What school dropped off the list because of your visit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:William & Mary. Campus seemed to lack energy and students seemed miserable.

+2 Great way to describe what my kid felt. Absolutely HATED the feel of W&M.

[Anonymous]

OK truth time, how many of your kids applied to the schools you listed above and didn't get in?

[Anonymous]

Our family did a lot of tours in the fall of 2018 and early 2019. My child decided not to apply to certain schools after visiting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OK truth time, how many of your kids applied to the schools you listed above and didn't get in?

stupid question... we didn't apply to the schools that we didn't like on tours/visits.

[Anonymous]

Virginia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA.

DC is in at Columbia.

Sounds like a humble brag, not a drop based on a site visit.

That’s what I was thinking.

Nothing humble about it, it was a straight up brag

[Anonymous]

Hamilton.

DS is a hockey player and liked the coach/facilities. Spent two summers there, and hated it even during nice weather. Half the school (he felt, I'm sure it was just half the hockey team) was from northern reaches of Canada and said winter is NBD....but there's nothing around there, close to Utica and Rome. Which are depressing even in summer.

Good school though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our family did a lot of tours in the fall of 2018 and early 2019. My child decided not to apply to certain schools after visiting.

Super helpful. Thanks for taking the time to write out a clear and concise response to the question. Now we'll know more about those schools and what people like/dislike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virginia

Same here. The presentation by the AO dean was very condescending and made it clear that UVA was doing your child a favor by even bothering to consider her or him.

The tour guide was a Stafford County kid who gave off mixed messages about UVA. Had lots of information and liked his classes and professors, but didn't like his fellow students (complained about heavy drinking, Greek life, social class issues). He later confessed that UVA was his backup for his Ivy-level applications, so when he couldn't get into any Ivies and didn't get enough merit money for the others, he was forced to go to UVA.

Hence if the guides are selected and trained to give good messages about their schools, the process didn't work here.

[Anonymous]

not this year, but UVA. Bubbly sorority girl tour guide totally turned my daughter off. I'm sure there is a crowd that isn't like that, but she was really completely turned off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wake Forest
St Joe's (Philly)

Took two of my kids and they both HATED these schools and wanted to leave before the tour was complete!

What did they hate about St. Joe's? We are looking there.

[Anonymous]

Totally different list from most here (DC wanted a LAC or SLAC and was interested in going outside this region). Visits made a huge difference and I'm sorry that so many students last year and this year probably won't get to visit campuses before applying or even after applying in some cases, depending on the virus.

DC was very interested in Sarah Lawrence College on paper and because a friend was already there and loved it. The visit was well coordinated (we went on a prospective students' day when they had full-day panels, specialized tours, meals, etc., and were very impressed with how it was all put together), yet DC came away immediately saying, "I like it...until I don't. I can't say exactly why but it doesn't feel right for me." DH and I felt the same way and we think it was a gut reaction to the tiny campus that feels like a prep school. Not dissing the college's academics at all here, and DC's friend is still very happy there, but DC didn't have that strong a gut reaction against anywhere else. Didn't apply.

A visit to Vassar, which was not even on DC's list, ended up with DC applying to and now attending there. Vassar was located near a couple of other colleges DC wanted to visit in NY, so we added in a casual stop with a walking tour and the usual admissions talk. I think it made a big difference that DC also visited two of the departments solo, after e-mailing them in advance and asking if she could stop in briefly. Both departments were very welcoming and treated her, a random HS senior, fantastically. Those were supposed to be short visits and she ended up being taken around both departments and attending a class as well, so we were there the whole day. DC came away with the college at the top of the list. And we hadn't even originally planned to stop there. It's why I think visits can make a big difference IF the student can do them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this is different now with virtual visits but what school did your kid think they would love but then the visit turned them off?

U Penn - in a ghetto - police everywhere
Georgetown - DIRTY, full of trash every time, building totally run down
Ohio State - just way too big

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:not this year, but UVA. Bubbly sorority girl tour guide totally turned my daughter off. I'm sure there is a crowd that isn't like that, but she was really completely turned off.

Interestingly, the tour guides can make a difference as you say, PP. Toured W&M twice (DH wanted to see it and hadn't been with us the first time, and DC was interested in seeing it again), and one guide was mellow but very informative, while the other was not so much either.

At UVA, did you know it's possible (at least it was pre-pandemic) to get tours of specific parts of the university? We got a private tour--well, no one else signed up!--of the "arts campus" part of UVA which is not on the regular tours. It did make DC consider UVA much more than DC was inclined to do otherwise. Didn't end up applying but I can see how touring something other than the usual stuff would attract students with specific interests. We found that specialized tour online and I remember there were other similar tours of science departments as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary for my daughter, that sample dorm room they show you on the tour.... ugh not homey at all. Was a shame because if they hadn't shown the dorm room it would have climbed to do the top of the list. Loved the campus and the vibe though my daughter noticed not alot of cute boys lol.

Also Georgetown, not that we were going to get in, but we went a few times just to explore and the last time we were there almost stepped on a dead rat in the middle of the walkway. That was enough to scare my son away once he read that rats and roaches are a big problem there. I'm sure that happens everywhere but it was a turnoff lol

So both you and your son applied? If you both got in, was the plan to be roommates?

Why are you so offended by that that you need to point it out on every thread? I get it... Your kid does everything on their own and is paying on their own too....or you are paying but it's still only their experience alone...or it's your experience to an extent too, but only you know the acceptable way to talk about it.... Just stop. Parents using those words does not mean their children aren't highly independent and capable. You protest to the point it makes me think you have some regrets about your hands off strategy....

Ok, I'll tell you how it worked for us. Our kids were practical. Each knew that wherever he or she ended up would be fine, and that if not they'd just transfer or whatever. They were looking for a college, not a spouse. So, each came up with short (four or five) and reasonable lists of where they wanted to apply, knowing in advance what we were willing to pay for (no second tier overpriced private liberal arts schools, for example). Once they made their lists, we suggested a couple additions here and there of similar schools. If the kid said they weren't interested, we were fine with that (one UVA applicant wouldn't even consider WM, for example, and another thought in the reverse). Only one of our kids had any serious interest in extensive college touring before applying, so we took that kid and a couple friends interested in the same/similar schools on a road trip, dropped them off on the campuses, and went our own way and didn't take the tours ourselves. Then, when each kid chose where to apply, they did the applications completely by themselves -- including essays, with zero input from us. Then, once accepted, they made the decision where to go themselves. So, in a very real sense, "we" didn't apply and "we" certainly didn't get in or not get in. "We" offered a few suggestions, to be sure, and "we" drove them around when requested, and "we" paid the tuition. I really think this is how it's supposed to work, sorry.

Awesome for you! You are wrong in making assumptions about how other peoples' families work because they use language in a way you wouldn't. You know how I think it's supposed to work? You let people live according to their own choices and language. Maybe some of those posters come from a different country or culture, and that's just how they talk, it doesn't carry the same meaning. Maybe it does carry the same meaning and they think of admission as a we thing. You should have some awareness that you are not perfect and people have different perspectives in life and not have the need to "call them out"! Maybe they are having a rough day and you insulting them made it worse. Are you proud of that?

Plus, it’s completely ridiculous to pick at language usage on a casual, social site like this where people are probably typing quickly and not really thinking twice about how they say something. It says a lot about someone that they would nitpick and conclude someone has a character flaw based on something like this.