Safety school your child ended up loving…?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could we please stop arguing about whether UMD -College Park is a safety school?

Personally, I would love to hear more from those who said their kids wound up loving the other MD public schools, especially Towson and Salisbury, two schools we don't hear much about in this forum.

My kid almost went to SMCM. We loved the setting and never met a graduate who did not speak about the school with affection.

[Anonymous]

What constitutes a safety school? If you're going into with a 2.3 GPA they're all safety schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What constitutes a safety school? If you're going into with a 2.3 GPA they're all safety schools.

You don't understand the discussion.

The point is that it is all relative.

For the kid with a 2.3, other people's safeties are a target.

[Anonymous]

UVA.

Didn't make it to a T20 school, UVA turned out nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVA.

Didn't make it to a T20 school, UVA turned out nice.

Go away, troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child ends up having to attend their "safety" school, doesn't that by definition mean that it was in fact the most appropriate fit from the beginning?

No because the priorities of these institutions your child is applying to change from year to year. One kid that was "a solid target" might get in one year might but someone very similar could not have the following year, and vise versa. You can't over think it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:George Mason University!

Please tell me what your kid ended up loving about it. I'm serious. I've wanted to like it for my first kid, and despite multiple visits, it just seemed half-ass'd... but that may be more a factor of they way they host their visits, and not indicative of the actual student experience. For my second kid, GMU seems like an obvious choice b/c he really doesn't care about the "traditional college/college town" experience, and it'd be quite convenient for him to be at college close by.
So, can you tell me about the good experience your kid had.

NP.

If you’re on Facebook, I suggest you join the GMU Parents page (it’s for prospective parents, too). They are realists and share the good and the bad about the school.

DP: One of my DCs best friends goes to GMU and what she values about her experience there is that she feels like it's a lot more "realistic" about college life than the hyped up college experience. People still have fun, parties etc. but there are a wider range of life experiences--with some people living at home, some people in the dorms, some off-campus, some transferring in from CC. The diversity of the students is notable === racial/ethnic but also income levels. She just feels like she's more in a transition to the real adult world--she's had internships, she's worked while in school (despite not 100% needing to), she did a study abroad. I put this in contrast with my own kid who's in a more traditional highly selective school, mainly residential but is now a senior and feels like it is coming to a close and like this dream is ending and the adult world of working looms. My kid has been used to being successful in school--and has loved the academics at his school--but is unsure about next steps and it feels deflating rather than energizing because she can picture that everyone is going to be leaving this idyllic world where they were all in walking distance of each other, only having school and fun to focus on, rewarded by the sense of prestige of their institution etc. She looks to her friend at GMU and feels like she's been more steadily building a grounded life in the DC area with more than just school involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:George Mason University!

Please tell me what your kid ended up loving about it. I'm serious. I've wanted to like it for my first kid, and despite multiple visits, it just seemed half-ass'd... but that may be more a factor of they way they host their visits, and not indicative of the actual student experience. For my second kid, GMU seems like an obvious choice b/c he really doesn't care about the "traditional college/college town" experience, and it'd be quite convenient for him to be at college close by.
So, can you tell me about the good experience your kid had.

NP.

If you’re on Facebook, I suggest you join the GMU Parents page (it’s for prospective parents, too). They are realists and share the good and the bad about the school.

DP: One of my DCs best friends goes to GMU and what she values about her experience there is that she feels like it's a lot more "realistic" about college life than the hyped up college experience. People still have fun, parties etc. but there are a wider range of life experiences--with some people living at home, some people in the dorms, some off-campus, some transferring in from CC. The diversity of the students is notable === racial/ethnic but also income levels. She just feels like she's more in a transition to the real adult world--she's had internships, she's worked while in school (despite not 100% needing to), she did a study abroad. I put this in contrast with my own kid who's in a more traditional highly selective school, mainly residential but is now a senior and feels like it is coming to a close and like this dream is ending and the adult world of working looms. My kid has been used to being successful in school--and has loved the academics at his school--but is unsure about next steps and it feels deflating rather than energizing because she can picture that everyone is going to be leaving this idyllic world where they were all in walking distance of each other, only having school and fun to focus on, rewarded by the sense of prestige of their institution etc. She looks to her friend at GMU and feels like she's been more steadily building a grounded life in the DC area with more than just school involved.

This makes a lot of sense. GMU seems like it would be a good choice for my HFA DS who cares nothing about the social, party aspect of college. He is mostly concerned about how well college will prepare him for a good job. I remember how jarring it was to graduate from a school where it seemed like a 4-year long slumber party. I don’t think GMU is like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child ends up having to attend their "safety" school, doesn't that by definition mean that it was in fact the most appropriate fit from the beginning?

No because the priorities of these institutions your child is applying to change from year to year. One kid that was "a solid target" might get in one year might but someone very similar could not have the following year, and vise versa. You can't over think it.

+1

Plus, DEI is changing admissions practices for ALL schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What constitutes a safety school? If you're going into with a 2.3 GPA they're all safety schools.

You don't understand the discussion.

The point is that it is all relative.

For the kid with a 2.3, other people's safeties are a target.

There are kids with a 3.9 and strong ECs who are not making into schools that they would have made it into just a few short years (not decades, years) ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child ends up having to attend their "safety" school, doesn't that by definition mean that it was in fact the most appropriate fit from the beginning?

Not at all:

We read and hear about students with amazing stats who were rejected to schools that they have the stats for, and thus end up going to a safety. That’s part of the arbitrariness. It also means that some kids go to safeties with amazing stats.

+1

Plus, many safety schools try to lure the top kids with merit money - the top schools do not give merit money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Loyola Maryland college

DC is considering Loyola Md too. What does your child like best about it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Loyola Maryland college

DC is considering Loyola Md too. What does your child like best about it?

It’s expensive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Loyola Maryland college

DC is considering Loyola Md too. What does your child like best about it?

It’s expensive

My DC is also considering Loyola MD, and has received pretty decent merit aid/grant offers. So, the total COA would be slightly higher than in-state options and less expensive than than OOS public options (in some cases, significantly so, as we do not qualify for any aid at publics). So, for PP who says that it is expensive, are you speaking about tuition and total COA? Or, are you referencing day-to-day expenses of your kid living in Baltimore? In our experience this year and in past years (and with relatives' recent experience), private schools like Loyola often end up being less expensive than the popular OOS state schools. So, schools like Loyola only end up being more expensive than in-state options. Is your experience different?

[Anonymous]

JMU - my DC had an amazing undergrad experience here - thrived and loved every minute!