Is visiting in cold weather a problem?

[marite]

dad2four:

Good question. We silly guys and gals used to wear sneakers in all weather. I'm older and wiser. But the typical college students in the Boston area continue to wear sneakers in all weathers--that is, if they're not from CA and wear flip-flops even in winter.

I visited Midwestern colleges in the dead of winter, and the sidewalks were absolutely clear of snow within minutes of a snowfall. In Cambridge, snow and slush are left to accumulate. The brick sidewalk in front of my own home is uneven and traps water that turns into ice in cold weather while the street corners develop into large puddles.
But I would not live somewhere else!

[mathmom]

I used to wear those Chinese Maryjane type cloth shoes all winter long. You could feel the cold right through those things, but I didn't do alot of standing around, it never bothered me that much. I miss them. You used to be able to buy them everywhere, but now I only see them in Chinatown.

I don't consider winter too bad a time to visit, it really does let you see how well the public indoor spaces for the students work. We liked the student union building at Vassar. Very few kids sitting alone. Decent snack type food (including some healthy choices), bookstore in the same building.

[Yurtle]

I live in AZ and I'm going to CT in about a week or so. I figure I might as well experience something colder than what I'm used to if I'm going to apply to a school in the NE. I'd go when it's colder so you know what it's like.

[mythmom]

Mathmom: I have a nice visual of you wearing those. They were cute.

[hawkette]

p'girl,
I've stated before that I'm not a big fan of Philly. I think it's going to look crummy there no matter when you visit. Hard to put lipstick on a pig. I wouldn't worry too much about when you go.

As for your comment about 4 seasons, I'm sure you know that nearly all of the northern climes that you're looking at won't give your kids 4 seasons. Depending on how far north you are, spring arrives in mid-April or later. In other words, your kids won't have much spring beyond the occasional nice day here and there. A good clue to this is when the colleges play their home openers in baseball. I know that you have no interest in attending, but it is telling when a school won't schedule any home games til late March or later.

Finally, a slight appeal for some geographic balance in your search. Looking at some colleges in the Sunbelt might be a good contrast with what they are seeing in Philadelphia and other glamourous spots in the Northeast. Ever thought of visiting Texas (Rice) or Tennessee (Vanderbilt) or Louisiana (Tulane) or Georgia (Emory) or North Carolina (Duke/Wake/U North Carolina/Davidson)?

[mattmom]

Digression here but that is as silly comment about Philadelphia. It has some lovely sections and a lot of history--also really nice suburbs. It compares very well to most other cities its size and age and complexity. This been a very pleasant and probably constructive thread and there is no reason to go negative--especially since it isn't justified by facts! (And I say that as an enthusiastic fan of North Carolina in general and Davidson in particular--but even I will admit that Philadelphia is a city in a way that sweet Charlotte for all her charms is not.)

But I would emphasize again that a well-run admissions office (and visitors with a positive outlook) can make just about any visit a success and present/see a school in a positive light--so plan your exploratory trips with your junior to fit your schedule and, as noted, avoid the colleges' spring break if at all possible.

[hawkette]

mattmom,
Sorry but students/families aren't coming to visit the Philly suburbs or the local history---they're coming to visit the Philly schools. Villanova is in the 'burbs so maybe that's an exception, but comparing the physical space around places like U Penn, Temple, Lasalle, even St. Joseph's, I doubt many would find those areas "really nice." Furthermore, there's a reason why Philadelphia struggles to retain its college graduates (for contrast, look at Boston) and that lack of retention is a major ongoing strategic loss for the city and region.

Compare Philly's college environments to the physical space around Rice, Vanderbilt, Tulane, U North Carolina, Davidson and that makes for a pretty sharp difference. I will stop at the Durham area close to Duke; it ain't very attractive. But Duke's campus is mostly insulated from that in a fashion dissimilar from what one would find in Philly. Sorry, but we disagree.

[HarrietMWelsch]

Actually I believe the OP does intend to visit some of the suburban schools and was using the term "Philly schools" loosely. Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Swat, and Villanova all rate as "really nice" at worst, even in the gray, rainy days that are likely to mark late February.

[mythmom]

The stone houses around Swarthmore, Haverford and Bryn Mawr had me ready to pack my bags and move. I thought the neighborhoods breathtaking, and I don't usually like suburbs.

When the family in question moved into one in the movie MARLEY AND ME I cheered.

It's true. Rundown, northern inner cities can be problematic, but we have to figure out a way to restore these downtowns and not abandon them. I think UPenn is quite attractive, and the area is not alienating to me.

My D is very unhappy in Atlanta. As a New Yorker she feels its one strung out suburb. I think that's a bit harsh, but she's a very urban girl. She would take Philly over the places Hawette favors.

To my D, if you can't walk, it's not a city.

But, I too, digress.

And it's fine to differ.

We do have an amazing array of choices for college, so most students should be able to find a school that meets most of their criteria.

I do know that two years ago Williams accepted students weekend was during a really intense N'oreaster, and that the matriculation rate did not seem to suffer.

If it's the right school, the weather will probably not matter. For the wrong student, Williamstown is going to look like a one light town on the most beautiful summer day.

[Pizzagirl]

I've stated before that I'm not a big fan of Philly. I think it's going to look crummy there no matter when you visit. Hard to put lipstick on a pig.

I'm not looking "at Philly" (which, btw, my kids are familiar with since I'm from there and they've visited relatives there over the years). I'm looking at Bryn Mawr and Haverford. Two of the most beautiful college campuses in the entire country.

As for your comment about 4 seasons, I'm sure you know that nearly all of the northern climes that you're looking at won't give your kids 4 seasons. Depending on how far north you are, spring arrives in mid-April or later. In other words, your kids won't have much spring beyond the occasional nice day here and there.

These are the same climates that they've grown up in, so why this is a big deal?

Finally, a slight appeal for some geographic balance in your search. Looking at some colleges in the Sunbelt might be a good contrast with what they are seeing in Philadelphia and other glamourous spots in the Northeast. Ever thought of visiting Texas (Rice) or Tennessee (Vanderbilt) or Louisiana (Tulane) or Georgia (Emory) or North Carolina (Duke/Wake/U North Carolina/Davidson)?

I thought I was pretty clear in my kids' criteria in my threads. It seems that your overall preference for Southern, big-sports-big-school-spirit is causing you to recommend a bunch of schools that come out of nowhere given their criteria AND their stats (which aren't Duke / Vandy etc level).

D is looking for small, laid-back, quieter, non-party-oriented LAC's. None of the schools you pulled above fit the bill with the possible exceptions of Davidson (which is indeed on her radar because niece goes there, and a good reminder on your part) and maybe Rice.

The schools you listed are all fine schools, but most of them are reachy for both of my kids given their stats -- and the schools you listed for them to consider just feel like "large universities pulled from the near-top of the USNWR list." I would understand those recommendations more if their lists looked like the traditional Ivy-type lists that dominate discussion on CC. I do appreciate your thoughts though!

[cadence76]

Someone may have already said this, but late Feb-early March IS when spring hits DC--the only thing I miss as a transplant to New England is forsythia blooming in February!

[Pizzagirl]

Hawkette - I'm realizing that maybe you didn't read my 2 other threads (one on each kid) which I think many of the others responding to this thread did.

I have zero objections to my kids looking in any part of the country, but I don't see a need to add a school in the south just for the sake of seeking warmer weather.

They did tour Tulane on a family trip to NOLA, and frankly, 80-90 degree heat in September was a big negative to them -- just as snowstorms might be a negative to a student from the south.

[jrpar]

My kids each toured their ultimate first choice schools in pretty dismal weather - Northwestern on a brutally cold day (but as you know that's an accurate portrayal of winter there) and Colgate in a blizzard (also an accurate portrayal).

The worst tour I went on with either kid was at Wesleyan on a frigid February day - the tour NEVER went inside a single building. We came close a couple of times only to be cruelly denied. My younger son and I bolted the tour probably about halfway through as it passed near our car. Maybe that was just that particular tour guide?! The info session at Wesleyan was great so the school stayed on son's list.

[Pizzagirl]

Philly may indeed have a problem retaining college students versus Boston (I don't know, I'll take your word for it) but given that the topic of my thread was about visiting places in colder weather, not about comparing large cities to one another or about the likelihood of staying in the place where one goes to college, I don't know that Philly's issues retaining college students is particularly germane to it.

[Bromfield]

Got directions from Amherst to Williams. It was so big deal open house weekend for both. (I'm sure, like squabbling brothers, they schedule a lot in tandem.) Anyway, H is still convinced they gave us the least sensible route they could have. I think that's silly. But on the way up we

There's no easy route from Northampton to Williamstown. You just slug along on two-lane roads.