@happy1 Did your daughter find Lafayette’s social life to be good? Were there enough parties and activities and things happening all the time? Thanks!!
re post #1662. Women wearing DRESSES on campus during the day is not “preppy” or showing "wealth??? Why on earth would today’s women do such things for classes???
@citymama9 , seconding the advice to look at F&M as well.
@wis75 -
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Women wearing DRESSES on campus during the day is not "preppy" or showing "wealth??? Why on earth would today's women do such things for classes???
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People dress in lots of different ways as an expression of personal style or comfort. Dresses can be dirt cheap and super comfortable, especially in warmer weather. (Also pretty, if that’s your thing.) If the poster had specifically mentioned pricey name-brand designer wear, I’d see your point, but on its own, the choice to wear a dress does not signify wealth.
Marist is also “Hogworty”. Verry pleasantly surprised with the school and campus.
Beloit moved off my son’s list. Too small. Also, he is a science kid, and he felt too much emphasis on art and theater during tour. Apparently the kid who was supposed to give the science side of the tour was sick that day. I tried to tell him they were quite good at science, but he was not a believer. I think the number of tattoos and piercings we saw on students was also a turn off for him.
Syracuse - previously a very strong top contender immediately moved off my son’s list upon visiting due to the overall area and topography. University of New Hampshire and UVM, previously at the bottom of his list as safety schools moved to the top after visiting because of the location and beauty of the campuses and the warm, welcoming atmosphere of both the students and the administration at admitted students day. UCONN is another school that came off the list after visiting for being “isolated” and “too commercial looking” and “just not a good feeling” - to be fair here, we visited on a cloudy, Saturday when there was no hustle and bustle of students at all so I’m not sure he really got the experience he should have with that school. Marist, Fordham and St. John were all moved to the bottom of the list due to either location - Marist too small and removed from anything else, although beautiful campus, and Fordham and St. John were closed campuses and again, although beautiful within the walls of the campuses, the surrounding areas not so much and urban setting so not much of an outdoors extra-curricular appeal. Campus visits to other Universities and Colleges were basically consistent with his preconceived notions. Overall though, I do want to say I think campus visits are one of the most important things in making a college decision.
@xaviermom2017 what other schools were “basically consistent with his preconceived notions?” It might be helpful info.
@wis75 They weren’t wearing Lily Pulitzer dresses! They were mostly wearing casual, t-shirt dresses from Brandy Melville. After a long cold winter it was in the 70s on Friday. I know what preppy looks like, and I didn’t see a lot of that. If anything, I would say “sporty”.
Regarding Bucknell^^^
@citymama9 , I also agree she should visit F&M, which I am sure I didn’t post about here. Ideally it’s best approached from the town-side of campus, as the other side feels a little industrial. We liked the town, though it wasn’t as cute as Carlisle. (Someone mentioned slightly rundown towns. This is very common for many LACs. I wouldn’t be put off by it. Once there, the kids at these colleges don’t ever seem bothered by it.) We had a private tour with three really great students who were very friendly and relaxed. D applied after being sold on their house system, which means that you study with the people you live with in your first year seminar. The campus had a nice mix of old and new. It has Greek life which didn’t seem super dominant, but is definitely there. There is a LOT of school spirit and of all the places my D applied, it felt the most mainstream in terms of student types. It certainly seems to offer the most traditional college experience of the mainly small LACs D applied to.
Its reputation is rising, IMO. Grads have good employment prospects. A good friend and her hubby are grads and their son attends and absolutely LOVES it. He is president of his frat and a really great guy.
F&M no longer offers merit. Before being accepted, as time went on, D very much lost interest in it. It came down to the fact that D doesn’t care for sports or Greek life and felt it was ultimately too preppy/sporty for her. Or that was her perception anyway. It sounds like it might be a good fit for your daughter.
F&M doesn’t offer general merit scholarships but does offer music-specific ones, and perhaps others. My S liked it better than Dickinson because the campus felt less divided by all the city streets. He didn’t like the frat culture, but for others that might be a plus.
@citymama9 Will PM you in a bit so not to hijack this thread…but in short she loved Laf.
@wis75 I agree with @porcupine98. I have seen lots of upper-teenage girls in the US wear casual/cotton dresses when we visit college campuses and in the US in general (particularly in warmer weather). My two-cents worth is that these kids are becoming more conservative (not in the political sense of the word!) and the trend is moving away from the overly sporty sweatpants/running shorts look and towards a smarter, dressier look. In addition, my DD attended a US summer program in New England last year and most of the pictures she sent were of the other girls wearing dresses or skirts. The program was very national/international so it is not just an East Coast thing.
@citymama9 I have one at Bucknell and one at Lafayette. Love both. But of the two Bucknell seems preppier in terms of overall style. While I agree that casual dresses don’t signify wealth (Forever 21 or H&m anyone?) according to my D many if not most of the female students have at least one lily Pulitzer dress in their closet. My D thought Lafayette seemed more laid back in style when we dropped her brother off as a freshman last fall. FWIW both kids are having great experiences both academically and socially.
My daughter was a sundress kid in high school and tried to be on in college, but it was too cold! She wears one whenever she can just because they are comfortable. She is far from a preppy girl.
@wis75 My D often wore dresses/sundresses to class on a warm day and she is far from preppy. Most of them are from H&M and were super cheap.
But at one school we visited some of the girls had pearls on and she thought that was over the top preppy!
My daughter wears dresses on campus (H&M) but not all the time. We are not wealthy and my daughter is not preppy. This is one of the small things she liked about her school when we toured.
My daughter at Vanderbilt told me she wore my ragged XL hoodie with leggings most days during fall and winter of freshman year.
But other days she could really dress up without standing out, especially in the spring-sundresses,skirts, jewelry etc.
I would definitely say that her wardrobe has improved drastically since then.
Junior year at Vandy is a time for stepping up with internship interviews and other real world activities; she says it’s not uncommon to see "Frat Boys " in suits and girls in “business” outfits.
The dresses = rich line of thinking puzzles me. Wearing a dress can often be a cheaper option than dressing in the several pieces (top and bottom) of not wearing a dress.
Agree that dresses can be a less expensive option.
My girls tell me that dresses take more “effort” though because they feel like they need to be more put together in a dress–shaved legs, a little make-up, maybe a bracelet or necklace…
Some schools have less of the “sundress” thing.
Getting back to the original topic, both of my older girls disliked the style/vibe at Berkeley when their brother attended.
Both of them had/have zero interest in applying…for the same reason that other kids love it!!