@Joshdent Loved your review of Miami. It’s true - it’s gorgeous and hey, they’ve got a Playa Bowls (local Acai bowl place) on campus.
But for those type of events - don’t forget, they are sales jobs. Yes, the people still have to show their personality, etc. - but they are sales events and at some schools with better food but keep that in mind. It shouldn’t take away from what you loved about the school but you have to seperate the “presentation” from - this is great. It’s great because of the parts of the school you saw and loved - if that makes sense.
Miami has long had a very strong reputation but it’s like schools that used to be safeties and now aren’t. For the older generation, they don’t realize the heft, strength, etc.
At least 5 years ago, they deferred a ton of kids, but then accepted RD - so be prepared for that too if the student makes the grade.
If you go across the South, especially the SEC schools, and I’m not sure if this is the only you are looking at (you noted it was the first), you’ll find a lot of beautiful campuses - clean, modern, and more…and often spatial although that doesn’t mean the areas your student would spend their time would be overly large.
Thanks for your comment. I’ve been following you for years on these boards and always look forward to your contributions- and your signature “Good luck.” sign off!
I know that this was a dog and pony show- I actually prefer not to go to open house events. However Miami didn’t offer campus tours on the weekend other than these open houses and it was more convenient than missing work and school to visit.
For much of the day we actually did our own thing, exploring on our own, randomly stopping people and talking to them. I’m also sure that if this becomes a real possibility that we would do a deeper dive.
I don’t think we will be visiting any more schools in the South. My son may be applying to one other which would be a reach, and we’d prefer to stay in the Northeast except a lot of extended family is in the immediate area of Miami.
Love this. We often did this. And I love that you all clearly loved Miami. You know some fall in love or dislike on these days and yeah, you know what it was - but clearly they did a great job and that does say something.
Interesting, my daughter discovered her primary major at one of these…didn’t attend that school but you never know what comes out from these events.
Thx for posting and glad he found a school he really likes.
Well, i look forward to reading your reviews on the other NE schools and looking forward to when you post results.
I lived in north Florida and there was definitely a preference for UF and FSU, but the third school of choice was often UMiami. It gave good financial aid, accepts Bright Futures at a higher amount than most Florida privates, and had a competitive football (very important in Florida).
Is this a New Mexico sort of situation? Or an exclave (Alaska—my state—or Hawai’i) weirdness? Or one of the territories? Or is it even more bizarre, like you’re from Nebraska or Kentucky or something?
Oh my. I know that shouldn’t mean the whole school is bad, but yikes. wow.
I am guessing Vermont or New Hampshire or Delaware and they think this is a country in Europe or something. If they were at U Pacific the kid is likely from CA and NEVER hears about these places. I have seem people on Threads and such and say “oh, I forgot that NH was a state” haven’t heard of it since middle school and it sounded serious from adults. (apparently they don’t pay attention to our presidential elections when it features prominently).
I am not going to lie, and it may be confirmation bias, but i have seen a fairly close correlation between quality/perceptiveness of tour guides with ranking of schools.
not apples/orange methodology/research question but didn’t want to research heavily…
Missouri 24.5 %
Massachusetts: 21.4%
Nebraska: 21.4%
Minnesota: 22.4%
Connecticut: 23%
Somewhat surprising to me since MO, MN, MA have big cities with “real” sports teams, etc and appear in popular culture etc. Boston has lots of shows and movies (and sports), St. Louis/Minneapolis has lots of sports, etc.
Could be Puerto Rico (DJT tried to trade for Greenland in his first term) or our newest state, New America. Maybe they’re from New Mexico and the guide was unfamiliar with it given the name change.
I mean, I get forgetting one if trying to list all 50 off the top of your head. But to hear the word Missouri or Connecticut or something and not even recognize it?
When I was a student teacher in a Michigan high school back in the '90s and told my students that I had moved to Michigan from New England, they thought I was coming from the UK. And more recently, I have definitely had students who’ve thought New Mexico (the state immediately to the south of Colorado, where my students and I all live) is in the nation of Mexico. It can be quite surprising how much people simply don’t know.
I taught political science as a grad student in college.
During a lecture, I once made a passing comment on the US Civil War.
A student called me out…“What are you talking about? The United States never had a Civil War!” I gave a short summary of the war and the student was clearly not convinced.
I have learned over time that even really smart people can have an incredible level of ignorance in certain areas that they are simply not interested in. So I try to be gracious.
In my case…I am hopelessly out of touch with current pop culture and any college student quizzing me on this would think I was an utter buffoon.
Agree it is 100% baffling… and it makes me weep. (and also why I said the article I mentioned was a different methodology etc etc) but I do see online people who say they are from small states, travel, and people are regularly surprised where they are from are states. terrifying.. EVEN if they didn’t learn in school somehow, I don’t know how they don’t pick it up FROM pop culture - I feel like if you watch enough TV or movies you will eventually hear about all the states – Taylor Swift has a house in RI, Noah Kahan is from VT (went to HS in NH), etc. Can’t think of a pop-culture DE reference right now, but must be one over the last 5 years! lol
I think it stems from the wooden puzzles we played with as toddlers where California got its own puzzle piece but Mass, RI, and Conn all had to share one, New Hampshire and Vermont shared, and Delaware was just shoved onto the edge of Maryland.
My sister had someone in LAW school ask, “Delaware - isn’t that the capital of Maryland?”
I’m older than most of you (I’m 77). We had separate courses in geography each year in late elementary school and 7th grade. My parents, brothers, and I played lots of geography board games. I can name and place all of the 50 states and most of the European, Asian, and Latin American countries. Many of the African countries were still colonies in the 50s and into the 60s; it’s a bit more difficult to keep up with all the changes there. The geographic knowledge of two of my four 20-somethings (adopted kids) is virtually non-existent. My 29-year-old son knows the 48 contiguous states well, having made numerous road trips within the past few years. He certainly didn’t learn much geography in school.
haven’t heard of it since middle school and it sounded serious from adults. (apparently they don’t pay attention to our presidential elections when it features prominently).
