Made a visit today to the safety school - actually, the safety of the safeties, although it’s a perfectly fine school with a good program in D’s area of interest, and she would almost surely be in their Honors College. So she was not hopping up and down, but was a good sport for the most part.
Though her reluctance/ambivalence showed itself when after a very pleasant drive, we got parked, checked in with time to spare, lovely alumni hall … and she proceeded to tear me a new one because I registered our party for the tour under her full given name (which is in all her school, work, and standardized testing records), not her preferred nickname which is 5 fewer letters and never gets mispronounced. Not shouting, but within full earshot of the tour guide - a handsome and self-assured young man whose shoes and clothing were just fine! - and wouldn’t let it go even after we were seated. I told her when she puts forth the effort to set up the tours online, she can put in whatever name(s) she likes. Just don’t call me late for dinner.
I really have to admit, this doesn’t belong squarely in a stupid reasons category, at least D and I don’t think so. One can’t help their initial gut reactions.
Honk if you think Big Red the mascot looks somewhat … ah, a word that rhymes with “Gallic”. Try to picture viewing that statue from behind.
“The huge, furry, lovable creature was originally designed and built by WKU student Ralph Carey, (‘80 WKU graduate), of Cincinnati, and made its’ debut during the Hilltoppers’ 1979-80 basketball season. Big Red has become a big hit with fans of all ages throughout the state and the nation. Big Red’s signature moves are the belly slide and belly shake.”
Interesting story, actually, of the “creation of one of the most eccentric mascots in all of sports”:
This is not so much as stupid as sometimes your kid really does what you ask. I have had my s visit schools during the school year and told him to think about the weather between sept. 1 and may 1 and if he can stand it because that is the school year. Living in the west where it is normally regularly sunny I was concerned he would be miserable with the overcast, dreary winters in the midwest and east. Well he did exactly as I asked and now has ruled out any colleges that do not have evergreen trees. He finds a place covered in bare deciduous trees in the winter weird and the winters too brown.
This time, I almost blew a gasket. We were at the safety - the surprisingly impressive safety with a very well-oiled admissions process, competent honors program, library facility that just blew me away, and turned out to have a freshman honors dorm that was nicer than many hotels I’ve stayed in.
To pass the time before the tour starts, we’re looking at the program of study for D’s intended major. She sees in the core requirements that she needs to take a course in a discipline that’s particularly outside her area of interest (which is, um, why they HAVE core requirements).
“Oh, I have to take a XXX course?” My parental knee-jerk response, of course, was “Well, if you’d signed up for AP [XXX Course A] instead of Honors [XXX Course B] this year, you probably could have tested out.” Apparently this was offensive … and I got an earful. She does have 3 other AP courses this year, but that’s not the point.
This time, after sitting through the 30-minute presentation with a knot in my stomach, I asked her to step outside so we could make a firm agreement that effective immediately and going forward, if she has a negative reaction to either the school or to something one of her parents said or did, it must be tabled until we’re off campus, or at least in the parking garage! There are eyes and ears everywhere and you are always “on.” Yikes.
This thread puts a smile on my face. It is funny. Always thought my kid’s total dislike for the Aggies was odd. Went all the way back to some 1st grade Longhorn/Aggie rivalry.
We were at a Catholic college and D didn’t like all the Latin inscriptions on the lovely stone and masonry buildings. Thought it was weird. I guess that saves us from having to tour any Ivies. Sweet.
I think it’s time to revive this thread! Who’s got new stories about irrational reasons why a student won’t apply to a school, visit the campus, or react positively to being accepted?
^^^I have a particular dislike for campuses that build new buildings to "match’ existing buildings built ibefore 1900. There were no 12 story brick neo-colonial buildings in the 19th century!
I have seen among my D’s friends that young people who worked super-hard to get their applications in on time can be highly intolerant of a school taking a few days to link up their transcript or test score with their on-line application.
The time that the item shows as “Missing” when it was submitted on time, even weeks earlier, can create a hostile reaction toward the school. As adults we have all experienced things like this and can see how they would happen, especially at a large school. But the 17-year-old’s perspective can be that it’s only happening to them, and it’s like they’re being criticized or blamed for something they didn’t do wrong.
Schools should keep this in mind as they make continuous improvements to their application systems. That negative student reaction at a sensitive juncture can outweigh a lot of expensive marketing.
^Or maybe it’ll help weed out some kids who they shouldn’t want on campus, students who might be a little oversensitive and high maintenance if they think everything is about “me”.
I can see both sides of the issue @doschicos . Your point is valid.
That said, they are 17, and I think a little oversensitivity/high maintenance in this regard is pretty mild compared to some of the outrageously entitled attitudes displayed on multiple campuses in the past several weeks. Or compared to some of the incidents described in other posts in this thread that has, after all, a “Stupidest reason” theme. Folks are poking good-natured fun at young people who have a lot of maturing ahead of them.
^^^ Technically true, yes @wis75 , that is the predominant theme of the thread.
That said, it has some of the funniest content in the entire CC forum landscape, and can really add perspective for parents who are experiencing exasperation at any phase of the process. Hence the interest in reviving it every once in awhile.
With the Common App, and in some cases even without it, students can add schools to their application portfolio for <$100 more apiece and not a ton of additional effort. Therefore schools can be included for all kinds of reasons perhaps not of their choosing, whether that’s safeties they’re not enthused about, or their parent’s alma mater, or proximity to relatives.
Now that we are more into application and acceptance season and out of general prospecting season, the phenomenon can shift toward Stupidest Reasons for wanting to eliminate schools from consideration that one has applied to or even been admitted to. Especially if they now have to do a Phase II for Honors consideration or merit scholarships, with new essays etc.
