Harvard -
My S26 visited the campus twice during a one-week tour of area schools. Spent time with two students he knew from high school. Attended a class. Decided not to apply - felt it was going to be a rat race. My words, not his.
Yale -
Also visited Yale. We ate dinner off campus, got to see how New Haven is indeed a little rough. Got panhandled within steps of stepping outside a dorm. Watched a Yale student get busted for a fake ID by one bouncer, even while same bouncer was cheerfully giving us directions to a nearby restaurant (quite the multitasker). Our AirBnB shared a hallway with some equally-cheerful varsity football linemen who were exceedingly polite and well-spoken. Overall, Yale’s people made a great impression on me, but I think the setting was too rough for him. Vanderbilt is a similar island in the middle of a city, but the vibe felt better, like the school is more comfortably assimilated into the nearby city.
U of Pacific -
This was going to be a safety school with a lot going for it on paper. On site, it was hot as a furnace in late May, but everyone kept remarking how mild it was that day. Also, S26 is pretty advanced in math, and the admissions presenter kept directing him back to scenarios he was already well past. It was a big red flag that they might have a hard time placing him. Finally, the (American) tour guide asked what side of the road we drove on at home. Didn’t know our home state was one of the 50. All of it combined to make him think he wouldn’t feel at home there.
Boston University -
Kind of the opposite choice from Yale and Vandy, in an urban school. School felt threaded through the neighborhood. Might be perfect for someone who wants to feel like they are moving to a particular neighborhood with access to a great school, but it wasn’t the right scenario for him.