</h1>
<pre><code> Academically challenging with lots of extracurriculars
No Greek life
Strong sciences esp physics -- majoring in astrophysics and philos
#1 ended up at great fit for him
Now says in retrospect he's really glad he ended up in a city and
not at a small, rural LAC
</code></pre>
<h1>2: Location: Northeast or Midwest</h1>
<pre><code> Strong film program but preferably school with liberal arts approach
Preferably location with lots of movie theatres - very important
Preferably no Greek life
Lost out on Greek life issue but is absolutely pleased with school
</code></pre>
<h1>3: Location: Northeast or maybe Midwest, in or near a city</h1>
<pre><code> Preferably 5-10,000 undergrads
Academically challenging, competitive but not too intellectual or
very very rigorous (not HYPSM)
Strong in humanities, social sciences, sciences, music &
ensembles, film, study abroad programs
Hopefully good sports teams and good social scene
He's applying all over the place including a few LACs
Each school entails compromises
</code></pre>
<p>I am fascinated by the variety of factors we consider. </p>
<p>I did forget to mention one that was important to my D: FOOD. She has special diet needs and strong preferences. Although it may not have been a final deciding factor, she did what advance research was possible and during campus visits it seemed to be one of her main interests.</p>
<p>I am surprised that one factor has been mentioned so infrequently. I have never understood spectator sports and the widespread interest in rooting for the team of your choice. It does seem to be a part of many people's interests and is certainly important for many schools, including the Ivies. Also, I believe only 2 participatory sports have been mentioned: tennis and - you gotta be kidding - frisbee. I am surprised that sports are not of more interest.</p>
<p>edad -- I should have mentioned that participatory sports (intramurals, club, not varsity) are of interest to S. But all the schools on the very large initial list had robust recreational athletic programs anyway, so it wasn't really a factor.</p>
<p>My D did look at the exercise facilities, but we did not look at intramurals. My D dropped out of soccer, track and vollyball by her junior year. She was not good enough and did not have the high level of dedication needed to make the teams at her very large HS. This has always irritated me. We are concerned about obesity and lack of exercise, but unless a kid is a star and can make a team, we provide no options.</p>
<p>Funny edad about your daughter's FOOD factor. I have one of those in my house, too.It was almost a relief to have fussy son at college and not at the dinner table! We have plenty of jokes about it each evening. "If so and so were here he would hate this or make us serve it differently. lol" My response is to send goody packages often and VITAMINS in the packages! And also, my feelings are, you can't lecture about proper and healthful eating habits often enough when they are in high school. After seeing some of the options being offered in some college dining halls, I do this evey evening with remaining at home child.It's an uphill battle.</p>
<p>It was more than an uphill battle. We had to get the help of a nutritionist. My D inherited my lactose intolerance and decided to become a vegetarian. Under the best of circumstances her dietary choices are very limited. We had to get her a dorm refrigerator so she could stock up at the health food store.</p>
<p>Our meals at home have gotten a lot easier.</p>
<p>For D:
1. Program. She was looking for a strong Biology program in an artisitic, creative environment. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Undergrad friendly. She wanted profs who were interested in the students and available during office hours. This has turned out to be one of her most valuable resources. From her freshman year, she has made a point of building up mentor relationships. </p></li>
<li><p>Fit. She wanted a friendly campus where she felt like she could navigate comfortably. Whenever we visited a campus, we asked her if she could picture herself living there for four years. </p></li>
<li><p>Location. From the beginning, she knew that she wanted to be near the ocean. Fresh air, beautiful surroundings, outdoor opportunities. Close enough to home for weekend visits. </p></li>
<li><p>Affordability. At the end, when it came time to choose, she figured out that she had a certain amount of money for college and that she could stretch it out over four years, and maybe, have some left for grad school, or she could spend it all in two years.</p></li>
<li><p>Culture. More than one college was knocked off the list because of its culture. She didn't care about the name factor, as much as she cared about how the students behaved around one another. This is where the visits really paid off. She had a fine-tuned sense of what she wanted, and she had radar for things like cliquishness, elitism, and intolerance. </p></li>
<li><p>Community. She wanted to be near an interesting town. </p></li>
<li><p>Good public transportation. She wanted to be able to use public transit to get around.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>For S:
1. Big city.
2. Affordability. Again, grad school is a consideration.
3. Junior transfer possibilities. He's wants to transfer to Cal.<br>
4. Program. Computer Science and Engineering.
5. Location. He likes the Bay Area music scene.
6. Public transportation. Wants to be able to come home and drive us crazy on the weekends. :p</p>
<p>No fair, I didn't have any coffee! Darn that 20-minute editing limit! Parents need a countdown clock to tell us how much time we have left to correct all of our spelling and grammar mistakes. Then, there's the counting, 1..2..2..3..! Never try to count before coffee. :p</p>
<p>We looked at a number of colleges informally with DD before her junior year....just to give her a sense of what was out there. Plus she accompanied us on her brother's college trips. She then formulated her own criteria...For her they were....warm weather climate (wants to be somewhere other than New England), strong science and or engineering programs, place where should could continue to play oboe in an ensemble and take lessons without being a music major, decent proximity or easy access to a city. Any school that didn't meet ALL of these criteria was dropped from her list. She visited 14 schools. She is applying to three.</p>
<p>Just want to add, in addition to all others, SOCIABLITY OF THE CAMPUS.Some of us worry about other aspects of college life with our daughters.I knew my daughter would do well with her academics. But I could not bring myself to see her in a Northeastern U.S. college atmosphere. My daughter is a fun person and I could not imagine her dealing with snooty or stuffy girls or a lack of cheerful college boys to date. I knew she would suffer in that environment and probably couldn't deal with it. Sending my daughter to the South to college was a very wise choice for us.She made so many great friends and had such a great time in college. She also became employed easily after graduation.Although I am very sorry she chose to settle in the South, where she married and now has a family, and I miss her dearly, IT HAD TO BE. It is a great strain and hardship for me to have my daughter far away but it was the best environment for her and she is a truly happy young mother there now. Had we not sent her to college in the South I feel she would be a much different person today. It was right and very important for us.</p>
<p>Backhandgrip. Now you have your finaid and good school in hand! Tensing up schmensing up! Next year you can write your "How we decided" and it will start off, "We were sitting in the kitchen when the phone rang and they gave us money!".</p>
<p>That's so great Alumother! I hope it happens. I see the young mother congregating outside our local elementary school and smile, ha, ha, it's all just beginning for them! That's why God gave us menopause- so we can have a REST!</p>
<p>That's right. I crunched, gnashed, worried, sweated last year. And I am going out again!. There may be a time for pause & sadness after kids go off to college but I am beginning to realize the joys. :)</p>
Well, I do declare! Y'all should know that we're not all so stuck-up! Why, soozievt is rather nice! jmmom smiles and says "howdy" twice a year whether she needs to or not! :)</p>
<p>We live in the South, but my daughter is considering schools in the Northeast so she can be around brighter people who speak quickly and get to the point. ;)</p>
<p>For D:
1. Location - outside of Texas. She'd really like to see the US from a different angle.
2. Type/size - LAC
3. Academically rigorous
4. Students who want to learn
5. Students who are relatively happy
6. Good study abroad opportunities
7. Having a sailing club is a bonus</p>
<p>There are some exceptions on her list, but that seems to be the criteria. She started this odyssey a few years ago by looking at colleges that are more "quirky". That requirement has toned down, but each has their own "wacky factors".</p>
<p>Since we are making a list, here we go with child #4.
1. LAC which also has Education dept. and double majors
2. On the tennis team
3. Students have gotten into top to second tier Law and Med schools
4. Nice area, no fast traffic out the front door
5. Accepts summer abroad program credits from cheaper colleges with nifty summer abroad programs
6. ahemm.........flexible on this one,1/2day drive from home max (sorry , this is kid 4, I'm old and tired)
7.There must be things to do there on weekends aside from a mall, no commuter colleges</p>