<p>Good morning, all. This has been an informative bunch of posts, though I have nothing to add except a thank you to all of you for giving me something to think about this morning.</p>
<p>VP - sounds like you’ve had enough of college tours for now. Great that your D seems to be so interested and willing to really give the visits her full attention. Good for her.</p>
<p>Well, my head is spinning and I’m not sure when I will be able to catch up on all these posts. I have two junior sons and have visited Penn, Swarthmore, Haverford and Muhlenberg within the last few days. Only had one son with me for each visit as they have VERY different interests. Will be hitting Brandeis, Tufts, Amherst, Wesleyan, Vassar & Oberlin next week. Trip to Yale has been postponed due to a rehearsal. </p>
<p>I don’t think I will be capable of posting comments on all the visits, so if people have particular questions, ask away, and I will see if I can get my head to stop spinning for a minute or two. ;)</p>
<p>momof3sons - how are you doing all these visits over these two weeks? Do your boys get a two week spring break? If you have a chance, can you let me know what you and your S thought of Swarthmore compared to Haverford, and just maybe a line or two about Muhlenberg. After you do your next round of visits, I’d be curious to hear what you and your S think of Amherst, Vassar and Tufts - no pressure though, as I know how these visits can run together. I have no specific questions, just looking for overall impressions.</p>
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<p>tokenadult and vp, can you elaborate on the things you think are less applicable for this different set of schools? The “need blind =fiction” statement is one, demonstrated interest is another, but I’d be interested in hearing more of both of your thoughts.</p>
<p>Yes, I was referring mostly to “need blind” and to “demonstrated interest.” Both work out differently at a small subset of colleges with large endowments, great financial aid, and a consequent high yield from admission offers and huge crush of applicants. I like that author’s book, but I don’t think he knows the universe of the Harvards, Yales, and Princetons.</p>
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<p>Most definitely. Find A Place–and scualum–thank you both very much for sharing your impressions of USC. I would agree based on your posts, along with other reviews that I’ve read, that this is a school that should be visited in person to get a sense of fit. We live in Pennsylvania and, so far, the school farthest west that D’s visited has been Grinnell. We’ll have to see if she develops a more serious interest in USC. D is interested in majoring English, or more specifically, Creative Writing with a possible double major (or minor) in Psychology. At one time, she was very interested in Pomona, but now she seems to want to stick mainly to schools that are either public or that offer some chance of merit-based aid.</p>
<p>Thanks again to both of you for sharing your insights.:)</p>
<p>tongue in cheek comment on USC that I forgot to post yesterday- story on NPR yesterday about valet parking for students and they mentioned USC (need to get to your exam on time and can’t find a space?)</p>
<p>Oh, I’ll be visiting Swarthmore and Haverford tomorrow–going up with two friends and a parent (not mine). Will report back, as even though the Tri-Co is only an hour away, I’ve never been there.</p>
<p>And I do agree about Peter Van Buskirk (that’s the correct name)'s presentation pertaining more to second-tier LACs. But some info can be extrapolated upwards nonetheless–for instance, if F&M can afford to be picky about foreign language, schools more selective than it certainly can. But it was definitely a nitpick; if theater was your passion, and you explained why you chose it over 4th year language on the app (EXPLAIN was one of the most important take-away message, I think), it probably wouldn’t hurt as much or at all.</p>
<p>LIMOMof2, my boys go to an independent school and have a 2 week vacation now instead of the one week in February and the one week in April.</p>
<p>As for Swarthmore and Haverford, he felt that Swat had everything that Haverford had, and more. The only thing Haverford had which he preferred was the Honor Code, which they take very seriously. Haverford also has a new, beautiful athletic center. Swarthmore has a much nicer theater. DS#1 is a Swat grad, so I am somewhat prejudiced. 
Haverford has grown in size from when we first looked in 2002. They aim for a class size of 325, while Sawrthmore is closer to 375. I can answer more specific questions about Swarthmore.</p>
<p>I visited Muhlenberg yesterday with the other son. He is very interested in theater and they have a spectacular theater program. He really liked the school and felt that he would fit in immediately. Kids were really friendly. The campus is very nice, but in a residential neighborhood with no commercial enterprise surrounding it. I got the impression that many upperclassmen have cars so that they can drive to stores, amusements, etc.</p>
<p>momof3sons - thanks so much. I didn’t realize that your DS#1 was a Swat grad - that’s great! I think both schools might be a little small for my D, but they’re worth a look.</p>
<p>I was really just curious about Muhlenberg, though it hasn’t ended up on D’s radar yet. It sounds like a great school, and it’s nice that your S felt like it was a fit.</p>
<p>jackief:</p>
<p>My H doesn’t know where the valet parking is at USC and is guessing it’s near the business school, for those who can help support the university more by paying for such things. Actually, it’s quite a scramble each term for the students who want to find on campus parking and it’s not cheap. (There are options, such as non-assigned parking in a structure is cheaper than assigned parking.)</p>
<p>Speaking of transportation around USC, things are on the upswing. The section of the Metrolink light rail that goes from downtown LA, right past the south border of campus and ending in downtown Culver City (six miles west from campus, home of Sony Picture Entertainment) should be operational the last quarter of '10 or the first quarter of '11.</p>
<p>Eventually, when funding is found, they will build the section from Culver City to the sea, ending in Santa Monica. For now, there is easy bus service to the beach. My S and his friends use it (now my S will be asking to use the car since he has his driver’s license.)</p>
<p>Interesting note about our college visits this past week. It is very obvious that the vast majority (all?) of the prospective applicants visiting this week go to independent/private schools. It is not public school vacation week, and I can also figure out schools from some of the guys who are wearing Varsity jackets. Also, my S encountered two of his classmates (grade only has 180 kids!) at an info session at a very small LAC, as well as another friend who goes to a different independent school.</p>
<p>LIMOMof2,
I liked Muhlenberg because we are trying to build a list for each kid “from the ground up” and I think that my S would have a very good chance of being admitted, the kids there seemed really happy, it was a nice campus and has great facilities to accommodate his academic and extracurricular interests.</p>
<p>“from the ground up” is very difficult with a child whose gaze is firmly pointed at the stratosphere. ;)</p>
<p>I get the unenviable task of researching safeties and low matches while D shoots them down.</p>
<p>we’re in the same club, QM :(</p>
<p>QM and jackief,
I have only been successful in this one instance! I do think it’s very important, though. I’ve been on CC long enough to have read most of the horror stories, and things are just worse for our kids applying.</p>
<p>It’s the same for us, Queen’s Mom and jackief. That’s why I’m not exactly excited about our April visits.</p>
<p>For example, Muhlenberg was shot down because an ex-boyfriend will go there next year. St. Mary’s of Maryland (while not completely off the list) is a problem because a friend who goes there thinks it’s too remote (and there are not enough boys there). Surprisingly, she is open to women’s colleges (some of them anyway).</p>
<p>momof3sons - you are so right - but it’s very hard when the kids don’t want to hear the message.</p>
<p>LIMOMOF2, maybe I missed it (this thread moves so fast) but where are you visiting April?</p>