<p>Agree, we have hear about the party reputation at union but it was also the size difference that impacted his thoughts. It’s not his first choice but it is up there,so if it comes to that we will have to do a bit more research. He loves to party, just wants to learn also if possible?</p>
<p>With the exception of perhaps BYU or Liberty, EVERY school is a party school. No one puts a gun to your head and forces you to neglect your studies in favor of partying. It’s a question of finding students you fit in with–if it’s a big state flagship (like UMass), there are 20K plus to choose from.</p>
<p>Even kids at LU can find parties if they want to. And some do. A hotel within walking distance was party central.</p>
<p>Connecticut College.</p>
<p>We visited four colleges. Hobart and William Smith, Vassar, Connecticut, and Marlboro.
Connecticut was the only one my daughter said, “Too preppy. Not for me” after maybe 3 or 5 minutes on campus. We didn’t sit in class or anything, so it was just the impression she got from walking around the campus.</p>
<p>I purchased a postcard that featured the campus at every college we visited. Connecticut College was the only college that did not sell one. They had greeting card package that feature their campus but not the postcard. That irked me a little.</p>
<p>She applied to all the other places but Connecticut.</p>
<p>William and Mary - her student interviewer texted several times durum my daughters interview. Then he cut it short because he had to go to class. Not a great first impression…</p>
<p>Our son has crossed the tours off his list, not the colleges. He says he could care less what the campus is like as long as the school has his program. We tried to get him to walk around Wesleyan when we were driving through during a visit last year, but because it’s just up the road from his high school, it’s not a consideration so he wouldn’t budge. He doesn’t understand why tours are necessary. You look at the websites for all the schools with your program, you talk to the reps at the college fair, you apply, you’re done. Oh to see life that simply again.</p>
<p>You may learn more about a college by quietly eating lunch in a student dining hall and listening, than you do from the generic admissions powerpoint.</p>
<p>this is a fun thread. </p>
<p>American University. DS was turned off by “ashtrays everywhere” (his words) and, when we stopped to see the tour guide’s dorm, there was a bulletin board put up by the RA you know, those ones that usually advertise study groups or the next party? This one was all about “HOW TO CONTROL YOUR STRESS”. We both giggled at it later. The tour guide and the whole campus just seemed a little too West Wing intense for DS. </p>
<p>Boston University. Just too urban; This is where DS realized he wants a campus with a quad. </p>
<p>Indiana University. I thought it was beautiful, but the weather was crappy (snow/sleet) and DS was turned off by the crowded pathways and kids waiting for buses everywhere this is where he realized he doesn’t want to go to a large school.</p>
<p>I’ve learned a lot to prepare for DS2 it’s worth it to visit all kinds of schools, even if they’re rejected, because it really helps them focus on what they DO want.</p>
<p>
Hmmm. Sounds like my college application experience
(tho’ without the websites ;)).
Or just wandering around the campus, looking & listening.<br>
Or pretending to be lost.</p>
<p>One of the things that has made a big difference in DD’s reaction to college visits has been the personal attention paid by faculty or students.</p>
<p>UMD College Park is our flagship and just 20 minutes from home, maybe too close and too big. Info session was OK, tour was pretty good. DD wants to be an engineer, so we went looking for the engineering bldgs. A gentleman asked where we were headed. Turns out he was an engineering prof, personally walked us over to the bldgs and got into quite a conversation with DD. UMD has been near the top ever since and she spent a week in the dorms at an engineering for girls summer program.</p>
<p>We decided to look at Drexel mainly because it was right next to UPenn. There were no engineering tours that day, so DD asked if we could chat with someone. On short notice, the assistant dean spent a half hour basically giving her an impromptu interview and sales pitch. Drexel is on the list despite what we agreed were pretty dreary living arrangements.</p>
<p>On the other hand, DD made arrangements far in advance to meet engineering folks from Tufts during our visit. The contact set up a meeting, then completely blew her off - and dept folks pretty much shrugged and went back to their computers. Tufts is off the list, although the tour was OK and a friend of DD’s who went with her has it as No. 1.</p>
<p>We’ve tried at every campus we’ve visited to eat in dining halls, and have gone out of our way to ask questions of students or faculty who were NOT designated tour guides. We’ve learned as much or more from those encounters as from the tours or info sessions.</p>
<p>One last note: We drove by Penn St. because it was (kind of) on the way home during a PA tour. We figured it would be too big and too much of a football school to stay on the list. But they had by far the best organized tour/info sessions we have run across. Cheerleaders when you are headed into check-in! And the alumni volunteers were everywhere. Very impressive - and it stayed on the list!</p>
<p>I agree about Penn State, very well organized and rah rah. DS1 won’t be applying there as he wants a smaller school, but DS 2 (who is only 12 but tagged along on the tour) says he will!</p>
<p>Bowdoin - Way too much khaki. Way too much. My interviewer was the only exception to this.
The student center was pretty terrible, and the campus just felt weird.
The tower reminded me too much of a dungeon, and being afraid of heights plus having a high chance of living there at some point is a bad combo.</p>
<p>My 3rd child was a breeze. All done with her applications by November 1… </p>
<p>She/We didn’t love: </p>
<p>Wheaton (MA)- ‘too much like a high school’ per my daughter; I had visited 10 years earlier with her brother and it is a much more well kept place now!
Whitman- she reacted to the overall environment, and after a 4 hour drive there we did not go to the tour!
Colorado College- it was too outdoorsy for her (!) but really, it was that aside from the block plan, they really couldn’t ‘define’ themselves
Beloit- the admissions rep was snippish… and the campus was torn up as the freshman were arriving
Muhlenberg- I think it is a terrific place, just not for my daughter… we left after the info session</p>
<p>She has applied 4 places (with 4 others she would apply to, but decided 4 was enough!)
Goucher
Clark
Smith
Grinnell</p>
<p>Among my 3 children, I made 43 college visits. Not unhappy it is over… !</p>
<p>Momworried - my son hated Babson also for the following reasons: 1) the campus was small and uninspiring. It is too far from Boston to get in easily (unless you take their shuttle bus). (we had just come from BC, so Babson paled byh comparison in many ways. 2) the all-business major is interesting, but not for everybody. My son may still wan to study Math and/or Econ and go into banking that way; 3) the lack of diversity (ie all students are business majors) bothered my son; and 4) the info session was poor. By the way the Admin Lady does not have a speech impediment, she was wearing a brace on her teeth.<br>
Definitely off the list. By the way, we loved BC’s Carroll’s Business School.</p>
<p>California Lutheran - my son thought the students looked pretty dour, and noted that they didn’t seem to be gathering together and interacting. My husband agreed with that assessment but noted that it was a colder day not conducive to gathering outdoors. DH liked the campus more than he thought he would but agreed the students didn’t look very happy or engaged.</p>
<p>on a weekend trip to NYC, NYU was an absolute cross-off (though the liberal arts dean was amazing) while Columbia…well, I was ready to quit my job and go to school there for the rest of my life. 
My daughter loved it as well…but felt we were “overreaching.” (she’s right :)</p>
<p>on a D.C. trip, wanted to like American University but didn’t…LOVED Georgetown (who wouldn’t)</p>
<p>Charlie…I completely agree with you. Most colleges that we have considered, we have gone to on a non-tour day and spent time. There were schools that seemed OK during the tours, but great during off time, and schools that seemed great during tours, and then awful during non-tour times.</p>
<p>DS wasn’t interested in Union because of the party school reputation, but he really liked it after we went for an open house and "private"tour with my sister, who us a professor there. The kids were really nice, and the professors seemed to love teaching and helping the students succeed.</p>
<p>this is interesting thread so I will join in…
S1 only applied to Rutgers New Brunswick…so …a year later
S2 applied to montclair,U hartford then visited. Crossed montclair off list. when they registered him for visit as Benjamin Gumdrum ( not his last name) and received mail for 6 months addressed to same name. loved UHart people, programs…will be graduating from the Barney School of Business ( no purple dinosaur) magna cum laude in May 2014.two years later…
D visited Pace, Purchase, Drew, Centenary, Albright, Rider, Rowan, St,Johns (queens) Stockton , Rutgers and Temple university. absolutley wrong for St. johns, but a great campus/program …hated Drew…felt it was to insulated and like people were “bubble wrapped” and shallow(her words) despite having a brother at Rutgers she did not like the campus, or the school…too dirty/noisy/spread out.the tour guide at Centenary had no personality.Purchase gave a very strong disassociated vibe. the tour guide was obviously hung over and the campus is very stark…she knew she wanted greenery.
Pace was her first choice for a while, but once she got to her audition she knew it was not the right fit…and felt the current students were unfocused. She is happily ensconced at albright college…the right fit for her major, lots of like minded intellectuals and a safe green campus. It really is all about the fit, after all.</p>
<p>
For months, S received mail to ‘John …’ (not his first name) from Muhlenberg. Took a few requests for them to correct it.</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your daughter’s reaction to Drew – it somewhat validates my decision to omit it from my son’s recent 12-college road trip. Just a feeling I had … .</p>