The future of DCUM

[Anonymous]

The overall trend I see on DCUM is a lot of people shifting from an aggressive stance of “I have to get in a GREAT college” to a more defensive stance of “I just don’t want to go to a BAD college.”

So many people who a few years ago would have aspired to Top 20 colleges are now hoping they at least get into places like Pitt, BU, Indiana, Purdue, Georgia, Tulane, or Villanova.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCum certainly is a lot less local now than then. Moms from everywhere, NYC CA in particular. There is also a St. Andrew booster from UK.

Drop DC from the UM.

+1. It's this. In actual DC, people are still Ivy focused. But in the online world of DCUM, it's not that way because lots of non-DC people are posting.

Why are people in DC obsessed with ivies?

Maybe because your bio is omnipresent in DC. Anytime you speak (which is a few times a year at least for many DC jobs) and it’s not uncommon for it to be raised in a conversation. In other places I think it is less of a big deal into adulthood.

[Anonymous]

“The “pointy-ness” required for the unhooked is not what most of us want for our children.”

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM has changed a lot from when I first joined. A lot less HYPSM talk, more LAC/WASP talk, and a much bigger presence for the w&m community. These are all very positive changes, and I’m interested in what others think will be the future colleges that DCUM looks into, especially with the political mess that is harming our top colleges?

The comments also seem to have become a lot more uninformed over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The overall trend I see on DCUM is a lot of people shifting from an aggressive stance of “I have to get in a GREAT college” to a more defensive stance of “I just don’t want to go to a BAD college.”

So many people who a few years ago would have aspired to Top 20 colleges are now hoping they at least get into places like Pitt, BU, Indiana, Purdue, Georgia, Tulane, or Villanova.

Georgia is superior to these, especially Pitt and IU

[Anonymous]

This isn’t new, but I continue to be amazed by how myopically focused on the US News rankings people are. Useful for directional guidance, sure. But I see people on DCUM using the fact that “School X” has “beat” “School Y” — often by less than 3 or 4 spots — as evidence that School X is a better school. Such an incredibly stupid way to approach the whole process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t new, but I continue to be amazed by how myopically focused on the US News rankings people are. Useful for directional guidance, sure. But I see people on DCUM using the fact that “School X” has “beat” “School Y” — often by less than 3 or 4 spots — as evidence that School X is a better school. Such an incredibly stupid way to approach the whole process.

The 3 or 4 spot thing is especially galling. People will be like, “school X is in decline” when its average rank is a few spots lower, or people freak out about methodology changes that move their school a few spots.

[Anonymous]

St Andrews
Oxbridge
UT will be understood to mean University of Toronto
McGill will be a DCUM LAC target

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t new, but I continue to be amazed by how myopically focused on the US News rankings people are. Useful for directional guidance, sure. But I see people on DCUM using the fact that “School X” has “beat” “School Y” — often by less than 3 or 4 spots — as evidence that School X is a better school. Such an incredibly stupid way to approach the whole process.

The 3 or 4 spot thing is especially galling. People will be like, “school X is in decline” when its average rank is a few spots lower, or people freak out about methodology changes that move their school a few spots.

What?! Are you saying Williams isn't literally in another atmosphere from Pomona and Swarthmore!??!! How could that be true! The....the....ranking!

[Anonymous]

I feel like DCUM is at its best when people share information in a friendly way.
I learn a lot here.
Wish folks would adopt more of a to each their own philosophy. I’m not going to trash someone’s choice of a school or its setting.
So many schools to choose from, that’s a wonderful thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCum certainly is a lot less local now than then. Moms from everywhere, NYC CA in particular. There is also a St. Andrew booster from UK.

Drop DC from the UM.

+1. It's this. In actual DC, people are still Ivy focused. But in the online world of DCUM, it's not that way because lots of non-DC people are posting.

Why are people in DC obsessed with ivies?

Maybe because your bio is omnipresent in DC. Anytime you speak (which is a few times a year at least for many DC jobs) and it’s not uncommon for it to be raised in a conversation. In other places I think it is less of a big deal into adulthood.

My summer read book mentions where all the characters went to college—-and private HS or boarding school. All the characters went to an Ivy or similar international school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCum certainly is a lot less local now than then. Moms from everywhere, NYC CA in particular. There is also a St. Andrew booster from UK.

Drop DC from the UM.

+1. It's this. In actual DC, people are still Ivy focused. But in the online world of DCUM, it's not that way because lots of non-DC people are posting.

Why are people in DC obsessed with ivies?

Maybe because your bio is omnipresent in DC. Anytime you speak (which is a few times a year at least for many DC jobs) and it’s not uncommon for it to be raised in a conversation. In other places I think it is less of a big deal into adulthood.

My summer read book mentions where all the characters went to college—-and private HS or boarding school. All the characters went to an Ivy or similar international school.

It’s still a very big deal for the very wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

When I started on DCUM, my kid was 4 and I wasn't reading the College Forum - maybe it didn't even exist!

Now he's 20, with siblings in high school. I've only been reading the College forum for about 5 years. I haven't really noticed any change in that time, but maybe I haven't been paying attention.

I anticipate, with the demographic cliff, that some smaller institutions will close. I do NOT anticipate any mess regarding the current political fallout: the effects of this administration will be short-lived, because no government in their right mind can continue doing what they're doing, whether they're conservative or progressive. This White House only has a few years to go...

+1 in 5 years the population cliff will truly be felt. It’s too early now. Competition will be less but still not easy at the T10s.

[Anonymous]

If only we could go back to times when Harvard had a 10% acceptance rate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SEC schools
Southern LAC’s
More print on regional universities as flagships become more competitive

SEC schools were a trend. Ship is already sailing. Tik tok sorority/frar Greek bs

lol wrong. SEC schools are receiving record apps. Best and brightest want SEC now.

This year already saw a drop at our private for those schools. I think it had to do with the difficulty of getting into in-state flagships and T10s-20s. And I agree that sorority rush bs on tik tok trend. With current admin the south is a sh@thole and even a lot of maga no longer supports the prez.