<p>S despised USC! We drove there from another University in SoCal, and as we drove into the neighborhood he got quiet. As we walked around the campus to find the information session, I could feel his energy shifting, and asked him if he really wanted to go on the tour. He said he already knew he didn’t like it, so we skipped the tour and merrily went back to the school he did like.</p>
<p>DavidSSabb94;
Yes it was about a 10 min. bus ride, but we turned so many times, in and out of campus, up and down hills, we didn’t think we could find the parking lot easily. Also, after a full day of walking, I did not want to venture a 20-30 min. walk! The point is, RPI, did not think of the details. They only had 1 admitted students day, as opposed to several at other schools to choose from. So they only had to plan for 1 day and they fell flat. You’re paying private tuition for a school that looks and acts like State runned. </p>
<p>Mythmom:
Yes Columbia is somewhat enclosed through those famous gates and yes, you see those Library steps in all the NYC/Columbia movies, but that’s about it. No grassy quads or many trees to be seen. Of course, going to Columbia, you’re not going just for the physical campus, but living uptown, with your kids going downtown for partying, restaurants, clubs, via the subway, does not appeal to me. The couple of subway stops before Columbia is a bit sketchy. CUNY is located on that line a stop or two before, and most City University students will get off there. Also Columbia is “open” to anyone in the neighborhood so you will occasionally see the downtrodden there. Of course, if your kids gets in, it’ll be a hard choice.</p>
<p>University of Chicago - while the campus was beautiful, the tour guide was awful, and all the admissions people talked about was the “amazing core curriculum.” I ended up crossing it off my list exactly because of the core curriculum, which takes 1/3 of your time in college. I just couldn’t see myself being happy with their academics.</p>
<p>We visited the University of Chicago on one of the hottest days of summer. After our tour we were escorted back to the main gathering for more presentations and found all of their water stations were empty. Needless to say, the person who would be signing the big check for tuition was not impressed.</p>
<p>My D did go to school there and did not go downtown that much, and I didn’t think the subway there sketchy at all. She and her friends worship the Upper West Side, and she moved into an apartment after she graduated.</p>
<p>But I am a native New Yorker, though we don’t live in the city.</p>
<p>She found Columbia/Barnard a haven against the hurly-burly of the city. But tastes differ. S went to Williams as opposite a setting as possible. Each thought the other crazy. It’s just that I think Morningside Heights charming. Of course, I can understand that it’s absolutely not for everyone.</p>
<p>I also wonder how many people realize that if you need trees, Riverside Park is only a few minutes from campus. I think people who aren’t used to cities don’t realize that the area around Columbia is no longer sketchy and the subway and buses are very safe.</p>
<p>My recollection was that RPI held its only admitted students day on a Wednesday which seemed rather inconvenient. I don’t believe they offered us buses - given that it’s about a mile from the furthest points on campus it hardly seems necessary. I admit though, it’s a pretty hilly mile! Funny to hear it described as “huge” since it seemed too small to us!</p>
<p>Tastes definitely differ. We were expecting a negative feeling about USC because of what we had heard about the neighborhood. As it happened we walked around with our jaws dropping and agreed between us that the campus is a sublime California dream. And will be attending.</p>
<p>Snowdog–you hit it on the nose. Everyone has different tastes. It is interesting to hear all the different perspectives.</p>
<p>It’s so true. I know people who will swear up and down that Cullowhee, or “WHEE!” is simply the best town to go to college in. I’ve also heard perennial college town Chapel Hill called “Not that great.” </p>
<p>And then there’s where I live, Winston-Salem, home of Wake Forest. Not only do I dislike this town, but I find Wake Forest’s campus to be small and crowded, and the “Wake Bubble” irritating. But then most Wake students I know will say that Winston is a wonderful, artsy city, the campus feels cozy and comfortable, and the closed-off nature of the campus makes them feel really safe and binds them all together like one big family.</p>
<p>It’s all opinion.</p>
<p>My d refused to apply to Wake forrest saying it looked like a mental institution. My D2 loved Chapel Hill</p>
<p>My son refused to consider colleges with colonial architecture.</p>
<p>That’s a lot of schools sally305, depending on where you live I guess.</p>
<p>jujumak: Your RPI experience sounds terrible. We were there for a junior day last summer and it was quite the opposite. How horrible for them to fall down when they already have interested and accepted students. If DS gets in next, we will go back and, hopefully, have a better day than you have. If not, it will be easy to cross off the list.</p>
<p>@Lakemom: he was willing to look all over the country. This consideration did make it easy to rule out a lot of older East Coast schools. </p>
<p>Campus aesthetics may not be important to some kids, but they are to him. He is a very “visual” person and has pretty clear ideas on what he likes. If the market were better he would be very interested in architecture as a career.</p>
<p>I live on the east coast and many schools have traditional looking architecture. I don’t blame him actually. You have to look at those building all day so their view has to feel comfortable.</p>
<p>That’s true…and anything that helps narrow down the vast number of potential options is a good thing, in my opinion.</p>
<p>The RPI that jujumak describes is not the RPI that my S has attended for the last three years.</p>
<p>The personalized level of attention that he has gotten has been unbelievable.</p>
<p>Also, the campus is so small that it only takes about 10 minutes to walk from one end of campus to another, nevermind a 10 minute bus ride.</p>
<p>All the staff has always gone out of their way to help us when we have visited and all their events have been very well run.</p>
<p>Funny how some people don’t like the older, classic architecture of some college buildings. I guess that they prefer the more modern glass and steel look, which is fine. To each, his own.</p>
<p>As everyone on cc always says, people should visit the schools and make up their minds for themselves.</p>
<p>Sally305: I find that fascinating. Did he rule out Neo-Classical and beaux-arts like Columbia/Barnard too? Does he just like modern architecture? What schools does he like? I think it’s sad to totally rule out architecture if that is his true passion. It seems all but a few fields are pretty terrible, but somebody makes it. There are offshoots like urban planning.</p>
<p>Yes I’m curious too sally305. What do you mean by colonial? Most colleges on the east coast are neo-gothic. You mean colonial like UVA is colonial? I wouldn’t think that built environment would turn off an architect. Nor would I give up a life dream to major in architecture because the economy is bad. Passion and talent can succeed in any market.</p>
<p>I think the red brick colonial architecture (like Harvard and UVa) is pretty dull, but it wouldn’t (and didn’t stop me from attending colleges with such architecture.) My favorite is collegiate gothic (Princeton, Yale, West Point), and Spanish Colonial Revival (but like at Caltech, not like at Stanford.) I think if you did the count there are more colonialish colleges than gothicish colleges on the east coast, but many will also have a mix. Harvard even has LeCorbusier’s only American building!</p>