<p>Here's what gets me. At the end-of-year awards assembly at my D's large California public, which has a large % of latino 1st-generation-to-college kids, virtually every latino kid who was honored is headed for our local CC. These kids were the ones who got NHS, departmental kudos, etc. </p>
<p>I was flabbergasted because, it seems to me, many of them could have found full rides at great 4-year schools, had these schools ever been pushed. </p>
<p>I suspect, when lack of $ is an issue, the standard counselor advice is "go to a CC 2 years then transfer to a UC." Well, going to a CC can also mean that each and every kid you know who is NOT college bound is going to be right nearby, tempting you NOT to focus. It can mean pressure to earn $ for your family. How many of these kids might never transfer, or never finish?</p>
<p>I think I am going to have a meeting with the school principal and see what can be done to have (for example) a free on campus SAT prep class for the many worthy low income students who care and try, and a program identifying the schools 'out there' who would give free rides to kids like ours. Some of these kids would be welcomed at excellent 4 years that are not UCs, especially well endowed LACs, and even Ivies.</p>
<p>In a recent LA Times article, a summer program at USC was discussed-- it is an intensive course for low income URM kids who are headed to elite colleges, to help them beef up their writing skills. </p>
<p>There was a poor URM kid with 1150 SAT going to Harvard on a full ride! I would be <em>amazed</em> if at least some of the kids in my D's HS could not achieve the same sort of score or better... Obviously nobody is suggesting the non-UC, non-CC schools.</p>
<p>My Mom laughs about this story: She lived in So California. When she got into Harvard her next door neighbor asked why she was moving. She said I'm moving to the Boston area because I got into Harvard. He gave her a blank look and after a few seconds said, "Oh Harvard....You mean like Yale? "</p>
<p>Curmudgeon- VA is the same way, because VA has a number of great schools: UVA, Tech, JMU, W&M, etc. My school put up a big map of VA for kids to write which of the VA schools they were attending, and then an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper for out of state-ers.</p>
<p>Wow! I'm surprised at some of the snotty responses people think are appropriate! Hopefully you're kidding...</p>
<p>It's not a crime to not know anything about somebody's college choice. And why would you feel compelled to prove that it is a great school? You know it's the best choice for your kid - and that is all the matters. My kids going to Denison - Do you think ANYBODY has heard of it? No. Who cares?</p>
<p>I agree with Weenie (except in the case of my D's GC - I think GCs should be familiar with most colleges as it is their job. And if they aren't, they should look it up instead of showing their ignorance to students and parents). </p>
<p>To tell the truth, I was unfamiliar with my daughter's school, Kenyon (and Denison :) ) until my D began her college search, in spite of the fact that my son had applied to 9 universities three years earlier, so I am not surprised others haven't heard of these schools. </p>
<p>I explain that Kenyon is a small liberal arts college in Ohio that is strong in her fields of interests, and then I say it is sort of like Lafayette (since most people around Phillly have heard of that school) but with more strength in creative areas instead of engineering. Then they seem to get the type of school it is.</p>
<p>This is a funny anecdote - my mother is in an assisted living, but she is mentally totally sharp. She had never heard of Kenyon (like many others) but then met another sharp lady in her 80's at the assisted living who told her that her older daughter had gone to Princeton (class of '74) and her younger daughter ('77) had gone to Kenyon. She and her late husband just loved Kenyon and felt that the younger daughter had gotten a better education there than the older one had at Princeton. So now my mother can feel assured that her dear grandaughter is going to an excellent school :)</p>
<p>SBmom--we have the same sort of counseling here. Most low to moderate income students and minority students are counseled to stay at our community college for two years and then transfer. Unfortunately, you cannot transfer to one of the flagship state universities anymore. It used to be doable, but now top ten percent/going in as a frosh is the only way to get in to UT-Austin and A & M College Station. Furthermore, the larger institutional aid awards are not available for transfers. There is definitely a lack of awareness of private schools, particularly those in other states. Our main GC didn't even know what a CSS profile was. </p>
<p>Cur--I think we definitely do have a large market share of the provincialism! It shows up in other areas, not just with regards to colleges. It would be less irritating if those set on promoting Texas based higher education would at least provide the time and materials for those students who want to look elsewhere. I think we have many students who could benefit from a small LAC or University, but they don't know that this option exisits.</p>
<p>As far as the mispronouncing of names at awards ceremonies, what happened to my D showed the students and parents with tricky ethnic names that they have no monopoly on name mangling by the Assistant Principals. Our last name is a very simple one syllable one, but somehow one of the academic awards my D received at the awards ceremony was printed with the first name of a girl who graduated THREE YEARS AGO with the same last name as ours. The girl was a terrible student and a discipline problem (for some reason we had her failing notices and IEPs mailed to our home several times by the school district) and her brother is actually in jail for a very serious incident involving extensive vandalism (too mild a term for what he did) of our school. When my D tried to tell the guy her correct first name, he said it incorrectly again, and then when the kids in the audience starting mumbling, he basically said,"I'm giving up on this one - here's your award." The next Asst. Principal giving out other awards then felt compelled to make a big deal of correcting the mistake, having my D stand up in the audience to be recognized, etc. Of course, she spent the next two weeks being teased (in good fun) by all of her friends and their parents who called her "Mary" instead of "Susan". It seems a fitting end to our association with a school that has consistenly screwed up everything related to recognition of academic achievements.</p>
<p>Motheroftwo: Guess what, one of my friend's sons almost had the WRONG transcripts sent out to all his colleges. Luckily, just before putting them in the fed ex packets (in sealed envelopes) he impulsively opened one. It was not him! Not his name, photo or grades. :eek: </p>
<p>Weenie, I <em>have</em> heard of Denison, and it is a great school with devoted alumni; fabulous place! :) Seriously, I don't have to correct anyone-- I know it is perfect for her and a wonderful school. But I am happy when occasional people know about the school-- because they evince appropriate excitement for my D (and that's part of the fun, being congratualted & being excited!) If they don't know about the school, we say a version of 'great small LAC she loves.'</p>
<p>Weenie- it's not a crime, no... but it is rude to express regret or sympathy for someone else's college choice. I feel a retort (not snotty, but amused) is certainly in order for the person who assumes just because they've never heard of the school, it must be subpar to your typical state U.</p>
<p>"yeah, I guess that's why the books refer to these boutique colleges as "Hidden Ivies" - because not many people outside of academia know about them."</p>
<p>Around these parts (NC), most people haven't heard of Williams, and I usually just explain that it's a small school in Massachusetts. I find that those few people who actually have heard of it are very pleased with themselves for having such rare knowledge, and they want to make sure that I know they know about the school.</p>
<p>Well, at least NC is several states, hundreds of miles, and three different accents away from Williams. Most people here in SoCal have never heard of Pomona College - right in their own backyard and so revered here on CC. When it's mentioned they think you are talking about Cal Poly Pomona.</p>
<p>When one of my friends found out that my D was going to U.Chicago, she said,"Oh, Didn't realize Illinois State had a campus in Chicago" followed by "Why didn't she just go with our own State U?" Then I asked where her child was going, and she said "Oh, Drexel. He got into their 7-year medical program" , and before i could stop myself, the words came out of my evil mouth, "Wow,aren't you worried about him going to the Middle East?"</p>
<p>muppetcoat - you hit the nail on the head for virginia! most of my friends only applied to in-state schools because their parents were so ignorant about financial aid. yet i am going to be attending Sarah Lawrence College and actually paying LESS, thanks to scholarships, than some of my friends are paying for their public state schools.</p>
<p>Rather than explain what a LC is, I just tell inquisitive minds that they are schools specializing in reforming hard-core liberals. </p>
<p>FWIW, there is a real danger in wearing the typical student "outfit" and being dragged into one the almost unavoidable conversations when traveling farther than 6 miles from the LAC campus. Invariably, the conversation follows this pattern:</p>
<p>Location: Pidgeon Airline aka Air Cheapo - Aisle 17 - Student in middle -cheap- seat between two well-dressed individuals </p>
<p>Stranger 1: Humm, I see you are going to [fill the blank for LAC]. Good school.
Student: Yes, sir.
Stranger 1: So, you like [fill the blank]. Heard it was tough to get in.
Student: Yes, sir [with a smile]
Stranger 1: Did you do well on the boards? What was your GPA.
Student: Huh [thinking to retaliate with and an equally inquisitive "How much do you make or spend on drinks?"]
Stranger 1: Yes, what did you get?
Student: Well, I was 99% percentile and had a solid GPA
Stranger 1: Humm [not certain he understood the percentile]
Stranger 1: Gosh, with those stats, you could have made it to UCLA or Cal [if this talk happened at LAX or a similar Califonia locale]
Student: Could be, sir. [trying to avoid telling stranger that UCLA or Cal were not exactly on his list]
Stranger 1: I am telling you son, there is a value to attend a really good school.
Student: I can see that, sir ... that is why I attend [fill the blank]
Stranger 2: Sorry to interrupt, but this is very interesting. See my niece is in the midst of applying and I heard that ....
Stranger 1: Yes, it is amazing how little kids know about the real world and about schools.
Student: [pretend to go to sleep]
The ensuing lengthy discussion betwen Stranger 1 and 2 covers all the myths -debunked ad nauseam on CC- of college admissions and quite a few of obviously fabricated anedoctes.
Stranger 1: Hey, the kid fell asleep. What's new? Let's order a beer ... betcha that the noise of opening the can will wake him up!
Aisle 16 to 19 join in the laughter.</p>