Are you familiar with Muhlenberg College?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you and your daughter need to do some real soul-searching about your ableist attitudes.

My dd is disabled, she has an IEP, she is not sad, and she is going to W&M in the fall. She is also kind, creative, smart, and hard-working, and does not think she's too good to share classroom space with kids who are different than she is.

I'm not sure where you think you're going to find a school free of disabled students in 2023. We are long past the point of keeping kids like this locked away from public view. Any top college is going to have kids on the autism spectrum, and the presence of disabled students does not mark a school as "second rate." One of the things she liked about W&M is the emphasis on inclusion--particularly of neurodivergent students: they have a summer bridge program and support groups on campus just for these students, because they believe in them and their ability to succeed with a little extra support.

Unfortunately, my daughter has also had to deal with more than her share of classmates with attitudes like yours. It hurts her, a lot. THAT'S what's sad, in this day and age.

OP, please read and re-read this excellent post.
You would likely be shocked at my kid's friends, many of which have IEPs or 504s. Some of them also star on sports teams, in the school play, National Honors Society, scouts, community service, etc. And there are also some who are not stereotypical superstars but are kind and awesome human beings who have taught me so much about our neurodiverse world.

Also nearly all the Muhlenberg grads I know are very "normal." "Quirky" is not something I associate with that college, and I know a lot of grads as I used to work for the ELCA Lutheran church.

[Anonymous]

I know one kid there- has anxiety issues and had to leave his first university. He likes it there but its tiny - smaller than our local high school and also, from what I am reading here, they must cater to high need/support kids because he is one.

I agree with the poster who said these schools are universes apart. I would do spring admit at W&M with your kids profile (spend fall in semester abroad) or go to a bigger college.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, using the NYT college rank tool, if she wanted a small college in PA, the top 5 when you only look at "Academic Profile" are

1. Bryn Mawr
2. Layfayette
3. Franklin & Marshall
4. Dickinson
5. Muhlenberg

Some excellent peers there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, using the NYT college rank tool, if she wanted a small college in PA, the top 5 when you only look at "Academic Profile" are

1. Bryn Mawr
2. Layfayette
3. Franklin & Marshall
4. Dickinson
5. Muhlenberg

Some excellent peers there.

Added - that's screening out super-selective <25% admit rate schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I supervise several early-career professionals from schools ranging from Ivies (Brown, Princeton) to large flagships (Michigan) to SLACs (Wesleyan)...the most impressive individual I have supervised went to Muhlenberg--best writer, most pro-active, most personable. Not at all quirky.

Means nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP Just as a side note, I attended one of the top music conservatories in the country in their pre-college program (weekly lessons over several years) and I have to tell you, "quirky" and unusual is what the best musicians mostly are - the prodigies, the stand outs, all weirdos. And I use those words with pride. Just something for your DD to consider if she is serious about pursuing music.

+1 And she knows that and loves that about musicians, theater types, etc. She went to music camp and loved it. Because those folks were most accepting. But she also tells me "I want to go to school with other types too".

She needs to embrace it fully or just go to Arizona State and be a drone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, using the NYT college rank tool, if she wanted a small college in PA, the top 5 when you only look at "Academic Profile" are

1. Bryn Mawr
2. Layfayette
3. Franklin & Marshall
4. Dickinson
5. Muhlenberg

Some excellent peers there.

Added - that's screening out super-selective <25% admit rate schools.

+10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I supervise several early-career professionals from schools ranging from Ivies (Brown, Princeton) to large flagships (Michigan) to SLACs (Wesleyan)...the most impressive individual I have supervised went to Muhlenberg--best writer, most pro-active, most personable. Not at all quirky.

Means nothing.

Why does it mean nothing?

[Anonymous]

Am I missing something? Isn’t William and Mary known as being a great spot for kids who pride themselves for being quirky? I find it kind of funny that quirkiness is discounted by op at William and Mary but a concern at Muhlenberg, which may not even be particularly quirky. I also don’t understand how a kid who wants a small environment applied mostly to large schools including one with an undergrad enrollment exceeding 34,000. In any case, op and her dd seem unlikely to be comfortable not going to the most prestigious school available so should probably chose spring start William and Mary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I supervise several early-career professionals from schools ranging from Ivies (Brown, Princeton) to large flagships (Michigan) to SLACs (Wesleyan)...the most impressive individual I have supervised went to Muhlenberg--best writer, most pro-active, most personable. Not at all quirky.

Means nothing.

Why does it mean nothing?

It’s an anecdote. It means nothing. The poster is making sweeping generalizations on the basis of one outlier. It means nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I missing something? Isn’t William and Mary known as being a great spot for kids who pride themselves for being quirky? I find it kind of funny that quirkiness is discounted by op at William and Mary but a concern at Muhlenberg, which may not even be particularly quirky. I also don’t understand how a kid who wants a small environment applied mostly to large schools including one with an undergrad enrollment exceeding 34,000. In any case, op and her dd seem unlikely to be comfortable not going to the most prestigious school available so should probably chose spring start William and Mary.

Ok. Now it’s time to GAG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I missing something? Isn’t William and Mary known as being a great spot for kids who pride themselves for being quirky? I find it kind of funny that quirkiness is discounted by op at William and Mary but a concern at Muhlenberg, which may not even be particularly quirky. I also don’t understand how a kid who wants a small environment applied mostly to large schools including one with an undergrad enrollment exceeding 34,000. In any case, op and her dd seem unlikely to be comfortable not going to the most prestigious school available so should probably chose spring start William and Mary.

Does quirky now mean special needs? Seems like that is the predominant use of the word nowadays.

[Anonymous]

The people I know there are very happy. And they are not rejects.

Students with learning disabilities can be very high IQ, perhaps you and your daughter should become more educated because you sound really of offensive.

Your daughter should have figured out if she wants a large school or a small school. That is pretty basic. They are very different. Work on her, don't worry if her peers are good enough to be her peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I missing something? Isn’t William and Mary known as being a great spot for kids who pride themselves for being quirky? I find it kind of funny that quirkiness is discounted by op at William and Mary but a concern at Muhlenberg, which may not even be particularly quirky. I also don’t understand how a kid who wants a small environment applied mostly to large schools including one with an undergrad enrollment exceeding 34,000. In any case, op and her dd seem unlikely to be comfortable not going to the most prestigious school available so should probably chose spring start William and Mary.

Does quirky now mean special needs? Seems like that is the predominant use of the word nowadays.

Not at all, quirky is synonymous with geeky or nerdy. Kids that aren’t social animals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD accepted to Muhlenberg College and other schools including Indiana (Honors), Maryland, Florida, Pitt. She was actually waitlisted at William and Mary. Applied there because she enjoys liberal arts AND voice/musical theater and we were looking for options where the two could be

Background - She was recently waitlisted at Michigan STMD and rejected at Northwestern after auditioning in person at both places - beautiful voice! She didn't apply to music school at Indiana because she thought it might be too big of a music school. And who knows if she would have gotten in. This entire year has been tough on her.

AT any rate, everyone tells me what a 'great' and 'caring' school Muhlenberg is. And it seems that way. She did a zoom last week and the first question someone asked was how their kid's IEP would be handled.

DD has been in school with many kids with IEP plans, meds, problems. Yes, it is sad in this day and age that kids have this, but she doesn't. She came away from the zoom feeling like Muhlenberg might be a place where quirky kids go who cannot handle bigger places and need a lot of support. She does know several kids who go who are kinda quirky and odd. DD wants to be with different folks.. She loves the arts but doesn't want to be in a school with solely funky arts people.

She takes pride in herself and it made her feel she was accepted to a second rate place. I don't mean to insult Muhlenberg or those who have kids there. I guess I am a little worried too.

Should she target higher ranked places like Maryland, Indiana Honors, Pitt etc in lieu of a smaller school like Muhlenberg?

Does anyone know about Muhlenberg? Can she find academic challenge and peers there? Good outcomes?

SAT is 1400 GPA is 4.7 w/3.98 UW. Beautiful voice. Loves English, History. Just a great kid.

The whole process this year is so difficult.

Thank you!

I haven't read the replies yet, but what an AWFUL post. If she didn't like vibe, she shouldn't go there. I know of a few exceptionally talented kids who have thrived there.

You sound like you AND your daughter think you're too good for certain situations. If she has any intention of sticking with musical theater, this is a terrible attitude. Also, your post is confusing. I don't know what you mean by "should she target" the higher-ranked places? If she's in, then she can choose to go there.

Please don't send your daughter to Muhlenberg. Mine wants to go there and it sounds like you and your kid would ruin the vibe.