<p>We went to a wedding in Houston this past summer. Stayed downtown, went to the theater (a production of Chicago), House of Blues, the park (there ws an outdoor festival going on) and the wedding was held at the natural history museum. A very nice time, and the weather was great. </p>
<p>Well, off to finish paperwork and attend a reception. Will catch up with the frivolity later. OP, IIRC, you said you are a federal employee. How do you have so much time to spend on CC all day long? Our tax dollars at work…</p>
<p>… and to think he wasn’t reading these posts…</p>
<p>Seriously, John. This thread has outlived its usefulness. Its jumped the shark. Maybe its really time to let it go quietly onto page two… Go have a pleasant visit, and if you want to tell everyone how it went, start a new thread with a fresh start.</p>
<p>Limbwalker, my D and I took a college vist tour in November to TSU, TCU, and Southwestern. My D has similar grades as yours, with slightly lower SAT scores.</p>
<p>She would never have considered TSU on paper, due to the common perceptions that have been discussed on this thread, and in every HS across Texas for the last 35 years.</p>
<p>But her intended major (Theatre) caused her to at least consider TSU. So she set up a meeting with the Department Chairman, and spent time attending a class and a performance by the college musical theatre department. </p>
<p>We also took a campus tour and met with admissions counselors, etc. (We did similar visits to TCU and Southwestern.)</p>
<p>FWIW, TSU was impressive to my D on several levels, and she certainly didn’t feel like she would be a fish out of water in that environment. </p>
<p>Her favorite thus far is TCU, but she liked TSU much better than Southwestern. (I was kinda hoping for Southwestern, but I doubt she ends up there.)</p>
<p>So, from a parent in a somewhat similar situation, I don’t think it’s unusual for a smart kid to consider schools with lower SAT stats.</p>
<p>“Almost like bullies that hang around a playground, not because they’re interested in playing, but because there might be a chance to make fun of someone who was…”
True that.</p>
<p>John, enjoy your campus visits with your daughter. Those visits with department level folks made the difference when my daughter was making her decision…it was actually kind of funny to me because I can read her facial expressions so well that I could immediately see that she strongly disliked one department head and his responses to her questions.</p>
<p>Another poster put it best, I believe, when they said that she will bloom wherever she is planted.</p>
<p>Or not. Part of my continued interest in this thread is because, after all these years on CC, two kids going through college and my knowledge of the college experiences of the kids of friends and co-workers, I have learned that a LOT of kids are miserable at their colleges. There are many, many threads here on CC about kids wanting to transfer. </p>
<p>The college selection process and the college experience happens to be a big interest of mine, as it is to many of the long-time posters on this forum. MagnoliaMom, if my participation in this thread bothers you, please use the ignore button. I have every right to explore the thinking that led this family to TSU as anyone else does. I have learned a lot from this thread, which I appreciate, and I have a better understanding of what kind of student might be interested in TSU. Having lived in Texas for almost 30 years, I still have friends who will be visiting colleges, and I DO get asked for advice. So, despite John’s and MagnoliaMom’s view that I may be here to be a “bully”, that is simply not the case.</p>
<p>You don’t necessarily bloom where you are planted. There have been many miserable students (and parents) faced with a transfer or not decision. My son was unhappy with his school freshman year and almost transferred. Unfortunately, we tend to build up the college experience and there is no magic formula to figuring out what is going to work and what isn’t. Then you add in the variables of bad roommates, terrible TAs, home-sickness… </p>
<p>Some of us got sideways with limbwalker early-on, but that does not mean we don’t have plenty to add to a discussion of college choices. We all post from our own particular experiences and knowledge base, and those familiar with my posts over the years know that I am quite objective about the good and bad about the schools my kids have attended and those my other family members have attended. I, myself, attended a large state university that was probably not the best academic choice for me, and I wish I had a “do over”. I chose that school because it was one of the top music schools in the country and I was going to be a music major. That plan changed, and while I got a fine education that served me well, I know I was not with my “tribe”. </p>
<p>So- I will continue to post my thoughts, and as John has pointed out, there is an “Ignore” button. I choose NOT to cover my eyes and ears but to listen to the comments of others.</p>
<p>MOWC, I agree with you that you have a right to your opinion and certainly have every right to post. However, my mom used to tell us often that sometimes it’s not what you say but how you say it. There are some here who could learn from that.</p>
<p>I don’t see the value in posters who seem to want to cram their beliefs down the throats of others and if the others aren’t buying it, then things escalate to nasty comments, jabs, and sarcasm. Or that’s the way it comes across to me.</p>
<p>And just as you have your right to your opinion, I have a right to mine as well and mine is that there are posters here who turn to bullying tactics when people don’t agree with them. So you have every right to ignore me as well, fwiw.</p>
<p>So your kid or someone else’s was miserable at college. That doesn’t mean that LW’s daughter will be and certainly doesn’t justify shooting the school down. Good Lord. I don’t understand why you seem to have so much invested in convincing this man that his daughter is making a mistake.</p>
<p>And I do believe that bright kids can succeed and be happy at many different schools. There’s not a right and wrong option. For every kid who was miserable where they ended up, there’s another kid who was happy at a school that wasn’t their first choice. I don’t need years of experience posting here to know that.</p>
<p>I will bow out of this because it’s just not that important to me, but I just think you should know that when posters act like bullies, it intimidates some lurkers who might actually have something to say if the playground wasn’t so rough. But I guess bullies like it that way so they can rule the playground.</p>
<p>FWIW, MagnoliaMom, I’ve gotten to know MOWC on this board and a completely unrelated one, and she knows what she’s talking about. She’s given me a lot of great info for my son, who had a few things in common with her son. I think the OP would be wise to listen to what she says. She’s not cramming anything down the throats of others. She just feels strongly that OP’s daughter WOULD be making a mistake.</p>
<p>It’s just that there are several very active threads right now that revolve around kids who are not having the best of college experiences - disappointing grades, wanting to transfer,etc. Some of us who had misgivings and just prayed that everything would go fine and that they’d bloom where they were planted felt plenty ill over winter break upon learning how things were *really *going. I guess my advice is to let her go to TSU or whereever, but not to paint her in such a corner that she feels like she HAS to stay there even if it’s not a fit.</p>
<p>MaineLonghorn, as I said in my earlier post, MOWC has every right to her opinion, as do the rest of us. I’m glad she has been of help to your personal situation. I choose not to agree with her in all aspects.</p>
<p>And IMHO comments like these are not helpful, constructive, or respectful:
“But just think- if you go to Texas State you can float down the river on a tube dragging a 6 pack of beer behind you! (I’m not knocking it…) My PhD friend who is a Texas State grad worked as an underwater clown while he was in college. Maybe your daughter could look into that, John.”</p>
<p>But … she (“she” meant in a general, non-pointing finger at any one poster way :)) doesn’t really know the OP’s daughter, does she? Actually, I might have missed something here - and posters really do know one another, but still … </p>
<p>Truthfully, I bet you can find top-notch students thriving at just about any university - with reasons for choosing that particular university as varied as the students themselves. I think sometimes we forget how lucky we are to have so many choices available - and, in addition, the option to second guess those choices should we need to.</p>
<p>But lots of kids enjoy the San Marcos area for things like tubing opportunities. (And MOWC didn’t criticize the experience…I’m the one who did that!)</p>
<p>A student does need to think about what there is to do over the weekend at school. If a student chooses a school in Colorado where everyone hits the slopes, and she hates to ski, she may be lonely. Same with whatever there is to do in San Marcos (e.g tubing, outlet shopping).</p>
<p>Limbwalker, are there any particular ECs or intramural sports that your D is interested in?</p>
<p>I had a bad experience tubing on the Guadalupe outside of San Marcos when I was in grad school. A bunch of us went on a day where the water was pretty high. We saw a bridge with the water not far below it. We decided to get out and walk around. A girl in our group wasn’t paying attention and got STUCK under the bridge. I can’t remember all the details (it was 25 years ago), but it was really scary. She was really getting sucked in. It took several guys to get her out of there. So be careful if you try it!</p>
<p>“I will bow out of this because it’s just not that important to me…”</p>
<p>Sorry to hear that, but I do appreciate the input. And I agree… she will flourish wherever she is planted. Fortunately we don’t have to guess whether that’s possible from a TSU foundation. We have a close relative that serves as the best example I know…</p>
<p>Maine, I have no doubt that some here have vast experience, and are much smarter than I am when it comes to colleges and kids. But I’m not really interested in some of the attitudes, which is why I am a firm believer in the “ignore” option. Once a member crosses the line, I’ve found it’s just much less stressful to use that option and move on… Which I have. There may be good there, but it doesn’t outweigh the bad IMO…</p>
<p>And please don’t try to convince me that MOWC or 626 have continued to participate in this thread for MY benefit or the good of my daughter… Puh-lease… We all know better.</p>
<p>Frankly, considering what I now know about a couple of members here, I really don’t give a rip about what they think would be “best” for my daughter. In fact, nowhere in this thread do I recall asking anyone what would be “best” for my daughter. Rather, I was hoping to find some good info on TSU (which I have, thanks!). If I wanted their opinion on whether I would be making a “mistake” by sending my daughter there, the original question would have would have asked that…</p>
<p>Again, it’s this obession with knowing “what’s best” and “which school is better” that amuses me. There are 1 million ways to get from here to there. We all know that (or should).</p>
<p>Missypie, don’t worry. When she does choose to communicate with “dad”, we communicate pretty well. If there is a problem, I’ll know it and we’ll address it asap…
Even though she’s not the outgoing kid my other two are, she and I are pretty close and usually on the same wavelength…</p>
<p>MOWC has her own style of communicating, which is tell it as it is, and her comments on many issues have been right on the money, but sometimes people don’t like it because it’s not what they want to hear. I can’t say I like everyone on CC, but I don’t think I could say I don’t agree with anyone here on all aspects of his/her view. I tend to choose to read what MOWC has to write, and it often makes sense to me.</p>
<p>Re; SanMarcos tubing…I think they replaced that bridge after someone died under it when the river was high :(… I could be wrong, but I recall something about that… Arrdad, did your DD apply to Trinity? IMHO they have a fantastic theater department -we’ve seen several productions there. :)</p>
<p>I think her concern is not so much about TSU, it’s more about it not being an academic fit for your daughter. Some kids get bored if they are not challenged. From what I have known of MOwC by reading some of her posts is that she is a strong woman who have done well professionally. I am in a profession where there are very few women and it is a struggle to give girls same opportunity and have them believe that they are just as good as boys. I have 2 girls myself. It’s a constant “battle” to make them belive that they could go that extra mile. I know nothing of TSU or any school in TX (anything south of DC… ). But purely on her stats, some people are just wondering if there are other schools of better academic fit. You don’t have to agree it, but it’s another point of view.</p>
<p>"A student does need to think about what there is to do over the weekend at school. If a student chooses a school in Colorado where everyone hits the slopes, and she hates to ski, she may be lonely. Same with whatever there is to do in San Marcos (e.g tubing, outlet shopping).</p>
<p>Limbwalker, are there any particular ECs or intramural sports that your D is interested in?.."</p>
<p>My daughter was SERIOUSLY into marching band (trumpet) for years… until we moved here. They had a wonderful band director back in Illinois and one of the best bands in the region. She started marching in 7th grade - with the HS students. When we moved here, the band program was in transition after losing a long-time and well loved band director. Well, the new director was not so good and lasted one year. The “new, new” director just isn’t my daughter’s style at all, and she’s lost interest. In fact, she says she’s now done with band. Which is VERY dissapointing for me to hear when I look back at how much she got out of it over the years… I really would love to see her get involved in the band in college. She was 1st chair trumpet and was tops in the marching dept. before she decided to quit. </p>
<p>We’ll look into that while we’re there. I still think she should do it because she will instantly have a group of friends (and usually smarter kids too)… But it’s not about what “dad” thinks as we all know…</p>
<p>Last night, we were talking about a car (or not). I think we’ve decided NOT to send her with a car, even though I promised her one after HS if she made straight A’s. We talked through the challenges of owning a car on a college campus, and she agreed we would try without at first. When I mentioned that some had said she may be bored on the weekends without transportation, she said “Dad, what do I do on the weekends now?” Meaning - she usually spends the weekends with her nose in a book anyway. So she’s not at all worried about being bored on the weekends if she has a library nearby…</p>
<p>It’s not even that I believe John.'s daughter is making a mistake. Who knows? I guess I am too used to always doing a risk analysis, and instead of blowing sunshine up his (rhymes with glass), I chose to point out the risks- the main one being that his daughter will be at the tippy top of the academic pile at a second tier state school and a second one being that there are a large number of older, commuting students. It can certainly work out and I hope it does. I hope she gets a great job (long shot) or into a good grad program (less of a long shot). I bear John. no ill will, but I have added to my prayers at night thanks for the foresters I work with being of a different disposition! </p>
<p>I actually DO have something to add about Texas State. My A&M faculty friend who is a TSU grad responded to my email with this: </p>
<p>“Texas State, since the name change, has been doing quite well. Their
enrollment is growing, fed by a strong experienced student program (those
working in SA or Austin and commuting to class). And, they are trying to
expand their graduate programs. The resident student population is growing
as well. It is a school small enough so a new student won’t get lost in the
crowd but large enough to offer a variety of majors and classes.” Perhaps someone can re-post this for John., since we all know he has me on Ignore!</p>
<p>If you were really hard core, you’d rent a separate tube for your beer… you put the styrofoam cooler in the second tube, and tie it to your tube. </p>
<p>Missypie, am glad to report that my kids defied all odds and are doing well ;)</p>
). But purely on her stats, some people are just wondering if there are other schools of better academic fit. You don’t have to agree it, but it’s another point of view.</p>