<p>STheart-obviously it’s too late but there are a LOT more schools than 2 that offer Bachelor’s in Medical Sonography–it’s just called something else at those schools. Our D had 5 schools on her list that offered degrees in medical imaging–which is the same as Medical Sonography. Most of those programs also include CT Scans, MRI, etc. as well.</p>
<p>Yeah, I did some heavy research. I wanted to be able to choose my specialty, OB/GYN (babies hehe, I know, bandwagon), because I wasn’t interested in neuroscience or cardiology or anything like that. There are many ways to become a sonographer. But the thing is, most schools are not CAAHEP Accredited, and if you don’t go to an accredited program, then your degree is worthless. Also, most schools require some sort of prerequisite (a 2-year degree prior to matriculating) which isn’t what I was looking for. I wanted to go into a program straight out of high school.
[Accredited</a> Program Search - CAAHEP](<a href=“http://www.caahep.org/Find-An-Accredited-Program/]Accredited”>http://www.caahep.org/Find-An-Accredited-Program/)</p>
<p>Back in the Dark Ages, I picked my school because they made it clear they wanted me, and coming from a huge impersonal high school where I was just a number, the red carpet treatment felt amazing. I wound up changing my undergrad field of study from Poli Sci to Art History, so I’m glad I didn’t choose my school based on a particular department.</p>
<p>My D picked her school because it offered her the best merit scholarship, which I guess essentially also showed that they wanted her. She has also found a major that she was not considering in high school.</p>
<p>Both of us were fortunate to wind up at beautiful campuses with small classes, great profs, and strong alum networks.</p>
<p>It’s really interesting to read the responses and see the great variety. Proves there is a school for everyone. </p>
<p>My son chose based on money at Pitt (took a full ride/room/board) over more prestigious school at UChicago. This decision was made easier because the full ride school was actually better for his intended major. Graduating in 2 months and it was clearly the right decision for him. </p>
<p>Son2 cares more about prestige, so we shall see.</p>
<p>To be honest, the word “fit” seems almost meaningless when describing why you go to college somewhere. It’s kind of like replying to the question “why do you like college X?” with “ because I like college X.”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>My son also chose Brown, in part for the subset of reasons mentioned above. He also wanted a top-notch computer science program and the applied math dual-major option was a nice bonus. But most of all he wanted to go to a school that was challenging without being pompous. Brown’s self-mocking tone really appealed to his sense of humor – at the school’s presentation made to accepted students who had yet to make their final selection, the opening sequence was a collection of video clips from movies and TV that made fun of Brown.</p>
<p>@Creekland - Not to offend you; but, if your kids really want to be in science, the focus should be on choosing a school because of science programs, and science opportunities…
not because of a religious foundation. </p>
<p>Believe me, if your kids were interested in any other career, a “Christian” based school would be fine for them.</p>
<p>@cromette - It’s good to see your D is interested in engineering. I’d like to see many more women in the STEM fields.</p>
<p>Have not picked yet, but all of her choices are based on major. She is looking for a certain program and there are not many choices out there.</p>
<p>Excellent liberal state flagship U for son. Needed to choose elite schools to compete with that- didn’t get into the only two he applied to, he would not even look at Harvard or finish the Princeton application. He turned 16 the fall of HS senior year and perhaps would have applied to more schools if he had been older, but he couldn’t/shouldn’t have slowed his academic progress back in elementary school days. His college experience paralleled his HS one- honors but he had an outside academics life, he could have done more academically in both- perfect grades never a priority for him. Did do several grad school courses in his major as an undergrad- dept ranking around 15 in nation (better than many elite schools in his math field).</p>
<p>For me- same excellent flagship, although I didn’t know it then. Refused to apply to women’s colleges, I guess Harvard may have gone coed by then but Radcliffe was still considered the women’s choice. Also- no need blind admissions in my day and I needed scholarships. Put down another upper Midwest school as my first choice for NMS since they gave a lot of them and I wanted to leave town (was in the suburbs of flagship)- will always wonder if I had put my flagship first if I would have gotten a 4 year award from them like a college friend and HS classmate, sigh. My flagship turned out to be better for my major. Didn’t let the Sterling Hall bombing at UW just before senior year of HS bother me like a medical school classmate from small town WI whose parents wouldn’t let her go there.</p>
<p>Life was so different back then. Snail mail only. Bought a thick college book (or got it from the library) to learn about OOS schools. NO computers. No need blind apps. No common apps. No girls allowed at many of the schools that appealed to the science minded girls. Watershed years for women’s Lib and Civil Rights movement in teen years. No Title 9 athletics. Vastly different than for many CC parents who had kids in their twenties instead of their mid 30’s like me.</p>
<p>While I have not heard back from my top choices, this is why I APPLIED to the schools that I did, and likely why I will choose the school that I do.
Top tier academics
Lots of smart people to be around
At least 100 miles away from home (LA), possible exceptions
School spirit! I love cheering on my high school’s teams!
Strong, preferably D1 athletics, goes with above
Good name recognition
Preferably a midsize private university (5-10,000 undergrad, give or take)
Needless to say, the list shortened quickly. My top choices are Stanford (applied early and deferred), Duke, and Northwestern. Anxiously awaiting results!</p>
<p>I didn’t! it was my safety school. lol it sucks here.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>No offense taken. I went secular. My other half went secular. However, we let our kids decide what they want. As long as the school(s) they choose produce grads doing what my guys want to do (so far, both chosen schools have met that criteria - one Christian, one secular) I’m ok with what they choose. It’s their life.</p>
<p>FTR - many Christian schools have grads who are in science and do well. Why would they not? I know some grads who went on to med schools, grad schools, lab stuff, etc. It all depends upon what they want to do. Deep research? Maybe not so much, but there is research at oldest’s Christian school and those in it have jobs (secular jobs) upon graduation. Choose carefully to make sure the research matches what the student wants to do. (My oldest isn’t there for science though.)</p>
<p>But honestly? I’m wishing my youngest would consider secular as it’s tough finding tropical Bio programs, esp those that have a Botany component, and as in depth as he would love to be… If anyone wants to suggest secular (or Christian) options - I’ll pass the names on to him. When he visits he may find he prefers the program to one with less depth, but in the end, as long as the school is affordable and produces grads doing what he wants to do, the choice is his - not mine. If he could find a school literally in the Everglades or on a South Pacific island (which is why Hawaii comes into play) he’d probably be thrilled. Tents and port o johns would be fine. Prestige, dorms, sports, and pretty much anything else means little to him.</p>
<p>I chose Michigan State because the atmosphere/attitude of students fits me much better than UMich did, and their RCAH and Communications colleges are great.</p>
<p>Our daughter knew at age eight what she wanted to be - an Exotic Animal Trainer and which school she wanted - the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College, California. It has quite a few scientific pre-requisites and admission is on lotto system only. She did all her pre-requisites in Florida where she was an in-state bright futures student and merit grants. She did not get in the first year she applied, which was miserable, stayed in Florida and finished a BS in Psychology. She did get in on the second try and is now finishing her 2nd semester.
Our son wanted to do theatre, acting on stage. He was accepted at NYU Tisch on one of those accept/deny decisions, about 20K short in aid a year. However, he was offered a place at NYU Abu Dhabi, with a full ride, a ridiculously great full ride, including lots of travel, two semester ‘abroad’ and two tickets home per year. It was/is a new school program for NYU and therefore not an exclusively acting school - but after discussion with their head of Theater program, who told him Tisch was a certainty, Abu Dhabi the adventure, he decided on NYUAD. I exhaled because the thought of graduating with 80K in debt was very depressing (to me at least). He is now finishing his third year with a semester in London.
They are both extremely happy with their choices - and though I miss them - I couldn’t be happier.</p>
<p>For DD1 - LAC - scholarship, beautiful campus, small classes
For DD2 - LAC - scholarship, beautiful campus, small classes, climbable trees (one of those huh? reasons)</p>
<p>Regarding “Fit”, I’ll respond. Our student was looking at very large out-of-state universities. Since we had not visited most of the areas, we looked at voting patterns. We were looking for “fit”. We used results from the presidential 2008 election by county. Sometimes the state didn’t pass the test, but the county did. Again, all U’s were very large, so we were expecting they would have an influence on the area, and we were looking for fit.</p>
<p>Money and fit, which to him meant strong academics with like-minded (mostly liberal but open-minded) students. He’s at a LAC. The only thing missing from his wish list is big-time athletics, but it’s also kind of fun knowing the players, like you do in HS. Makes it more personal.</p>
<p>Aight I picked my school cause its a nationally ranked D1 track and field team. Good academics. Lots of social life/ parties and on my recruiting visit the guys on the team seemed pretty chill.</p>
<p>And Parents I’ve been reading what you have been posting. and your kids always going to tell you that he/she does not want to party! But guess what… I go to a pretty prestigious school academically and trust me these kids are tired of being pushed around and forced to be the “perfect” child. A lot of kids I’m friends with never took a sip of alcohol in high school but now every friday and saturday night they are hitting up bars or frats. If you tell your kid what they “want” out of school the more rebellious their going to act in college</p>
<p>@iman123194
That criteria of yours is almost identical to what my daughters was. Your three top choices, not surprisingly are also the same as hers were. We are also from Socal…good luck to you and I hope you hear good news in the next month.</p>
<p>My daughter is a first year at Duke and couln’t be happier!!!</p>