<p>After guiding other people’s progeny through the admissions maze for nearly three decades, it’s interesting (among other things) to be finally doing it with my own. My senior son now has a very short list of colleges that looks nothing like the one that I saw in my crystal ball when he started high school four years ago. But his rationale makes sense, and I support his choices. </p>
<p>So here’s my question to parents who have traveled this road already: </p>
<p>Did your child make colleges choices that surprised you? If so, how has it worked out?</p>
<p>Yes, all of mine surprised me. Didn’t work out for some, did for others. Unfortunately, The things that I feared and were issues prettymuch all came to fruition,but still two of them enjoyed their experiences and for the one was probably the best possible choice. </p>
<p>I’ve talked to some parents who couldn’t resist the old “I told you so” when a child’s unexpected college selection didn’t pan out. But some parents, like you, are still able to appreciate that the experience was valuable even if the choice wasn’t spot-on. </p>
<p>I was completely surprised. My older daughter picked an in-state public college for its nursing program and my younger daughter picked a local LAC. I would have imagined that my older would have gone to smallish art school and my younger to a major research university. Who knew? Both are happy with their choices.</p>
<p>Yes…in a way…S1 was a good student. He was awarded a NROTC scholarship. I envisioned him using it to go to college in some far flung destination, somewhere we never could have afforded. I knew he was very interested in our big state u. (DH’s alma mater) but thought the possibility of adventure would lure him. It didn’t.<br>
I wasn’t shocked since he had been a fan of big state u. his entire life but had really thought he might “broaden his horizons”.</p>
<p>He went to big state u. w/ two merit scholarships in addition to the NROTC. Full ride. He loved every minute of it … did well academically, had a p/t job and a non-stop social life. If he had to do it over, he would make the same decision. It’s been five years since he graduated. He still goes back to visit his college town (friends still live there) for football games and guy weekends. Still loves it. His career as a Naval Officer is going well.</p>
<p>I know my parents were surprised. It was always assumed I’d go to Michigan. Then, when I applied to and picked Michigan State, they were shocked. </p>
<p>My second son really surprised me. He surprised me with his choice of college, he surprised me with his choice of major. He really stretched himself on the ‘fit’ factor both in campus culture and in major. He just graduated and everything turned out fine and I guess he “knew” himself maybe even better than I thought.</p>
<p>My oldest, 22, ended up attending our local small university for medical reasons. Never expected that one! Then my middle child, 19, decided he’s not ready for college. I really did think he would go SOMEWHERE.</p>
<p>Tempting, bookworm, but my son prefers that I respect his privacy and not publish his college list at this point. And the issue here isn’t whether or not his current schools are “good” ones but if they are good ones *for him *</p>
<p>My son graduated from a U that receives little love on CC. He loved the House system, how easy it was to get involved with ECs and labs. His Dean and profs gave him full support when needed medical leave. Many other examples of staff members going beyond any expectations. What mattered was that the U was a good fit for him, as well as his friends. </p>
<p>I’m with scholarme. I don’t know why any parent would be outright “surprised” by a kid’s list–don’t most parents work on the lists with their kids, and know their kids well enough to have a sense of what they might like or not like?</p>
<p>What I meant by being “surprised” by my son’s list is that he has preferences now that are different than what I might have anticipated a couple years ago. But it wasn’t as if he handed me a piece of paper last week that made me say, “Yikes! Where did THESE come from?” But some of his early preferences (e.g., for size and location) weren’t what I once assumed he’d choose. And then, as we visited a range of colleges, his preferences continued to evolve. So by the time the summer ended and he had a pretty strong sense of where he’d be applying, I was amused to see how different that roster was from what was in my head several years back. But the final roster itself certainly wasn’t a shock since I was on all of the visits and could see which places were getting the axe and which weren’t. </p>
<p>My parents were surprised by my PhD list, not my undergraduate list. They were surprised that I had multiple Ivies on my PhD list, especially Dartmouth… and for some reason they were surprised when I put UPenn as a first choice.</p>
<p>Not all parents are as involved as or as knowledgeable as CC parents. </p>
<p>My parents know me quite well, but they don’t know colleges. They were not involved in my application process nor any other step of the way. They didn’t know the difference between an LAC or a research U or any other terms that are thrown around. I think this is true of most low-income, first gen kids. </p>
<p>They assumed I was going to U of M because that’s where most smart kids around here go. </p>
<p>@sally305 Some parents actually don’t know what a kid’s list looks like. My parents don’t and they haven’t help me formulate a list. I’m a first generation and low income so for all the help with college I come here. My parents think a school is bad because of what state it’s in. My mom is telling me that if I get accepted into Tulane, I’m NOT going because it is in Louisiana. Her only reason was because she knew of Louisiana as a bad place. Some parents are just not that involved with the college admissions process. </p>
<p>DS’s list…no real surprises. Even in 9th grade, most of the colleges were already on his radar. We did our first college visits summer after 9th grade with him.</p>
<p>DD…well…we never heard of her college until she was near the end of 10th grade, and a poster on this forum suggested it. So, like Sally, this one wasn’t on anyone’s radar when she was in 9th grade. </p>
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