CTCL schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m less annoyed by the CTCL schools themselves than I am by DCUM parents who are convinced the schools are “special.” They’re just not. They’re fine, sure. A few may even be better than fine, sure. Reed is a great school. But beyond that, no CTCL school is remotely special, and collectively they’re just average.

It’s ok for your kids to be average, DCUM.

If they have sent kids there, and come away with the belief that their experience was special (maybe compared to other children's experiences), and you have NEVER had a kid at one of those schools...why would I possibly believe you over them??

[Anonymous]

Why is the topic of CTCL schools so divisive? I don’t get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is the topic of CTCL schools so divisive? I don’t get it.

Because the contingent of DCUM who are diehard "Top 20 or Nothing" believers don't understand how anyone could want anything else for their high-stats child so they feel the need to put down others choices.

The folks who are considering, or whose kids are attending CTCL type schools, don't understand how the first group can be so narrowly focused that they won't even consider the option that may be a good fit for their child.

Neither group will be swayed from their beliefs, hence the division.

There is similar chatter, although not as strong, between the "college means a big school and living off campus" crowd and the "my kid wants a small residential college" crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is the topic of CTCL schools so divisive? I don’t get it.

Because the contingent of DCUM who are diehard "Top 20 or Nothing" believers don't understand how anyone could want anything else for their high-stats child so they feel the need to put down others choices.

The folks who are considering, or whose kids are attending CTCL type schools, don't understand how the first group can be so narrowly focused that they won't even consider the option that may be a good fit for their child.

Neither group will be swayed from their beliefs, hence the division.

There is similar chatter, although not as strong, between the "college means a big school and living off campus" crowd and the "my kid wants a small residential college" crowd.

Incorrect. The thinking of the top 20 or nothing crowd is that CTCL schools have no more in common with each other than they also do with hundreds of other colleges and that they are grouping themselves together as something different and special only as a marketing gimmick - and they’re amazed that the smart people of DCUM are falling for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is the topic of CTCL schools so divisive? I don’t get it.

Because the contingent of DCUM who are diehard "Top 20 or Nothing" believers don't understand how anyone could want anything else for their high-stats child so they feel the need to put down others choices.

The folks who are considering, or whose kids are attending CTCL type schools, don't understand how the first group can be so narrowly focused that they won't even consider the option that may be a good fit for their child.

Neither group will be swayed from their beliefs, hence the division.

There is similar chatter, although not as strong, between the "college means a big school and living off campus" crowd and the "my kid wants a small residential college" crowd.

Incorrect. The thinking of the top 20 or nothing crowd is that CTCL schools have no more in common with each other than they also do with hundreds of other colleges and that they are grouping themselves together as something different and special only as a marketing gimmick - and they’re amazed that the smart people of DCUM are falling for it.

But you could say the same for any consortium/athletic conference/coalition of [fill in the blank] colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is the topic of CTCL schools so divisive? I don’t get it.

Because the contingent of DCUM who are diehard "Top 20 or Nothing" believers don't understand how anyone could want anything else for their high-stats child so they feel the need to put down others choices.

The folks who are considering, or whose kids are attending CTCL type schools, don't understand how the first group can be so narrowly focused that they won't even consider the option that may be a good fit for their child.

Neither group will be swayed from their beliefs, hence the division.

There is similar chatter, although not as strong, between the "college means a big school and living off campus" crowd and the "my kid wants a small residential college" crowd.

Incorrect. The thinking of the top 20 or nothing crowd is that CTCL schools have no more in common with each other than they also do with hundreds of other colleges and that they are grouping themselves together as something different and special only as a marketing gimmick - and they’re amazed that the smart people of DCUM are falling for it.

They did not group themselves, for the thousandth time. An educational expert selected them as being "special." So, they are using that to their advantage. Which any colleges would do if they were singled out for recognition by the Education editor of the New York Times (who was also a former independent college placement counselor, who saw and heard who thousands of kids did once at college). Loren Pope dubbed them special, not some PR/marketing guru.

[Anonymous]

*should read "how thousands", not "who"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is the topic of CTCL schools so divisive? I don’t get it.

Because the contingent of DCUM who are diehard "Top 20 or Nothing" believers don't understand how anyone could want anything else for their high-stats child so they feel the need to put down others choices.

The folks who are considering, or whose kids are attending CTCL type schools, don't understand how the first group can be so narrowly focused that they won't even consider the option that may be a good fit for their child.

Neither group will be swayed from their beliefs, hence the division.

There is similar chatter, although not as strong, between the "college means a big school and living off campus" crowd and the "my kid wants a small residential college" crowd.

Incorrect. The thinking of the top 20 or nothing crowd is that CTCL schools have no more in common with each other than they also do with hundreds of other colleges and that they are grouping themselves together as something different and special only as a marketing gimmick - and they’re amazed that the smart people of DCUM are falling for it.

They did not group themselves, for the thousandth time. An educational expert selected them as being "special." So, they are using that to their advantage. Which any colleges would do if they were singled out for recognition by the Education editor of the New York Times (who was also a former independent college placement counselor, who saw and heard who thousands of kids did once at college). Loren Pope dubbed them special, not some PR/marketing guru.

Loren Pope has been dead for 13 years. The list of schools barely changes. At this point, it seems like a marketing gimmick. The difference between the listed schools and dozens of other SLACs and small universities is practically nonexistent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is the topic of CTCL schools so divisive? I don’t get it.

Because the contingent of DCUM who are diehard "Top 20 or Nothing" believers don't understand how anyone could want anything else for their high-stats child so they feel the need to put down others choices.

The folks who are considering, or whose kids are attending CTCL type schools, don't understand how the first group can be so narrowly focused that they won't even consider the option that may be a good fit for their child.

Neither group will be swayed from their beliefs, hence the division.

There is similar chatter, although not as strong, between the "college means a big school and living off campus" crowd and the "my kid wants a small residential college" crowd.

Incorrect. The thinking of the top 20 or nothing crowd is that CTCL schools have no more in common with each other than they also do with hundreds of other colleges and that they are grouping themselves together as something different and special only as a marketing gimmick - and they’re amazed that the smart people of DCUM are falling for it.

I doubt many parents are restricting their kids to CTCL school choices exclusively, so I don't really see the problem. But, if this is your concern, shouldn't that prompt you to say. . . "hey, those interested in CTCL schools should know there may be other similar regional LACs like x, y, and z that might also interest them."?

[Anonymous]

I read the book (not every school profile but a number of them and the introductory chapters). From reading the book, I have a different focus when looking at schools and a willingness to look at additional schools that aren't top LACs but that also aren't in the book (such as Dickinson, Muhlenberg, etc). Also helped to identify a couple of schools that wouldn't have been on our radar otherwise. My kid has high stats but there are no guarantees that he will get into a more well-known school.

[Anonymous]

CTCL is not an actual consortium or conference. It’s an artificial grouping created by some random dude. People don’t have an issue with the schools themselves per se, just the utterly stupid name and the parents desperately clinging to that name. Just say you went to X college, and stop trying to make CTCL sound like an actual thing. We’re not going around calling universities FGTCU or CWYM or IVP or TT or NIL schools.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. I think the approach they espouse for the college search (without any pressure towards CTCL schools is very healthy.

Seeing their talk also reoriented my daughter and I in our thinking (more towards “fit” than ranking/what others were doing). I went in expecting a marketing spiel and that is not what they were pushing at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CTCL is not an actual consortium or conference. It’s an artificial grouping created by some random dude. People don’t have an issue with the schools themselves per se, just the utterly stupid name and the parents desperately clinging to that name. Just say you went to X college, and stop trying to make CTCL sound like an actual thing. We’re not going around calling universities FGTCU or CWYM or IVP or TT or NIL schools.

Why does it bother you so? it is a reference point that means something to some people. Good for them - doesn't affect others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. I think the approach they espouse for the college search (without any pressure towards CTCL schools is very healthy.

Seeing their talk also reoriented my daughter and I in our thinking (more towards “fit” than ranking/what others were doing). I went in expecting a marketing spiel and that is not what they were pushing at all

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is the topic of CTCL schools so divisive? I don’t get it.

Because the contingent of DCUM who are diehard "Top 20 or Nothing" believers don't understand how anyone could want anything else for their high-stats child so they feel the need to put down others choices.

The folks who are considering, or whose kids are attending CTCL type schools, don't understand how the first group can be so narrowly focused that they won't even consider the option that may be a good fit for their child.

Neither group will be swayed from their beliefs, hence the division.

There is similar chatter, although not as strong, between the "college means a big school and living off campus" crowd and the "my kid wants a small residential college" crowd.

Incorrect. The thinking of the top 20 or nothing crowd is that CTCL schools have no more in common with each other than they also do with hundreds of other colleges and that they are grouping themselves together as something different and special only as a marketing gimmick - and they’re amazed that the smart people of DCUM are falling for it.

But you could say the same for any consortium/athletic conference/coalition of [fill in the blank] colleges.

Yes, including "The Top 20" schools!