Colleges you/child crossed off the list after visiting

Parents Forum
4401

<p>Fun thread! Here’s my full report. We still have a couple of pending visits on the horizon (St. Marys of MD, Dickinson and Muhlenberg), but D’s mostly finalized her list at this point:</p>

<p>Yale: D visited 3 times (once with a friend, once with me, and once on a school sponsored trip)- I loved it, but her reaction has been so-so. She thinks it seems too “elitist”. Unlikely she could get in anyway, so off the list.</p>

<p>Vassar: Beautiful campus, okay tour guide, but turned off by some of the information we learned on the tour. One example- apparently seniors are encouraged to cook their own meals, in order to begin the transition to independence and adulthood. Personally, I’d like my D to spend all of her time involved in college activities, rather than shopping for and preparing all of her meals. There will be plenty of time for that when she’s out of college. Poughkeepsie was another turn-off. Off the list.</p>

<p>Barnard: Felt very small and claustrophobic. Apparently much of the campus is underground? Boring, serious tour. Almost no green space. D loves NYC, but envisions more of a campus for college. Off the list.</p>

<p>Columbia: Again, too urban. Off the list.</p>

<p>UPenn: Too urban. Off the list.</p>

<p>Tufts: “Okay” Liked the tour guide, but D does not feel particularly enthusiastic about the school, off the list.</p>

<p>Wesleyan U: D visited twice (once with us, once with school trip) On our first visit, we had a tour, information session, ate lunch in the cafeteria with a friend who’s a freshman there (and loooves it), and visited her friend’s dorm room (a decent single!) Seemed like a perfect fit, and our D put it at the top of her list. But on her second visit with her school, there was a complete reversal, and I’m still not sure why, except that D had noticed that the Arts buildings were ugly and had lots of underground classrooms. Now it’s off her list. Go figure! Can’t convince her to go back for an interview and another personal tour of the Arts buildings with her friend.</p>

<p>Brown: D toured with school group, and loved everything about it. Thinks it’s the perfect school in every way. But has decided not to apply, because it would be too much of a reach. Off the list.</p>

<p>Bates: D toured with her school group. Liked the campus, thought the tour/information session was nice, but didn’t love it enough for it to make her list.</p>

<p>Kenyon: Prior to visit, we thought it would be one of D’s top choices, but the interview was a turn-off, because the admissions officer seemed mainly interested in training two senior interviewers rather than learning about my daughter. D felt a bit insulted. The ruralness of the school was a bit of a shock also, although we’d been warned. There is no town. You are nowhere near any place that can be described as even a small town. Very cramped freshman dorms. However, beautiful campus, tour was informative, very friendly students, good food, great academic program, strong theater program, and overall good vibe. It’s still on the list, but not at the top.</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins: We’re local, and if D attended there, she would have FREE tuition, so she WILL be applying. However, D has been underwhelmed by the several school-sponsored tours and information sessions she has had there. She can’t articulate what she doesn’t like beyond the feeling that it’s too math/science focused and she thinks the campus is too big and grad-student focused. But we know several students there who are very happy. D had a very positive interview recently, which made her feel more open to the idea of attending school in her backyard. On the list.</p>

<p>Bowdoin: D visited twice (once with school tour and once with Dad) D loved everything about it both visits. Beautiful campus, great interview, friendly/informative tour guides/information sessions, delicious food, felt welcomed by everyone, relaxed, well-rounded vibe, but excellent academically, no greek system, quaint college town within walking distance and close to beaches, Freeport, Portland. Top choice. D’s applying ED</p>

<p>Haverford: Tour and information session. D thought the campus was gorgeous, and she felt instantly at home. She said several times “I can see myself here.” Toured beautiful new freshman dorms. Slightly empty feeling though (really small student body!), and nice, but socially awkward vibe from students. So-so food at lunch. No pool or theater on campus, which I think is a little odd. Overall good impression though, and D is interviewing next month. Still on list.</p>

<p>Swarthmore: 2 visits (one with us, one with school tour). On our tour, we had a basically good impression, but campus felt very empty, and we weren’t able to stay for information session or to eat in the dining hall, because of our schedule. D was slightly put off by the smallness/intensity feel of the student body. Our tour guide kept emphasizing how common it was to have classes as small as one person. That’s right–ONE person. (this happens if only one student signs up for a class–the class is never cancelled due to low enrollement). He found it to be a real plus, and talked about how well he’s gotten to know some of his professors, how they’ve been able to basically tailor the course to his interests, etc. On D’s second visit with her school, she absolutely loved the school, and described it as “perfect for me.” Not able to articulate why…But now high on her list, even though very unlikely she has the scores to get in. Interviewing next month.</p>

<p>Oberlin College: Interview, tour, and lunch in town. My daughter loved everything about Oberlin. The campus seems to be the perfect size–flat and spread out a bit, lots of green, very walkable. Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, smart tour guide. Very relaxed, friendly interview, that went well over the planned time “because they were having such a good conversation.” D adored the hippy liberal vibe eg: we saw barefooted students eating their plates of lentil mush sitting in a circle on the ground outside of the vegan co-op, found out that students are asked at the beginning of each class what their preferred pronoun is, and there’s a strong focus on sustainability and green buildings. Cool “art rental” program. Lots of music/artsy types. The teeny town didn’t bother her. Definitely high on her list.</p>

<p>College of Wooster: They go out of their way to make you feel welcome when you visit, which was very appreciated. Everyone gets a personal tour, and the interview was relaxed and friendly–again going over the allotted time. I was invited in to ask questions at the end of D’s interview, and I had the impression that the interviewer really had a good idea of my D’s strengths and interests, and she talked in depth about opportunities at Wooster that would be a good fit. Pretty, but slightly small campus. Decent, but small town. More moderate vibe socially/politically than Oberlin, but a sense of open-mindness. Potential for merit money. Definitely on her list.</p>

<p>Davidson: We visited in the summer, so the campus was very quiet. But very good tour, and had a great impression of the school. Nice size, cute town, strong academics, everyone we met seemed friendly and approachable. On the list.</p>

<p>Phew! What a year!</p>

4402

<p>Just curious ginsamhorn. How does being local equal FREE tuition to Johns Hopkins? It is a private school.</p>

4403

<p>I believe DC residents can get free (paid by govt.) tuition to colleges outside DC as DC has no major “state” like universities.</p>

4404

<p>Pretty nice. The tuition at Johns Hopkins is right up there. I imagine the gov’t gets a discount.</p>

4405

<p>Hopkins has a “Baltimore Scholars Program” to encourage more students who graduate from Baltimore City Public High Schools to attend. If you are accepted to JHU and attend a Baltimore City Public High School for the last 3 years of high school, you will have free tuition, regardless of your financial need. Last year Hopkins accepted 8 students from my daughter’s high school.</p>

4406

<p>DC students do not receive free tuition to out of state schools. They receive a grant that can close the gap between OOS and IS tuition. I believe the grant is capped at 10K ($2kper year for up to 5 years) but that may have changes.</p>

<p>[District</a> of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant :: Northern Virginia Community College](<a href=“http://www.nvcc.edu/future-students/paying-for-college/financial-assistance/grants/dc.html]District”>http://www.nvcc.edu/future-students/paying-for-college/financial-assistance/grants/dc.html)</p>

4407

<p>^ wow that’s a lot of visits! Thanks for all the details.</p>

4408

<p>Ginsamhorn,</p>

<p>Why so many visits to reach schools? Just curious. We visited a lot of schools, but only one or two were reaches.</p>

4409

<p>I’m quite sure we overdid the reach school visits. Some of the visits were just convenient, because we happened to be on a trip near the area. And some of the visits were on her school sponsored trip (payed for by the school district and only offered to top performing students), and we had no say in their choice of schools (Yale, UPenn, Swarthmore, Brown, Tufts, Bates, Bowdoin). We’re trying to round out the list with a few more target/safety schools before the end of the year.</p>

4410

<p>gimsamhorn, PLEASE, post your visit reports here - [CampusVibe</a> - Recent College Videos, Photos, and Visit Reports](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vibe/]CampusVibe”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vibe/) These reports are so helpful to other students. Most people don’t take time to do a search on the parents site for colleges.</p>

4411

<p>gimsamhorn… My S and I just got back from an OH on a whirlwind of a college trip. We live in CA, so a loong way for 2 days. I had to laugh at your description of Kenyon. My S wanted to visit as he thinks Kenyon might be a top choice for what he wants, ( he is a theater kid). WOW!! They weren’t a kiddin when they said rural…LOL! My older S is at St Lawrence, which everyone talks non stop about how rural it is, I even had a CC poster jokingly ask if he was in the witness protection… Canton, NY feels like a thriving metropolis compared to Gambier. They have exactly 1 coffee shop, a post office, bookstore, tiny market, and a grill that was closed:(. That’s it folks. The problem is that also only have 1 dining hall on campus, which frankly compared to some of the other schools we have seem, the food was marginal at best. I feel like the food choices would get REALLY old quick. The dorm rooms were HORRIBLE! Tiny,dank, dingy and just…UGH!! This is in comparison to Wooster, whose we saw the next day, that were huge, light, carpeted, air-conditioned( Kenyon only had 1 dorm that was air-conditioned), charming built in bookcases, probably the best dorms I have ever seen, besides SLU’s, which are also amazing! There is also NO student union/center. My S didn’t find any of this bad enough to cross it off his list… but you would have to drag ME there kicking and screaming… luckily I’m not the one going to college:)</p>

4412

<p>5boys – I had the same reaction to Kenyon when my son visited 2 years ago. I was surprised that so many people coo over how beautiful a campus it is, but it didn’t speak to me. The decentralized campus, with single (gorgeous) dining hall made it feel even smaller to me. A great place for the right person (which wasn’t my son).</p>

4413

<p>I had a similar reaction to Kenyon when my D13 visited Junior Year. We were prepared to love it - she had a friend there, great drama , great English/writing. I went to a small, rural LAC and D ended up applying to all small LACS - from 1800 to 3500 students – all in small towns but of all the colleges we have visited, the campus and town (or lack thereof) just did not speak to us at all. We were just underwhelmed. Gorgeous new fitness/rec center but seemed so far away from the rest of the campus, and although the one dining hall is very nice it also seemed far from many of the dorms. I agree that the dorms were cramped and dingy seeming compared to most others we have seen. We both preferred Denison and Wooster. </p>

<p>D has friends at Kenyon now though who seem very happy. And I know the quality of the education is excellent.</p>

4414

<p>Funny to hear people’s similar reactions to Kenyon! But I do think most kids who attend there seem to have a wonderful experience. The alums I know border on seeming cult-like when they talk about their adoration of the school.</p>

4415

<p>Same here.</p>

<p>We did not even mind the location, because mount Vernon is fairly close and central Ohio is not upstate NY. </p>

<p>What we did notice though is how dark the campus seemed. All the rooms, the dining hall, the buildings, and I strongly prefer the light and airy hilltop feel of for example Denison (loved it!).
Still is on my list, because I love the student body and academics, but the campus itself was not great. The dorms were very far away from the classes as well, which is highly relevant on a snowy winter day on the top of a mountain.</p>

4416

<p>Two years ago, our D15 started with a list of 25 colleges she wanted to apply to. We knew we had to narrow that down, so we’ve been college visiting since her freshman year.</p>

<p>OFF the list because of campus visit:</p>

<p>BU—She likes the idea of an urban campus, but BU was more urban than campus. (Admittedly, a big part of the campus was “under construction” so we didn’t get to see some areas that might have had a more campusy vibe.)</p>

<p>Brandeis—She didn’t like the tour guide and thought the campus was a “hodgepodge,” although the idea of being able to live in a dorm that was built to look like a castle had some appeal.</p>

<p>University of Illinois (UC)—According to D15, “I don’t want to go to school that’s located in the middle of cornfields.” There are probably other reasons why UIUC is off the list (programs that aren’t quite right, too many kids from her high school wind up going there). But I do think the location was a real negative for her.</p>

<p>OFF the list, but the campus visit was good:</p>

<p>Northeastern—It was never really on the list to begin with, but we were all impressed by our tour guide and the information session. The campus was much nicer than expected. She went home and told some of her friends that while it wasn’t for her they should go and visit.</p>

<p>Stanford—loved the campus, loved the tour guide, would love to go there…but realistically too much of a reach.</p>

<p>Brown—ditto Stanford. </p>

<p>Princeton—ditto Stanford…but moreso. </p>

<p>ON the list in spite of a bad visit:</p>

<p>UCBerkeley—the tour guide was a real “bro” who talked too much about himself and not enough about the university. Plus the homeless people all over the place sort of freaked her out. The school is also a lot bigger than her ideal. But she liked the campus itself and it has programs that she’s looking for.</p>

<p>ON the list BECAUSE of the campus visit:</p>

<p>University of Rochester—maybe our expectations were low, but we loved the campus and the unique approach to majors. She was extremely bubbly about the school after the visit, and it’s now probably #3 on her list and probably not as much of a reach as her first two choices.</p>

<p>Tufts—she loved it. Loved the campus vibe. Loved the campus itself. Loved the proximity to Boston. Thought the people she met were interesting and that she would fit in. It’s #1 or #2 on her list. </p>

<p>Northwestern—we’ve been to the campus before but had not taken the tour until recently. She was blown away. Loved everything about the campus. The lake was beautiful even though it was hidden by construction in places. Loved that so many of the guides had weird double majors (saxophone and physics, for instance), which is something she would be interested in. Liked the way people dressed. I know that sounds superficial, but she said “I fit in here” when she saw so many girls wearing boho-inspired clothes and leggings-scarves-and-boots ensembles. </p>

<p>We’re going to be looking at Washington, Vanderbilt, Tulane, and Rice this spring—all of them fit her revised criteria (size, good premed, and urban). We’ll see what she says after that. We might visit Johns Hopkins and UVA, too, but those are not as high on her list.</p>

4417

<p>We visited Babson with my daughter recently. Absolutely hated it. For a business school they were extremely disorganized. Everything started late. The admission person presenting at info session had a speech impediment and was hard to understand. She couldn’t pronounce Letter S and kept stammering. After 1/2 hour I was ready to leave. They had 5 kids answering questions on stage. When asked about campus social life the guy who had the microphone passed it on the the girl next to him who went on to talk about volunteer opportunities through her sorority. When our tour guide was asked about school spirit and athletics, she said she’s never been to a game. My daughter was quiet through the whole thing. When we got into the car she just said “It’s not for me”</p>

4418

<p>My son has visited the following:</p>

<p>Vanderbilt - the admissions person was informative, but my son did not connect with the tour guide. The school was a bit more urban that he would like, the tour did not emphasize tradition or history. We walked past lovely buildings, but were never told what they were. Vanderbilt groups freshman into one living community, which is a nice idea - but the community seemed far removed from the rest of campus. So Vandy is off the list.</p>

<p>University of Virginia - when we first arrived my son was somewhat ambivalent about the tour. It started in a packed chapel with hundreds of other people and a rather lackluster admissions person. They broke the crowd into groups, and though we were supposed to go with a young lady - I noticed another young man giving tours who seems more outgoing - so we tagged along with him. It was a great choice! He talked about the history, tradition, classes, etc. By the end of the tour my son was up front asking questions. UVA is on the list.</p>

<p>College of William and Mary - the admissions discussion was fine and informative. The tour guide was not as polished as the UVA guide, we had a young lady who kept putting up her hair in a ponytail and then taking it down. It distracted me, but not my son. He noticed how she seemed to know everyone we past, loved the history and tradition stories she told. After the tour he wanted to walk the whole campus and we did. He even wanted to stop and buy a sweatshirt and a t-shirt. William and Mary is now the one to beat. We took a second trip, where he spent the day with a friend who is a student there. He is even more in love now. First choice, the one to beat.</p>

<p>Christopher Newport University - the admissions presentation was good. Our tour was lead by three students, which was fine, but probably would have been better at just two. The buildings are very new, the campus is not too large, but it lacked the history and traditional feel of UVA and W&M. It felt that the school was building what they thought was traditional and it felt forced and a little fake. My son wasn’t in love, but didn’t hate it - so it stays on the list as a back up.</p>

<p>Longwood University - my son visit here on a school trip. He felt it was way too small and lacked the special qualities he is looking for in a school. Not on the list.</p>

<p>Next tour in a week is to the University of Richmond. Spring Break we will most likely visit Duke, UNC, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech.</p>

4419

<p>Clark - good info session, so so tour guide. Didn’t love the area it is in and for some reason we all just knew it wasn’t for my DS. I think it’s a wonderful school for the right person.</p>

<p>BU - I fell in love with the city, but not the school. My son felt the same, and said if I go here I will be basically going to Boston and will live in the city and not do my work. Too much temptation and he knows himself well. I would go there in a heartbeat if I was 18 again.</p>

<p>U Mass Amherst - Big campus, seems like a lot of fun with lots of opportunity, but it was here that my son realized he wanted a small liberal arts school and more of a priority on education then partying.</p>

<p>Union - Son loved everything the tour guide said and felt it was a real fit, the college campus is beautiful but the surrounding area is not. It’s #3 on his list.</p>

<p>Skidmore - great college town, gorgeous campus, the most incredible dining hall (I can’t even call it this, it’s more like a gourmet food court on steroids). A bit too artsy, and hippie like for him to fall in love with it, and he is an artsy, hippie? Still on the list and would consider it again if needed.</p>

<p>Colorado College - Beautiful campus, beautiful people, very academic, unusual block program where you take one class at a time for 3.5 weeks followed by a 4.5 day block break and then do it all over again with a new class. He loved the philosophy and loved everything about the school. He’s a big skier and loves nature etc… Tied for #1 for him, I would prefer he stays on the east coast near home.</p>

<p>Connecticut College - tied for first for him… beautiful campus overlooking the long island sound, very academic students who care about learning and having intellectual conversations. Caring professors who are interesting and committed (we sat in on a class and it was everything he is looking for). The town is sort of cute, but could be better. Every single person we met was extremely nice on the campus and in the town. He loves it here and hopes to get in.</p>

4420

<p>^^^momentscaught:</p>

<p>Be careful with Union. If you are turning down UMASS so that the emphasis will be more on academics than partying, then Union may not be for your S. Union has been known for a long time as a big party type school. We turned it down for that reason, and also their Engineering Dept. was too tiny for my S.</p>