<p>Hi,
For anyone interested, my son went with his Dad today to visit Cross and Clark in Worcester MA. I had researched them a lot, on the web, books, students going there, student reviews, etc., but kept most to myself so I wouldn't bias anything he might see.
I must say, I was slightly surprised that he liked Clark a lot and really didn't like Holy Cross. He saw Clark first and liked the tour, the tour guide, the admission officer that did the info session, and the attitudes of everyone involved. He also thought they were very honest on good and not as good points at the university. It was the first time I saw him excited about courses and talked about the psychology programs and their "perspectives on learning" courses that are like a loose core. They introduce the students to a breadth of different disciplines and fields and he talked quite a bit about them. He definitely wants to return in the fall when students are there to visit again.
At Cross, he was turned off by the "stuffy" atmosphere and coolness, not just in the admission office, but around the school. The tour guide spoke very quickly, and when someone interrupted him to ask a question, he seemed not to hear, more than once. The info session was "dry" and sounded more rehearsed than it had too. The dorms were fine, the buildings well kept in most areas, but he just couldn't feel that "fit". He liked the small student ratio but that is available at other colleges too. I think in trying to find the right adjective, he said "sterile" to the environment and feel. They told them they share class's and libraries with Clark and are only about 6 minutes away driving. Cross was also very homogeneous, which they admit has been longstanding. They hope to change that and be less "forboding" in the future. The optional SAT might make a difference in being more welcoming to a variety of students, but only time will tell.
I guess it shows that going to a college/university can make a big difference and seeing them slowly, not too many in a day. Another student might do a flip of my son's experience, it's very personal. My H told me later, he agreed with him, but kept his feelings to himself until the ride home because it was so nice to see the apathy lift a bit and him asking questions and feeling more involved.
This is just the beginning. Look forward to hearing about other trips, etc. from posters in the future.</p>