lindagaf, I think we saw the same room at Hamilton, gives us guys a bad name, I’m a neat freak myself. We thought Skidmore was real nice, but we visited the day Freshman arrived, they had fresh annual flowers in the beds, balloons and banners at the entrance, funny how the day you visit can make a different impression.
tailiecharley, when we visited Bowdoin, it was the only school where daughter had a small chance to get accepted, so I think we found reason’s to not like it as a defense mechanism.
Thank you for every body who read, and posted to keep this thread alive. The disagreements actually keep it going when it’s about to die. I can’t believe something I started became popular, in the real world nobody really cares about anything I say.
Maybe all quad boys rooms look the same . . . .?
Yes, the neighborhood you choose to introduce your child to a school. I have discovered that Google Stalking is your Friend. You can walk around and decide your approach.
I think that makes a difference in terms of the Order you see schools too. you see one that’s not as pretty maybe first or maybe less friendly or whatever, and then go to the one that Mom really thinks the student would like later. Maybe that works.
Up:
Smith College – D’s observation at end of tour day: “Smith had the best science posters of any school we have been to.” This after crisscrossing the country on tour #19.
Down:
Lafayette – School deserves award for most pompous admissions director and staff.
Off:
WPI – Parental veto; housing inadequate.
On Lafayette, note that they offer some extremely generous merit scholarships. You don’t even have to apply and it’s totally unrelated to financial aid. Alas he didn’t go, but he and my wife both had a positive impression.
“Yes, the neighborhood you choose to introduce your child to a school. I have discovered that Google Stalking is your Friend. You can walk around and decide your approach.”
@Dustyfeathers SO TRUE…just this summer I took D18 on an impromptu visit to Southwestern University in Texas. We came at it from the back side of town via the scenic route through cow pastures. She immediately disliked the school “It is in the middle of nowhere” and refused to even get out of the car. Left town in the other direction, it is literally maybe a 10 minute drive to an IKEA (and lets face it IKEA only builds stores in large population areas)…and hundred of other major retail stores, definitely not in the middle of nowhere, but you will never convince her of that fact. I have learned my lesson!
@RustyTrowel ,I do think when a review is negative, it is even more important to provide a little detail. Lafayette-“pompous.” How so?
WPI-housing “inadequate.” How so, from YOUR perspective?
Now you all have me wondering if in fact this infamous guys’ quad room at Hamilton is just left for display, year after year. ;))
^^Maybe it’s just the same 4 guys who never graduate?
We saw that room at Hamilton too! I was wondering if there were depictions of a former mammoth hunt scratched on the walls under those posters. Such a man cave! It was our guide’s room, and although this school ended up coming off the list, the guide won DS’ award for “guide who would be most fun to hang with”.
Re: neighborhoods around the prospective schools. The first college D ever looked at was Syracuse, and she fell in love (and she looks good in orange) but it was her sophomore year so we wanted to revisit. The 2nd visit, we decided to use Yelp to find the best buffalo wings. We ended up driving through some very sketchy neighborhoods – boarded up houses, and on one street a young man stepped into the road, put his hands together like he was shooting a gun, and “aimed” right at our windshield. We were all a bit shocked, and I pointed out to D that she might be doing her student teaching in one of those areas. When D decided later that afternoon that not only did she still love SU, but wanted to apply ED, we had no argument.
@RustyTrowel
We must have met the same admissions guy at Lafayette as you. Pompous, narcissistic, huge ego, yapped more about himself than the school, and also managed to put down a lot of other schools. Really turned off my D completely to the school, which was a shame because if you could get past that guy, the school has a lot of positives.
@RustyTrowel @wisteria100 I am a Lafayette alum and share your opinion on the head of admissions. It is a shame since it is a terrific school and I had an incredible college experience. My D was almost part of the class of 2018 but decided on a different school in the end. I can understand how it would be hard for some to see past Mr. Full of Himself.
@crazymamaB
We actually didn’t meet the Director. I was referring to the guy who ran the info session, but perhaps he takes his cue from the Director!
@wisteria100 (#1570) and @crazymamaB #1571 actually said it better than I did. We visited Lafayette on a Fall visit day with, probably, 800 other folks like us. The start of the day was 3 ponderous and overbearing speeches from different admissions staffers that failed miserably to make the case for why we should stay for the rest of the day. But, we did. What we saw is that Lafayette is a fine little school with happy students. It is a great tragedy that this fine school has weighed themselves down with such a sea anchor in admissions. Go, visit, meet the students, and just try to spend as little time as possible with admissions.
I have another student who passed up Lafayette because of someone from admissions. We loved the woman who led our info session on campus-- I still remember when she told the audience: “we are admissions directors, not rejection directors”-- but the individual who interviewed my daughter locally was such a turn off she wouldn’t apply. Too bad.
Our admissions rep at Lafayette was a very lovely woman, the session was short and sweet followed by a nice tour with a very pleasant guide. The only drawback was that we did not see the inside of the dorms. My daughter loved the school and it is on top of her list.
On the other hand when we visited Marist our tour guide was a young man who was very full of himself and even though the campus was lovely and the school had a lot to offer, my daughter decided not to apply. I still wonder if her tour experience was the deciding factor.
@Postmodern what trip advice website?
@Dustyfeathers is Google Stalking a real site? I mean, I am pretty good at using the Google to find stuff out but never knew there was a geography-based application called Google Stalk - different that Google Maps.
Any other tools I should know about other than the college websites and TripAdvisor in planning visits?
@GnocchiB check out Google Earth or even Google Maps. You can take a “virtual walk” around a neighborhood…it’s pretty amazing.
Next visit just go to The Varsity! http://varsitysyracuse.com/
Maybe not the best wings in CNY, but you will get to hear the famous " @Amkngk , Your Wings Are Ready!"
I’ll PM you the url since I should not post it, but it is the one that is designed to be your adviser (but in noun form) when you want to take a trip. 