Schools with Rigorous Academics and Big Sports Culture

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

A chemistry degree at nowhere school is going to be way harder than a sociology degree at Yale.

Are you high?

No. How can you possibly say, with a straight face, that a humanities degree is harder than an engineering, physical science, or pre-med curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

A chemistry degree at nowhere school is going to be way harder than a sociology degree at Yale.

Are you high?

No. How can you possibly say, with a straight face, that a humanities degree is harder than an engineering, physical science, or pre-med curriculum?

+1

That person is a moron. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

UVA for sure. The club teams are very competitive and offer a great opportunity for d3 kids who wanted a better school. Big sports culture.

[Anonymous]

Is it harder? Ok, but the outcome from Yale in any degree given the recruitment on campus and alumni network would be much better than a chemistry degree from Univ of Northern Iowa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it harder? Ok, but the outcome from Yale in any degree given the recruitment on campus and alumni network would be much better than a chemistry degree from Univ of Northern Iowa.

Yes it is harder, and no, job recruiting is not at all meritocratic, you’re correct there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don’t understand the term “rigorous academics.” It completely depends on the child’s major. A chemistry degree at nowhere school is going to be way harder than a sociology degree at Yale.

She's talking less about the challenge of the curriculum and more about the peer group, I think. She wants to go to a school where people are like her.

She's plenty social but also has a huge "grind" side to her personality. She takes school really seriously and truly digs into the academics. Same with her sports. She's just wired this way. Self-driven and willing to put in 110% just because.

So she'd love to end up at a school with a culture that fits that. With peers who are similarly driven so she doesn't feel like the odd one out. But with big sports and a fun campus culture. It's the work hard/play hard kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really don’t understand the term “rigorous academics.” It completely depends on the child’s major. A chemistry degree at nowhere school is going to be way harder than a sociology degree at Yale.

She's talking less about the challenge of the curriculum and more about the peer group, I think. She wants to go to a school where people are like her.

She's plenty social but also has a huge "grind" side to her personality. She takes school really seriously and truly digs into the academics. Same with her sports. She's just wired this way. Self-driven and willing to put in 110% just because.

So she'd love to end up at a school with a culture that fits that. With peers who are similarly driven so she doesn't feel like the odd one out. But with big sports and a fun campus culture. It's the work hard/play hard kind of thing.

As PP said, UVA should be on the list. Classic work hard/play hard atmosphere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it harder? Ok, but the outcome from Yale in any degree given the recruitment on campus and alumni network would be much better than a chemistry degree from Univ of Northern Iowa.

Yes it is harder, and no, job recruiting is not at all meritocratic, you’re correct there.

I'm the OP, and this is not at all the point of my question. We're asking about peer groups, campus culture, and lived experience on campus.

We're not asking about relative status, outcomes, job prospects, or alumni networks. We understand that stuff.

P.S. I did not intend to start a pissing match about state school science degrees vs. Ivy League humanities degrees. If you want to fight about that, please start another thread.

[Anonymous]

University if Florida in Honor’s College. Great club sports too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really don’t understand the term “rigorous academics.” It completely depends on the child’s major. A chemistry degree at nowhere school is going to be way harder than a sociology degree at Yale.

Tell us you didn’t go to Yale without telling us you didn’t go to Yale.

Can everyone just retire this stupid “tell us you yadda yadda without telling us you yadda yadda?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don’t understand the term “rigorous academics.” It completely depends on the child’s major. A chemistry degree at nowhere school is going to be way harder than a sociology degree at Yale.

+1000. There are majors at every school, including Ivies, that are easy to get through. Biochem at a community college is harder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recent thread on this (at least related to SLACs): https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1051864.page

Thanks - this is super helpful!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is just starting to put a college list together. She's a really driven kid - works extremely hard (school) and plays even harder (plays multiple sports and watches/follows college/pro teams in her free time).

She's looking for campus-focused (not city) schools that would be a good fit - basically with kids who share her academic drive and love of sports.

So far we've got Duke, Michigan, and maybe Northwestern. Other ideas? Are there any Ivys or DIII schools that are particularly sports-focused - like where the whole school gets into it? She really likes the rah-rah school spirit stuff.

All of these schools are reachs even for highest stat students in the current admissions environment. You need to be asking about possible targets and safeties.

[Anonymous]

OP, sorry this went off the rails. I echo UVA, Stanford, USC. We looked at Vandy, but the teams aren't very good and they had some branding issues. The tour guide said kids go to tailgates, but skip the games.

[Anonymous]

Stanford and Duke