<p>D1 (interested in engineering schools) : we are from Texas and she only wanted to look at schools where the weather is warm. I will list all schools we visited due to this reason.
However, after all of the below visits, we convinced her to at least LOOK at Colorado School of Mines. She was very reluctant, but agreed. we flew up there in September, but of course she knew it would be a cold weather place. Everything changed for her after that visit. It was a two day visit and she got a fever and was sick the last half of the visit, which could have really soured her, however, upon leaving the school’s campus, it was THE school for her. Even after her acceptance into UT Austin’s engineering major, she could never get excited about any other school so she ended up matriculating at Mines, is a sophomore there, deep into a very difficult curriculum, but she LOVES it. </p>
<p>(her critiques not mine unless stated)
UT Austin: eventually just too big for her, and too many people going to this school from her high school. She wanted to start over and not run into a lot of familiar faces.</p>
<p>Texas A & M: same as UT, too big and way too close to home, and also too many people from her high school attending. </p>
<p>USC: Too artsy. We had a private tour with a great guide. Didn’t like surrounding area outside of campus.</p>
<p>Harvery Mudd: Ugly campus. ** see below, because D2 has applied to this school and it’s one she likes a lot.** Too small. Seemed too hard for her.</p>
<p>U of Arizona: Nice campus. Great visit with an engineering professor. Probably would have loved it, she ultimately decided to go with Mines, though. Gave merit money which didn’t sway her.</p>
<p>Arizona State U: she wanted to love it. They’d organized a great visitors day. She felt it wasn’t academically challenging enough, seemed too much like a party school, dorms were tiny rooms and horrible. Crossed off her list that day.</p>
<p>Rose-Hulman: (we didn’t get to visit this school and found out about it too late in the application process, so she did apply and was accepted with $15K per year merit scholarship. Probably might have been similar to Mines, except it’s private. I felt she would have received better instruction at this school, but colorado weather won out over Indiana.</p>
<p>Now to D2 (a senior in High school currently): mostly all LACs </p>
<p>Note: D prefers the rural schools which are “isolated” and away from urban distractions, so many we visited were not urban locations.</p>
<p>WILLIAMS: Awesome tour guide. Classroom visit - students very friendly, she liked that only 12 students were in the class, teacher friendly, challenging discussion and lots of input during class. Beautiful location. Parents Did NOT see inside any dorms, however she did… many singles even for first years, which she sees as a negative because she wants a roommate…So much to do on campus life outside of classes ++
(now for parents’ view: husband and I thought that the students weren’t overly friendly to us while we were sitting in the dining area waiting while she went to a class) Vibe was Intellectual. Didn’t feel overly preppy…we didn’t know if it would or not. This school remains at the top of her list. we are awaiting decision on acceptance.</p>
<p>MIDDLEBURY: Amazing food, didn’t find students friendly in the dining hall to visitors, though. Beautiful campus according to husband and I. D not impressed by much at this school, just didn’t feel like a “fit” she said. </p>
<p>BATES: Sitting in on a class, students were not as open and friendly to her (as compared to Williams) and she wasn’t as interested. Nice dorms. Only school where students were taken on a tour SEPARATED from parents, so all parents stayed with one guide and students went with the other. Did not like surrounding area near campus. Not rural enough for her. DID NOT APPLY. (wanted to like this school due to inclusive nature and no frats/sororities) Around campus people seemed friendlier than at Williams, but this was my husband’s and my opinion, not our D’s.</p>
<p>BOWDOIN: spring break so no students on campus. She loves this school and isn’t even sure exactly what is keeping it high on her list. Great location near Maine coast. Info session very positive experience, admissions officers spoke to each student in the room going around having each name something about themselves that couldn’t be found on their resume. Some students were unable to come up with things to say that couldn’t be found on the resume, often resorting to naming their favorite EC. D loved that the students who did come up with things off their resume seemed interesting and she could see wanting to make friends. (these were prospies,though)</p>
<p>DARTMOUTH: Great tour guide. She adored this school. It remains at the top of her list, and is the only IVY she visited. We liked that frats/sorority rush doesn’t even occur until the sophomore year. Outing club opportunities seem hard to beat. She loved the D Plan and that all sophomores stay on campus after that year during the summer for a school term. Excellent info session. </p>
<p>DAVIDSON: Liked/Did apply. only negatives for her were the eating houses. School was not in session during our visit, so no class visit, didn’t see students around. Liked the way roommates are matched according to MBTI questionairre. Dorms seem great. Nice athletic facility.</p>
<p>KENYON: liked but didn’t end up applying. Despite gorgeous campus, D didn’t get a feel for a fit here. Most beautiful Athletic facility we’ve seen. Nice campus. Husband and I liked the faculty a lot. Visited for a summer science day. D did like the students available on campus who she spoke with and who she interviewed with.</p>
<p>OBERLIN: D loved mostly, husband and I felt that it would not be a fit but tried to keep quiet and let her apply. After she applied, a number of people have told her that students there are more artsy, hippie vibe, lots of piercings etc. and these adults have said they don’t think she’ll fit in with the dominant culture there. Our D is musical and loved this aspect of Oberlin. We found the campus to appear dirty, buildings dirty, unappealing. D loved her tour guide and interviewer. Old library. Maybe too close to Cleveland for her taste. Excellent info session.</p>
<p>SEWANEE: no students on campus during visit. LOVED, Applied. D didn’t expect to like this school, didn’t think she would be impressed. Isolation a big plus for her, size of campus 13,000 acres, gorgeous. Athletic facilities just average. Likes that there is only one dining hall, so community feels very tight-knit. Although it’s a large acreage, getting from one side of the campus to other isn’t that hard, it’s not that spread out. some dorms have no a/c, some dorms are single sex with matrons living in them. (she didn’t like that) She liked that students dress for class, but didn’t observe it, and she liked the idea of COMPs for seniors, seems academically challenging. Great professors.</p>
<p>HARVEY MUDD: Everyone lives on campus. (this is a plus for D)
Pass/Fail/High pass first semester to help students transition in to program. We liked this. We visited during spring break so no students on campus. Very large dorms, but not overly pretty. Average food only. Faculty and Admissions people we spoke with were friendly, helpful. We liked that they emphasize how important it is to make sure it’s a personal fit for student before attending. Recently many more women attend, so it’s close to 65% men. 35% women. overall. Very small campus. Did not see other Claremont schools.</p>
The classrooms were okay, we did like how the professors really like to get to know you, one videotaped his students in his large Psych class and watched them on his TV to get to know them (some though might think that was odd)