<p>We visited last year when my son was a Junior in HS. It was a magnificent Fall day and we ell in love with the campus. Since then my son has seen about 10 other schools. He wants to go back to Vassar to see if he really liked it as much as he thought and is going this weekend. My fear (and I know this is irrational) is that the weather forecast calls for rain. I know how 17 year olds can be and I have read the posts in "The stupidest reason my kid wont apply to a college" most of which are hilarious and accurate. </p>
<p>So has anyone changed their mind because of something as ridiculous as the weather?</p>
<p>This is parents’ weekend. A crowded campus and town with parents milling about could be a plus, or not.
I can think of advantages and disadvantages.</p>
<p>Perhaps it would be more productive if you visited in two or three weeks when the fall foliage will be magnificent. Your rain issue might be solved as well.</p>
<p>It was his second visit and he loved it just as much despite Parents weekend. so that was nice. He just thinks its too close to home because we live in Westchester. If Vassar were in Boston, he might be applying early decision!</p>
<p>My S was totally set on applying early decision after he spent an overnight at Oberlin when he was a HS junior. Mysteriously, by senior year, he decided to scratch it completely off the list because it was “too flat” (the topography, that is.) Huh? Btw, he ended up at Vassar.</p>
<p>We had a similar thing – when we went up there for the first time it was raining and really dreary. My son looked really disappointed. Then we found the Retreat – where a ton of people were eating lunch and talking – and he changed his mind (sort of). I think plenty of kids are turned off by all kinds of things. For example, they view the tour guide as a representative of the entire personality of the college and everyone in it. My friend’s son went up to somewhere or other and said that the talk given by the admissions person was “boring” (hm…aren’ t they all?) and therefore he didn’t want to apply to the college.</p>
<p>It is such an emotional thing. I think the “flat topography” of Oberlin is a metaphor (although an unconscious one, it seems).</p>
<p>twoboys2, I wonder if your son should apply to Tufts ED instead (isn’t Tufts sort of Vassaresque but near Boston?) Or maybe Wesleyan?</p>