What school dropped off the list because of your visit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The negative vibes on my lengthy visits post are upsetting. These are my kids impressions of their campus tours and remember they were seventeen or so. My comments followed. The Wahoo who responded so negatively may not have read that my son who did attend law school at UVA loved it as I duly noted. His jab at the chip on my shoulder about W&M maybe did not catch that three out of four of my children were not impressed with their visit. The Duke responders should register that I was still in favor of them applying . This thread was about visits to colleges..not the schools themselves. Everyone kindly sip your wine and back the fork off.

I wouldn’t sweat the nutty parents on DCUM, particularly those that crawl out of the woodwork anytime UVA comes up. I commented once that my kid wanted a west coast SLAC, so didn’t apply to UVA, and a dozen UVA alums jumped in to say variations of « sorry your kid didn’t get in ». I think most people who go to UVA are lovely people, but there are alums on DCUM doing the school a real disservice by being so nutty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The negative vibes on my lengthy visits post are upsetting. These are my kids impressions of their campus tours and remember they were seventeen or so. My comments followed. The Wahoo who responded so negatively may not have read that my son who did attend law school at UVA loved it as I duly noted. His jab at the chip on my shoulder about W&M maybe did not catch that three out of four of my children were not impressed with their visit. The Duke responders should register that I was still in favor of them applying . This thread was about visits to colleges..not the schools themselves. Everyone kindly sip your wine and back the fork off.

I wouldn’t sweat the nutty parents on DCUM, particularly those that crawl out of the woodwork anytime UVA comes up. I commented once that my kid wanted a west coast SLAC, so didn’t apply to UVA, and a dozen UVA alums jumped in to say variations of « sorry your kid didn’t get in ». I think most people who go to UVA are lovely people, but there are alums on DCUM doing the school a real disservice by being so nutty.

you do realize that most of those people are in fact UVA haters, just looking to stir up trouble and give UVA a bad name. Most of the time, the haters are the ones that bring up UVA at all, doesn't take a genius to see what's going on here.

[Anonymous]

UMD dropped off our list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No chip...the kids got in...just their trip report..

Your kids are just as miserable as you! Awesome, you did well!

The only way all these arch reactions would have come from PP’s kids was if she spent years grooming them to be snippy little a-holes, which seems entirely plausible.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I took the opportunity to grab some time with the kids...we drove most places and got hotel deals ..I treasure those memories. The youngest tagged along.. but had to repeat a few as he was not paying attention of course.

I have no problem with your list in fact i have two DCs and we have been to about as many schools. Why people are picking on you here, who knows. I agree with alot of the kids sentiments though, especially on Villanova, Syracuse, Providence, Tech, JMU, U of SC...

I find it impressive as we are just starting this process. I hate driving and road trips so it will be hard to muster the interest for a lot of visits.

A lot of times you can pop by places while on vacation. We saw three UC schools on one trip out west. Doesn’t mean we did a full tour but walked around campus etc.

We did this in Maine (pre pandemic if course)

[Anonymous]

re: UVA- I think UVA is a great school, my kid just didn't like it. I was sorry she didn't like it, but she just wasn't into it.

[Anonymous]

I am always surprised by the "JMU highway" issue. If that's the dealbreaker for a kid who's an academic fit there, well, that seem very short sighted. I visited a nephew there a few years back and found the campus--especially the quad area--absolutely beautiful. Dare I say the among if not the nicest of the VA publics? Lots of new and ongoing construction that seems to blend well with existing buildings. The only time I noticed highway noise was near the tunnel from the main part of campus that leads to the big rec center that you can see from 81. Nephew's place was a minute or two from one of the 81 exits, so very convenient both for returning home to NoVa or visiting friends in Charlottesville, Blacksburg etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am always surprised by the "JMU highway" issue. If that's the dealbreaker for a kid who's an academic fit there, well, that seem very short sighted. I visited a nephew there a few years back and found the campus--especially the quad area--absolutely beautiful. Dare I say the among if not the nicest of the VA publics? Lots of new and ongoing construction that seems to blend well with existing buildings. The only time I noticed highway noise was near the tunnel from the main part of campus that leads to the big rec center that you can see from 81. Nephew's place was a minute or two from one of the 81 exits, so very convenient both for returning home to NoVa or visiting friends in Charlottesville, Blacksburg etc.

Campus evaluations are always a bunch of pluses and minuses. A highway down the middle isn’t great. If you love the place it probably doesn’t matter. If you’re on the fence it might push it into the no category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Pre-COVID:

John's Hopkins - he thought it was a fun city school
Georgetown - too close to home and the tour guide was condescending
UVA - it was raining. Literally, that was his complaint

Lesson learned - 18 years are going to act like 18 year olds and they may pick a very superficial reason during a visit not to like a school. Just go with it.

You didn't know where Georgetown was before you visited?

Lord some of these responses are just nonsense.

Of course I knew. DS just realized exactly how short the drive would be between us. My bad - I guess I thought this thread was about what *kids* thought after a visit - and some of the random things that can influence their impression of a school. You must be one of the parents that makes your child's decisions for them - carry on with your no-nonsense college advice!

The question was "what school did they think they'd love but then were turned off after a visit?" That Georgetown ended up being too close to home has nothing to do with the visit itself. Just the car trip. Such an unhelpful and useless comment.

But it isn't. Kids will get excited about a school and focus on the benefits as portrayed in the shiny brochures and powerpoint registration and minimize other potential challenges. One of my kids was excited about UM-CP, loved the programs and really thought it would be a great fit. Until we drove over for a tour and he couldn't get over the fact that IKEA and other familiar shopping locations were right next door. He felt like he would never be able to get away from home or that he would see us everywhere (not likely--I hadn't set foot on that campus since my own tour back in 1979). Dropped right off the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No chip...the kids got in...just their trip report..

Your kids are just as miserable as you! Awesome, you did well!

Something is wrong with you. She did not insult you personally. Stop attacking her. I appreciate her perspectives. My alma mater is on there (duke) and she wasn't too positive about it either, but she's entitled to her opinion!

LOL, you went to Duke, couldn't even conjure up the feeling to capitalize it. We are all entitled to our opinion as you say, my opinion is she, and you are useless whack jobs with negative opinions. I give zero $hit's what your feelings are and what perspectives you appreciate.

and yet you keep responding ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any poster who (or whose kid) writes a school off because the student tour guide didn't sit well with them is just plain silly.

Almost as silly as writing off a school because of the architecture of the buildings. For goodness sake. You've got to be kidding me.

Kids do that. We cannot expect 17 and 18 year olds to make decisions like 40 and 50 year old. One of my kids picked a school because they liked the food. Ah well, has to be something that attracts them.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:William & Mary. Campus seemed to lack energy and students seemed miserable.

+2 Great way to describe what my kid felt. Absolutely HATED the feel of W&M.

Our daughter reacted that way to UVA. Huge campus of kids all walking alone and frowning at their phones is what she saw. The fabled lawn was a gross mud pit and she was puzzled by the most sought after rooms not having bathrooms. The downtown mall seemed too far away from campus

GMU was an overwhelming number of people in a very small space. Students were asleep in chairs all over the place. The dorm we toured smelled awful. There were just too many people and not enough room. People seemed to be talking at each other not to each other. Our daughter said she felt anxious just visiting.

When we went to WM, the kids were walking together in big clumps and talking to each other. More than once, one group found a second group and continued on their way. Kids were wearing WM sweatshirts, t-shirts, etc. More than one group of students said hello to our tour guide and the students in the group. There were also a lot of dogs getting walks on campus (this was a big selling point). She also liked that she could walk or run in relative peace around the lake and in CW - and that there were good, cheap eats, coffee, and boba tea within a block of campus. We never gave a second thought to the mock dorm room - that dorm isn’t even a freshman dorm. Our daughter fell in love on her first visit.

These are all such bizarre observations.

Why? Because the kid was attracted by the community and collegiality she saw at WM? That she saw school spirit? Energy? Easy access to food and treats? And that she didn't like the vibe and disconnect she saw at the other place? Sounds like a kid who had a good understanding of herself and her values. Good for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Wake Forest
St Joe's (Philly)

Took two of my kids and they both HATED these schools and wanted to leave before the tour was complete!

What did they hate about St. Joe's? We are looking there.

We went to St Joe's right after Villanova and there was a huge difference in the campuses. Our tour guide was mediocre and dorky (like someone else said, that makes such a difference to a high school junior). The campus was ho hum and some of the buildings seemed rather run down.

Wake Forest did not seem to have well maintained buildings. The dorm they took us in was gross and there was just a vibe there that my kids didn't like. I guess it just wasn't the right fit for them.

You and your kid are both shallow and immature. Speak for your own high school junior -- not the rest of them.

And you are judgmental and cruel. The comment was wholly unnecessary and unrelated to the conversation. And no, I am not the author of the post you "responded" to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have four children and have visited numerous schools...our thoughts:

UVA...admissions was arrogant and impersonal...they do not register your visit...they do not care much....that read is heavy..One child went there to grad school (law) and loved it. But with undergrad, no one liked the campus much... vibe was a bit snobby.

W&M...plays up the quirky vibe. Served my bright and shy daughter well...she went there and loved it...the other three...not their scene. I was a huge fan, of course, as I went there.

W&L..too small, too claustrophobic..too archaic.

Wake forest...cheaper W&M without the better restaurants and the area was a bit downtrodden .

ND..cold, yet vibrant , cloistered, but spirit was infectious...(1 son went there )

Elon, 3 called it a bit phony...I liked the groomed stepford vibe

USouth Carolina...sketchy is what son called it

College of Charleston..."like going to school on a vacation in a budget hotel'....(I wish this school was better, because i love this city)

Colgate...at first she loved it and then she went in the dorms. And is the middle of absolutely nowhere

Lehigh..at first she loved it, and then the hills and the old buildings brought things down.

Bucknell...way to fratty, and what do we do if we don't frat?

Quinipiac..."like summer camp.".I actually thought is that a bad thing?

Syracuse...the town was a downer...but near a great mall, and they have underground tunnels for the cold. Still wonder that might have been an Ok choice.

Providence...the town was a downer...but boy, the staff was so friendly.

Duke...pretentious, gothic gloom, but if my kid got in...i would have forced them to go?

Fairfield...Old fashioned was his response...but I wonder if that may have been an Ok choice for business.

Mary Washington..mini W&M without the prestige

CNU...lovely...no engineering, which what he wanted. and it is in Newport News..so nope

Villanova...unfortunately saw in a deep freeze., Campus is just not that pretty and undergoing construction at the time..lost out to Boston College for this daughter.

Va Tech..drive by..too big..she said too much stone...really?

JMU..drive by..highway in the middle..nope.

There were others, but thats my main input

Any large public and large private cannot track demonstrated interest, either because it costs money to do that or because the university does not have to! We toured Princeton - it doesn't track. Harvard doesn't track. GMU doesn't track. Yale doesn't track. UVA received almost 50K applications this past year. It doesn't need to track demonstrated interest. You need to understand this before your tour. Only the colleges other lower-level institutions concerned with the climb up the USN&WR "yield" chart track demonstrated interest because they are concerned about yield numbers. If anything, that should be a concern. FWIW, DS didn't like his first tour of UVA. It was blisteringly hot, during the summer, uncomfortable, he didn't get to see any dorm rooms (My SLAC doesn't do that either; GMU and Virginia Tech had a model room to see), couldn't get in the engineering building, etc. Second tour completely changed his mind. But the bigger universities really don't care about you, your kid or tracking interest because they don't need you, your kid, or their interest. If anything, the best universities are concerned about oversubscription this year. So before you tour, please check to see if the institution (easy google) tracks generated interested. I think you'll find the large, top flight universities do not. But some of the top flight SLACs don't either - Wash. & Lee didn't the year we toured - that may have changed during Covid - because it doens't need to.

[Anonymous]

School tours are a real hit and miss. I think it depends a lot on the time of year, the weather, the tour guide, the mood of the kid when the tour took place, whether the kid was open minded to start with or was looking for faults.