<p>D2: No community bathroom. ;)</p>
<p>DD2:
Small classes
Trees
Seasons (nothing in the South)</p>
<p>S-1 and D: LAC, No Greek life, meets l00% EFC/need based aid, diversity.
Us (to them): nowhere west of the Mississippi River. Also, Grandma has to have heard of it (that was to preserve our sanity).</p>
<p>S-2: film production major in 4-year B.A. program
Us (to him): OK, look across the Big River and we’ll handle Grandma.</p>
<p>D had no stated non-negotiable factors, although her schools show an East Coast preference and high-powered academics.</p>
<p>Could graduate without debt.</p>
<p>FLVDAD: My only non-negotiable for my D was to stay out of the South. I had hoped she’d go to school in the Midwest which I think is the best part of the country (I’m a native northeasterner). Her list might seem like my non-negotiables, and it kind of started out that way, but I know my little girl. Once we visited a dozen campuses she expressed her non-negotiables and they were identical to what I wanted (but had not communicated) for her. So we’re both happy. :)</p>
<p>10,000+ undergrads.
midwest or deep south.
close to 50/50 male/female.</p>
<p>My son’s #1 non negotiable:
Must be at least 2 hr drive from home.
Not a bad homelife, he just wanted the full college experience.
And,
At least 50% Female</p>
<p>I had many, many preferences, but few true non-negotiables.</p>
<p>1) CS major (this eliminated some really great LACs like Reed)
2) religious course requirement (happily eliminating schools more religious than Macalester or Duke)
3) meets full demonstrated need (investigated many merit-based financial safeties, but they were poor fits for various reasons)</p>
<p>In hindsight, I probably should have made linguistics a non-negotiable. Small classes and student body size were extremely important to me, but I did end up applying to a few universities (Rochester and Yale) plus state flagship financial safety.</p>
<p>For my oldest … </p>
<p>1) High concentration of top students
2) Urban feel to campus and environment
3) Not in the greater Boston area
(not sure when things switched from have to have to really want to have … so not sure if I should include …
4) In the northeast
5) Liberal feel to the campus</p>
<p>And she is atteding a school that meets all the criteria.</p>
<p>Non-negotiables for my D:</p>
<ol>
<li> LAC, not university (i.e., small, with teacher-student contact, and small classes)</li>
<li> NY to New England location</li>
<li> Not in a city</li>
<li> Little to no Greeks</li>
<li> Good sciences</li>
<li> Good music program</li>
<li> Nice campus</li>
<li> Dorm rooms not too small</li>
</ol>
<p>As a student:</p>
<p>1) In the mid-Atlantic and up (which ruled out VA because I don’t like VA)
2) Rural feel to a campus but not so isolated
3) A well-known Communications school
4) A Television degree which isn’t all production
5) Less than 10,000 students</p>
<p>My son’s non-negotiables:</p>
<p>Flexible curriculum
If school has a language requirement, it would be waived upon presentation of neuropsychological testing.
Very smart kids.</p>
<p>D’s non-negotiables:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Could not be in NYC (she did not want her entire educational life to take place in Manhattan)</p></li>
<li><p>Study Abroad- would not even look at a school that did not have a study abroad program or made students jump through a lot of hoops to study abroad</p></li>
<li><p>Focus on undergrad education- she wanted to know her professors and have her professors know her</p></li>
<li><p>Small- less than 10,000 students 5,000 would be better</p></li>
<li><p>Wanted to be with smart kids, who were laid back about being smart. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>6.She wanted to go to a school where there was a cohesive student body, students loved their school and loved being there regardless of the name. </p>
<ol>
<li>Did not want a school that had a cut throat reputation (spent life in schools with collaborative education philosophy).</li>
</ol>
<p>She thinks she got everything on her list and more.</p>
<p>My older son’s nonnegotiables
- Top notch computer science
- Top notch academics</p>
<p>My younger son’s nonnegotiables
- bigger than my high school (Vassar was an exception)
- Not rural
- Not conservative
- Not a big Greek presence
- It has to have a campus, lawn, quad etc.
- Has to have history/international relations
- Not too big either.</p>
<p>The non-negotiables were plain and simple for my D:</p>
<ol>
<li>has major that she wants</li>
<li>is affordable, in other words, it is covered by scholarships and/or FA</li>
<li>good reputation</li>
</ol>
<p>She only applied to three schools and she knew when applying that she could be happy at any of the schools.</p>
<p>D’s non-negotiables were</p>
<p>1) LAC with population of 2500 or below
2) Cost after FA equal to or below the cost of a SUNY so she can finish undergrad debt-free
3) FA was merit based and guaranteed for all four years
4) Good pre-med advising
5) Good research opportunities
6) Challenging athletic competition, but athletics could not become a “job”
7) Good social options for non-drinkers</p>
<p>She lucked out and has it all - had to give up her first choice because of 2 and 3 but she got over it : )</p>
<p>Happykid’s non-negotiable: Major offered in Theater Tech., not just Tech. classes offered inside a Theater/Drama major.</p>
<p>Happymom’s non-negotiable: Affordable out-of-pocket.</p>
<p>Happydad’s non-negotiable: You two do all the research before I get home, and then let me have the computer.</p>
<p>Happykid will commute for two years to our local CC which does indeed offer a full major in Theater Tech. When she transfers, I fear my non-negotiable will need some adjustment. I expect the other two won’t change their non-negotiables at all.</p>
<p>LOL @ happydad’s non-negotiable.</p>
<p>My D’s non-negs:
- Tiny classes (which of course meant LAC)
- Different time zone than Mom & Dad
- Opportunities to continue to dance, without majoring in it</p>
<p>S’s non-neg list</p>
<p>1) Campus must be on a lake
2) Decent food with access to Subway/Quiznos type menu
3) Business building must be new
4) Must have intramural ice hockey
5) J term or May term</p>