Davidson: a bust?

[Anonymous]

It’s a little odd to mention your kid is at a NE prep school but then mention that you are considering instate MD options strangely vs Davidson.

It’s kind of out of left field that I didn’t like Davidson because it doesn’t seem better than UMD CP (I guess?)…or UMBC or Towson? Of course it’s nothing like any of those schools other than being in a D1 sports conference.

[Anonymous]

Double major in two unrelated disciplines? That seriously full class schedule should provide your kid with all the intellectual energy they will need...bet that history major changes to a minor quickly!

[Anonymous]

When my kids didn’t like a college we toured, I told them that was great - one less school on the list and a data point toward helping find the right school

I wasted zero time telling other people we didn’t like it, or even spending another single second thinking about it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wanted to share some reflections on our recent visit to Davidson College. I toured with my daughter (junior at a very rigorous New England prep school), who’s a high-achiever academically and interested in double-majoring in math and history. Davidson has been on her list for a while due to its strong academic reputation and supportive community. Unfortunately, the visit left both of us feeling underwhelmed. The campus felt underwhelming and outdated, and the surrounding town lacked the vibrancy and intellectual energy she’s looking for. While Davidson may suit students seeking a quiet, sports-knit community, it just didn’t click for us. We were also concerned by the prominence of Patterson Court and Greek life, which seemed at odds with the academic culture she’s hoping for. Online several students mentioned difficulty getting into upper-level courses, especially in math. Ultimately, the outcomes didn’t seem to justify the cost compared to strong in-state options we have in Maryland. Any families have a similar experience? We've only heard the "pros" on this site and think we need to open this discourse!

You lost me at "strong in-state options we have in Maryland." Your daughter is concerned with the intellectualism and community at Davidson yet would prefer UMD, which is gigantic and is a lot less intellectual? That makes zero sense.

It seems like your daughter with her fancy prep school background has an inflated sense of self-importance. Have you visited Maryland? I think she will be horrified by it. No offense to Maryland. I think your daughter would do well at Northeastern or Holy Cross or one of the other schools obsessively discussed here where the students and parents seem to have a false sense of greatness.

I'm so curious as to what school she currently goes to.

You actually do make some other decent points. But your post went downhill very rapidly. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just to share we had a similar experience at Davidson last year. Everyone was very nice, but the tour guide gave very generic answers to most questions including why he chose Davidson. I know many people love the school, but the tour was underwhelming.

Same. The notable lack of vibrancy was also concerning.

Weird. The town is small but charming. If you need more, Charlotte is pretty close. I thought the college and town were lovely although my kid didn’t end up there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand what you mean by the intellectual energy part. It’s a beautiful little campus, but nearby Lake Norman is lined with McMansions of NASCAR celebrities and a Trump golf course. That’s the vibe in the area.

Oh the horror.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a little odd to mention your kid is at a NE prep school but then mention that you are considering instate MD options strangely vs Davidson.

It’s kind of out of left field that I didn’t like Davidson because it doesn’t seem better than UMD CP (I guess?)…or UMBC or Towson? Of course it’s nothing like any of those schools other than being in a D1 sports conference.

lol at writing "UMD CP". Who does this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just to share we had a similar experience at Davidson last year. Everyone was very nice, but the tour guide gave very generic answers to most questions including why he chose Davidson. I know many people love the school, but the tour was underwhelming.

I caution folks not to draw too many conclusions from student-led tours.

This!!
Horrible tours at Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Cornell.
Generic and boring. Lacked energy and sense of space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand what you mean by the intellectual energy part. It’s a beautiful little campus, but nearby Lake Norman is lined with McMansions of NASCAR celebrities and a Trump golf course. That’s the vibe in the area.

Oh the horror.

Hey, if that’s your thing, have at it! If you like wakeboarding off the back of a boat blasting country music in a lake with occasional raw sewage spills, you will love it down there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand what you mean by the intellectual energy part. It’s a beautiful little campus, but nearby Lake Norman is lined with McMansions of NASCAR celebrities and a Trump golf course. That’s the vibe in the area.

Oh the horror.

Hey, if that’s your thing, have at it! If you like wakeboarding off the back of a boat blasting country music in a lake with occasional raw sewage spills, you will love it down there!

sounds awesome actually (except the raw sewage thingy)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just to share we had a similar experience at Davidson last year. Everyone was very nice, but the tour guide gave very generic answers to most questions including why he chose Davidson. I know many people love the school, but the tour was underwhelming.

I caution folks not to draw too many conclusions from student-led tours.

This!!
Horrible tours at Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Cornell.
Generic and boring. Lacked energy and sense of space.

Yeah...Northwestern tour left us very unimpressed.

[Anonymous]

This is why it's good to tour when you can make it work. Some schools aren't going to click, even if they seem great on paper.

And it's very personal. We toured Tufts last weekend. I would have crossed it off my list if I were looking, but my kid loved it and is already talking ED.

[Anonymous]

I also found the campus unimpressive vs other LACs including nearby W&L and Richmond. Was underwhelmed by the visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just to share we had a similar experience at Davidson last year. Everyone was very nice, but the tour guide gave very generic answers to most questions including why he chose Davidson. I know many people love the school, but the tour was underwhelming.

I caution folks not to draw too many conclusions from student-led tours.

This!!
Horrible tours at Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Cornell.
Generic and boring. Lacked energy and sense of space.

Yeah...Northwestern tour left us very unimpressed.

I was a former NU tour guide and I think the problem might have been that the Tech building is a bit too far to take tours up. When I was working there we tinkered with the tour a lot. We tried adding on a dorm stop once but that never felt like it worked.

[Anonymous]

Tours don’t make it break anything.