<p>I know this is not a very active thread (to say the least!) but Knox keeps coming up as a top choice for my daughter and I'm trying to get some additional insight and thoughts from anyone! I think it's a great school and it's the location that makes it off most people's radar. I truly believe that if it was located in the Northeast or Pennsylvania it would be very hard to get into and yet being in the middle of nowhere is also part of it's appeal.</p>
<p>When we visited last April it was the first school my daughter fell in love with and they seem to offer classes/majors/minors in everything she's interested in but it was one of the first potential schools she saw. I think she has two other colleges where she is interested as well but we haven't heard from yet. </p>
<p>We will definitely go to their admitted student day but until then, anyone on CC have any thoughts of their own?</p>
<p>amtc, my son and I visited in the fall and really liked it too. We live in the midwest, so it is fairly well known for attracting bright, somewhat unconventional kids who want a small LAC. Its proximity to Chicago is a plus as well.</p>
<p>What we both loved about Knox was the friendliness of EVERYONE, the accessibility of professors, the sense that everything is freely available for the students to take advantage of (including the very cool rare book and map collection in the library), and the students’ strong sense of engagement and enthusiasm for the school. It has a great reputation for solid academics and doing a good job of preparing kids for medical school, law school, other grad programs or careers.</p>
<p>We found Knox incredibly unpretentious, which for us as midwesterners (I admit to being an east coast transplant) is a big plus. But it might seem unfamiliar to someone from certain environments on the coasts in which there is more open competition, concern over a college’s “status,” and so on.</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing, amtc & sally305. You said two important words for our family–friendliness & unprententious. We’re doing a road tour w/S this summer. This school will be one of our stops.</p>
<p>My youngest daughter went to Knox and loved it. She knew her professors and still keeps in touch with them. She made great friends there and is proud that she went to Knox. If you have any questions, I will try to answer them.</p>
<p>Hello all, I was admitted to Knox a few months ago but the school was never my first, second, or third choice. In fact I knew nothing of Knox but applied because a friend of the family encouraged me to do so because she went there.</p>
<p>Anyway, Knox has given me a ton of scholarship and grant money! After its all said and done I would pay around $10,000 a year to attend Knox.</p>
<p>My first choice was the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign but I just learned that they did not give me a penny! In fact they want my parents to take out a yearly Parent Plus Loan for $28,000.</p>
<p>I know that Knox and Illinois are two vastly different schools but what should I do? Illinois music program is nationally ranked in the top 10 and I would hate to let the opportunity slip me by. However, I do not want my parents to go in debt to fund my education.</p>
<p>Hoopstar, what do you want to do with your music education? Can you honestly say it will be worth nearly $100K more to get whatever benefits come from Illinois’ top ranking? Did you talk to anyone in the music department at Knox to see where their graduates go?</p>
<p>As a parent, I would have a hard time justifying that much expense to send my child ANYWHERE for undergrad. There just doesn’t seem to be a difference in outcomes that would make it worthwhile. But I am biased, because my son is ONLY looking at small liberal arts colleges like Knox–we are not even considering large state schools. Small class sizes, personal attention from faculty, and the ability to graduate in four years (something that doesn’t happen at all state schools) are big factors for us.</p>
<p>Hi Sally and thanks for the response. In short, I want to become a classical or jazz vocalist. If I am not able to pursue my dream after obtaining my bachelors degree then I would go on to graduate school in vocal performance.</p>
<p>I am not sure if Illinois is worth the price or not? I ave spoken to numerous voice professors at different colleges and universities and they all say the same thing-that the most important aspect of a voice majors undergrad years is whom that persons voice instructor is. Therefore, it is not really the college/university but the college professor who is providing you with weekly vocal lessons that can make or break you.</p>
<p>One of the vocal professors at Illinois (whom sat in on my vocal audition) has expressed keen interest in being my vocal instructor and I think she can take my voice to the next level.</p>
<p>However, one of the voice instuctors at Knox wrote me a handwritten letter stating that she enjoyed my voice and would like for me to come to Knox. I will admit that Knox has made me feel very special the last few months. I do have a visit scheduled at Knox in a few weeks so maybe that will help tremendously with my decision.</p>
<p>It doesnt help that my parents are divided on the issue (they are divorced). My dad said that there is no way he is paying for Illinois (and he is a former alum). My mom sais that if I truly want to go there she would make the sacrifice for me.</p>
<p>Anyway, my visit to Knox should help with my decision.</p>
<p>Hoopstar, you should absolutely visit and then decide. To see if you connect with the professor who wants to work with you, to get a feel for the campus and performing opportunities, to see if it just feels “right”–all of that is essential for you to be happy.</p>
<p>Knox was not on my son’s radar until he applied (at my urging) and after visiting it became one of a handful of schools at the top of his list. You really never know until you go. </p>
<p>While we still have five schools to visit this month, I spent a good part of the weekend reviewing all the schools via their written and online information and narrowed it down to two schools. Knox being one, always has been, and Pitzer in CA being the other which means the commute sucks regardless although the trimester works better as they have less “days off” each year. (My daughter, being dyslexic, is terrible with reading details like this, especially online, that’s why I’ve done it. When she’s ready to delve deeper after the visits I will have some idea as to how to navigate and what to look for.)</p>
<p>My one major concern with Knox is availability of classes. As a small college I’m not sure their offerings are as plentiful or frequent as Pitzer with it’s 5 college connections. For example, Knox offers Ceramics I and II regularly but according to it’s catalog Advanced Ceramics is only offered occasionally. This is an important class for my daughter so I’m wondering how that might work. I know it will be a question for our visit on Friday but my question to those who might know - Has your student found classes to be limited in their availability?</p>
<p>If Advanced Ceramics isn’t offered when your daughter is ready to take it, she can almost certainly do it as an independent study. I went to Knox eons ago, and even then independent study classes, independent majors, and undergraduate research were common. Be sure to ask on Friday, but I bet that’s what they’ll say.</p>
<p>We just finished our second visit to Knox with our admitted senior daughter and she wants to go there. But I am leary of it for its isolation and its vibe. I am no snob by any means, but Knox just didn’t do a good job articulating what makes it different from any other small liberal arts college, and their years of deferred building maintenance gives the impression that they are “declining.” With a new president just installed, I’m wondering if the old president let the fundraising go and Knox is struggling to catch up??? Can anyone confirm that Knox is a reliable place to spend $75K or $80K of my own money on a LCA education.</p>
<p>My dd graduated from Knox a couple of years ago. I felt she got a superior education there and she would say so too. She never felt isolated. I don’t think she went into town much as there was plenty to do on campus. I think actually Knox is on the upswing. Their enrollment has been increasing steadily and I think the last president actually stabilized things. If you have any specific questions, pm me and I will ask my dd.</p>
<p>spdf - yes, we met with the sculpture professor and he was incredibly helpful. He loves the advanced ceramics program and their equipment is quite good especially for a LAC. No problem at all taking classes that don’t exist officially. </p>
<p>We also met with the head of the creative writing program and were impressed. </p>
<p>So the programs are great, the kids are great, the profs are great, only two problems left - the language requirement and the crummy commute.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply. I spent Sun. aft. on the internet and couldn’t find one discouraging word about Knox. Emailed a prof there our daughter liked and he emailed back at 8 p.m. Sunday eve. I think at this point I’m going to trust the universe. They do have a small endowment, so they are prioritizing–spending it on humans instead of buildings. I’m OK with that. The new president is doing some serious fundraising, so I don’t think its’ going to backslide in the next four years.</p>
<p>Hello all, I visited Knox for the first time this past Friday and I fully enjoyed the college and how friendly everyone was. I am looking to major in voice and after talking with one of the vocal professors I have no doubt that I would get an excellent education as well as vocal instruction.</p>
<p>With that said, I doubt if I will be attending as i want to get out of the midwest-looking for a school in a large city. I have also been accepted into the University of Illinois in Champaign for vocal performance but think the school is way to big for me. I will probably attend Loyola University in New Orleans,</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Knox and absolutely loves it! From Day 1, he got involved. His adviser has been fantastic, and my son really likes the small classes. He finds the other students extremely bright and engaging.</p>
<p>I was concerned about Galesburg, but he says the town is growing on him.</p>
<p>I am currently a junior at Knox and I can safely say that making the decision to come to Knox has been nothing but good for me. Although I understand that the surrounding locality of Galesburg may not be initially appealing to everyone, I come to love it here with all of its unique small town charm. Additionally, Galesburg hosts many exciting events, the hot air balloon festival, taste of Galesburg, Railroad Days, and a lovely farmers market and between the college and the town there is always something to do. If you have any questions feel free to ask them.</p>
<p>My son will enroll at Knox as a freshman this fall. He made this decision without the benefit of visiting the campus and area but we both felt comfortable with the remote research we did plus we were impressed with the personal attention he received from the admission staff. He’s very pleased with the depth of the history and soc/anthro departments (his intended areas of study) plus the financial aid office has been generous and straightforward.</p>
<p>I’m hoping you’ll indulge me some questions about Knox:</p>
<p>First, in your post above and on other message boards there seems to be some negative impressions of the city of Galesburg. I visited the town many years ago on business and, candidly, can’t recall anything either positive, negative or notable.</p>
<p>Can you comment on these negative impressions? Is the city dangerous or does it just not have enough “bright lights, big city” excitement for some people?</p>
<p>On another topic, what can you say about the Greek system at Knox? Do the fraternities and sororities dominte the social scene? Are they exclusionary or are they welcoming to non-members?</p>
<p>Lastly, more mudane, but why are both cafeterias (Hard Knox and the Oak Room) located in the same building? Do they offer different food and different “atmosphere?” Wouldn’t it make more sense logistically to have cafeterias in two different locations? Now the inevitable follow up–how’s the food?</p>