Congrats @dfbdfb !! That is going to be some weather change!
@MAmom111 My D is a nursing major and I believe class size varies by major. I would have to ask her about her others classes but I know her freshman Learning Community classes had about 12 students and were an excellent way to transition to college. These classes are in place of the traditional English comp classes. Many of her nursing classes are lecture style but many of her other classes are smaller and discussion based. She picked up a psychology minor and absolutely loves the classes.
Students are required to live on campus for the first two years. Housing is limited after sophomore year but they have plans for new dorms for upperclassmen. I am not sure when they are expected to open. My D is moving off campus into the beautiful apartments bordering campus. They are expensive but not more than she is currently paying to be on campus. Some kids save money by moving into large houses with lots of kids but my daughter did not want that.
My D does not spend an unreasonable amount of money off campus. She eats out once maybe twice a week with friends and occasionally goes to concerts or other events if tickets are cheap (last minute tickets can be dirt cheap). She does venture into the city often but there is a lot to do that is free. There is a metro stop on campus so transportation is cheap and safe. Dâs roommate has to pay for all of her activities with money she makes during the summer or on breaks and she is able to do all the things my daughter does.
S19 finally heard âofficiallyâ from his last two schools, including his first choice where he was officially accepted!
His first choice does not notify by portal, only by mailed packages. As I mentioned previously, we got a postcard-like mailer about 10 days ago from the IT department indicating how to set up his email account, but hadnât even received an acceptance letter yet. Finally, yesterday the package arrived, but it was mailed on 2/29! A full three weeks prior! There was one of those USPS pieces of barcoded tape on the bottom of the package that said âunable to forward/for reviewâ - yet the address is correct and we have lived here for almost 25 years! Anyway, a bit of anticlimactic ending, but good news nonetheless!
He found out on Monday that he got into his second choice as well. That one was dh and my personal front runner, but in the end, S19 felt the other school was the best fit for him and had valid reasons for choosing it so we are excited for him. We are looking forward to attending his âaccepted students dayâ in a few weeks.
@rfm512 congrats on Clark! Good luck with your D making her decision!
@dfbdfb congratulations on your Dâs choice!
@eb23282 how brave of your D to realize and make the bold step to go against âsocietal expectationsâ and follow her own path to happiness and success. Iâm sure your support means the world to her!
Good luck to those of you whose kids are still waiting to hear from schools and to those still weighing choices! I look forward to updates and hope we can continue this thread even after our kids have moved on to the next phase of life.
@dfbdfb Congratulations!! She will have wonderful new experiences with all different kinds of gigantic bugs!!
I really canât speak to Clark. We looked at it but the location didnât work for my S17 at the time.
As to UPS. BIL and cousin both attended, as have numerous kids we know, we know a couple there now both of whom are loving it.
I canât speak to the psychology department but what I can tell you is that UPS has a stellar reputation locally and a very strong alumni network, both of which go a long way. S19âs BF is quite likely to end up there (at least thatâs my vote!).
My S17 looked very very closely at UPS and for a long time was his top LAC choice, and this was a kid who wanted to go away. For him the proâs were the strong alumni network, music and theater programs, overall strength in STEM and offering a full, well rounded education. The campus, as he put it, was âwhat college should look likeâ. It is lovely as you know. It is close enough that you can have the big city items one might want to do, either in Tacoma or Seattle but set off enough to feel really safe and secure. He loved the diversity there and knowing the kids that attend, I would agree, it really does pull in a nice variety. Ultimately they didnât offer the major he wanted and so we set out to find the âUPS of the Eastâ for him to have as an option. At the end of the day, he didnât choose an LAC but UPS was his benchmark for all other LACâs that he considered. As an aside, he felt Ursinus came the closest that had a decent program for his major and was his last LAC standing.
For him, and for S19, sitting in on classes and having 1:1 faculty meetings is really what made the difference and differentiated the schools. If you are able to visit both Iâd highly recommend that, and if able to do an overnight, even better. I believe UPS offers that for admitted students, no idea about Clark.
Well, I think weâve hit a major snag. It looks like due to an unforeseen circumstance, daughter will not be able to go to the school she chose. Sheâll have to decide between her other two options, and we have absolutely no idea what to advise her to do. I posted a detailed thread about the situation on the college selection forum. If anyone wants to weigh in there, Iâd really appreciate any thoughts.
I completely agree with you. Gap years can be a good idea if they are productive, not so much if son plans to simply hang out for a year. Mission trip programs, volunteer programs, meaningful work experience, travel abroad, etc. Those are productive reasons for a gap year that grow character and allow the student to learn some real life skills. Sitting at home, not so much.
@Turquoise52 Iâm very familiar with both schools, spent time at both campuses, daughter applied to Skidmore, etc. The big difference in my opinion are the student bodies. I would describe St. Olaf as very mainstream, even wholesome. At Skidmore, I noticed quite a few kids with an alternative look, kind of hipsterish, kind of artsy. Very different vibes. We know kids who attend Skidmore or who applied this year, and I would say they are all kind of artsy, liberal and non-conformists. Both are very nice schools. What group of students would your daughter most likely find friends that she would have stuff in common with?
@rfm512 Congratulations on your daughterâs Clark acceptance!
@dfbdfb Congratulations on your daughterâs decision!
@4kids4us Congratulations on your sonâs first & second choice acceptances, and on his decision!
Two decisions for my D yesterday. Declined by Cal Poly SLO and accepted at Point Loma. She didnât care too much about either one as her mind seems to be made up.
I echo Momzillaâs congrats above.
@dfbdfb
I guess you will go see some magnolias blooming!
@dfbdfb Wow!!! You win for farthest freshman, but how cool. That will be so different. I wonder how sheâll feel about the August heat. In the winter though, sheâll be making you jealous with photos. Congratulations.
@JBSeattle So are all of the decisions in and she is just choosing now?
@TwinMom2023
Yes, other than a waitlist from Vermont which is off the list anyways as cost without merit would be way too much.
My daughter actually could be pretty far too (Seattle to NY).
@JBSeattle Congratulations to your daughter on Point Loma! Acceptances still feel good even if sheâs made up her mind.
@JBSeattle, my undergrad was at Maryland, which is about as far north as you can get what I think of as real magnolias (the dessert-plate-sized white flowers, not the little purplish flowers of northern magnolias). Iâm still amazed that the groundskeepers there managed to keep the magnolias next to the administration building in such good shape, even in years with decent freezes.
@JBSeattle NC to upstate NY - Hobart & WS is a 10 hour drive with no direct flights. You and @dfbdfb have me beat so I canât whine.
We are flying up Thursday for admitted students day and the weather is supposed to be nice. They must be living right. 
@TwinMom2023
I have you beat on distance but not travel time! Albeit Seatac airport in Seattle is horrible. I have pre-check because regular TSA routinely takes over an hour.
Happy news today, S19 applied for a new this year, performing arts scholarship at his ED school (RIT) and found out today he was awarded a 2K scholarship, renewable annually with zero strings for gpa or actual performing arts participation!
He does plan to participate and likely minor in music but itâs a much nicer award than we expected. Lessens then sting out of the lower than hoped for merit award 
@TwinMom2023 & @JBSeattle, though since itâs Alaskaâs headquarters and main hub, and now that Deltaâs increased their Seattle presence, odds are you go through Seattle to get from Anchorage to anywhere, so after that pointâŠ
But yeah, from here to the nearest airport to Mississippi State (Golden Triangle) itâs 3,289 miles, but there arenât any direct flights, of courseâin the summer you can get away with 3,649 if you pay through the nose, but most of the year (and any time of year, if you want a decent price) itâs either 3,655 or 3,859 in three hops, including a red-eye on the first leg.