Just for fun: If that college were a car...

Parent Cafe
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<p>Is this the right place for a goofy no-pressure thread??</p>

<p>With a sophomore and an 8th grader, I’m just starting out with all this college business. And, time and time again, I find my little brain comparing the college search experience to car shopping. ;)</p>

<p>Size, expense, reputation, mileage, sticker shock, etc. I even used the phrase “good student discount” (a la insurance) to help my kids understand merit aid. </p>

<p>So, if “that college” were a car? What would it be? I’ll start with our state flagship. </p>

<p>University of Maryland - College Park: Chrysler Town & Country minivan.</p>

<p>Big, mid-priced, something for everyone.</p>

<p>Who’s next?</p>

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<p>LOL - When I saw your headline I was thinking along the same lines for University of Maryland, where my son will be attending next year. Big, but solid and nice.</p>

<p>The college nearest to us is Lewis & Clark in Portland: Toyota Prius.</p>

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<p>Our DS is also going to UMD, I was thinking someting more along the line of a GMC Acadia, because I am anti mini-van and it is more sporty, which we all know Terps are!</p>

<p>We’re from NC, so I would say UNC-Chapel Hill is a Honda CRV</p>

<p>Mid size, mid price, dependable and everyone will never believe there is a better car! They of course will point out to the Duke people who drive the Acura MDX that is the same car, but they paid more for it! ;)</p>

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<p>UC Davis = A big Dodge or Ford pickup that has been converted to run on methane produced from a custom-built cow manure fermenter that has been installed in the back.</p>

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<p>Dartmouth: a [Volvo</a> XC70](<a href=“http://www.volvocars.com/us/models/xc70/Pages/default.aspx"]Volvo”>http://www.volvocars.com/us/models/xc70/Pages/default.aspx). It’s rugged enough for outdoor adventures, but still totally classy – on the expensive side, granted, but so worth it. It’s also the family favorite (the car my parents drive and the college where they send their daughter).</p>

<p>Yeah, I love my school.</p>

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<p>Carleton College - they think they are a VW bus that runs on alternate fuel, but are probably really a PT Cruiser</p>

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<p>LOL, when I saw the thread title, I thought you meant what kinds of car(s) we could have bought with the tuition $$!</p>

<p>Pretty nice ones! And several of them!</p>

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<p>^^^^ I thought the same thing! My EFC for 1 year is = my total car costs (insurance, gas, repairs, and the cost of the car) for the past 10 years of driving. </p>

<p>NYU = Hummer, BIG, and eats lots of money. But gets you there safely :-)</p>

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<p>The University of Texas could be my old Chrysler Concorde. Good looking. Reliable. Not for everyone but has a lot of nice features. Pretty powerful. And hoo, boy, is it ever BIG. [I could fit Bevo the Longhorn in the trunk, two or three linebackers in full uniform in the back seat, and (because of the bench seat) I could fit a geoscience professor and a Dean’s Scholars student in the front with me - seatbelts for three.]</p>

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<p>This is fun:</p>

<p>Harvard: Rolls-Royce Phantom
Yale: Bentley Continental Flying Spur
Stanford: Audi R8
Harvey Mudd: Mazda MX-5
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology: 1968 Ford F-100
Evergreen State College: Toyota Tercel electric conversion
UCLA: Porsche Carrera 2
Reed College: Trabant 601
USC: Hummer H1
University of Alabama: Any turbocharged diesel crew-cab pickup
Washington University: Hyundai Genesis
Vassar: Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible</p>

<p>and my alma mater, UC Irvine: Volvo 240</p>

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<p>^ Reed College: Trabant 601 ??? </p>

<p>I gotta go look up the school AND the car!</p>

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<p>Post no. 3, we own two Honda CRVs, and there IS no better car! Plus, why pay more for fancy trim and a name. Guess that’s why all our kids are winding up at state univ’s.</p>

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<p>Not to be a pedant, but the MDX is built on the same platform as the Pilot and the Odyssey, not the CR-V. Of course, you might derive some twisted pleasure by pointing out that the MDX is pretty much a chopped minivan. I know I do.</p>

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<p>Texas A&M - Ford 250 pickup with full rhino package. In maroon.</p>

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<p>You’re right WashDad; now that I think about it the CRV is built on the Civic frame. It’s supposed to be sporty and fun to drive/zip around in. And I zipped around so much I got a few speeding tickets the first couple years I had mine. I’m much more disciplined in it now.</p>

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<p>Clarification: the UC Davis methane-powered pickup will also come equipped with a dog riding along with his head out the window.</p>

<p>And an alternative vehicle for those who don’t have farm chores to do would be a solar-powered bicycle.</p>

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<p>Whitman college - Suburu Impreza Outback Sport - with the snowboard rack and the bike rack and the whatever else rack.</p>

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<p>MIT: Nissan GT-R.
UPenn: Ferrari 430.
UMich: Corvette Z06.</p>

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<p>Schools in New England generally: [Yahoo</a>! Image Detail for static.■■■■■■■■■■/2194/2085232638_6f992bc95d.jpg](<a href=“http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dsnowcat%26fr%3Dfptb-iy%26toggle%3D1%26cop%3Dmss%26ei%3DUTF-8&w=500&h=341&imgurl=static.■■■■■■■■■■%2F2194%2F2085232638_6f992bc95d.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.■■■■■■■■■■%2Fphotos%2F21319914%40N06%2F2085232638%2F&size=140.2kB&name=Pisten%20Bully%20snowcat&p=snowcat&type=JPG&oid=a9c62755f7ac29c8&fusr=Tom_STI&tit=Pisten%20Bully%20snowcat&hurl=http://www.■■■■■■■■■■/photos/21319914@N06/&no=9&tt=19780]Yahoo”>http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dsnowcat%26fr%3Dfptb-iy%26toggle%3D1%26cop%3Dmss%26ei%3DUTF-8&w=500&h=341&imgurl=static.■■■■■■■■■■%2F2194%2F2085232638_6f992bc95d.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.■■■■■■■■■■%2Fphotos%2F21319914%40N06%2F2085232638%2F&size=140.2kB&name=Pisten%20Bully%20snowcat&p=snowcat&type=JPG&oid=a9c62755f7ac29c8&fusr=Tom_STI&tit=Pisten%20Bully%20snowcat&hurl=http://www.■■■■■■■■■■/photos/21319914@N06/&no=9&tt=19780)</p>

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<p>Penn State: Large capacity used party bus/van</p>