<p>Yikes...that's not good!</p>
<p>My wife describes the Boston area as the Olympic training ground for "auto dressage". Was at Wellesley last week. Depending on where you live on campus, it is quite a walk into town, what there is of it. Anyhow, visit. You'll feel at home at one or the other, or both, in which case you might end up with a nice choice!</p>
<p>{{Ummm...Northampton and Wellesley are two very different towns}}</p>
<p>Ive lived somewhat near Wellesley and have a friend who does live there. I also lived in Amherst at one time.
Wellesley is a very wealthy suburb with beautiful homes and not a gorgeous, bustling college town such as Northampton and Amherst. Except for the historic Wellesley Inn (theyre exempt from the law) the town is dry---not that college bars or liquor in restaurants should be a criterion for choosing a college. :) </p>
<p>Wellesley has a couple of upscale stores and a Starbucks, but there isnt anything /at all/ to do in town, hence, students rarely venture in to town. Going to Boston (waiting as long as 45+ minutes for a bus etc) is more of a hassle than most comprehend or youll be told at the info sessions. And if you miss the last returning bus at night the cab ride back is very expensive.
In all fairness, you can miss the last bus between Amherst and Smith also; but since so many students are driving between the colleges getting a ride isnt usually a problem. Another option is taking a cab for $10-12 -- or about $4 each if youre with 2 friends.</p>
<p>My daughter couldnt imagine not having Northampton and Amherst at hand as great college towns for a pleasant diversion. They make my visits much more enjoyable too. :) She additionally loves the fact she can attend parties, visit friends and attend major cultural events at UMass, Amherst, Holyoke and Hampshire Colleges by taking a relatively short, free bus ride to the campuses. The free bus will now stop at the shopping centers also. It didnt used to.
From all reports, the Amherst College Super Bowl party was fantastic, even for a non-drinker such as my daughter. That had no bearing on anything, but I thought I'd throw it in--lol</p>
<p>Most students attending Colgate, Hamilton, Colby, et al colleges have zip for towns but they still love their college. Its a matter of whats important.</p>
<p>{{{Boston left," executed by edging your car across the lanes, bringing traffic to a halt until you get across), that merging is accomplished with a "get theah the fustest with the mostest" philosophy, etc.}}</p>
<p>LOL--driving in Boston can be a challenge----although no worse than LA. Whenever Im driving in Boston I keep one foot on the gas, the other on the brake, one hand on the steering wheel and the other always at the ready to stick out the window with a single finger signal.
I actually don't do the finger exercise, but I sure think about it.</p>
<p>LA vs. Boston driving: no comparison. In L.A., they move. They know how to cooperate on merging. They have left-turn lanes all over the place. Also Los Angeles is extremely well signed; Boston suffers from the "the locals know where they're going, to hell with everyone else" approach to signage. I'll be parochial and defend this one to the last ditch. </p>
<p>I sweated more driving into/out of Manhattan. Part of the problem is that NYC seems to consider informational signs something precious to be doled out sparingly.</p>
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Wellesley has a couple of upscale stores and a Starbucks, but there isnt anything /at all/ to do in town, hence, students rarely venture in to town.
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</p>
<p>How true. I spent a week at Wellesley College taking a teacher evaluation course offered by a private agency, and I'll tell you first hand, there is literally nothing to do in the town. Every night, my friends and I would take the "T" into Boston (about 45 minute ride), to get something to eat, entertainment, etc. We stayed at the Wellesley Inn, and it was just o.k. </p>
<p>When my D and I visited,(pre-Smith), we found the campus too isolated and spread out. It really looked empty; and it was the middle of the week with classes going on. In addition, we founbd the campus unkempt (maybe it was just a bad day), but there were beer bottles strewn all over campus, and litter in the oddest places. Northampton is a much more exciting town with lots to do. And it is literally a stones throw away from the Smith campus.</p>
<p>It all depends what you're looking for. But if you want some form of nightlife, then Smith is the better choice.</p>
<p>{{Boston suffers from the "the locals know where they're going, to hell with everyone else" approach to signage.</p>
<p>And you see a problem where? :)</p>
<p>I have to admit though, you're correct. Ive been totally lost in that town on more than one occasion because of the lack of signage. Boston also has a nasty habit of changing long standing two-way streets to one-way, for no apparent reason. Thank god the big dig is over. That, too, made a total mess of things for a decade.</p>
<p>I have a great Boston resident story for all who might believe east coast residents are less than friendly.
I was looking for Tufts so my daughter could visit the campus. Being completely lost, I did what was counterintuitive for any male. I decided to ask for directions. I parked in a Lexus dealership and walked up to the very distinguished gentlemen and voiced my frustration and asked for help. He began to give me directions and then decided there were far too many turns, I would stay lost, and if I would wait a few minutes while he picked up his car he would drive to the campus and I could follow. Long story short; a Harvard professor went out of his way to help a stranger with out-of state license plates find Tufts.
Once there, my daughter wouldnt get out of the car to look at the campus because it was too urban and she didnt like the surrounding area.</p>
<p>I wont (can't) post my thoughts at that moment.</p>
<p>RLT...Ouch!!! I gotta say, however, that my D kind of felt the same way at Tufts; although we did tour and do the info session. I think she just felt obligated to me and my family, as we have had a family member attend the dental school. To their credit, though, the Dean of the Science Dept. answered an email my D sent her and met with me and my D for about an hour, and just talked about the school and the science program, and asked my D about herself and interests. I was impressed.</p>
<p>{{{I was impressed.}}</p>
<p>Tufts is a great college. I'm friends with a studernt who is attending now. And I have a friend who is an alum and attended Harvard med.
He's a pediatrician in NH making squat after paying all the expenses associated with his practice.
His daughter is attending a top LAC and they qualified for a great deal of aid----unbelievable.
Its sad, in a way, that rural docs have it so difficult. Its the same with friend of mine in Middlebury. The hospital has to subsidize his income so he can afford to practice in rural VT.
I have no idea why I brought up total irrevelent facts to choosing a college. Oh well :)</p>
<p>My daughter has weird tastes. She didnt like Holyoke (two members of my family she loves are alumnae and wanted her to apply) because the town was too small and she didnt think the campus was that pretty. Gawddd, the Holyoke campus is gorgeous. But she loved Colgate even though its in the middle of nowhere and many of the buildings are similar architecturally to Holyoke.</p>
<p>Harvard was a fun topic. She said she would apply to Harvard if I insisted but would <em>never</em> go there. Cambridge was too congested and <em>cityish</em> She never had a chance at Harvard, but not even considering the college because the town was too <em>busy</em> made absolutely no sense, especially since she loves London and Paris. Talking about congested. Gezzz.</p>
<p>I have another daughter to go through this process with. Shes as nutty as the first. Northampton is too populated, so Smith is out, but going to college in Paris is her 1st choice. What am I missing here?--lol Isnt going to happen, though, unless I get to live there too :)</p>
<p>My D's comment after visiting Harvard: "I liked it better than I thought I would."</p>
<p>I thought she might have been attracted to it because one of her adult mentors went there but no dice. Of course, Harvard saved her agonizng over it anyway.</p>
<p>
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going to college in Paris is her 1st choice. What am I missing here?--lol Isnt going to happen, though, unless I get to live there too
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<p>Sounds like something I would say. <em>LOL</em> That's what I like about you guys, you care about your D's so much...I like to think I do to. We have been involved in their lives since birth in loving and caring ways as supportive parents. Why should it stop with the college process, and beyond?</p>
<p>I may have mis-read, but I think RLT is a <em>little</em> less altruistic perhaps, thinking spending days on the Left Bank and wandering through the museums and sampling all the restaurants and cafes while his poor D studies studies studies, LOL. (The ultimate "POS!" experience for D.)</p>
<p>{{{I may have mis-read, but I think RLT is a <em>little</em> less altruistic perhaps, thinking spending days on the Left Bank and wandering through the museums and sampling all the restaurants and cafes}}}</p>
<p>Id add a few side trips to visit friends in England and Chamonix to ski, but youve more or less covered the plan. :)</p>
<p>Sorry for the letdown Bjm8</p>