what "good" college did you attend but would not necessarily recommend to your kids or others?

[Anonymous]

Wake Forest. I got a great education. 800 kids a class when I went. Small classes, not TAs, accessible professors, only real grad programs were the professional schools. Very rigorous program. More like a SLAC than a national U.

But also— very wealthy, very white, very Southern, very conservative, strong frat culture, lots and lots of alcohol. No diversity. Very homophobic at the time. Most kids were pre-professional, which my kids are not.

If my kids have 80k a year and Wake Forest stats (they did), they can go to an actual SLAC without frats, stronger non-pre med science and with more diversity (one kid) or WM at half the price and also pay for grad school (another kid).

Hello, fellow Demon Deac. Sounds like we shred a similar experience. Truly terrific education, prepared me well for law school, but definitely the wrong social scene for me -- overwhelmingly white, very much a Southern deb/sorority/frat/drinking culture when I went there. That said, friends who weren't super rich or Southern found their place and had a great time. I did not and was miserable. I don't think it was just because I was 20 and angsty, because I generally have not meshed at all with the Wake Forest grads I have met in DC. I just think it was the complete wrong environment for me.

Add in the now-ridiculous tuition, and it is not an option for my kids.

[Anonymous]

*shared

[Anonymous]

Another University of Rochester graduate. I didn’t mind the cold and I had fun at first but it’s very Greek heavy and International. I was assigned a Physics Professor as a counselor and I think I met with him once. Zero help for a first generation college student. I had friends but no friendships that lasted. Once I stopped drinking and partying I basically felt alone because I didn’t join a sorority. Basically zero career or academic counseling. I made it out ok but not because of help or guidance from the school. I hope that’s changed. As a first generation college student I wouldn’t have considered transferring but I guess in hindsight that could’ve been an option. As a cute, white, smart girl I know I had it easier than most and it still was barely enough. I would only recommend it for my child if they were interested in pre med, physics, or business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYU: I loved it for grad school but I did not encourage my kids to apply for undergrad. Socially you have to find and form your own group, otherwise it can get pretty hard finding your people. My DH thinks JHU is NOT at all a great undergrad experience. Expectations are different for GRAD school so good for GRAD school.

This was my experience at Hopkins (I went to grad school on the medical campus but lived and studied on the undergraduate campus). The graduate programs (especially medicine, public health, etc) have students from many different backgrounds and from all over the world. The student bodies are interesting and diverse. In the medical school you have athletes, ballerinas, art majors, engineering majors, entrepreneurs, refugees, trust funders, and on and on.

The undergraduates (in my observation)are primarily pre-med gunners. Study, study, study. Very similar kids--can't tell one from another. The library (MSE--Milton S. Eisenhower) was jam packed every Friday and Saturday night--no lie. It just seemed like a sweatshop of a university. My classmates who attended JHU undergrad were all sort of shell-shocked. It think getting into medical school or graduate school at Hopkins following undergrad at Hopkins is akin to the survival of the fittest.

Reading this I kinda want my physician to have gone undergrad at JH.

The body can not be separated from the person. Social interaction and emotional iq are an important part of being a doctor.

Hopefully all those JHU undergrads went into pathology or radiology so I don’t have to see them, but just get an accurate diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swarthmore -- too small and too intense for most kids

I got a great education but I think I would have had a more balanced experience at a larger school. Most of my classmates loved it, though, so for the right person, it can be a great place.

+1 I loved my time there, but you really do have to be a particular person to thrive at Swarthmore. Most students at other top SLACs and universities would dislike it.

Can you elaborate on this? Aren't other top SLACs very competitive and focused as well?

Sorry for the late reply.

Swarthmore has a rigorous, almost singularly oriented academic experience. The workload is relentless, the grading is challenging, and most students make great sacrifices to their social and personal lives in order to succeed academically. There is a term commonly used at Swarthmore called "misery poker" in which there is this vocal culture to outrank other students regarding how difficult they have it. The food and student life at Swarthmore is not great; the town has little to offer to students, and few venture out to Philly more than once a semester due to the workload. Although students are generally well-intentioned and cooperative, they also can be reserved, distant, and difficult to connect with due to their eccentricity.

The students I know who have attended similarly ranked LACs (including my daughter) and top universities seem to heavily value a well-rounded experience. Academics are important, but so is a good social life, opportunities for extracurricular and professional engagement, and access to a diverse scene of activities nearby.

[Anonymous]

Swarthmore. Maybe it will improve but too small too hard and not connected to the 21st century except for their pre professional programs. The food is also inedible. Not just bad, inedible. Also what is up with the no AC in those modern buildings with one window and one door. Stifling hot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to UVa and hated it. I don't want my own teen to go there because of my bad experience. It was just so snobby and unfriendly.

Yet UVA has the highest freshmen retention rate among public universities by far and a graduation rate that rivals the Ivies and other top privates. Somebody there must like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to UVa and hated it. I don't want my own teen to go there because of my bad experience. It was just so snobby and unfriendly.

Yet UVA has the highest freshmen retention rate among public universities by far and a graduation rate that rivals the Ivies and other top privates. Somebody there must like it.

DP. Clearly, you do.

[Anonymous]

The whole “college town” issue simply contributes to the over romanticism of the college experience. Boomers and Gen Xers went to college when they were young and now look back in it as so wonderful. Todays colleges are so expensive. That should be a main point not is it a great college town ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to UVa and hated it. I don't want my own teen to go there because of my bad experience. It was just so snobby and unfriendly.

Yet UVA has the highest freshmen retention rate among public universities by far and a graduation rate that rivals the Ivies and other top privates. Somebody there must like it.

DP. Clearly, you do.

Well, my kids did at least. I liked the in state tuition. Jealous?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Plus it has Zingerman's. That alone would make Ann Arbor a great college town. Ashley's is one of the best beer bars in the country, much less in college towns. And when you add Krazy Jim's and chipati sauce on top of all that, it's a slam dunk.

>Tell us you paint your face yellow and blue on Saturdays for sportball games without telling us you paint your face yellow and blue on Saturdays for sportball games.

Also, props on being so narrow-minded you think a good bakery and deli is incredibly rare near college towns, let alone college towns with a population of 150,000.

I can’t find a great Jewish deli in the entire Chicagoland area. So much for your point.

Ever heard of Northbrook’s Max & Benny’s? That baby bread basket! My husband palpitated the mini challah and pronounced it magnificent. I’ve lived in a lot of different places and it’s still at the top of my list.

Yes I have. Been there with relatives in Highland Park and Deerfield. I can think of at least four delis off the top of my head in metro Detroit better than anywhere in Chicago.

Uh, my husband is from Bloomfield Hills and preferred Max & Benny’s to Stage AND Steve’s. I appreciate our differences. Interesting take, too OT to get into specifics!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Plus it has Zingerman's. That alone would make Ann Arbor a great college town. Ashley's is one of the best beer bars in the country, much less in college towns. And when you add Krazy Jim's and chipati sauce on top of all that, it's a slam dunk.

>Tell us you paint your face yellow and blue on Saturdays for sportball games without telling us you paint your face yellow and blue on Saturdays for sportball games.

Also, props on being so narrow-minded you think a good bakery and deli is incredibly rare near college towns, let alone college towns with a population of 150,000.

I can’t find a great Jewish deli in the entire Chicagoland area. So much for your point.

Ever heard of Northbrook’s Max & Benny’s? That baby bread basket! My husband palpitated the mini challah and pronounced it magnificent. I’ve lived in a lot of different places and it’s still at the top of my list.

Yes I have. Been there with relatives in Highland Park and Deerfield. I can think of at least four delis off the top of my head in metro Detroit better than anywhere in Chicago.

Uh, my husband is from Bloomfield Hills and preferred Max & Benny’s to Stage AND Steve’s. I appreciate our differences. Interesting take, too OT to get into specifics!

Guys will say anything to please their wives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to UVa and hated it. I don't want my own teen to go there because of my bad experience. It was just so snobby and unfriendly.

Yet UVA has the highest freshmen retention rate among public universities by far and a graduation rate that rivals the Ivies and other top privates. Somebody there must like it.

Wrong! Cal, UCLA, and Michigan all the same 97% freshman retention rate as UVA. So not only does UVA not have the highest rate, they also don’t have it by far! Considering that the other three schools mentioned have much better STEM programs than UVA, I’d say that makes it even more impressive.

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/freshmen-least-most-likely-return

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard. The opposite of nurturing. Very sink or swim. Lots of teaching by graduate students.

+1 I opted for Harvard over Pomona, and regret it. Focused on excellent LACs for my kids.

++1 I opted for Harvard over a happier school, and regretted it. Also focused on warm LACs for DC when the time comes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another University of Rochester graduate. I didn’t mind the cold and I had fun at first but it’s very Greek heavy and International. I was assigned a Physics Professor as a counselor and I think I met with him once. Zero help for a first generation college student. I had friends but no friendships that lasted. Once I stopped drinking and partying I basically felt alone because I didn’t join a sorority. Basically zero career or academic counseling. I made it out ok but not because of help or guidance from the school. I hope that’s changed. As a first generation college student I wouldn’t have considered transferring but I guess in hindsight that could’ve been an option. As a cute, white, smart girl I know I had it easier than most and it still was barely enough. I would only recommend it for my child if they were interested in pre med, physics, or business.

Sounds a lot like me, but at a no Greek SLAC. Envy the greater understanding shown towards first gen students now, but also thrilled for them. May they graduate without the self doubt that has periodically plagued me over my career.