when the dream school isn't particularly well-known for kid's intended major

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vandy is a research university with a strong school of engineering. Is it MIT or, say, Carnegie Melon? No. But if she’s happy there, the academics are strong and she won’t be limited in any way in life if she gets an engineering degree there. Signed, STEM prof.

Is it Berkeley, Georgia Tech, Michigan, etc.etc.etc……..

[Anonymous]

Vanderbilt is #33 in USNWR in rankings of undergrad engineering schools. Tied with Brown, Yale, Notre Dame and others. OP, you daughter will be fine at Vandy.

[Anonymous]

Why are people acting like the parents are just fans? They are both alums

Now, that doesn’t guarantee admission. But it is more than “they really like the school”

[Anonymous]

Use of the the phrase “Dream school” is such a bad idea…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once your child passes the engineering licensing exam to become a licensed Engineer the actual college that they graduated from matters less.

No. This is just wrong. The only engineers who took the licensing exam were the civ es. Certainly not the aeros, chem e, mech e, comp e, or biomed e.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Use of the the phrase “Dream school” is such a bad idea…

Why? If a kid manages to spend enough time on a college campus to realize he/she loves it, why can't they reference it as their dream school? My kid got into his dream school and it turned out really really well for him and others who attended with him.

I point out that you rarely hear someone reference one of the ivies as their dream school. That's because they are so cut throat, why would anyone reference it as a dream...seems more like a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is #33 in USNWR in rankings of undergrad engineering schools. Tied with Brown, Yale, Notre Dame and others. OP, you daughter will be fine at Vandy.

+1
It doesn't have to be the "best" school for engineering, it just needs to be good. And Vandy is a good school for engineering (assuming she even stays in engineering, which, as others have mentioned, is not guaranteed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vandy is sooo overrated. Don't encourage your daughter to waste her future just because you want to fulfill some weird vicarious complex.

What do you mean by overrated? How do you know? My kid wants to go to Vandy, so I’d appreciate your inside scoop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Use of the the phrase “Dream school” is such a bad idea…

Why? If a kid manages to spend enough time on a college campus to realize he/she loves it, why can't they reference it as their dream school? My kid got into his dream school and it turned out really really well for him and others who attended with him.

I point out that you rarely hear someone reference one of the ivies as their dream school. That's because they are so cut throat, why would anyone reference it as a dream...seems more like a nightmare.

Was with you til the 2nd paragraph. Ivies are dream schools for lots of kids. Just go to the various school app reddit or cc threads. Mine got into her Ivy dream school and was thrilled, but she only applied to a couple that appealed to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are people acting like the parents are just fans? They are both alums

Now, that doesn’t guarantee admission. But it is more than “they really like the school”

People realize this, the fact that both parents went there and loved it should be separated from their dd’s needs and wants. Perhaps she truly believes it is her dream school for her own reasons, but I would want to be sure of that, and not that she is going to please her parents before she applies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vandy is sooo overrated. Don't encourage your daughter to waste her future just because you want to fulfill some weird vicarious complex.

What do you mean by overrated? How do you know? My kid wants to go to Vandy, so I’d appreciate your inside scoop.

DP. I think this and the other poo-poo posters are either trying to weed out the competition or just having some sport here. Wish these types would find a hobby.

I have no stake in this as #1 is set and #2 not interested in Vandy, but I don't get the bashing. It's a great school with a good engineering department.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is #33 in USNWR in rankings of undergrad engineering schools. Tied with Brown, Yale, Notre Dame and others. OP, you daughter will be fine at Vandy.

+1
It doesn't have to be the "best" school for engineering, it just needs to be good. And Vandy is a good school for engineering (assuming she even stays in engineering, which, as others have mentioned, is not guaranteed).

This. I went to a highly rated school for engineering. I and many of my classmates were miserable. I’d have been much better off at a more well-rounded school and had the opportunity to explore other options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She needs to choose a university based on what she can learn in her major, professors in her department, etc. You don’t choose a college because your mommy is a fan and has wanted you to go there since you were like 10.

And you don't choose to post just because you're in the mood to make a snarky comment that you think is clever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people acting like the parents are just fans? They are both alums

Now, that doesn’t guarantee admission. But it is more than “they really like the school”

People realize this, the fact that both parents went there and loved it should be separated from their dd’s needs and wants. Perhaps she truly believes it is her dream school for her own reasons, but I would want to be sure of that, and not that she is going to please her parents before she applies.

And that’s definitely reasonable. People were just talking about it as if they were just randos that were fans of the school.

My husband is a super fan of his homestate flagship. His parents have degrees from there. He does not. He travels to see the football team if they play anywhere within a reasonable drive of our home in NoVA.

I also know people with zero connection to a school that are fans and use “we” when talking about sports. It is bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless she is URM don’t count on it. I went there and kniw alum kids who are valedictorian with perfect scores who are getting rejected

No one should "count on it" with a top school like Vandy and there was no reason to make a race-based comment. Just a reminder that what you do online is rarely truly anonymous!
Also, when friends self report about their kids, GPA and scores can magically improve . I wouldn't put too much stock in those anecdotal results.