UM, SMU, LMU, USD, DU......the best safety option?

Parents Corner
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<p>Hello Parents,</p>

<p>Here I am again! Many of you have patiently replied and supported my questions and worries about DS the past few days and months!</p>

<p>GC has now extended the final list date for us till Monday now.</p>

<p>We are stuck between the above 5 to choose 1 safety option. Son hates cold weather, is a US citizen applying from abroad, has llived in 4 countries and attended 6 schools. Looking for a mid size college with good Computer Science/Engineering program.</p>

<p>Son's list has Rice, CMU, Vandy, GT, USC, SCU. He is intensely bright but laid back, 35 ACT, 2180 SAT, perfect Math scores in SAT1/SAT2. AP scholar with Distinction. GPA is B/B+.</p>

<p>Need to decide between Southern Methodist (relative in Dallas), LMU (son loves CA), USD and DU (U of Denver - GC's favorite) for a solid safety. No aid.</p>

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<p>I just don’t think someone with his life experiences would be happy at SMU. I think he would like the classes and his profs, but would feel confined by the kids/atmosphere. There are some kids for whom SMU is the perfect fit, but it doesn’t seem like that’s your guy (and that’s a complement in my book.)</p>

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<p>Thank you missypie, yes I see your point. Plus he would not pledge.</p>

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<p>I think SCU is very much a safety school for him already…but I understand the desire for a backup. LMU is beautiful, great place to live but it would probably feel to him like he is going to middle school for his major. Though he’d probably get alot of money offered to him, not that you need it. USD or DU gets my vote!</p>

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<p>I agree with the above. My D, who I wrote to you about earlier, was offered a very big scholarship at LMU but turned it down to go to UCLA as she felt it was an extension of her Catholic high school. One of her best friends is attending as a sophomore right now. LMU is a great school in a beautiful area but it just didn’t feel enough like the college experience she was looking for.</p>

<p>Her best friend is at DU and it would probably be a good fit academically but it is COLD there! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You are not missing out by leaving this off his list. Might be different if he loved cold weather and skiing/snowbording which is a big deal there. Don’t let your GC run your life. Why can’t he apply to an extra safety anyway. It’s his life and your money and I can’t imagine an outside person telling you you cannot apply to an extra school.</p>

<p>My D’s good friend is at SMU. We were all a bit shocked that she chose SMU coming from a very liberal, Northern Ca. area. She is in a sorority and greek life is HUGE there. It is VERY rah, rah and the fall football games dominate the social scene. She won’t study abroad in the fall because she doesn’t want to miss the fall football season social scene. Lot’s of fun if that is your cup of tea but maybe not so much if it isn’t. My take is that it is a very wealthy, conservative, preppy student body. I know these are generalizations but I’m just trying to help you out.</p>

<p>I visited USD with my older daughter (she ended up at a LAC in Oregon as she loves the snow!). Beautiful school, gorgeous campus, great city, good mix of students and solid reputation. </p>

<p>I would stop worrying so much and just add USD to your list. Du, too cold. Lmu, too much like high school. SMU, too preppy, southern wealthy. USD is just right for a safety school HE PROBABLY WON’T NEED. He has great stats and my guess is that this safety will not be a factor so stop stressing about schools he probably won’t be attending. You are a great Mom and are not going to make a mistake . Good Luck and let us know what you (or he) decides.</p>

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<p>I would cross off USD. For many of the same reasons Missypie does not recommmend SMU. Also I would not think USD is worth 40,000 a year if he did not get any aid. I think employers in Southern Ca are not going to look as seriously at a USD student when they have plenty of qualified applicants from UCSD or even UC Irvine for computer science/engineering. For some students and majors USD is a great school.
DU is probably the best option but he would have to deal with the weather.
With LMU he would definitely be close to an international airport.</p>

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<p>Reading all these posts again I am thinking why not drop one of the reaches so that you could have another safety? My D who I mentioned was offered a very big scholarship from LMU is at UCLA. She had a 2160 SAT and a GPA of 4.3, tons of very impressive EC’s and was rejected at USC. I am not sure his stats would get him in there. Perhaps he has other factors in his application to set him apart. You seem to be having a hard time giving up DU based on the pressure from your GC. So why not apply to DU along with USD or LMU and take USC off the list? USC is a huge school (35,000 including graduate students) so it doesn’t really mesh with the others on his list. Although it is in CA the area around the school is not nice and is actually pretty scary to some. My D would have loved going there in spite of this but she is very happy where she is. Just a thought. Can you tell us again why he is so limited in his applications? I have never heard of anyone (other than parents) limiting how many schools a student can apply to.</p>

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<p>Hmm, I don’t read the OP’s post as saying her son was limited in number of schools, just that they were trying to choose between 5 safety schools. But perhaps I misread it. I do think USC would be extremely good for his major, so definitely don’t scratch that–but I know at this point you have settled on the schools and are only trying to narrow down the safeties.</p>

<p>And my last plug for CMU–most intellectually stimulating, challenging and career oriented school on the list, except for maybe Rice (unsure). My kid loves it, perfect in most every way. I know Pittsburgh has some snow and that is unappealing, but it is December and my son is still wearing shorts (how do I get him to stop that anyways?) I just hope that your son is applying to IS, H&SS and MCS-not just SCS and CIT. I’d say the first two would definitely be attainable, last two very hard because the GPA is an issue.</p>

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<p>DU is a school that is severely under-rated. and it is a great school , for the right student.</p>

<p>For your son, the cold could be a turn - off; although it is almost always sunny (even on cold days, there is a bright blue sky with puffy clouds and a yellow sun). Is it the cold your son hates, or cold, dreary weather?</p>

<p>The student body is probably a more important consideration. The kids at DU are bright, more of a late-bloomer variety of student. They are ambitious, they work hard, but there a lot of students who are not grade-slaves. My son is not the type to lose a lot of sleep over a B+ instead of an A–but when he was working on his fraternities Laughs for Leukemia fundraiser, everything had to be perfect, and he raised more than $30,000. My son is a public policy major with an interest in public health policy and this was just way more important to him.</p>

<p>One of his friends is a major in video game design, one is in engineering. They work hard but don’t seem nearly as overwhelmed as other engineering major kids I read about here on CC.</p>

<p>I think the kids at DU are a cosmopolitan bunch. There aren’t as many internationals as the school would like to have , but the students as a whole are a very well travelled, internationally experienced group. Very internationally aware. Your son would probably be very popular on campus–others would be very envious of his internationally upbringing!</p>

<p>Out of curiousity. has your son looked at GW–even tho it’s a bit late in the game?</p>

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<p>Hi again. I just went and read through your previous thread about DU to see what was up with the limit on applications. It seems your sons current school actually limits them to 10 applications? I don’t understand how that can be allowed. And I see he has already sent in the USC app so ignore my previous post about leaving that off the list.</p>

<p>You need to look at a good map of LA. Judging by your questions I can see you are not familiar with the area. USC is in central LA. Inland a bit. Not far in terms of miles but with traffic about 40 min. to the beach. There is really not much in the area to walk to as I mentioned before the area is not very nice or safe. You really need a car to get to other areas. My D has a good friend there who frequently drives to Westwood and UCLA where my D is for brunch, movies and generally going out.</p>

<p>LMU is about 5-10 min. from the beach. In a very nice, safe residential area (we used to live 5 min. from LMU and I lived in LA for 10 years so I know the area well). LMU is up on a bluff/hill so you really cannot walk to restaurants, etc. but it is very close to a number a fun, safe areas.</p>

<p>USD is also on a hill about 5 min from the beach and 10 min to downtown SD. I have known kids who went there and I don’y think it is all wealthy kids. Seemed like a good mix when we visited.</p>

<p>DU might very well be the best fit for your son but I would really talk to him about the weather factor. It is cold. If he can live with that than it would be great. But if he would rather spend time outdorrs in warm sunshine than look at your other choices.</p>

<p>Someone else mentioned the Claremont schools. Cleremont McKenna could be a good one for your son but it would not be a safety. It is a part of a 5 college campus including Pomona, Scripps, Harvey Mudd and Pitzer. About an hour from the coast, inland LA, but very warm and beautiful. Smart kids who care about learning. More of a LAC feeling rather than big university.</p>

<p>One last thing…a plug for my D’s school, UCLA. Don’t need to list the plusses…oh well, great school, beautiful area, walking distance to tons of restaurants, movies, everything you could want, perfect weather, very bright and diverse student body. Lots of international students and students from all backrounds. World class in every way.Yes it is big but “you can make a big school small but you can’t make a small school big”. My D turned down LMU (and others) for UCLA and loves it. The budget situation has not affected her or us as we are full pay and the tuition is a bargain compared to USC. She has been able to get all her classes and will have no problem finishing in 4 years with amazing internship opportunities. You just can’t beat the connections and the benefits of being at a world class university in a world class city.</p>

<p>Good luck to you and let us know how things go for your son.</p>

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<p>LMU > than USD in terms of diversity. Also lots of kids who want USC apply to LMU and there are more than a few transfers between the two. So if you S loves USC, I think that LMU is more similar to USC than USD is.</p>

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<p>I think I read in another thread that the OP’s son is limited by his school to 10 applications.</p>

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<p>OP is looking for safety options CMC is not a safety neither is UCLA</p>

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<p>If your S doesn’t like cold weather, cross U of Denver off the list. It is cold in CO and they can get a ton of snow in Denver. My D went to undergrad in CO (different college) and wore long underwear all winter long. There is no point in adding in such an important factor like that if your S already knows he doesn’t want that kind of weather.</p>

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<p>Not to confuse things, but why not Tulane? Good size, good weather.</p>

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<p>Much as I love Tulane, it is not that strong in CS and engineering, with the exception of Biomedical Engineering. BME is very strong, and Chem E is OK.</p>

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<p>Didn’t your daughter apply to USC Cinema school? USC Cinema school is very competitive.</p>

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<p>USC has LA live, free shuttle to go movie, concerts, restaurants, etc… There are a lot to do if you want to take advantage of LA.

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<p><a href=“http://www.lalive.com/content.php?section=offers&page=usc[/url]”>http://www.lalive.com/content.php?section=offers&page=usc&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Columbia Student: Actually my D applied to USC’s School of Journalism and Communication which is also very competitive. When we went to an open house there they said they only take 160 freshmen. So yes, she was rejected by USC and would have loved to go there. But she just applied for the Communications Program at UCLA (you must be a sophomore or junior to apply) and recently found out she got in. So everything happens for a reason. She is loving UCLA and of course with the “rivalry” between the schools she now couldn’t see herself anywhere else!</p>

<p>I know there is lots to do near USC, as you have mentioned, but the area immediately surrounding the school is not so hot. My D’s friends who go to USC would really be lost without cars though as they do spend lots of time over near Westwood. The OP mentioned that her son wouldn’t have a car so I wanted to point out that there wasn’t much within walking distance in the immediate area. I’m sure the students there adjust and it is a great school.</p>

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<p>Mine doesn’t have a car and even went to Disneyland on a bus.</p>