<p>Which is the better school academically/has better all around programs?</p>
<p>No contest: Syracuse</p>
<p>MSMDAD-
Can you give some details that are the basis of your opinion? I'm intensely interested as these are D's top two choices. She already has a scholarship to UDel, and there should be a compelling reason why we would pay $15-$25,000 more per year to send her to Syracuse. Factors like class size and selectivity are very close to being equal. Syracuse has a reputation as a party school for rich kids -- which may be entirely undeserved. (Credit CC for this information.) </p>
<p>FYI - D intends to pursue a liberal arts degree, then enter a journalism graduate program, and is not interested in attending Newhouse as an undergraduate.</p>
<p>Hi KM, I'm on the road and can't fully respond to your question. I will send you a PM with a response this weekend.</p>
<p>My s is in the same position for engineering major. We live in PA. Tons of kids from his hs go to U of De. We visited - nice school in many ways. Concerned about how many kids move off campus after freshman year. I've heard there's quite a bit of partying there too. But I see where many CC comments on Syracuse are focused on the "rich kids party school" reputation. It would be helpful to hear others' comments on comparing Syracuse to U of DE.</p>
<p>Just my two cents here (which may mean nothing)....When we visited Syracuse last year, they mentioned that 78% of incoming freshman students receive some kind of financial aid....If my math is correct, that leaves 21% "rich kids"......This % is very similar (or probably lower) than 99.9% of private colleges in the United States.....There are going to be rich kids anywhere that costs close to $50,000 to attend.....In the 1970's I attended SUNY Binghamton; TONS of "rich kids"....go figure......I would expect that there are a decent number of rich kids at UDel also; maybe just not discussed....</p>
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<p>Thanks rodney, that's a very good point.</p>
<p>janlake,</p>
<p>I'm sure it is a tough decision. I graduated form SU myself from the College of Nursing so Syracuse is very close to my heart. My daughter got in but is still waiting to hear about some other schools as well, plus money is definatey a factor. In response to the person who said that Syracuse is a party school for rich kids, can probably say this about a lot of these schools. Yes, there were rich kids when I was there and yes there is partying going on but I think you need to also look at your student. I partied but I also worked very hard and made some great friends. I think that the comment that was made was a little bit of a generalization and unless you have actually experienced the life on the campus yourself you are better off not saying to much. Just my opinion! Being at Syracuse was 4 of the greatest years of my life. I would do it again in a heartbeat!</p>
<p>Has your daughter been offered a place in UDelaware's Honors Program? If so, then that might tilt the choice in Delaware's direction.</p>
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<p>Yes, D has been admitted into UDel Honors and participated in the Scholar Weekend, where they told her she would receive at least half-tuition and possibly more. She's been admitted into Syracuse but no word on financial aid yet. I don't expect Syracuse to get even close to UDel's offer. Still, Syracuse has that private school cache and a great daily student-run newspaper. This is a tough decision for all of us. </p>
<p>Judyrn203 - Didn't mean to diss Syracuse. I encourage any and all rebuttals to the party-school reputation because this is not the time for us to be making decisions based on rumors.</p>
<p>I forgot to mention: D came back from the Scholar Weekend absolutely thrilled with UDel - fellow applicants, professors, administrators, and the campus.</p>
<p>KM, I was about to send you a PM but you do not have the PM capability turned on.</p>
<p>Full disclosure: Like JudyRN203, I am a Syracuse alum. Although it has been many years since I graduated, I have returned to SU many times and my best friend's (ex-roomie) son recently graduated from SU with a degree in EE.</p>
<p>In any case, what I was going to tell you is that SU is much more well known than UDel, and it has a larger alumni network. SU is particularly well known for programs in journalism and public administration. Other programs, especially music/arts and the Study Abroad Program, are also highly regarded. Having lived in far off places (far from SU that is), I want to tell you that you cannot underestimate the importance of an alumni network and name recognition when looking for employment/internships/establishing oneself in a new area. </p>
<p>In regards to the rich kid party school label, I am not sure if this reputation is well deserved. Are there rich kids? Yes! Are there parties? Yes! However, as noted above by rodney, a preponderance of SU students receive financial aid. Additionally, SU is a very diverse school - lots of URMs, and students from all over the States and other countries. As with any other college, partying, or lack thereof, depends on the individual student.</p>
<p>Lastly, SU usually has generous merit aid. I say usually because when my DD applied last year, I did not find the merit aid package to be exceptionally generous (compared to the other schools that she was accepted to). I suspect, however, that if your DD qualified for a scholarship at UDel, she has also qualified for one at SU. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you and your DD. Let us know what you guys decide to do.</p>
<p>Delaware is more selective:
UD: 47% of applicants accepted
Syracuse: 51% of applicants accepted</p>
<p>Syracuse is better academically ranked by U.S News and World Report:
Syracuse: 50
UD: 71</p>
<p>Nevertheless, they are both very similar schools. You will not be hired when applying for a job solely on the fact that you went to one school or the other.</p>
<p>It would probably be wisest to go where its cheaper, or where D's heart desires and not worry about the academic reputation, as they both have stellar ones.</p>
<p>this amuses me greatly b/c my sister chose UD and I picked 'cuse...both of us applied to and got scholarships at both, fwiw.</p>
<p>syracuse's rep as a party school is deserved only as much as any other school...there are many different segments of the population--music underground, frat scene, kids who go into the city for nightlife, etc etc. I don't go to frat parties and have no shortage of entertainment.</p>
<p>the rep as a school for rich kids...I can't say it's entirely false. i'm decidedly middle class, and although it doesn't come up on a daily basis, there are some occasions where i notice it. the sororities are ridiculously expensive to join, on the assumption that you'll take advantage of the housing down the road. but the fact that my family doesn't own a summer home or regularly vacation in Europe is a bit of an oddity there. nevertheless, it's only an issue if you make it one, and it wouldn't for a minute change my mind about coming here. after all, the academic rep is pretty fantastic, whether it's journalism, drama, engineering, or public policy.</p>
<p>they're very different campus-wise, though...that might be a good deciding factor--what sort of environment does your daughter want? UDel is beautiful, but entirely isolated...getting to an airport means Philly or BWI, 'cuse is integrated with the city, which is awesome if you like that kind of thing. different strokes for different folks! =D</p>
<p>also want to point out that 'cuse has an amazing honors program...very different structure from Delaware's, but an asset nonetheless...feel free to PM/whatever as I am pretty close to both schools.</p>
<p>For those of you familiar with Syracuse, what is the campus like? Is it very spread out? Self-contained within the city? I've looked on the website, but can't find much about the campus. Also, what is the city of Syracuse like? I suppose there is a LOT of snow? Thanks!</p>
<p>I expected a lot more snow than we actually got last year. They talk a lot about the snow but not so much about the wind. The wind was actually a bit worse than the snow, especially the blizzards where you can't even look straight on.
The campus itself is pretty contained in my opinion, unless if you have to take the bus to the warehouse/vpa.</p>
<p>Syracuse</a> University Have a look around</p>
<p>SU is mostly contained on a hill about 5 minutes from downtown Syracuse. There's a lot of cultural entertainment in the area: an opera, symphony orchestra, equity theaters, several very good museums, and art shows. A lot of the activities have to do with snow (there are ski slopes fairly nearby), but if you look around, you'll have stuff to do indoors and out.
The campus is almost on top of the site where 690 and 81 (highways) meet, which also happens to be the place where the different personalities of each area of syracuse intersect. Near BBB (a dorm) is the rougher side of 'cuse, characterized by violence and a failing economy, closer to east campus are the family friendly neighborhoods (and Wescott--look it up). 20 minutes north or south and you wind up in lovely, almost-rural, suburbs. Go apple picking, hike, picnic by a lake--it's beautiful. Beautiful, that is, but not exactly exciting if you're not the birdwatching type (although snow mobiles are pretty sweet). If snow were gold, 'cuse would be the richest city in America. But it ain't. Still, as many cracks as I take at Syracuse weather (I'm a Florida girl), I'm getting tired of people fixating on the snow. Prioritize. Is the weather worth it to you?
As for the set up of the campus:
There are no gates, no true entrance, but driving up the Hall of Languages on University (...ave or pl, I can never get them straight), is a classic first viewing. The buildings around the quad are absolutely beautiful, and each has a fairly different architectural style. The buildings off the quad are more modern, less romantic. Bird library is sinfully ugly. Newhouses 1&2 aren't really appealing either, but the 3rd is wrapped protectively in the words of the first amendment and I can't help but love it.
It takes about 11-15 minutes (said one article) to cross from the dorms west of the quad (past the dome), to the dorms east of the quad (past the bus stops and the new Life Sciences complex). Like every university with an interest in holding it's rep, SU is under constant construction, and new dorms and buildings are currently being built near the east side of campus. </p>
<p>I highly recommend a campus tour (and I also highly recommend weather-conscious clothing), and while you're at it, get interviewed if you want. Any more questions, or if you need something more specific, lemme know.</p>
<p>Thanks very much for that, Threekids'kid. We are planning a visit, and I may have more questions further down the road.</p>