<p>My daughter was a freshman last year at a top, "name brand" LAC. She became ill right before finals and came home on a medical leave. She ended up withdrawing from all classes except one and only managed a "C." She currently is still "officially" on medical leave. However, while at home, my daughter took a class at the local university, a "Big 10" school. My kid fell in love with the subject matter and now wants to major in that area. </p>
<p>Here's the problem: Her LAC does not offer the major she now wants. She could take classes at a consortium university which has a strong department but is overall, only so-so. If my daughter goes back to the LAC, she'd have the name degree but would take classes in her major elsewhere. In addition, my daughter would have about $20K in loans. </p>
<p>If she continues at the local U, she could live in the dorms and still graduate debt-free (because of the difference in tuition). While the university is huge, the department is small and most of her classes would have only 15 students. (She's already hanging out with the 3rd-year majors.) Also, the local University is willing to grant credit for more IB scores and she could graduate a year earlier than if she goes back to the LAC. </p>
<p>Should she go back to the LAC or stay here?</p>
<p>My inclination is to stay here. It doesn't make sense to me to pay for a name-brand education but take classes in your major elsewhere -- especially if you have to take loans to do it. My daughter believes that she would be getting a good education in her major, even if it's not at her school. She feels the "name" would be helpful in getting a job after college and/or with getting into grad school -- especially since classes in her major would be at a school recognized by most grad schools.</p>
<p>Other options: We looked at her going to the consortium university. She would have to pay OOS tuition and again, the university itself isn't as good as the local university. She cannot apply as a transfer student to a "good" school because of her current GPA as a transfer. (It will take a few years to bring that up.)</p>
<p>We would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.</p>
<p>Are you asking if we think you should trade off your daughter's academic satisfaction, success and financial security for prestige ("name-brand")?</p>
<p>She should go where she is happy, do well, graduate without debt, and pursue whatever dreams develop. And if the school doesn't even have her major, it seems like a no-brainer to me.</p>
<p>I have written this before but I think it bears repeating. I am now 56 years old. I graduated from Number 1 LAC. I have lived on the east coast, in the midwest, and on the west coast. In the 35 years since graduation, I have NEVER - even once - had an employer, or a prospective employer, who had ever heard of the school, no less knew what state it was in. I have one daughter at a name-brand LAC, and one who wouldn't even consider it - and it makes perfect sense for both of them.</p>
<p>Let me be clear: I am a LAC-lover. But your daughter has found what she wants, and what she needs. </p>
<p>It sounds to me as if Boxmaker wants the daughter to transfer to the local public university, but the daughter is clinging to the prestige factor. I agree with Mini- the prestige factor is worth little to nothing. The girl is thriving in the local program- I would say that she should stay. If she wants prestige- there is always graduate school. She may be disappointed if she returns to the prestige school, too. The school does not have the right program for her, and she may not fit in after a long absence. People may not be all that welcoming, and she may feel out of step.</p>
<p>Go with mini's advice! This is an example of the case for the big state U. LACs are good only if they meet one's needs; in this case the LAC doesn't. Grad school depts in her major might even trust the quality of her education more at the state U since it offers that major, a lessor education isn't worth going into debt for.</p>
<p>i re-read the original post, and just the way it is written, there does not seem to be any question as to what the poster and the D wants. Is there something I am missing? Most importantly, does the D want to continue at Big U or does she want to go back to LAC? Is she the one with the doubts or does she have a strong preference about what to do?</p>
<p>First, thank you for the many replies! Also, an apology for not being clear -- hopefully, I'll do a better job this time!</p>
<p>My daughter doesn't know whether to go back to the LAC. She is doing well at the big, state university and probably won't have to take any huge classes (because of IB credits and because her major is not popular). She also will have no undergraduate debt.</p>
<p>If my daughter returns to the LAC, she would take all of her major classes at the consortium university. The latter itself is not highly ranked although this particular department is world-class. Although her major classes would not be at her LAC, they would be top-flight. She also wonders whether her chances for admission to a graduate department would be enhanced by having done coursework at the consortium university.</p>
<p>As an added note, I did my undergraduate work at an excellent, but little-know LAC. I did my graduate work at a highly prestigious university. Unlike what many of you experienced, I have benefited from having Prestige Univ on my resume. But that's a different topic....</p>
<p>So, the question is: Does it make sense to go back to a "name" school but take one's major elsewhere; or go to a lesser school to pursue a major not offered at the LAC.</p>
<p>I think prestige normally matters most at whatever your highest level of schooling is. Though this is very dependent on field. (In architecture going to grad school in the area you plan to practice is at least as useful.) Taking classes at the consortium university and getting to know the professors there, may be useful to her future plans with the plus of having a good LAC degree for the rest of her classes and the minus of a big debt. OTOH it sounds like your daughter is doing well where she is. There is no one right answer. And honestly it's not just "prestige" - it's also individual professors. How accessible they are, how much rapport you gain with them. All very intangible stuff.</p>
<p>"Unlike what many of you experienced, I have benefited from having Prestige Univ on my resume."</p>
<p>Me too. Graduate school. But even then, prestige is only a matter of how well known it is by others. By that definition, the number 1 LAC, for me, had no prestige whatsoever, and I would have gained more prestige from the state u.</p>
<p>
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It sounds to me as if Boxmaker wants the daughter to transfer to the local public university, but the daughter is clinging to the prestige factor.
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</p>
<p>I read the opposite, in that it seems it was mom worried about the prestige factor. Sounds like her current situation suits her well and is a better fit. Mom, big "10" should not be a problem with regards to "lack" of prestige. It sounds like a small department within the big "U"which is ideal.</p>
<p>I agree with mini, but from another prospective. My state U BA is not even from a third tier school. It did not keep me from attending a top tier private graduate school, and, like mini, in 30 years, no one has ever asked where I went to undergraduate school, grad school yes (usually for introductions), but not undergrad. More importantly, when I got to that grad school, I found my peers from the "elite" schools were no better educated, and often had more difficulty with the coursework than I did. If the state U makes one happy, by all means attend.</p>
<p>so study something she isn't interested in for the name on a piece of paper and having to go between two schools to do that, or study something she loves for a different name on a piece of paper at a place she is happy at, with small classes</p>
<p>
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So, the question is: Does it make sense to go back to a "name" school but take one's major elsewhere; or go to a lesser school to pursue a major not offered at the LAC.
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While not quite on par with how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, this too is a question for which there can be no answer with the info supplied.</p>
<p>There are questions of fact (or near fact) which lend themselves quite readily to answers, and there are questions in which the answer depends on values and preferences. The OP's question is clearly one of the latter. How are we to decide what "makes sense" as the OP puts it? There are dozens of possible grounds -- prestige, enjoyment, estimated lifetime earnings, chances of admission to a good grad school, expenses, etc. Can any answer possibly optimize all possible bases for decision? I think not.</p>
<p>A question that <em>could</em> be answered would specifiy among the values/preferences above, but without knowing what factor(s) matter to the OP (and more importantly the D in question) we might as well be discussing those angels dancing on the pin.</p>
<p>I'm so glad your D is recovered!
Chances are that your local university is more widely known than the name LAC. But really, your D will do better at a school which seems to suit her needs so much better than the LAC. It is a wonderful LAC, just did not fit her. I see everything pointing toward the uni, and little if any pointing to her going back to the LAC.</p>
<p>
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If my daughter returns to the LAC, she would take all of her major classes at the consortium university. The latter itself is not highly ranked although this particular department is world-class. Although her major classes would not be at her LAC, they would be top-flight.
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</p>
<p>I'll take a bit of a contrarian viewpoint - perhaps she should discuss this point with some of her profs at local state univ. What are her chances at graduate school from the department at local state U vs at the topflight department at the consortium university? She may do better as a star in a small department with lots of individual attention (local uni) or, if it is a technology heavy discipline for example, do better at the topflight program. Usually profs want to help students, and will be honest with her.</p>
<p>I'll take a stab and conjecture that you are talking about UMass and one of its consortium LACs. I don't think it would be much fun to bus to all your classes off-campus, you would miss a lot of what makes the LAC experience special, and maybe not get the most out of the major either.</p>
<p>Sounds like she should stay put, but I would explore the strengths of each department - may she should just transfer to Consortium U?</p>
<p>but she's just taking classes at the state university right now, it would be a whole new matter living and learning as an undergrad there. Has she even thought about the social fit?</p>
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My inclination is to stay here. It doesn't make sense to me to pay for a name-brand education but take classes in your major elsewhere -- especially if you have to take loans to do it. My daughter believes that she would be getting a good education in her major, even if it's not at her school. She feels the "name" would be helpful in getting a job after college and/or with getting into grad school -- especially since classes in her major would be at a school recognized by most grad schools.</p>
<p>Other options: We looked at her going to the consortium university. She would have to pay OOS tuition and again, the university itself isn't as good as the local university. She cannot apply as a transfer student to a "good" school because of her current GPA as a transfer. (It will take a few years to bring that up.)
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</p>
<p>And, I think that you are your child still have some talking to do. </p>
<p>But, with Graduate School, the last I checked...they recognise most schools?! I do not understand that at all. But, you did not share your child's major, boxmaker. I go to a Private Christian University which hardly anyone has heard of and I am getting mailing from Graduate Schools of Theology as well as Literature, so I do not understand this thing with the Graduate Schools.</p>
<p>If you child was ill and had their GPA suffer as a result, then I would stay at the State School. Why transfer and then have to basically go to two different schools to earn a degree? That might not even be good for your child's health, really- depending on the mode of comm-uniting.</p>