<p>Normally you assume that you are being shown the nicest dorms and the nicest classroom buildings during a college tour. However, I was on a college tour at Villanova where they showed the oldest and worst dorm at the university. It also involved climbing 4 flights of stairs - I didn’t think some of the parents were going to make it. I guess they were being honest?</p>
<p>charlieschm, how do you know it was the oldest and worst? Perhaps there was an older and worse-er dorm lurking in the shadows…</p>
<p>Lafalum84, that sound even scarier. Not a place you would want to be sleeping nite after nite.</p>
<p>It was the oldest building on campus. I found out later that all of the newer first year dorms were very overcrowded with triples and lounges turned into quads, so maybe that is why we didn’t see them.</p>
<p>At one school, we were shown what was purported to be the “worst room on campus,” with reassurances that you were likely to end up in a much nicer situation.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Rice: We had e-mail confirming time of info session. When we got there they said “Oh we changed it.” No Apology. No nothing. No chance DD will go here</p></li>
<li><p>U Virigina. My Jewish daughter did not like religious imagery at the information session held in the chapel. But she really hated that when we mentioned that we didn’t care for this at a PUBLIC school presentation, the admin claimed that there was no “Christian imagery.” When we pointed out the GIANT STAINED GLASS picture of Jesus, the admin said “well other than that.” My daughter started muttering about how the admin would have been one of the “other than that Mrs. Lincoln did you enjoy Our American Cousin” type of person.</p></li>
<li><p>Northwestern. Yes, we know you have to have good grades and test scores to get in and that you shouldn’t write about “Why I want to go to Michigan” by mistake on your Application. This was a lecture that was appropriate for a HS Counselor, not a college admissions person. Never mind the horrible monotone and the repeated, “ahhhhh I don’t know, what else do you want to know?”</p></li>
</ol>
<p>In regards to UVa info sessions, it was explained that it was during weekdays when there were extremely large numbers of visiting high school students, and all of the larger classrooms were being used for classes, and the student union room that is usually used for large admissions sessions was under reconstruction. There were no other large spaces available on those weekdays that was close to the admissions office other than the historic non-denominational chapel. The chapel is mainly used for weddings and music programs.</p>
<p>charlieschm, it wasn’t the chapel itself that knocked it off her list. She didn’t love the fact that the session was in there, but a “we’re sorry we have to have it in here” would have been nice. Even a “yeah I see what you mean” would have made it tolerable. But “what do you mean Christian imagery, it’s totally non-demominational” and then when it was pointed out that you know Jesus is a Christian image, it was like “Oh well that.” It just felt like there was no sensitivity to the issue whatsoever.</p>
<p>Let’s see: I’ve done official tours of Hood, Washington College, Dickinson, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and JHU. I’ve walked around, but not toured, Trinity College Dublin. I haven’t visited U Lethbridge (I will in October though).
After visiting I crossed of Washington (people really angry and they’ll be renovating the library when I would start, plus the admissions person I met with only talked about himself) and Mt. Holyoke (really awful guide, dorm I saw not in great shape, people talking about appropriate sides of staircases like it would kill us when we were on a tour, oh horses, lots of talk about horses, plus my guide was a religion major and couldn’t name the major religions of the world, that says something about academics).
I also relegated Hood to my “If it’s my only option” school (I got scared when the admissions person said I could get in with my scores and classes at the beginning of my junior year, she even offered me an application to fill out that day).
I wasn’t sure of Smith or JHU before visiting, but after I knew I really liked them, giving my dream school (Dickinson) competition.
So, visits made a huge difference for me. I’ll see after October what my top choice is, then where I’ll go once I get financial aid info (no matter how much my mom wants me to go to Smith).</p>
<p>maya54–were you really offended by a piece of artwork? Can’t you just appreciate it for what it is without making it into an issue? Had that been a Menorah do you really thing the Christian people in attendance would have even said anything? I know I wouldn’t have.</p>
<p>
A menorah is much smaller than a giant stained glass picture of Jesus Christ staring at you. And since it’s a public school, it might be a little off-putting to some people, especially if they refuse to acknowledge it exists. Have you ever been in a minority group? You want to go somewhere where you’ll feel welcomed.</p>
<p>David-I meant that the stained glass window as a picture of a Menorah. I fail to see how that isn’t welcoming. It’s pretty obvious that students there don’t even notice it. It’s a non-issue.</p>
<p>
That’s the impression I get from Wake Forest. You stand in the middle of Hern Plaza, look at the buildings, and think “Yeah, this is what a college campus should look like.”</p>
<p>SteveMA, I think your perception that students don’t notice is not really correct. Those students who believe in Jesus may not but students who absolutely do not believe in Jesus probably do.</p>
<p>Steve, it sounds like it wasn’t the artwork itself but their utter obliviousness that yes, Jesus is a Christian symbol, and no, that means the chapel is not non-denominational. I don’t know that judging a school by the tour guide’s attitude is fair, but that’s another issue. What I can tell you as a Jew, is I understand the desire to avoid a place where people are totally insensitive to the fact that someone might not be Christian, or that another religion might be as important as Christianity. I’ll give you a random example. When I was pregnant, a friend of mine - someone who knew me fairly well and certainly knew I was Jewish (although my husband is Catholic), asked me when I would be getting my baby baptized. Not if, but when. I reminded her that I was Jewish and that the baby wouldn’t be any official religion. She said “Oh I know you’re Jewish, but why aren’t you baptizing the baby??”</p>
<p>She 's not stupid. She know Jews don’t get baptized. She isn’t even religious. She just assumed that Catholicism trumped any other religious concerns and assumed I agreed with that. </p>
<p>This kind of stuff is not unusual. And I live in a moderate/liberal area. I don’t know that I would have reacted the way maya54’s daughter did, but I understand her viewpoint.</p>
<p>SteveMA, respectfully, it’s just that your scenario rarely or never happens. So while you can try to imagine how you would feel, it’s not something you’re faced with?</p>
<p>My public school district registered my D’s kindergarten class in a local Catholic church, the reason given was space. When I protested to the superintendent about the church camp flyers on the table next to the school forms, he (a Catholic) could not understand the issue.</p>
<p>Well, I guess I am just having a hard time understanding why someone had such and issue with a stained glass picture of Jesus in a CHAPEL on campus? It would be like a Christian walking into a Temple and complaining about all the Jewish symbolism. Yes, it’s a public school but most campuses have some kind of Chapel, Newman Center, Temple, etc. for students who wish to practice their faith while in college.</p>
<p>Snowdog–Probably because he wouldn’t have an an issue if there were fliers from the local Jewish Community Center camps…Would you have had the same issue if the sign up was in your Temple and those same fliers for camp were there?</p>
<p>Steve, yes. I’m not Jewish either.</p>
<p>Another difference is that Christianity is the majority religion in this country. There are many people who go on about the USA being a “Christian country”. Some denominations have a history of aggressively trying to convert Jews. My daughter was told in elementary school that she would be going to Hell because she didn’t believe in Jesus. So Jews - or a member of any minority religion - are a bit more sensitive about Christian imagery in public spaces than a Christian might be with a Jewish image.</p>