Why is DCUM so obsessed with small liberal arts colleges?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not everyone wants to go to a large state school.

Well then go to a small state school. There’s plenty of those as well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My private school kid, who has worked hard but not done well, will likely only have SLACs as his choice. Already deferred at one state university and will likely get rejected from the other three he's applying to. Our local pressure cooker privates have a direct line to the SLACs for the bottom of the class kids who can't get into the large universities. For my kid with a severe executive function disorder, he would have a difficult time navigating a large state university anyway. Though I have no stress about him navigating life once he graduates. He's smarter than 99% of the world.

Do SLAC’s really provide that level of coddling? I mean what specifically are SLAC’s doing that make it so much easier for students to navigate the system?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who wants to pay to have their kid be a number in giant lecture halls?

Why not? I found many of the lectures I attended in college to be fascinating.
I also had some rather small classes (around 30 students), and those professors lectured as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My private school kid, who has worked hard but not done well, will likely only have SLACs as his choice. Already deferred at one state university and will likely get rejected from the other three he's applying to. Our local pressure cooker privates have a direct line to the SLACs for the bottom of the class kids who can't get into the large universities. For my kid with a severe executive function disorder, he would have a difficult time navigating a large state university anyway. Though I have no stress about him navigating life once he graduates. He's smarter than 99% of the world.

Do SLAC’s really provide that level of coddling? I mean what specifically are SLAC’s doing that make it so much easier for students to navigate the system?

Why are people so snarky on this board? PP already said her DS is working hard but struggling with executive function issues. This means that, despite the student’s intellectual capacity, his ability to juggle the procedural stuff (schedules, appointments, deadlines, managing accounts, managing friendships and extra curriculars, etc.) makes going to a big school a challenge. A smaller school with more hands-on opportunities with professors and smaller space to navigate is likely to be a better fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who wants to pay to have their kid be a number in giant lecture halls?

It takes a somewhat smart & mature kid to make it through large lecture halls. You are not doing your young adult any favors by trying to shelter them. They will fail in real life if you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My private school kid, who has worked hard but not done well, will likely only have SLACs as his choice. Already deferred at one state university and will likely get rejected from the other three he's applying to. Our local pressure cooker privates have a direct line to the SLACs for the bottom of the class kids who can't get into the large universities. For my kid with a severe executive function disorder, he would have a difficult time navigating a large state university anyway. Though I have no stress about him navigating life once he graduates. He's smarter than 99% of the world.

Do SLAC’s really provide that level of coddling? I mean what specifically are SLAC’s doing that make it so much easier for students to navigate the system?

Agree. This coddling sounds like middle school. How do these kids make it in real life?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite.

And will use this thread as an example.

I saw title and looked forward to reading it this quiet morning.

It is not an engaging discussion regarding the merits of differing educational models.

It has a derogatory, judgmental tone dare I say ignorant. For my kids, I want them to develop an open mind to discuss things they don’t understand - not close minded and derogatory in attacking things they don’t.

I have 3 kids - one in a SLAC mentioned in this thread, one at a State Flagship, and one applying this year.

My DS at the SLAC has benefited from a small, tight knit college environment. It is the right environment for him. And he a legitimate interest in learning, is very aware of world affairs, the political environment, and some of the underlying causes. He spends his time reading. He is growing into an informed young adult.

He is not primarily focused on securing employment. He has spend four years learning. And throughout history that has been the true luxury of the wealthy. And he gets it.

My DD at a state university is potentially pre-med. it’s a large school. Digesting material - not for the sake of learning - but to get through it while ensuring she maintains her 4.0. The goal is not an education - the education is a means to the end - med school admission. The level of intellectual curiosity is clearly different. Career paths are more pragmatic. Engineering, nursing, business. Grinding to get a degree to get employment. I realize that these students exist at a SLACs and there are gunners everywhere. And ironically I think the competition at the flagship is greater because the student body doesn’t have the luxury of assuming life is opportunity rich. But you can feel the difference. For my DD the flagship is the right environment - it fits her personality. But for my other two children, the SLACs are the way to go.

That all said I would say that the reason DCUM folks are obsessed with SLACs is that it is inherently a luxury product - high touch education - while socially signialling to peers, employers, etc. Want to go into Investment banking, Williams, Middlebury, Amherst are goin to signal that you went to the right day school an$ have the right family connections. U Pitt, Penn State, UVA, etc.not so much.

And last yes the SLACs like Denison, Hobart, etc.were historically were the gentlemen ‘c’ students went from prep school. They would not have survived at the flagships so their parents had the money to send them to a nurturing environment.

But that all said, folks are obsessed with SLACs because they are from a SES that understands the value.

OP here, thank you for this write-up. Makes sense. But then my question would be: why do typical “upper-middle” class folks (i.e. mom is a lawyer, dad is an MD) send their kids to these SLACs? Because then the parents probably don’t have the connections to secure a decent job for their kids after graduation (since most UMC folks are in merit-based careers) and their kids probably aren’t well-connected enough to get into banking? Also just an FYI: I wasn’t referring to the Amherst or Williams of the SLAC world when I started this thread. More like the Denisons and Hobarts. And ironic you mention UVA and Penn State as bad for investment banking, as they both place pretty well in that field (no, for the record, I have no connection to either school)

Families living in a doctor/lawyer income are not typical. They are wealthy. Get that straight.

What is it with parents getting their kids jobs? Shouldn’t the kids be responsible for getting their own jobs? I did. Pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My private school kid, who has worked hard but not done well, will likely only have SLACs as his choice. Already deferred at one state university and will likely get rejected from the other three he's applying to. Our local pressure cooker privates have a direct line to the SLACs for the bottom of the class kids who can't get into the large universities. For my kid with a severe executive function disorder, he would have a difficult time navigating a large state university anyway. Though I have no stress about him navigating life once he graduates. He's smarter than 99% of the world.

Do SLAC’s really provide that level of coddling? I mean what specifically are SLAC’s doing that make it so much easier for students to navigate the system?

Agree. This coddling sounds like middle school. How do these kids make it in real life?

You said it, tough guy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not everyone wants to go to a large state school.

Well then go to a small state school. There’s plenty of those as well

Why do you care if a person chooses to go to a small private college? What’s it to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who wants to pay to have their kid be a number in giant lecture halls?

It takes a somewhat smart & mature kid to make it through large lecture halls. You are not doing your young adult any favors by trying to shelter them. They will fail in real life if you do.

And some kids have learning disabilities and some kids are not fully mature by 18. Sole kids are shy. Some kids are quiet. Some kids like in depth discussion of esoteric points. Sitting under a tree on the green with 15 other students discovering a new concept is a dream for them. You can call it coddling. . Some of us call it quality education. To each his own. Why do other people’s choices bother you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My private school kid, who has worked hard but not done well, will likely only have SLACs as his choice. Already deferred at one state university and will likely get rejected from the other three he's applying to. Our local pressure cooker privates have a direct line to the SLACs for the bottom of the class kids who can't get into the large universities. For my kid with a severe executive function disorder, he would have a difficult time navigating a large state university anyway. Though I have no stress about him navigating life once he graduates. He's smarter than 99% of the world.

Do SLAC’s really provide that level of coddling? I mean what specifically are SLAC’s doing that make it so much easier for students to navigate the system?

Not sure if this is coddling but a friend of mine who went to Wisconsin had stories of having to camp out overnight in the middle of winter to keep her place in line for class registration. It was the only way she could be assured to get into the classes she wanted/needed. At my SLAC you lined up 10 minutes ahead of registration and rarely were you shut out of a class.
Another example: my senior year I got sick and had to miss two sessions of a class. I forgot to tell my prof so he thought I was being negligent about attendance. We chatted for a while and cleared it up. I doubt that would happen at a big state school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My private school kid, who has worked hard but not done well, will likely only have SLACs as his choice. Already deferred at one state university and will likely get rejected from the other three he's applying to. Our local pressure cooker privates have a direct line to the SLACs for the bottom of the class kids who can't get into the large universities. For my kid with a severe executive function disorder, he would have a difficult time navigating a large state university anyway. Though I have no stress about him navigating life once he graduates. He's smarter than 99% of the world.

Do SLAC’s really provide that level of coddling? I mean what specifically are SLAC’s doing that make it so much easier for students to navigate the system?

Not sure if this is coddling but a friend of mine who went to Wisconsin had stories of having to camp out overnight in the middle of winter to keep her place in line for class registration. It was the only way she could be assured to get into the classes she wanted/needed. At my SLAC you lined up 10 minutes ahead of registration and rarely were you shut out of a class.
Another example: my senior year I got sick and had to miss two sessions of a class. I forgot to tell my prof so he thought I was being negligent about attendance. We chatted for a while and cleared it up. I doubt that would happen at a big state school.

At our SLAC a group of four of us met with the head of the department and submitted a proposal for a course we wanted them to offer that wasn't in the catalog. They created the course for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My private school kid, who has worked hard but not done well, will likely only have SLACs as his choice. Already deferred at one state university and will likely get rejected from the other three he's applying to. Our local pressure cooker privates have a direct line to the SLACs for the bottom of the class kids who can't get into the large universities. For my kid with a severe executive function disorder, he would have a difficult time navigating a large state university anyway. Though I have no stress about him navigating life once he graduates. He's smarter than 99% of the world.

Do SLAC’s really provide that level of coddling? I mean what specifically are SLAC’s doing that make it so much easier for students to navigate the system?

Not sure if this is coddling but a friend of mine who went to Wisconsin had stories of having to camp out overnight in the middle of winter to keep her place in line for class registration. It was the only way she could be assured to get into the classes she wanted/needed. At my SLAC you lined up 10 minutes ahead of registration and rarely were you shut out of a class.
Another example: my senior year I got sick and had to miss two sessions of a class. I forgot to tell my prof so he thought I was being negligent about attendance. We chatted for a while and cleared it up. I doubt that would happen at a big state school.

At our SLAC a group of four of us met with the head of the department and submitted a proposal for a course we wanted them to offer that wasn't in the catalog. They created the course for us.

Yeah, you can do that at a large school too.

[Anonymous]

SLAC:

Stupid Lighting Ablaze of Cash

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SLAC:

Stupid Lighting Ablaze of Cash

What is your problem? Did a SLAC destroy your family's village centuries ago?