Is your kid enjoying college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My quirky kid is living his absolute best life at Rose-Hulman. The first night he was on campus he texted and said, "These are my people." This was a kid who spent much of high school playing video games in his room, but he is out socializing, rushing a frat, and making tons of friends. The workload is pretty brutal, but he's working hard and get a lot of support from his faculty. (Case in point, he reached out to a comp sci professor at midnight one night and she had emailed him back by 12:03 am.) It's definitely a great school for a certain type of kid. Love seeing him thrive there!

This is awesome!!

The longer I spend in the college application/student phase of parenting (on kid #3 now), the more I realize that FIT is truly everything and that most college study bodies have exceedingly unique personalities.
Sure, there is some overlap and there are kids who will thrive in many settings but even the large state schools are a better fit for some kids than others.

oopps. Meant "college student bodies"

[Anonymous]

Yes, but overwhelmed by workload. Students much friendlier and more academic than high school. Loves the freedom and being in a campus setting. Enjoys learning, but wishes classes didn't move so fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academics, social, friendships, professors/teaching, studying, grading, working, free time? Etc.

She loves it. DD is second year at UVA and has a new group of friends this year from her on-grounds job in addition to the friends she made last year from her dorm and her clubs. She has leadership roles in a few clubs and her sorority and it is a full and good year for her so far. Classes are more challenging than they were first year and she has one professor who is not her favorite, but managing that is a good life lesson for her. She is definitely at the right school for her and she's enjoying it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academics, social, friendships, professors/teaching, studying, grading, working, free time? Etc.

Freshman withdrawing at semester time. Not for him. Borderline student anyway so not a huge surprise. Still disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Academics, social, friendships, professors/teaching, studying, grading, working, free time? Etc.

Freshman withdrawing at semester time. Not for him. Borderline student anyway so not a huge surprise. Still disappointed.

Aww, sorry to hear that. It’s a setback, but here’s hoping he bounces back.

[Anonymous]

Freshman at U Chicago. Socially seems great. I know he's rushing, which I was/am against but there's nothing I can do about it, and he seems to be having a lot of fun. I just hope the drinking isn't crazy.

According to DC there is a lot of work but overall the classes aren't crazy hard, except for one advanced math class (I told him not to take that first quarter! listen to mom next time!)

[Anonymous]

DD is in Dublin and seems to be enjoying herself -- has made a couple of close friends and has joined several societies (ie, clubs). She has always had a couple of close friends rather than a big group of friends and that seems to be the pattern in college too, at least so far. She does not seem to have particularly bonded with her suite-mates, which is a disappointment. She is managing the extra adulting expected of kids in Ireland; she seems very interested in her studies and not overly stressed by the workload and transition to a different system. (But they are only about 5 weeks into studies, so there hasn't been much feedback yet -- we'll see how she feels after her first essays are graded.) And she is off to Prague this weekend for reading week which makes me a little envious!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Notice the trend: Most of the "yes" answers are coming from parents of kids in Greek life. I saw the same thing when my own kid came home for Christmas break as a freshman and reconvened with his high school buddies. The fraternity men were dishing story after story about college life and what a great time they were having. The GDIs were still reminiscing about high school and longing for the good old days.

Very poor analysis based on limited experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is in Dublin and seems to be enjoying herself -- has made a couple of close friends and has joined several societies (ie, clubs). She has always had a couple of close friends rather than a big group of friends and that seems to be the pattern in college too, at least so far. She does not seem to have particularly bonded with her suite-mates, which is a disappointment. She is managing the extra adulting expected of kids in Ireland; she seems very interested in her studies and not overly stressed by the workload and transition to a different system. (But they are only about 5 weeks into studies, so there hasn't been much feedback yet -- we'll see how she feels after her first essays are graded.) And she is off to Prague this weekend for reading week which makes me a little envious!

You'd be more envious if she was going around holidays it's beautiful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My quirky kid is living his absolute best life at Rose-Hulman. The first night he was on campus he texted and said, "These are my people." This was a kid who spent much of high school playing video games in his room, but he is out socializing, rushing a frat, and making tons of friends. The workload is pretty brutal, but he's working hard and get a lot of support from his faculty. (Case in point, he reached out to a comp sci professor at midnight one night and she had emailed him back by 12:03 am.) It's definitely a great school for a certain
type of kid. Love seeing him thrive there!

Happy to read this. I’m originally from the Midwest and Rose-Hulman isn’t in the most exciting locale. It’s a great school.

[Anonymous]

I’m a parent of a HS senior who recently talked with a few parents with college freshman trying to get a feel of how their kids liked college. Generally, the boys were all loving their new schools and the girls ranged form a little disappointed to hating it. Sounded like the girls might have gone in with too high expectations for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My quirky kid is living his absolute best life at Rose-Hulman. The first night he was on campus he texted and said, "These are my people." This was a kid who spent much of high school playing video games in his room, but he is out socializing, rushing a frat, and making tons of friends. The workload is pretty brutal, but he's working hard and get a lot of support from his faculty. (Case in point, he reached out to a comp sci professor at midnight one night and she had emailed him back by 12:03 am.) It's definitely a great school for a certain
type of kid. Love seeing him thrive there!

Happy to read this. I’m originally from the Midwest and Rose-Hulman isn’t in the most exciting locale. It’s a great school.

Biggest understatement on this board

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My quirky kid is living his absolute best life at Rose-Hulman. The first night he was on campus he texted and said, "These are my people." This was a kid who spent much of high school playing video games in his room, but he is out socializing, rushing a frat, and making tons of friends. The workload is pretty brutal, but he's working hard and get a lot of support from his faculty. (Case in point, he reached out to a comp sci professor at midnight one night and she had emailed him back by 12:03 am.) It's definitely a great school for a certain
type of kid. Love seeing him thrive there!

Happy to read this. I’m originally from the Midwest and Rose-Hulman isn’t in the most exciting locale. It’s a great school.

Biggest understatement on this board

Honestly, I was shocked he picked it. I was pushing for CO School of Mines, but he fell in love with Rose. He and his friends are always out about in Terre Haute going out to eat, bowling, or thrifting. He loves the school and is enjoying Terre Haute.

[Anonymous]

Kid is loving it at Pomona. Math major, so it is very difficult, but he’s keeping up and has joined a ton of clubs. He also has a first year internship offer due to a very kind professor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Academics, social, friendships, professors/teaching, studying, grading, working, free time? Etc.

She loves it. DD is second year at UVA and has a new group of friends this year from her on-grounds job in addition to the friends she made last year from her dorm and her clubs. She has leadership roles in a few clubs and her sorority and it is a full and good year for her so far. Classes are more challenging than they were first year and she has one professor who is not her favorite, but managing that is a good life lesson for her. She is definitely at the right school for her and she's enjoying it.

I also have a daughter at UVA. Agree that there are lots of ways to get involved - Greek or not. My kid did pledge a sorority her first year but I think she’d be fine without it.
Housing kind of sucks for her this year. Definitely a couple of bad professors but that’s life.