<p>I have twins entering their Jr. year and one of my girls is very interested in Trinity University in S.A. Texas and Scripps College in Claremont. We are in Northern CA and probably will not visit Trinity unless DD is accepted. Anyone here been to both campuses? I'd love to know what your experiences were. Thanks!</p>
<p>While I understand the limitations about visiting out-of-state schools, Trinity is well worth a visit. If Scripps has a beautiful campus and accomodations labeled "palatial," Trinity is no slouch in that department. </p>
<p>Short of a visit, it's a good idea to poke around the web sites of both schools. The differences will show up rather fast: Trinity is a coed school with 2500 students and Scripps is MUCH smaller but benefits from the close proximity of the other Claremont schools. Trinity does have a substantial Greek presence and is located in a major southern city, Depending on individual tastes that could be a plus or a negative. While both San Antonio and Los Angeles are largerly influenced by their Hispanic (or Chicano or Latino for the purists) it would be a mistake to think they are ... similar. Again, you may prefer one over the other. For what it is worth, neither is San Antonio similar to other cities in Texas, especially Dallas, Houston, or even Austin. San Antonio is San Antonio! </p>
<p>Inasmuch as anecdotes are not the plural of data, I'd like to add that I've never met a student of either school who regretted her (or his) decision to attend. </p>
<p>With the opening of new lines and removal of the limitations imposed by the Wright Act, fares between California and Texas are dropping, and more direct flights are available. You may find a fare between Ontario (the closest airport to Scripps) and a few Texas cities that make a trip easier on the wallet.</p>
<p>PS Those are two VERY good choices!</p>
<p>Two of my favorite schools! I go to Pomona (in the Claremont consortium with Scripps) and was accepted to and very much considered Trinity U. Both are great schools, but you will find a few slight, but important differences. Obviously, Scripps is an all-girls school, but you'll find that to be less of a factor because of the surrounding four colleges. Scripps is a very small, idyllic campus, with lots of beautiful gardens and architecture. Trinity is more reflective of its urban area, with a bigger campus and a more diverse (in terms of idealogies and backgrounds) student body than Scripps. Trinity has more of a "jock" scene and less of an intense intellectual feel. While there is certainly an intellectual environment at Trinity, there is also an emphasis on Athletics (as much as there can be at a D3 school) and a strong Greek scene. Scripps has none of this. The surrounding areas are also very different, with Claremont as a sleepy, small town with the colleges as the focus of nightlife versus San Antonio's urban environment. San Antonio is a great, culture-rich city, it'd be nice if you were able to explore it in a visit. Both are great choices and beautiful, stimulating places to attend college!</p>
<p>Alacrity, you gave me the info I needed. And do you know Marilyn Hook?..She just graduated from Pomona. </p>
<p>My DD is looking for a place where she can be challenged which I know she will find at both. She is a soccer player but not of the caliber that may get her noticed by recruiters. But she wants to continue to play at the intramural or club level when she leaves home. She's also intriqued by innertube H20 polo at the CC solleges. </p>
<p>Anyway thank you for making that distictintion. </p>
<p>Xiggi I appreciate your response too. She's a small town girl who is going to have to see for herself what the best fit is while she is really drawn to the Trinity website because it's really one of the coolest out there, she may not feel the same connection to the campus so it looks like we'll be going to visit. I want to anyway Schlitterbahn was rated in the top 5 water parks nationally and I love a water park :-)</p>
<p>How well known is Trinity U.? I asked someone from Texas that I work with but he did not know the school. I posed the same question to people that went to Texas A&M they also did not recognize the name. I know those are just 2 data points, but I was just wondering.</p>
<p>HM, you're welcome!</p>
<p>If you visit Texas, you'll find the corridor between Austin and San Antonio quite interesting. New Braunfels is where one of the the Schlitterbahn water park is located:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.schlitterbahn.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.schlitterbahn.com/</a></p>
<p>As the site says, Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas is consistently named the #1 water park in the U. S. A. Of course, we Texans think that most if not all of our "stuff" should be named #1. </p>
<p>Now, if you want more water fun but at a relaxed pace, you may want to place this hotel in your "visit San Antonio" file</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this hotel is often sold out as it has become some kind of summer sanctuary for Dallas and Houston families en route to and from summer camps. It's not on the way to New Braunfels and Austin, but still convenient for the Alamo, the River Walk, and close to Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Sea World. Since Trinity is centrally located, any hotel would work for school visits.</p>
<p>On the soccer issue, Scripps is part of the CMS group (as opposed to the Pomona/Pitzer group.) Keri Sanchez is a wonderful coach and as easily approachable as she is honest with prospective players. </p>
<p>Being from North California, you may have had a chance to meet her (and many soccer coaches from California) at the Stanford College ID and Development Camp for Girls. Unfortunately, the camp ended ... today. Of course, there is always next year since your D is a rising junior. </p>
<p>Here's the link to the CMS program</p>
<p>Toorich...Trinity is small and may not be on the radar of the avg. Texan...much as the Clarmont McKenna Colleges are not on the radar of every Californian. </p>
<p>As far as reputation goes though US news has ranked Trinity #1 masters university in the west 15 years running. It's also got a great report card at collegedirt.com and if you do a Trinity search hear on CC you will see that for those looking for a small, challenging school this side of the Mississippi, it's one of the best.</p>
<p>Funny you should mention soccer camp Xiggi, my girls (twins) are attending the College ID camp at Santa Clara the 20-23. This is their second year going to that camp and they really enjoy it. We are combining it w/ a campus visit. Santa Clara is in the bottom half of thier short lists so we'll see if this visit changes things.</p>
<p>You seem to know so much about so many things can I ask you what you know about Cal State Monterey Bay? It is definate safety...financially as well as academicly and we will be touring it the day after Santa Clara. It's so new I have had trouble finding it on lists where I can get independent evaluations. Thanks!</p>
<p>The greeks at Trinity U are local (I think) as opposed to part of the nationwide greek organizations. We loved our visit, and really enjoyed the very enthusiastic professors we met. The engineering building was not topnotch - but I understand that they will be building a new one soonish. Other facilities are very, very nice, and students seem happy to be there. I know of several students who graduated - one to a PHd program at UT, one to work in England. Both had good summer internships in school. I know that Trinity really focuses on research opps for their science students and has lots of summer work in those areas for their students. Practically no grad students means that it is all about the undergrads. Definitely worth a visit. (They also have a large endowment for a school that size.) My son was admitted with some merit aid, but the Rice F.A. package (needbased) was actually a little more generous, and he will be attending Rice.</p>
<p>What you know about Cal State Monterey Bay?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, nothing at all. My only knowledge of the soccer scene in California comes from having spent time with my younger sister during her visits at three colleges. We are from Texas. </p>
<p>I believe you may get more answers on a specific thread discussing "Soccer in California" or "Soccer in the Bay Area." A thread about Scripps and Trinity does not get much mileage in this forum, because not many people are in the position of sharing experiences. Now, a thread about women soccer in California ... that should work!</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Scripps clearly academic superior and its area in California is far more appealling. Trinity is essentially unknown outside of south Texas, and is neither a university nor a liberal arts school. It is not nearly as well-regarded as the eponymous Trinity College, the fine liberal arts school. San Antonoio is tolerable ror a random weekend, but has little to support a broad-based collegiate experience.</p>
<p>Interesting....these are the first non-glowing words I have heard in reference to Trinity. I mean no disrespect but the fact that US News ranks it as it does seems to contradict you. I am curious in regards to your point of view and how you came by it. </p>
<p>Scripps is more selective and it will be a bit of reach for my DD. Our little HS offers only 5 APs and she plans to take them all. Her GPA right now is a 3.87. I expect that weighted it will be above a 4.0 by the time she graduates. She currently is in the top 5% of her class. She will take the SAT for the first time this year. She tests well but her scores are an unknowable part of her "Chances" equation. Her ECs are great...long term and varied. I see Trinity is more of a high quality, good bet school.</p>
<p>Anyway, Scripps is where I would love to see her because it is closer and meets all but the EFC. However a whole lot can change in the course of the next year and a half. By the time she applies this whole thread may have become irrelevant. :-)</p>
<p>Just visited Trinity a couple of weeks ago. I was very impressed. I'm a native Texan and never heard of the school until I was in college. It is not well known because it is so small, but I really enjoyed the visit. My daughter liked the campus, but has pretty much dismissed the school because of its size -- 2500 undergrads. That's just a little bigger than her high school.</p>
<p>The visit included a nice session on their internships and research with about 8 kids who were doing one or the other. At a school this small, your professors really get to know you and can help you get these kinds of opportunities. One young lady had a marketing internship with the San Antonio Spurs. Campus seemed very safe even though it's in the middle of a huge city. I think San Antonio is wonderful, but it's not to everyone's taste. It does remind me slightly of southern Cal. The Spanish influence on the architecture especially. Students were friendly and knowledgeable. Campus food was dreadful. Campus is very hilly. Never did so much walking on a campus tour before. It's a hike up what they call "Cardiac Hill" from the dining hall to most of the classroom buildings. No chance of gaining the freshman 10 here.</p>
<p>historymom--it is only $50 or so wasted if she applies, gets in, visits and doesn't like the place. If you visit now you are out the cost of the trip, you still have to spend the $50 to apply and then it would be very surprising if she didn't want to visit at least her top two choices before committing.</p>
<p>Unless resources and time are so abundant that you can do both trips, I'd skip the pre-application visit and plan to visit once she's accepted.
YMMV but it was our experience that both girls didn't really get "the inside story" until they were admitted and got to spend some time with actual students, attending actual classes and events, instead of tours and tour guides.</p>
<p>The size of Trinity is appealing as we are from a small Northern CA town w/ fewer people that the average state university. As a mim I like the idea that my girls may be somewhere where a professor will know them and help them trasition from our little fish bowl town to the larger world. We had a cardiac hill where I went to college too. Built great leg muscles but somehow I still gained that freshman 15 ;-)</p>
<p>Not sure where redcrimblue gets their information about Trinity. I also live in Dallas and Trinity annually gets several students from each of the top private schools (St.Mark's. Hockaday, Greenhill etc) as well as from the top publics like Highland Park. It is certainly on the radar and held in high regard by these schools and others. One of my S's best friends (both went to St. Mark's) is at Trinity and just returned from a year in China (total immersion with three strike and out policy for speaking English while there). With his AP credits he will graduate in December and is on track for a PH.D is Asian studies. </p>
<p>Trinity combines a very good education with athletics and as Xiggi said earlier, I have never met anyone unhappy wih their decision to attend Trinity. They also offer generous merit aid for deserving students.</p>
<p>Historymom,
Another thing they told us is that if you apply online (and almost everyone does) it's FREE to apply. So you really do have absolutely nothing to lose. Check out Continental airlines specials to see when you might be able to get a cheap flight into Houston. San Antonio is about three hours away.</p>
<p>Seriously, thanks for all of the information. I will check out the Continental airfares to Houston. Flying RT to San Antonio though is about the same as flyining RT to sourthern CA or Portland which are the other two, not so local, places DD is interested in. Thank you one and all!</p>
<p>And, as to the food at Trinity - we thought it was good, if somewhat pricey! (I think it is Aramak, or one of the big college food companies.) Maybe they have different food choices in the summer??? We visited during the school year....</p>
<p>The new issue of Money Magazine gave high marks to Claremont CA - I think the location of Scripps.</p>