<p>I think it's important to talk about what is wrong with our kid's schools as much as what is right about them. If we don't some kids and parents will be prone to make mistakes based on the omissions from our reports. Texasmom's recent thread has made me think as has a recent post by Lukester. Even great schools aren't great for everybody, all the time. </p>
<p>I know there's not a chance in Hades that this thread will go where I want it to but I'm going to try to set some parameters anyway. This thread is not for those who are dis-satisfied with all/most aspects of their kid's choice. Just that there's this one thing that just gets in the way of giving them an "A". For some it can be a perceived lack of rigor, maybe a scheduling system designed by Dennis Hopper on a bad weekend in Juarez. General disregard for cleanliness and routine maintenance or dorm food that except for parents' weekend the kid describes as intolerable.</p>
<p>So, hopefully folks will realize that while we are generally sort of happy to very happy about the school there is this one negative thing other parents should know. Hopefully we won't have too many that share that their kid's school is as perfect as their kid. LOL. </p>
<p>I'll start in hopes that others will follow in the same spirit. </p>
<p>Rhodes has a significant alchohol culture which requires D to be more aware. In high school pasture parties were easy to avoid. At Rhodes opportunities for inebriation seem to be unavoidable in the social realm but D has found "her people" and they go sober to the functions and enjoy the dances and the fun, along with the others. They do tend to leave the functions prior to closing time. </p>
<p>My D is probably goofy enough sober to still have the lampshade on her head so maybe that's why she isn't having any problems but someone with less chutzpah might not enjoy the scene. And a judgmental kid might have some problems. A kid prone to acting out and substance abuse? Maybe not the nest place. </p>
<p>I know that her friends have expressed that North Texas and Texas Tech, A+M and Texas, TCU and SMU are not that different but Rhodes is a very insulated place and it may be a more pervasive influence on such a compact and cohesive campus.</p>
<p>"This has been a CC public service announcement."</p>
<p>Too many classes taught by TAs. Teachers read the powerpoint slides to the class. Then in the discussion session, the TAs explain, discuss, and grade the work. Heard it was only a problem in lower division classes. Hopefully this improves in upper division classes.</p>
<p>Reed I think- is very small
Apparently not too small for someone who had 18 in her graduating class- but I think for many kids a college smaller than their high school would seem claustrophobic
A culture of doing things the hard way- I think you can be rigourous and challenging- without competitons of how many hours you spend studying before you sleep/take a shower
Yes they have supports in place- and it seems to have the effect of bonding students together the same way those who go through a natural disaster together are- but still- I think that the weed out process doesnt have to be so extreme
Its not the bleeping Marines</p>
<p>* Oh- that was TWO things- so disregard the first one- I suppose being in a city makes it seem not so small*</p>
<p>Rice - ditto Rhodes. I think there's too much alchohol there, since I saw a young man puking in the bushes one time when I was visiting, and have heard stories of the lacrosse team. There's lots for the kids to do with or without alchohol, and many don't drink, or drink very moderately --- but, what is it with people liking to drink enough to make themselves sick???? Don't they feel like crap the next day??? Headaches? Yikes. Besides that, GREAT school.</p>
<p>I also am not citing the rigor as a way to actually brag about it ;)
in the way that people might be advised to say at an interview " oh, I am just * so compulsive*! I can't even take a coffee break until my project is finished!"
But because my impression- given my limited experience- is that it well deserves its reputation of being very intense- and I think if it was dialed down a bit- it would better serve the students</p>
<p>Elon--really hard to think of a negative, I guess it would be that the sports teams were not very good (basketball and football) so many students did not attend</p>
<p>Chapel Hill--classes prior to major too large, too many TA's, poor quality advising before major declared</p>
<p>Virginia Intermont--very small which meant few sections of classes, sometimes hard to work schedule. If a student is not involved with equestrian team or another group of some sort campus may not offer enough variety of activities.</p>
<p>They drink This Side of Paradise too. Not required, but a visible mainstream does, the athletes, the wealthy, the beautiful....At least with >5000 undergraduates the impact is mitigated a whit. But if you like a social throng, highly likely the throng will have downed a few.</p>
<p>DD's college is suiting her just fine....they have one small oddity. They mail all of her mail HERE (hey it's only 3000 miles from where she is). The latest is that we received her paycheck from her campus job. Other than that...she's happy, we're happy, and we're hoping to win the lottery soon as the price is also one of those things that is "wrong"...but we knew that going in :)</p>
<p>My biggest gripe at my daughter's school (Barnard) is the cost of the mandatory freshman meal plan, and the limited hours that the main dining hall is open. I have done the math: it would be at least $200 cheaper to buy every single meal that plan offers than to be on the plan itself, and that's assuming my daughter never missed an evening meal. The actual cost differential between what she eats and what has been paid for is probably more like $1000. And of course when she misses dinner -- a given, since at least 2 days a week her classes don't let out until after the dining hall is closed -- she has to pay to buy food elsewhere.</p>
<p>James Madison- One thing wrong is the lack of convenient public transportation for out of state students. There are ride boards, indirect ways to the airport, and a charter bus available for major holidays (but students' schedules do not necessarily match up with when the bus departs). Second thing is that not all dorms have air conditioning, and housing is not guaranteed after freshman year (but off campus housing is available at reasonable rent, IMO, and there is bus transportation available form many of the off campus complexes to the campus. In fact, parking a car can be difficult).</p>
<p>Ditto on the freshman meal plan. Expensive and turns out not to really be enough meals, so S spends lots of extra $$$ on food elsewhere.</p>
<p>I wasn't quite prepared for how expensive "life" would be for S in Philadelphia. Laundry is expensive, meals add up.....it's just an expensive city.</p>
<p>Sorry Cur, this is 3. The mail service is absolutely horrible. It is a combination of Penn AND the Philadelphia post office. It can take 10 days for a first class envelope to get to S.</p>
<p>Columbia--not so pro-active advising system. Caters to independent minded students--mine thinks he is, but I think he might be better off with someone hauling him in once or twice a semester to check under the hood and make sure all the cylinders are running properly, and that the trip's been mapped out as best as possible.</p>
<p>You did great, garland. We're looking for candor and I think we are getting there. Everybody, thanks for sharing. </p>
<p>I'll add my second to Rhodes. Memphis has really expensive air service. I have no idea why. We can get to NY, Hartford, LA, Chicago for $200 . Memphis? Well over $400.</p>
<p>I think this is an excellent thread idea, Curmudgeon. Too many times, I've heard students (and often parents) talk about "the perfect college." There is NO SUCH THING!! It is important for students (and parents) to realize that even "dream schools" are going to have some pimples, and to also look for them going in so that they don't come as a huge surprise.</p>
<p>My daughter was home for fall break last week and we had a similar discussion. She still loves Beloit College, but has begun to recognize that the town of Beloit leaves much to be desired in terms of places to shop, eat out, and just escape from campus once in a while. There's plenty to keep her busy on campus (including many activities that don't involve drinking or other substances) but Beloit the town will never be Manhattan. The plus side is she finds it easy to get by on $30 or less a week. :)</p>