@Camasite Yeah, and that’s why it’s almost impossible to live in Cali while your young; there’s just no point to waste your money when after you graduate is the time to be saving up and stuff. Also, do really think Cali is all that, even if you can afford to live there?
Yeah it’s true, but 3 hours is 3 hours. It wouldn’t be super easy to just drive down there, considering you have plan it all and have the time with all the schoolwork and classes on the weekdays.
@Camasite Also, I’ve never really been fond of the states from TX to Georgia, but probably shouldn’t make assumptions since I’ve never been. Also, idk if the Northeast would be any better since it also gets cold there and I’d have no clue where to begin looking at what city to go to. Although the winters suck in the Midwest, there is truly nothing better than the summers.
@Justinbecause all very good points. And I think being in Barrett will assist in that because while there will be plenty of fun things to do, all the people there are driven and know when they have to study.
@Justinbecause and it really is sad that ASU gets a bad rep because of their high acceptance rate and that “anyone with a pulse can get in.” Honestly, ASU has far better resources, advising, and programs than many other top US colleges, and hence why they are also the #1 on the list for innovation. Colleges better start realizing that they cannot keep living in the past, because I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m a decade or so, modern schools like ASU will be the go to school.
If you get into Wisconsin business, that’s a big plus. I really like the school in general, as I’ve said, and Madison is one of my favorite towns. If you want to go to business school, would you be disappointed with L&S? If not, then that’s cool. I think Wisconsin may have better liberal arts teachers than any of the other schools you mention. I was a history major so I have a soft spot in my heart for liberal arts. But it hurt my chances of employment after college, so I went back to get an MBA. Still had a difficult time, but I’m confident that I’m a better writer and communicator than many business majors and engineers. I recommend to anyone to take some liberal arts classes, no matter their major.
ASU and U of A are good schools, but my opinion is their honors schools are a big step up from the general student body. You will have very high caliber students in the honors programs. Kids that study hard, and I’m sure party hard too. But in the general population you don’t get the attention you get from an honors program, you don’t get first pick of classes, special dorms and food. You also don’t have three advisors like you do at Barrett and WP Carey. You get one. Finally, I believe you are guaranteed to have the best professors at the school in the honors classes. I have heard the undergrad teaching is very good at ASU (#10 according to US News). But with honors classes, you get the best of the best. https://barretthonors.asu.edu/honors-faculty-at-barrett?dept=306464&id=1
And look at the signature classes at Barrett. This almost guarantees you to have liberal arts courses. You will become a better communicator, which is essential for business. You won’t have these courses at Wisconsin or Carlson, or ASU/U of A regular.
https://barretthonors.asu.edu/academics/honors-courses-and-contracts/signature-courses
One last thing…take a look at the number of Fulbright Scholars at the different schools. That’s a mark of a school that attracts top students. Pretty good company in that list. At ASU, I believe all or nearly all of them come from Barrett from what I understand. I would imagine it is the same at U of A too.
@sbdad12 I mean yes and no. Yes, because it would kinda suck not being able to take business courses my first year and getting to know if I really enjoy it or not. Also, and this is one of the biggest reasons for why it might be painful to not get into the business school is that it is so much harder to transfer in. At top schools like UMich, Madison, and even U of MN, it’s very hard to transfer into their respective schools because not only are you going against a ton of other driven and motivated kids trying to do the same thing you are, you have to work your ass off to get good grades to be able to get in. And in order to get good grades, I might not be able to relax and have fun as much as I would like, because I’d be grinding and stressing out to get into the business school hopefully my sophomore/junior year or whenever they allow you to transfer in. And no, because although I’d be taking G.E’s, I’d still be at The University of Wisconsin Madison and get to be a part of the campus and student body and partake in all the fun things going on.
I’ve heard about the Fulbright scholar thing, but would is it exactly?
Probably one of the most prestigious post graduate scholars program, along with a Rhodes scholarship. You get all expenses paid to study overseas. Schools that produce both types of scholars are well respected. It’s huge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulbright_Program
Another good thing about honors colleges is the requirement to write and defend your senior thesis. They aren’t a lot of colleges that do it, but Princeton is one of them. That’s an invaluable experience at Barrett.
@sbdad12 I was thinking that writing a thesis was a negative to attending Barrett and U of A’s Honors college. It just seems like they’re a waste of time, create a bunch of unneeded stress and time to write it, and employers don’t really care if you do one or not? This also seems to be the case with the Human Event class as well (sort of). It seems like Barrett kids think the class is pretty challenging and strenuous, just for some honors credits. And you have to study old/ancient literature in a seminar style class. Doesn’t sound like the most interesting class to me…
Your thesis could be a real business project for a real business. It can take lots of different forms, it doesn’t have to be an academic endeavor. It has to show your ability to research independently, write in a clear and engaging way, and most difficult, achieve a goal you’ve set for yourself.
As for “why take a seminar like Human event when you’re a business major?”, here’s a true story. In NYC, there’s a university whose graduates now place very well on Wall Street and in all sorts of brand name companies. However, for a while, it wasn’t so. The Dean in charge of the Business school, who had extensive contacts in the business world, tried to figure out why. The answer was unanimous: his college’s graduates had excellent technical skills, they certainly “could do the job”. But they couldn’t be hired for prestigious companies/positions because they were competing with elite graduates who had a certain background, what we call “habitus”, an intellectual training filled with what will become common references: having read pages from The Odyssey, knowing what a Gainsborough is and why Warhol matters, being able to go to a gallery opening or a film premiere without sounding like a doofus, and all the mental training having read/seen/discussed/appreciated all these timeless works provides without your knowing and that you only realize a few years later, especially when you encounter some who haven’t had such a training. The Dean changed his college’s core curriculum and his graduates never again had truble getting front office internships or prestigious positions.
When you’re competing with Princeton graduates and your goal isn’t “middle management if I’m lucky” but “hopefully, C-suite”, you have to up your game. Barrett graduates compete at that level.
(Sorry, couldn’t modify previous post on time)
Ultimately, nationally, Barrett+Carey> Carlson. So, if you want warmth+your chosen major+ prestige, you’ve got it at ASU Barrett.
However Carlson carries a lot of weight in the Midwest, it’s clearly comfortable and nearby for you, and you may not like having to move far away even for not-cold winters. Some 18-year olds are ready to live independently, discover different regions/cultures, and test their mettle, others need a bit more time and seek comfort first.
The “warmth” criterion must have been big for you because you applied to all these Southern schools.
Perhaps, as you’re revisiting this decision, you’re finding that living through cold winters isn’t so bad after all because it means you would be close to home, in a familiar environment; perhaps as you’re seriously considering leaving your family for the first time, familiar in the end beats warmth+new opportunities for you. As long as you live on campus, you’ll grow at your own pace and there’s no “bad” choice here.
Basically, it comes down to whether your criteria, as stated at the beginning of this thread, are still valid. Your main choices are all strong, what matters in choosing is what matters to YOU.
@wmanning11 , writing a thesis is not a waste of time. First, it teaches you excellent research techniques. It’s a great way to go in-depth about something directly related to your major.
Second, it can be used for jobs. My D was specifically asked in numerous interviews to provide an abstract of her thesis. She has just been offered another job, and the interviewer specially asked that she submit the stats analysis pages of her thesis. Many employers recognize the effort involved in writing one.
Well said, @MYOS1634 . I agree completely with you. If I’m interviewing two candidates, both are capable, and one is well rounded, I would pick the well rounded. That’s what signature courses at Barrett do–they help make kids that aren’t liberal arts majors and are focusing on things like business, med school, and engineering, well rounded. That’s enormously valuable. College to me isn’t just about learning a trade–it’s about making you a better person. We miss that these days in our search for return on investment. You could really tell who the well rounded kids were in my MBA program and who weren’t.
And yes, @Lindagaf , you have an immediate answer to employers when they inevitably ask the interview question, “Tell me about a time when you took a large project from start to finish.” Most recent college graduates don’t have an answer. A thesis is the perfect answer.
@wmanning11 , this all comes down to your ability to take a leap of faith. College is about growing. Are you ready to get out of your comfort zone for four years, go somewhere different, and grow as a person? Or do you need, for a while, the familiar? Only you can answer this question, not us.
@MYOS1634 I mean while I would be challenging myself by experiencing, reading, and talking about these different forms of literature and texts, I’m just not seeing the connection to how reading the texts you mentioned will perhaps (single-handily) allow me to go from a low-middle level management to C-executive jobs?
But yeah, I totally would agree with all 3 of you, @sbdad12 @MYOS1634 @Lindagaf that doing these extra things, like a thesis and signature classes could give me a leg above other candidates. Also, how could I eventually showcase these extra things that I just mentioned for employers? I mean a lot of the time they’re only going to see your resumé and cover letter and I don’t believe saying you did a thesis and a Human Event class would be something to put on either. Also, it’s not 100% that the interviewer is going to ask you questions that could be geared towards those kinds of things.
Also, I really think that I would enjoy and benefit from leaving MN and maybe even the Midwest. I don’t really believe I’d have a problem with the whole “homesick” thing. I’ve traveled all over the country and can say that it wouldn’t be too hard to get accumulated to a new area/region. Another is that college is supposed to be the time you go out and get experience, and I think going away may help with that. If I we’re to stay in MN all 4 years, the first time I’d have to truly live on my own and stuff would be for my first job, whatever that looks like. But by taking that leap of faith and going somewhere new, I will have already have been accustomed to living partial on my own, given it’d be somewhere new and different than what I’m used to…
Well, typically, if your resume and cover letter are satisfactory/meet the algorithm’s target terms, you’re called in for an interview.
(There may be two sets of interviews.)
That’s where all the Barrett stuff comes in - not just the knowledge, skills, and “habitus” that come from the classes, the thesis, the study abroad experiences, the internships… but also the career center and the way they help you personally. And it doesn’t hurt that you were in a brand-name college such as Barrett, of course (same as Carlson, U Wisconsin…)
The way it works:
1° as you’ve noted, it’s not “obvious”. So, it creates what Bourdieu calls “distinction” = it makes someone different. Just like when some students “stand out”. As was stated above, if you have two equally qualified applicants but one is also well-rounded, guess who wins?
2° if you did the non obvious thing that the interviewers also did, it means both of you are in the same club. You belong – or you’re in on the same “hack”. (Think of it like secret handshakes, or fraternities).
3° it also means you can afford to treat your degree, not as a trade/deal the way a HVACC technician would, but as a lifelong learning experience. It speaks to a “tradition” that may no longer quite exist but still matters.
@MYOS1634 within your first point, how does someone specifically stand out or become more noticeable if you read these sorts of texts versus if you don’t? Also, well-rounded is a pretty broad term as well, so if you could possibly provide a more specific explanation/reasoning to what you meant by well-rounded, because being well-rounded often takes a while to notice and might not be picked up on in a short interview.
Also, your last two points really made no sense at all. Most likely since I didn’t understand any of that technical jargon…
Make sure you take a solid Sociology course in college (it’ll always be an option regardless of major and is often refommended anyway). In the meantime, look up “habitus” and watch crash course sociology and economics videos.
The reasoning is the same if you compare Carlson and Mankato State. You expect more from Carlson students (or from Wisconsin or Barrett students.)
As for how people in charge of hiring can tell… for many positions there will be a technical/knowledge based/test part to the interview, and a personal part. They know what they’re looking for.
Hvac isn’t jargon. It’s a good trade. 
Don’t worry about the rest of the points.
If you want to try and grasp the concept, you can look into the Honors curriculum at several universities, then think about what they have in common.
@MYOS1634 @sbdad12 thank you all, but especially you two, for your continued help and in answering my questions. It really means a lot! Also, if there is anything else that you could say or talk about in regards to the colleges or just college life in general, everything is helpful and appreciated
I will chime in with general college life thoughts. Both my kids found colleges that fit them and their unique personalities.
One is in small, active Honors College at medium size Public U. Having 2 Advisors is super helpful, and early registration for both classes and dorms is a big perk. Small class sizes for Honors Classes, getting out of some boring gen ed classes (that would be 150+ students in large lecture hall) is another perk.
Biggest Perk of any Honors College is instant community. First two weeks Older Honors Students mentor Freshman Honors students, lots of social activities and all Honors Staff have offices on first floor of Honors dorm. Tutoring by fellow Honors students at no charge, again held in study rooms in Honors Dorm.
Other child was in a special program on campus at a small Private LAC and lived in what was practically a sorority dorm. All students in this program were required to live there all four years. One dorm for girls, one for boys. Older students mentored younger students. They also got training from the program staff. Great personal growth for my child.
You have great choices, and you have gotten great advice on the academics and honors programs. I suggest you think about fitting in, the dorm living situations, and what would best suit your personality.
One child is at a school where every student gets their own tiny bedroom in a four person suite with 2 baths and a mini kitchen and living area. Means the world to my kid who values his privacy.
Other kid shared larger room with one roommate. Walked down the hall to a communal bathroom. And there was a kitchen area on each dorm floor. It worked fine for her.
I would tell you to choose an Honors College if you were my child. Then compare the perks of dorm, food, community, activities, and perks like early registration.
You can be successful anywhere, and you can also miss out on lots of opportunities anywhere. It is up to you to go to office hours to talk with your professor and get to know them. Get involved in study groups. Ask for help before you are drowning. And take advantage of mental health counseling to help with transitioning to adult life.
You seem to be a rational student who is thoughtfully considering options. Best of luck to you!
@powercropper great points and thanks for the message! Yeah it really is hard to beat the connection and support that come with Honors colleges. In a way, they’re kinda like high school were it’s pretty accessible and easy to get help from your instructors. Also, the specialized dorms at both ASU Barrett and USF Judy Genshaft are easily some of, if not the best on campus, which is just another aspect of college I wouldn’t have to worry about. Also, a possible negative to U of A, U of MN, and U of W-M, is that I registered for dorms on May 1st (and then obviously later for Madison if I happen to get accepted), so I wonder if there’s a possibility that I would get into a more crappy dorm, which would kind of suck imo. Also, the lower tier dorms at U of A and U of MN I know are not that great…
What schools are they specifically attending if I may ask?
@wmanning11 - How many schools have you deposited at?