S/O - any disappointing tours?

[Anonymous]

DS talked about his upcoming Annapolis tour for weeks beforehand (we don't live in the DMV and had never been), then hated every second of it. Thought it was depressing, cold, and the students looked stressed and unhappy. He still had a hard time turning it down when he was accepted and ended up at another academy, where I personally thought everyone looked just as miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disappointed in the tour of JMU. Started the tour at the back of the Festival Conference and Student Center. Walked along the west side of the Bioscience building. This is a very large building. Most of the windows were festoned with BLM signs. At least 75% of them. We got to the back of the building and turned right along Carrier Drive and walked east toward the Rose Library. As we cleared the back of the Biocience building, I looked back over my shoulder at the east side. Surprise! no BLM signs. So someone decided to place these signs for the benefit of the those visiting the campus. To top that off, coming back up Carrier Drive, in front of the Student Center, we had to take a large step of a puddle of vomitus. Thought they might have had someone clean that up. Uh, no thanks.

Our JMU tour was fine. Must have been on a different one because we didn't see those BLM signs. It was the large group presentation that was disappointing - the guy who was the main presenter was dull and un-engaging and read through the whole thing.

This is in contrast to a one-on-one personal visit to a very small private school, and to a school similar to JMU but in another state - where the presenter was FABULOUS. It was a rainy dreary day; but that presentation and tour were uplifting. And according to DD, the best sugar cookies ever.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote: My DS couldn’t wait to get in the car and leave W & M. The tour guide seemed kind of blah about selling it and overall looked bored and miserable. The school was a lot smaller than we thought but I would say of all the tours we had in VA , this one was the worst.

I was just about to write exactly the same thing! W&M seemed utterly miserable. My DC didn't even want to stay for the information session, even though I insisted. DC couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Why/how?

The entire vibe - the students we encountered - the incredibly dull presentation - the types of kids who were in attendance - I could go on and on. There was honestly not one appealing thing to list. I kept all of that to myself at the time, but when it was clear DC was totally turned off and wanted to leave, I had to agree.

What about the kids who were in attendance was not pleasing?

I think people have gotten so used to the over the top, rah-rah instagram style presentation of big sports schools that when they visit a public school that projects a more low-key, studious and artsy vibe they get turned off.

It’s like people need a cheesy sports-focused hype video at every info session or else they think the school is weird.

I'm the poster the PP was asking the question of, but thanks for answering for me.

We weren't at all looking for a "rah-rah" presentation or anything over the top. None of what you said had anything to do with our impression of this school. I'm sure the rabid boosters will flame me for being honest, but the students in attendance were like the worst combination of Tracy Flicks and theatre kids. Obviously not everyone there was like that, but enough so that it was very evident what kind of kid would enjoy a school like this. No one seemed laid back and relaxed - there was a very tightly wound vibe that's hard to explain, but evident to most. I've talked to so many other people who came away with the same impression. Either you love it or you hate it and we were definitely in the latter camp.

NP. W&M is notoriously a stressful rigorous academic venue. I had heard that it is better than in the past; but it doesn't sound like that's true based on people's experiences here.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:William and Mary. Horribly dull, current students wouldn't look anyone in the eye, dreary feel all around.

Students at W&M hate the tours bc they always block pathways and academic buildings and I don't blame them.

DP. Tours block the way on all campuses. Students usually take it in stride and more often than not, smile or interact graciously. Not at W&M. One of many total turnoffs at that school.

Students do not at all care about you touring. They just want you to get out of their way.

And again - students at other schools are far more gracious about inconvenient and annoying tour groups.

Yes. Interesting how the "vibe" and impression of a school seems to correlate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the past few years (with three kids) we toured: CNU, VCU, Virginia Tech, GMU, Longwood, American, Roanoke, JMU, MWU, Miami (oh), Xavier, St. Joseph, Loyola MD, University of Vermont, and William and Mary.

Of these schools, the tours made two of my kids fall in love with Virginia Tech and William and Mary.

The worst tour we took was of Miami of Ohio. We really wanted to love it- great merit aid, we have family in Ohio, etc. We arrived in Oxford early and went to a local bagel place where there it was a challenge to finish the menu of all the items. Cute idea, but we look over and see a photo of one of the students who won the challenge and it's titled "XXXX XXXX, first African American to complete the challenge." It is dated 2021!!! This sort of set the tone for the day. My DC goes to school in NOVA and diversity is important for her. The tour guide was a nice kid, but when asked about diversity she told my DC that a few students at the school had told her she was the "first black person they'd ever met." She was very honest, and we appreciated her candor.

The Admissions sit-down session talked about diversity but there were no signs of it around campus. They also kept talking about "being in the middle of a cornfield" which might be charming to some, but not to my DC. The other part I thought was really weird- they kept talking about being named a "Public Ivy." I know that book was written in 1986, and even within the state- Ohio State is by far the hardest school to get into now so I thought that was weird to boast about this book that had been released 37 years prior.

Then during the actual tour part- they split the tour into two parts but didn't tell the families first. So we saw the "social" part of the tour first- dorm, hockey arena etc.. and wondered why on earth the tour was focused on the hockey arena and not the business school. Then during the second part of the tour- they took us to the Union and put us in the tiniest classroom ever for a question-and-answer segment. The carpet in the room was covered in stains and it just generally left a terrible impression.

I know Miami is a great school and we wanted to love it, but it just was such a weird experience.

When was this? My daughter toured Miami last spring. The presentation was excellent - in a rather new student center. The tour was not split-up as you described and was fairly comprehensive. We stopped over on Western Campus to see it on our way out, though, because that was not part of the tour - and doesn't house the academics it used to. I went to Miami in the '80s. There isn't a lot of diversity, that's for sure. But the "first black person I've ever met" is more of a statement of wherever that student grew up. I grew up in a small Ohio town, vast majority white. But my junior-year roommate was hardly the first black person I knew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the past few years (with three kids) we toured: CNU, VCU, Virginia Tech, GMU, Longwood, American, Roanoke, JMU, MWU, Miami (oh), Xavier, St. Joseph, Loyola MD, University of Vermont, and William and Mary.

Of these schools, the tours made two of my kids fall in love with Virginia Tech and William and Mary.

The worst tour we took was of Miami of Ohio. We really wanted to love it- great merit aid, we have family in Ohio, etc. We arrived in Oxford early and went to a local bagel place where there it was a challenge to finish the menu of all the items. Cute idea, but we look over and see a photo of one of the students who won the challenge and it's titled "XXXX XXXX, first African American to complete the challenge." It is dated 2021!!! This sort of set the tone for the day. My DC goes to school in NOVA and diversity is important for her. The tour guide was a nice kid, but when asked about diversity she told my DC that a few students at the school had told her she was the "first black person they'd ever met." She was very honest, and we appreciated her candor.

The Admissions sit-down session talked about diversity but there were no signs of it around campus. They also kept talking about "being in the middle of a cornfield" which might be charming to some, but not to my DC. The other part I thought was really weird- they kept talking about being named a "Public Ivy." I know that book was written in 1986, and even within the state- Ohio State is by far the hardest school to get into now so I thought that was weird to boast about this book that had been released 37 years prior.

Then during the actual tour part- they split the tour into two parts but didn't tell the families first. So we saw the "social" part of the tour first- dorm, hockey arena etc.. and wondered why on earth the tour was focused on the hockey arena and not the business school. Then during the second part of the tour- they took us to the Union and put us in the tiniest classroom ever for a question-and-answer segment. The carpet in the room was covered in stains and it just generally left a terrible impression.

I know Miami is a great school and we wanted to love it, but it just was such a weird experience.

Geez, that is bizarre. The tour guide doesn't get out much. This town must be tucked away. But really, there are only white students at Miami U, Ohio?

https://miamioh.edu/transformational-inclusive-excellence/accountability-transparency/diversity-dashboard.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS talked about his upcoming Annapolis tour for weeks beforehand (we don't live in the DMV and had never been), then hated every second of it. Thought it was depressing, cold, and the students looked stressed and unhappy. He still had a hard time turning it down when he was accepted and ended up at another academy, where I personally thought everyone looked just as miserable.

I feel like the service academies are like our medical education system - where it sucks and people who go through it think, yeah, I did it so you do it. They could attract a whole new population if they were 20% less grim. We could use some of those MIT kids.

[Anonymous]

My son is at William and Mary and is as Type B as they come. He's working, but not that hard. It's not everyone's vibe for sure, but all students aren't stressed out, straight A strivers. Mine loves it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is at William and Mary and is as Type B as they come. He's working, but not that hard. It's not everyone's vibe for sure, but all students aren't stressed out, straight A strivers. Mine loves it.

Moms still clinging to the old days desperately try to perpetuate those stereotypes as much as possible so they can relive the high school bullying days

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is at William and Mary and is as Type B as they come. He's working, but not that hard. It's not everyone's vibe for sure, but all students aren't stressed out, straight A strivers. Mine loves it.

I concur.One kid there is a stress case and the other is laid back. Part is the kid part is the major: premeds are notoriously stressed. The rigor and work expected is high but the grading is not too bad: medians of premed weedout courses are set to a B range so about 25-30% get an A- or an A and the bottom 25% get Cs. Sure there are strivers and all that but thats at every top school and worse the higher you go

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is at William and Mary and is as Type B as they come. He's working, but not that hard. It's not everyone's vibe for sure, but all students aren't stressed out, straight A strivers. Mine loves it.

Moms still clinging to the old days desperately try to perpetuate those stereotypes as much as possible so they can relive the high school bullying days

???????

[Anonymous]

North Carolina State, the school grounds has a massive train line through middle and only open space the big lawn they are building a huge building on so college has no open spaces anymore. But catalogue shows it with the open lawn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disappointed in the tour of JMU. Started the tour at the back of the Festival Conference and Student Center. Walked along the west side of the Bioscience building. This is a very large building. Most of the windows were festoned with BLM signs. At least 75% of them. We got to the back of the building and turned right along Carrier Drive and walked east toward the Rose Library. As we cleared the back of the Biocience building, I looked back over my shoulder at the east side. Surprise! no BLM signs. So someone decided to place these signs for the benefit of the those visiting the campus. To top that off, coming back up Carrier Drive, in front of the Student Center, we had to take a large step of a puddle of vomitus. Thought they might have had someone clean that up. Uh, no thanks.

Our JMU tour was fine. Must have been on a different one because we didn't see those BLM signs. It was the large group presentation that was disappointing - the guy who was the main presenter was dull and un-engaging and read through the whole thing.

This is in contrast to a one-on-one personal visit to a very small private school, and to a school similar to JMU but in another state - where the presenter was FABULOUS. It was a rainy dreary day; but that presentation and tour were uplifting. And according to DD, the best sugar cookies ever.

DP. We had a wonderful JMU tour. Never saw any BLM signs or vomit . Also had an engaging tour guide, which always helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is at William and Mary and is as Type B as they come. He's working, but not that hard. It's not everyone's vibe for sure, but all students aren't stressed out, straight A strivers. Mine loves it.

Moms still clinging to the old days desperately try to perpetuate those stereotypes as much as possible so they can relive the high school bullying days

DP. Huh? Noticing the definite vibe on campus is not "perpetuating stereotypes" or "bullying." But by all means, continue to add to those impressions with your bizarre posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the past few years (with three kids) we toured: CNU, VCU, Virginia Tech, GMU, Longwood, American, Roanoke, JMU, MWU, Miami (oh), Xavier, St. Joseph, Loyola MD, University of Vermont, and William and Mary.

Of these schools, the tours made two of my kids fall in love with Virginia Tech and William and Mary.

The worst tour we took was of Miami of Ohio. We really wanted to love it- great merit aid, we have family in Ohio, etc. We arrived in Oxford early and went to a local bagel place where there it was a challenge to finish the menu of all the items. Cute idea, but we look over and see a photo of one of the students who won the challenge and it's titled "XXXX XXXX, first African American to complete the challenge." It is dated 2021!!! This sort of set the tone for the day. My DC goes to school in NOVA and diversity is important for her. The tour guide was a nice kid, but when asked about diversity she told my DC that a few students at the school had told her she was the "first black person they'd ever met." She was very honest, and we appreciated her candor.

The Admissions sit-down session talked about diversity but there were no signs of it around campus. They also kept talking about "being in the middle of a cornfield" which might be charming to some, but not to my DC. The other part I thought was really weird- they kept talking about being named a "Public Ivy." I know that book was written in 1986, and even within the state- Ohio State is by far the hardest school to get into now so I thought that was weird to boast about this book that had been released 37 years prior.

Then during the actual tour part- they split the tour into two parts but didn't tell the families first. So we saw the "social" part of the tour first- dorm, hockey arena etc.. and wondered why on earth the tour was focused on the hockey arena and not the business school. Then during the second part of the tour- they took us to the Union and put us in the tiniest classroom ever for a question-and-answer segment. The carpet in the room was covered in stains and it just generally left a terrible impression.

I know Miami is a great school and we wanted to love it, but it just was such a weird experience.

When was this? My daughter toured Miami last spring. The presentation was excellent - in a rather new student center. The tour was not split-up as you described and was fairly comprehensive. We stopped over on Western Campus to see it on our way out, though, because that was not part of the tour - and doesn't house the academics it used to. I went to Miami in the '80s. There isn't a lot of diversity, that's for sure. But the "first black person I've ever met" is more of a statement of wherever that student grew up. I grew up in a small Ohio town, vast majority white. But my junior-year roommate was hardly the first black person I knew.

The tour was November 2023. I don’t mean to insult the school- my boss went there and served on the Board of Trustees, I know it’s a great school… but the tour we attended was just a mess. To clarify.. our guide was black and told us that other students had told HER she was the first black person they’d ever met. She was lovely, it was just not the vibe my dd was looking for. Between that and the cornfield talk and the public ivy book from 1986. As someone who has worked in public relations I wanted to redo the presentation.

I will say- Miami has a few students who have social media accounts who make the school look amazing. They should hire them! Bitsy.c on TikTok is a great Miami influencer.