Agreed, everyone knows food is the biggest weakness. It’s good that there are cooking facilities in Lassonde, I think in that setting it’s a good potentially social activity. The only downside is that the meal plan dollars might not get spent. I know D went to the Lassonde Cafe frequently with friends who lived there who had excess dining dollars to spend. The cafes are much better than the dining halls, but cost more.
Tours are complete and no school stood out. We are going to have to dig out a larger spreadsheet to try and help guide her decision.
OSU - great campus, food, housing, area etc. But the major is close, but not really what she thinks she wants to do. Design, Innovation and Management, not enough hands on design work.
ASU - Loves the weather, honors dorms are awesome. Major is pretty large, easy to get lost in the crowd and most expensive.
Univ of Utah - Food was blah and she didn’t really like the campus. But good housing options on campus for all four years, great Design program (but not accredited) small and hands on. Great skiing and outdoor activities year round.
CSU LB - the major looks fantastic. Small cohort in very hands on classes and projects, NASAD Accredited Industrial Design. Cheap. But housing, food, location are all just okay.
Need to start digging deeper on the programs, the quality of individual instructors etc. I think all four are places she could be happy and thrive. Which one is most likely…
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It’s definitely good to evaluate all factors. But good food and cost savings are somewhat interchangeable - you can always improve your food - and housing in the case of Long Beach - if you have money left over! Whereas if you’re not happy with the program, you’re kind of stuck with that. So if this were me, I’d be whittling down to Long Beach and Utah.
Good luck figuring it out!!
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I have done the same calculations and came up with the same final two for more or less the same reasons. But I (unfortunately, college looks like a ton of fun) am not going to college next year. I need to get an 18 year old to make some choices…
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SoCal local here — and IMHO Long Beach proper is a lot of fun. CSULB looks like it’s not right in the center of things, but not too far either. Although it does have the reputation of being somewhat of a commuter school, if that’s important.
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CSULB for the Win! Well, hopefully for the win, we will find out in the next year or so. Unfortunately there was no celebrating or even a huge relief with the decision. But it’s a decision, it’s a good one and she is ready to jump all in.
SIR sent, housing and summer orientation signups today. Honors application finally sent a few days ago. Honors gives priority registration and a good housing option. Neither is a deal killer, so hopefully honors is an option, but won’t change the decision.
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Congrats on a good decision!!! I’m sorry your D isn’t getting more joy from it right now, but hopefully the enthusiasm will come, once she’s there.
(For a change of pace some time when you’re visiting Long Beach, look into Dockside Boat & Bed, where the accommodations are yachts, moored in the harbor. I did this years ago, and it was fun!)
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