<p>Interesting posts on community colleges.
As far as costs go, I wasn't thinking of any cost calculation at all. </p>
<p>I'm really looking for colleges where alums say "wow, I really grew there." The standard value-added experience would be military boot camp. Very few people graduate from boot camp and say "I learned a lot about the military in boot camp." People say: "I learned a lot about myself in boot camp."</p>
<p>I'm not looking for: "I made so many friends there; it was such a great time; the tailgates are awesome, the girls were hot..."<br>
I'm not looking for the schools that give students the best memories, but the schools that give you something that you carry with you for the rest of your life.</p>
<p>"I'm not looking for the schools that give students the best memories, but the schools that give you something that you carry with you for the rest of your life."</p>
<p>I'll STILL go with the best of the community colleges, and Baruch. If you haven't seen them in action, you miss what so many students take away from the opportunities, opportunities and experiences which, without them, they would have never had.</p>
<p>I wonder what figures for "percentage of alumni who donate annually" would tell us also (not amount--but percentage of the grads who give back regularly--even if the amount was small)..</p>
<p>MSUDad, I'd definitely agree with your assessment of Reed and Earlham. I would also add Wabash College, Trinity College in D.C., Spelman and Morehouse Colleges, Lawrence University, and Beloit (parental bias alert) as great places to "grow up" and reach full potential. Among the bigger "name brand" schools, I'd throw in Yale, Harvard, Oberlin, Swarthmore, Smith, Carleton and Mt. Holyoke as well. And, let's not forget UC Berkeley! If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere. :)</p>
<p>I'd second Kalamazoo. Career Service, economical foreign study for everyone, capstone project required, passionate teachers, engaged student body. To me value add means experiences of some sort that are not readily available in most colleges...state or otherwise. To me value add is not limited to a small LAC, it could also be a particularly great honors college or res college at a state school that is value add. It could be an unusual major or a particular program of study that is valued and economically or philosophically supported by a particular industry. Value-add to me is that kernal or kernals that differentiate.</p>
<p>curmudgeon, add Blackburn College to the list. The required work-study program gives the students a work ethic, work experience and a vests them in their school. It has also made some interesting partnerships with various large businesses, and considering it has around 500 students, it has internship and job placement capabilities far beyond its size.</p>
<p>I will add Chicago to the list. It is definitely a love it or hate it place, but if you make it through, the people and concepts to which you are exposed are truly life-changing.</p>
<p>ejr1, consider it added. I am really infatuated with those schools. And you did a great job explaining to me why I am. LOL. " The required work-study program gives the students a work ethic, work experience and vests them in their school." I guess I think it'll be pretty tough at those schools to find a lot of slackers or girls wanting Mrs. degrees or kids biding their time before they take over the family's holdings. I really think that they are on to something. I'd like to know more.</p>
<p>I guess I'd want to reaffirm 'Mudge's selection of Berea. It is awfully selective - when you take into account that only 40% of the population by income even qualifies to apply, it is about as selective as Harvard or Yale, yet opens up opportunities for education (and service) that for many, might simply be unavailable otherwise.</p>
<p>And here's a thought that goes with. They have NO legacies - not as in no legacy hooks, but as in no legacies period. Virtually none of their graduates' kids would qualify to even apply. Yet, they have one of the largest endowments per capita in the nation, and a huge alumni donor base. </p>
<p>"If you're inclined to mention HYP, I'd love a note telling how/why it transformed you (as compared with "excellence in - excellence out")."</p>
<p>I think these schools add value for the specific population they admit by giving those kids a healthy dose of humility. A lot of kids who go to these schools have been hailed as superstars their whole lives, excelling at everything they've tried, sometimes without having to put in much effort. They have never had the experience of working as hard as they can and only being average. I'm not saying this is unique to HYP, but those schools do a great job of forcing the kids to learn to be happy with themselves when they aren't the best at everything. There are some unusually mature kids who reach that stage without help, but for a lot of kids, it does them a world of good. I grew up so much in just the first few weeks there, and I was 22.</p>
<p>Hanna, the concern I have with Harvard is that so many I know have downplayed their experience there (not you, which is nice) that I'm beginning to believe them.</p>