Experienced Parents: Where did your children have EXCELLENT college experiences (this decade)?

[Anonymous]

My child is interested in Vandy but thinks the weather will be too hot and humid!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Macalester.

Can you expand? My kid is very interested in MaC. Also St. Olaf.

Both schools are ok for the kids who don't get into Carleton.

I’m a Carleton grad and this just isn’t true, not to mention rude. They each appeal to very different kids - is there that much overlap in the applicants? I rarely hear of kids interested in more than one of them.

yeah, they are pretty different schools and while kids may tour all three if in the area, I would think they'd appeal to pretty different profiles (once you've decided you want a SLAC). Macalester is in the city and more of a city feel, with int'l students from a wide range of countries. St. Olaf and Carleton are within 2 miles of each other 45 minutes outside of the city. Carleton has very brainy, professor in training type feel and St. Olaf is more low-key, probably more conservative.

I’m not sure I’d say St. Olaf is more conservative. It affiliated with the Lutheran church, but it has a huge and well respected fine arts program and gets a lot of art and music and dance and theater kids, many of whom are not in the conservative mold. It is very big on community— one big dining hall and a daily non-mandatory daily chapel when nothing else is that is a community coming together time for music or to hear a student talk about being overseas or a professor talk. So they build in times each day when the school comes together. When I’m on campus the word “peaceful” comes to mind. The kids are busy and engaged, but it still feels ... peaceful. IDK. Special place. Gorgeous campus with the Norwegian architecture, wooden buildings, high ceilings, light filled spots.

I would just like to point this out:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thefourthcrown.com/2014/07/26/st-olaf-college-recognized-as-second-best-college-in-northfield-mn/amp/

Okay. So they rank behind Carleton in USNWR. So do all but about 4 other SLACs. Why do you feel the neeed to be nasty about schools other people love?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is interested in Vandy but thinks the weather will be too hot and humid!

Most of the school year is beautiful in Nashville. Average high this week is in the fifties!

[Anonymous]

Vanderbilt is much more geographically diverse than I would have guessed:
https://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/profile/#enrollmentbystate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Macalester.

Can you expand? My kid is very interested in MaC. Also St. Olaf.

Both schools are ok for the kids who don't get into Carleton.

I’m a Carleton grad and this just isn’t true, not to mention rude. They each appeal to very different kids - is there that much overlap in the applicants? I rarely hear of kids interested in more than one of them.

yeah, they are pretty different schools and while kids may tour all three if in the area, I would think they'd appeal to pretty different profiles (once you've decided you want a SLAC). Macalester is in the city and more of a city feel, with int'l students from a wide range of countries. St. Olaf and Carleton are within 2 miles of each other 45 minutes outside of the city. Carleton has very brainy, professor in training type feel and St. Olaf is more low-key, probably more conservative.

I’m not sure I’d say St. Olaf is more conservative. It affiliated with the Lutheran church, but it has a huge and well respected fine arts program and gets a lot of art and music and dance and theater kids, many of whom are not in the conservative mold. It is very big on community— one big dining hall and a daily non-mandatory daily chapel when nothing else is that is a community coming together time for music or to hear a student talk about being overseas or a professor talk. So they build in times each day when the school comes together. When I’m on campus the word “peaceful” comes to mind. The kids are busy and engaged, but it still feels ... peaceful. IDK. Special place. Gorgeous campus with the Norwegian architecture, wooden buildings, high ceilings, light filled spots.

I would just like to point this out:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thefourthcrown.com/2014/07/26/st-olaf-college-recognized-as-second-best-college-in-northfield-mn/amp/

Okay. So they rank behind Carleton in USNWR. So do all but about 4 other SLACs. Why do you feel the neeed to be nasty about schools other people love?

I knew that some fool would respond to this. It's a freaking parody article. It was written for the Gustavus Adolphus humor magazine. Get a grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Macalester.

Can you expand? My kid is very interested in MaC. Also St. Olaf.

Both schools are ok for the kids who don't get into Carleton.

I’m a Carleton grad and this just isn’t true, not to mention rude. They each appeal to very different kids - is there that much overlap in the applicants? I rarely hear of kids interested in more than one of them.

yeah, they are pretty different schools and while kids may tour all three if in the area, I would think they'd appeal to pretty different profiles (once you've decided you want a SLAC). Macalester is in the city and more of a city feel, with int'l students from a wide range of countries. St. Olaf and Carleton are within 2 miles of each other 45 minutes outside of the city. Carleton has very brainy, professor in training type feel and St. Olaf is more low-key, probably more conservative.

I’m not sure I’d say St. Olaf is more conservative. It affiliated with the Lutheran church, but it has a huge and well respected fine arts program and gets a lot of art and music and dance and theater kids, many of whom are not in the conservative mold. It is very big on community— one big dining hall and a daily non-mandatory daily chapel when nothing else is that is a community coming together time for music or to hear a student talk about being overseas or a professor talk. So they build in times each day when the school comes together. When I’m on campus the word “peaceful” comes to mind. The kids are busy and engaged, but it still feels ... peaceful. IDK. Special place. Gorgeous campus with the Norwegian architecture, wooden buildings, high ceilings, light filled spots.

I would just like to point this out:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thefourthcrown.com/2014/07/26/st-olaf-college-recognized-as-second-best-college-in-northfield-mn/amp/

Okay. So they rank behind Carleton in USNWR. So do all but about 4 other SLACs. Why do you feel the neeed to be nasty about schools other people love?

I knew that some fool would respond to this. It's a freaking parody article. It was written for the Gustavus Adolphus humor magazine. Get a grip.

Having both Carleton and St Olaf in Northfield is a benefit. They are friendly rivals in sports (both Div 3), students can use each others' facilities. To save money the colleges have merged some back office functions for efficiency and cost savings, such as jointly negotiating for food services and sharing some IT employees.

Students can cross-register in theory, but it's difficult to make work since St Olaf is on semesters and Carleton is on trimesters and neither is interested in changing that. I think having 2 small colleges in one small college town also helps the community's finances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UIUC. My DD is now at a small private for grad school but, she still misses her undergrad. Loved the large school with its unending opportunities. Loved how much she could pile on the work and drown in whatever research interested her. Loved the support of her colleagues. Loved the Midwest friendliness. Loved the coffee shops in every nook and cranny, all with their distinctive personalities. Sometimes a big research U is the right choice.

Yes. So many opportunities. So many options for majors, internships, coops, dorm living learning environments, Just so much. And so friendly. Such nice people vs the cut throat types in DC.

Signed,
Indiana University Graduate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Princeton University. DD loved it and it really set her on a great path. DH and I went to Dummy State U. so the idea that kid got into Princeton was really something as we are not "connected" type people.

I bet it wasn't as 'dummy' as you make it out to be. You don't give yourselves enough credit. I went to 'dummy' state university. I came out productive and solid. People on DCURBANMOM.com (and DC) too often discount good state universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is this useful. All kids are different and enjoy different things. Also have different future goals and objectives.

Of what use is your post? OP and some of us are interested in reviews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UIUC. My DD is now at a small private for grad school but, she still misses her undergrad. Loved the large school with its unending opportunities. Loved how much she could pile on the work and drown in whatever research interested her. Loved the support of her colleagues. Loved the Midwest friendliness. Loved the coffee shops in every nook and cranny, all with their distinctive personalities. Sometimes a big research U is the right choice.

Yes. So many opportunities. So many options for majors, internships, coops, dorm living learning environments, Just so much. And so friendly. Such nice people vs the cut throat types in DC.

Signed,
Indiana University Graduate

I just visited UIUC with my DD who is a recruitied athlete. We went thinking we would rule it out but it was lovely.

[Anonymous]

Gets a lot of hate here, but Georgetown. DD attended from 2012-2016. Tons of opportunities due to being the best school in DC, especially for DD, who was interested in IR/politics: it was easy to get a Capitol Hill or government internship if you wanted one, especially during the school year; great speakers coming to campus all the time; adjunct professors like Ron Klain, Donna Brazile, etc. (and DD took a class with Madeleine Albright, who is a professor there) -- just generally very cool experiences for kids interested in DC-type stuff. Also great job placement after graduation in DC and NY - DD and her friends went to top grad schools, consulting, and banking.

Having been to Georgetown's campus many times and also having seen the dorms/facilities, I agree they are not great - DD2 attends UMD and frankly their facilities seem to be nicer. But the surrounding area and proximity to Georgetown is lovely and somewhat makes up for it.

[Anonymous]

It's not so much that there is Georgetown "hate," but when you grow up in DC, you usually want to live somewhere else for college.

[Anonymous]

Our STEM child had a wonderful experience at UC Santa Barbara’s Center for Creative Studies. They have 8 accelerated disciplines from physics, biology and math to visual art. It is a post graduate school for undergraduates but it is only for students who are sure about what they want to focus on. It is a small elite quirky and driven school within a much larger public university and offers many research opportunities. The “creative” in UCSB center for creative studies refers to original research as all students conduct original research as undergrads. They are also given exemptions from general undergrad study requirements so that they can focus primarily on achieving at high levels in their major. Admission is highly competitive but is mostly based on grades and demonstrated interest in the intended major rather than on being the child of alumni, diversity factors, status of parents etc. All CCS students have academic advisors to help steer them through undergraduate life and help them to make good decisions towards their long term academic goals. Rates of admission into elite post graduate academic programs for UCSB CCS students are extremely high.

It is not for everyone but it is a good option for highly motivated and talented students who know which academic discipline they want to commit to.

[Anonymous]

Miami of Ohio - great merit aid, excellent student services, safe college town, involved student body even outside of Greek life.
Bonus - cheap flights from DMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll let you know after we see DD's first semester grades.... so far she loves her school, social life, etc. but we have no idea what she's up to as a student.

Freshman year courses are generally a joke. Be very alarmed by any GPA under a 3.3.

This varies WIDELY by college and department.