Virginia Tech or Syracuse University?

[Anonymous]

OP here- Major at Tech would be political science, major at Syracuse would be International Relations

[Anonymous]

Hmm..trying to decide between Cuse and MD - going up for an overnighter this Friday. DD was invited to spend the night. Next door neighbor says I should have visited in February...lol

[Anonymous]

The vibes at the schools are fairly different. SU is definitely more wealthy kids from NY/NJ. Lots of jewish kids. VT is definitely less wealthy, heavily from NoVA. If you're coming from middle class, I would have said VT since non-wealthy kids may feel uncomfortable around kids from so much money but seeing as you say that cost is not a factor, maybe your child would feel fine at SU. If your child gravitates towards a bit nerdy, I would also suggest VT since it has a large science/tech/engineering crowd.

[Anonymous]

Btw, I would add that they're both great schools where you can get a solid ed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The vibes at the schools are fairly different. SU is definitely more wealthy kids from NY/NJ. Lots of jewish kids. VT is definitely less wealthy, heavily from NoVA. If you're coming from middle class, I would have said VT since non-wealthy kids may feel uncomfortable around kids from so much money but seeing as you say that cost is not a factor, maybe your child would feel fine at SU. If your child gravitates towards a bit nerdy, I would also suggest VT since it has a large science/tech/engineering crowd.

Syracuse grad here, raised very middle class.
I definitely noticed the wealth, but it didn't bother me. I was in a sorority too.
If OP's kid is from the DC metro, I'm sure he's used to being around wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is better than Syracuse, I think. At least, it's much more competitive. Although Syracuse is in NY, which is better than Virginia. Other than for tech, I think Syracuse will be way more fun. But if it's for tech, I think VT is too much better to even consider Syracuse.

Uh, VT is not more competitive than Syracuse.
SU is better known nationally too (although people know about VT for all the wrong reasons--shooting, etc.)

I think it depends on the major too.

Plus 1 to VT NOT being more competitive than SU. Agree that SU is also better known. I went to SU. Loved it!!!! Beautiful campus, lots of school spirit, top sports, excellent academics- Newhouse school of communication is tops in the country. There is also another very recent SU thread on here.

[Anonymous]

Honestly if you are getting in-state tuition, I'd go VT. Syracuse is not worth $60,000 or whatever private schools cost these days.

[Anonymous]

Op - assuming you are the parent, let this be completely the student's decision. It will be the first big decision of their adult life. They will take ownership of the decision. They will work hard to prove that they made a good decision - exactly what you want - more important really, than the differing experience of one school vs another. I say this since it seems a toss-up to you, from what you're said. This is a great opportunity to parent well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op - assuming you are the parent, let this be completely the student's decision. It will be the first big decision of their adult life. They will take ownership of the decision. They will work hard to prove that they made a good decision - exactly what you want - more important really, than the differing experience of one school vs another. I say this since it seems a toss-up to you, from what you're said. This is a great opportunity to parent well.

Love this advice. The decision process alone will be a great life experience.

If OP is the child, go Syracuse!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op - assuming you are the parent, let this be completely the student's decision. It will be the first big decision of their adult life. They will take ownership of the decision. They will work hard to prove that they made a good decision - exactly what you want - more important really, than the differing experience of one school vs another. I say this since it seems a toss-up to you, from what you're said. This is a great opportunity to parent well.

Love this advice. The decision process alone will be a great life experience.

If OP is the child, go Syracuse! [u]

plus 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is better than Syracuse, I think. At least, it's much more competitive. Although Syracuse is in NY, which is better than Virginia. Other than for tech, I think Syracuse will be way more fun. But if it's for tech, I think VT is too much better to even consider Syracuse.

Uh, VT is not more competitive than Syracuse.
SU is better known nationally too (although people know about VT for all the wrong reasons--shooting, etc.)

I think it depends on the major too.

Plus 1 to VT NOT being more competitive than SU. Agree that SU is also better known. I went to SU. Loved it!!!! Beautiful campus, lots of school spirit, top sports, excellent academics- Newhouse school of communication is tops in the country. There is also another very recent SU thread on here.

In NY Syracuse is known as a safety school for mediocre students. It's true that overall VT is not more competitive, but for engineering it is. They are highly selective (less than 20%) for the engineering school, versus other majors. That is much more competitive than Syracuse. But for everything else, Syracuse is more competitive. Since OP is not an engineering major, I guess there is no good reason to go to VT over Syracuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Syracuse is a school on the downswing. It is less prestigious than it was 20 years ago, and in 20 years it will be less prestigious than it is now. VT is a good solid choice.

Was Syracuse ever prestigious? Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VT is better than Syracuse, I think. At least, it's much more competitive. Although Syracuse is in NY, which is better than Virginia. Other than for tech, I think Syracuse will be way more fun. But if it's for tech, I think VT is too much better to even consider Syracuse.

I don't know anything about Syracuse, but there is no way you can consider not having enough fun as a reason for not attending VT. And why the hell would upstate NY be considered better than Virginia? If that were true why do all the Yankees move south in droves??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is better than Syracuse, I think. At least, it's much more competitive. Although Syracuse is in NY, which is better than Virginia. Other than for tech, I think Syracuse will be way more fun. But if it's for tech, I think VT is too much better to even consider Syracuse.

Uh, VT is not more competitive than Syracuse.
SU is better known nationally too (although people know about VT for all the wrong reasons--shooting, etc.)

I think it depends on the major too.

Plus 1 to VT NOT being more competitive than SU. Agree that SU is also better known. I went to SU. Loved it!!!! Beautiful campus, lots of school spirit, top sports, excellent academics- Newhouse school of communication is tops in the country. There is also another very recent SU thread on here.

Maybe up north, but certainly south of the Mason Dixon it doesn't register on anyone's radar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- Major at Tech would be political science, major at Syracuse would be International Relations

Syracuse hands down. I am an '86 graduate of VPI.