Colleges with happy kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wesleyan is miserable - cliques galore, and non-stop sobbing since the election - athletes all targeted as republicans regardless of affiliation - lax bros beware

That does sound miserable. What is with these people?

Not true.

[Anonymous]

It's subjective. Define happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a mom of a hs senior, I am also probing this question and trying to sift through contradictory info. We see emory listed as a school ranked high on having happy kids, but when we ask people with kids there now, they say there's a lot of high-pressure pre professional angst and that social life is dead and kids to go georgia tech for parties. What is the truth???

Emory is Niche, like Rice Tufts etc. Emory is enjoyable because it's in a Top 5 city for young people. There's 5 other colleges 30 min from each other at most so about 70k other undergrad students to interact with. If your child is willing to venture off campus and explore the city they will enjoy themselves and find their people.

+1 and Emory is also close enough to both UGA and GA Tech so if your kid want to enjoy a college football game…Emory is also very diverse, with many international students and students from all over the country. The main draw back I’ve seen is its reputation as an Ivy backup or 2nd choice, which isn’t always true. Not everyone at Emory was an Ivy/Duke/Vanderbilt/Ivy+ aspirant. However, that’s on the student to ignore that and appreciate and enjoy Emory for what it is.

I think the issue is no on campus social life; limited social options and lack of school spirit/student body bonding. Every Emory student leaves at graduation and doesn’t look back.

The fact that folks here are encouraging people to get out and “interact” w/ other college students from other schools or go to Georgia Tech for socialization confirms that

I am a NP. My DC is a freshman and I can assure you there is a social like for those that are looking for it. There is so much to do on campus and within Atlanta. We have been impressed with the amount of social offerings. I really don't understand why so many people think it is so lacking not to have a football team. We were there for parents weekend/homecoming and it was amazing!

[Anonymous]

Agree it's all about "fit," but problem is that not everyone's experience is the same, and the conventional wisdom about a school may not bear out for your kid.

My studious introvert is at a school widely known for its social fratty atmosphere, and he's happy as a clam. He found his people (not in a frat), and the other day he said his only complaint is that he has "too many friends" and he needs some rest. If I posted the name of the school and described my kid & asked if he should attend, the overwhelming consensus here would be no. But the reality is that going to a school that probably was out of his comfort zone has been the best possible thing for him.

[Anonymous]

Tulane

[Anonymous]

JMU

Radford

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree it's all about "fit," but problem is that not everyone's experience is the same, and the conventional wisdom about a school may not bear out for your kid.

My studious introvert is at a school widely known for its social fratty atmosphere, and he's happy as a clam. He found his people (not in a frat), and the other day he said his only complaint is that he has "too many friends" and he needs some rest. If I posted the name of the school and described my kid & asked if he should attend, the overwhelming consensus here would be no. But the reality is that going to a school that probably was out of his comfort zone has been the best possible thing for him.

Did he like it right away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we visited Penn State, nearly every kid we saw was wearing Penn State gear and were plastered with smiles. They also claim to have happy cows that make the best ice cream.

If only it weren't in the middle of nowhere

Second Happy Valley!

Even though it’s in the middle of nowhere, it’s an easy 3 hour ride from DMV which has been a saving grace for our family.

Third Happy Valley!!! I went there, met my husband there and all my best friends there and it is truly our “happy place.”

My DD is interested in PSU but worried about it being in the middle of nowhere. I assume there are lots of stuff to do near the campus, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our nephew is thoroughly enjoying Penn and our niece is miserable at Brown, looking to transfer. Our kid loves William and Mary, their high school friend hates WM. Our daughter is applying to CMU this cycle after hearing great feedback from acquaintances there now.
Each student needs to make the best decision they can and realize no school is perfect

So true. Our kids, and maybe more their parents, go into the pricey four (or more) years of college with this brochure picture view. No one school/career/company/neighborhood has 100% happy people.

That said, some schools do a better job of having excellent engaged professors, fostering community, and quite honestly, giving their students something to do beyond going to parties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT, JMU

+100

JMU seemed like another NOVA high school on the tour. Grade 13 my DD says it’s called. I really am glad she didn’t end up there. Not sure about the happiness factor, but if your DC liked high school looks like a good continuation.

What HS has 720 acres and 20,000 students? If a kid goes to JMU and it feels like grade 13, that’s on them. It’s not a feature of the school.

[Anonymous]

BC…nice city, no Greek scene.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we visited Penn State, nearly every kid we saw was wearing Penn State gear and were plastered with smiles. They also claim to have happy cows that make the best ice cream.

If only it weren't in the middle of nowhere

Second Happy Valley!

Even though it’s in the middle of nowhere, it’s an easy 3 hour ride from DMV which has been a saving grace for our family.

Third Happy Valley!!! I went there, met my husband there and all my best friends there and it is truly our “happy place.”

My DD is interested in PSU but worried about it being in the middle of nowhere. I assume there are lots of stuff to do near the campus, no?

Happy Valley is awesome. I wouldn’t want to live there as a single 30-something, but for an undergrad, it is great.

I think the isolation is part of what makes it great. It is a town that feels full of all your friends and no one not affiliated with the university. State College Borough and the surrounding municipalities have a total population of about 100k and half are students. The Borough is only like 40k and most are probably students. State College has the feel of a small college town with all the resources of a major research university.

CityNerd rated it the best college town in the country.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AFDGxK6UbKA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a mom of a hs senior, I am also probing this question and trying to sift through contradictory info. We see emory listed as a school ranked high on having happy kids, but when we ask people with kids there now, they say there's a lot of high-pressure pre professional angst and that social life is dead and kids to go georgia tech for parties. What is the truth???

Emory is Niche, like Rice Tufts etc. Emory is enjoyable because it's in a Top 5 city for young people. There's 5 other colleges 30 min from each other at most so about 70k other undergrad students to interact with. If your child is willing to venture off campus and explore the city they will enjoy themselves and find their people.

+1 and Emory is also close enough to both UGA and GA Tech so if your kid want to enjoy a college football game…Emory is also very diverse, with many international students and students from all over the country. The main draw back I’ve seen is its reputation as an Ivy backup or 2nd choice, which isn’t always true. Not everyone at Emory was an Ivy/Duke/Vanderbilt/Ivy+ aspirant. However, that’s on the student to ignore that and appreciate and enjoy Emory for what it is.

I think the issue is no on campus social life; limited social options and lack of school spirit/student body bonding. Every Emory student leaves at graduation and doesn’t look back.

The fact that folks here are encouraging people to get out and “interact” w/ other college students from other schools or go to Georgia Tech for socialization confirms that

I am a NP. My DC is a freshman and I can assure you there is a social like for those that are looking for it. There is so much to do on campus and within Atlanta. We have been impressed with the amount of social offerings. I really don't understand why so many people think it is so lacking not to have a football team. We were there for parents weekend/homecoming and it was amazing!

+1 I have several friends and colleagues who attended Emory or whose children attended Emory. Everyone feels positive about their college experience there. Atlanta has a lot of offer and the university itself offers an amazing variety of social and cultural outlets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we visited Penn State, nearly every kid we saw was wearing Penn State gear and were plastered with smiles. They also claim to have happy cows that make the best ice cream.

If only it weren't in the middle of nowhere

Second Happy Valley!

Even though it’s in the middle of nowhere, it’s an easy 3 hour ride from DMV which has been a saving grace for our family.

Third Happy Valley!!! I went there, met my husband there and all my best friends there and it is truly our “happy place.”

What’s so great about it? Never been. But curious

[Anonymous]

ALABAMA!!