<p>[She says while puffing out her chest], I’ve heard/know about 99% of the schools mentioned on this thread, including Deep Springs. But maybe that’s because I’m a CC parent. I’m in California, and DD just finished her sophomore year at a non-prestigious but nationally ranked LAC outside Chicago. I’m always SHOCKED and surprised when people say they’ve heard of her school. Out my way, few people have heard of more than a handful of LACs; we certainly never heard of this college before I engaged in a bit of research on schools. Either I’ve been talking to a lot of Midwest transplants, or people are mistaking DD’s Division 3 school for a basketball powerhouse! Thankfully, DD is fine with attending a school that none of her HS classmates have heard of, and the school seems to be a good match for her. </p>
<p>No, my reaction does not indicate in any way that I am disappointed in my child’s choice or the outcome of his college applications – what a silly comment! If anything, it’s probably that I’ve spent most of my life in academia and have lost all perspective on what colleges people are “supposed” to know about. Believe you me, I am well aware that there are excellent students everywhere, and it’s probably this realization that has caused me to have my kids consider a lot of schools that cause others to say “Why in the world would someone go there when they could get into another school which is so much more PRESTIGIOUS?” as if prestige were everything. </p>
<p>The average American simply doesn’t know anything about colleges and won’t recognize more than a handful so really, who cares. I figure when people don’t know my D’s top LAC, it reflects on them, not me or her. </p>
<p>yes,our university’s marketing people were recently somewhat surprised to find out how many people who live witin a fifty mile radius of our university claim to have never heard of it – so go figure . . . </p>
<p>this is an interesting thread. i love learning about new colleges, but i wanted to tell the original poster that… i have heard of it! Sewanee is quite familiar to me having heard about it from childhood on. not because anyone in the family went there, but because of the religious association…AND what i know about it is all good news. what other college has an “advent semester”?? so unique!</p>
<p>@Momzie We’re familiar with Sewanee as well…my D did the tour last summer. We actually centered our summer vacation around the trip, and went to Dollywood. Loved Sewanee and Dollywood! D decided not to apply, but she will be attending Denison this fall, another very good school that most people have never heard of. Doesn’t bother us one bit!</p>
<p>Funny. Many years ago when I was on my way to MIT from a North Carolina town a friend’s parent says to my mother
“I don’t think I would have chosen MIT for your daughter.” My mother’s reply “I don’t remember choosing anything.” </p>
<p>As parents in the end it is not up to us or ours to defend. Where does this come from?</p>
<p>@overtheedge I’m from NC and we have the same problem. People have a hard time imagining going OOS. </p>
<p>"yes,our university’s marketing people were recently somewhat surprised to find out how many people who live witin a fifty mile radius of our university claim to have never heard of it – so go figure . "</p>
<p>Choice of college just isn’t that important to most people. They have a narrow range of places they’d ever consider, mostly driven by familiarity, proximity to home, availability of a certain major / program, and mostly affordability. They may not understand why you’d send your kid across the country when East State U offers the same major, etc. Oh well. Let ‘em think that way! It’s not of any importance that they’re “comfortable” or “not comfortable” with it. I continue to be amused on CC how much time people spend worrying about what their neighbors or their kids’ classmates’ parents think of their choices. </p>
<p>Harvard kids are so very, very self-conscious about going to Harvard that they say “in Boston.”</p>
<p>Except that Harvard isn’t even in Boston. Lol</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Note that the Pac 10 is now the Pac 12. But the numbers of schools in the Big Ten and Big XII (two different NCAA Division I conferences) have not necessarily matched the numbers in the names in recent years.</p>
<p>Actual conversation with a co-worker on a summer job (grounds crew at a cemetery) 39 years ago:</p>
<p>“You go to college, right?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“Where?”</p>
<p>“A place called Yale.”</p>
<p>“Yale? Never heard of it. Where is it?”</p>
<p>“New Haven, Connecticut.”</p>
<p>“Connecticut! Really? Why’d you have to go that far away? My brother in law goes to college, and he’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, you seem smarter than he is. But even he could go to [X] County Community College, and he’s doing OK there? What’s so wrong with you?”</p>
<p>I thought this would be a nonissue for me. Until I talked with my mother last night. </p>
<p>D has sort of decided what her first-choice college will be. It’s a “match” rather than a “reach” school, and is perfect for her in just about every way. Fates willing, she is planning to apply ED and hopes for an acceptance by December 15. It’s a top-50 university, but not that well-known in the midwest. Plus it has one of those confusing names that makes it sound like a non-flagship state school. When I told my mom about D’s exciting decision, her response was “oh…I thought she was going to try to get into a good college. She probably could even have gone to UofI like you did!” (D’s preferred school actually ranks slightly above UIUC…but never mind.) I just told my mom to look up the school online and act more excited when D talks to her. But I was surprised at how defensive I felt. </p>
<p>EllieMom, I love your response to your MO’s put-down. I’m sorry she was so unknowing and critical.</p>
<p>@Elliemom - my parents were appalled at the thought of S1 going anywhere my my alma mater in their town. My BIL and his wife were not only appalled at him going someplace else, but at the thought of him living on campus instead of commuting 50 miles each way. People are in our area are very distrustful of anything out of the ordinary. Ironically, he graduated from my alma mater Saturday. But it was his choice to go there, not ours or our relatives’.
ETA@Overtheedge - in our area, if it isn’t Marshall or WVU, no one’s heard of it. That said, Clemson is very popular around here, for kids who can get in. </p>
<p>Back in the day, what people said to me was, “Why do you want to go up there with all those Yankees?”</p>
<p>"How do you all handle the ‘I’ve never heard of that school’ line, particularly when it comes from family members? "
- I G N O R E…there is no single person out there who can force to pay any attention, you are the one who is doing it to yourself. </p>
<p>
</p>
<ol>
<li> Excuse yourself politely</li>
<li> Head back to the kitchen for another helping of macaroni salad.</li>
<li> Mutter “bless her heart” to yourself under your breath.<br></li>
<li> Grab another glass of sweet tea if steps 1-3 don’t fix your problem (or bourbon if you’ve already been through steps 1-3 multiple times).<br></li>
</ol>
<p>I find the expectations in different regions of the country interesting. In the NE, the home of the Ivies and many highly ranked LACs, people seem to be more conscious of prestige. In the South, you’re a strange bird if you choose anything other than your state’s schools. And even crazier if don’t you go to a school in the SEC or ACC! The Midwest appears to share a similar attitude to the South, perhaps more regional and not quite as state based? I’m not sure about the West Coast. The UC system is so strong. I suspect many would question a different choice. The great thing about CC is that it brings knowledge of the lesser known schools in our respective backyards to a wider audience. </p>
<p>My husband 30 plus years later still says he went to school in Boston if the topic comes up. Tone of conversation still changes if he mentions Harvard.</p>
<p>Ironically, DS also says he goes to school in Boston because if he tells people he goes to Northeastern they hear Northwestern.</p>