Which schools have kids with happy experiences and outcomes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering how and if this is measurable, beyond the "vibe" one gets from visiting a school. I feel like college has become such an industry (this board alone underscores the intensity of admissions!). I want my kid to get a good education, but more than anything, I want my child to take away invaluable lessons about happiness, balance, and values during those four years instead of getting caught up in the noise of the competitive rat-race. Which schools have happy graduates? Which schools have a healthy balance between work and life? How is this measured, and can it be?

I know way too many kids who worked so hard for some kind of elite school, thinking it would solve their problems or magically open doors, and it did none of those things. I know one teenager who took his life after being denied admission to a top college. I know others who have been admitted to psychiatric hospitals due to intense academic pressure. It all feels like too much, and I'm wondering how and where to look for communities that put these four years into healthy perspectives.

Here in the UK, none of the London schools have good student satisfaction ratings. This is a variable that is measured here. Kings College, UCL, have very low student satisfaction ratings. Surprisingly, Oxford and St Andrews are always at the top. And I dont think Cambridge participates. The

I don’t see why that’d be surprising. Oxford is an amazing experience and the type of person who attends Oxford loves learning, especially from some of the world’s best scholars. It’d be unusual if people disliked Oxford

[Anonymous]

Wisconsin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering how and if this is measurable, beyond the "vibe" one gets from visiting a school. I feel like college has become such an industry (this board alone underscores the intensity of admissions!). I want my kid to get a good education, but more than anything, I want my child to take away invaluable lessons about happiness, balance, and values during those four years instead of getting caught up in the noise of the competitive rat-race. Which schools have happy graduates? Which schools have a healthy balance between work and life? How is this measured, and can it be?

I know way too many kids who worked so hard for some kind of elite school, thinking it would solve their problems or magically open doors, and it did none of those things. I know one teenager who took his life after being denied admission to a top college. I know others who have been admitted to psychiatric hospitals due to intense academic pressure. It all feels like too much, and I'm wondering how and where to look for communities that put these four years into healthy perspectives.

Here in the UK, none of the London schools have good student satisfaction ratings. This is a variable that is measured here. Kings College, UCL, have very low student satisfaction ratings. Surprisingly, Oxford and St Andrews are always at the top. And I dont think Cambridge participates. The

I don’t see why that’d be surprising. Oxford is an amazing experience and the type of person who attends Oxford loves learning, especially from some of the world’s best scholars. It’d be unusual if people disliked Oxford

So what is St Andrews excuse? 19 of the last 20 years they had the #1 student satisfaction rating?

DD went to Yale and did not have a good experience. prestige has nothing to do with a good experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering how and if this is measurable, beyond the "vibe" one gets from visiting a school. I feel like college has become such an industry (this board alone underscores the intensity of admissions!). I want my kid to get a good education, but more than anything, I want my child to take away invaluable lessons about happiness, balance, and values during those four years instead of getting caught up in the noise of the competitive rat-race. Which schools have happy graduates? Which schools have a healthy balance between work and life? How is this measured, and can it be?

I know way too many kids who worked so hard for some kind of elite school, thinking it would solve their problems or magically open doors, and it did none of those things. I know one teenager who took his life after being denied admission to a top college. I know others who have been admitted to psychiatric hospitals due to intense academic pressure. It all feels like too much, and I'm wondering how and where to look for communities that put these four years into healthy perspectives.

Here in the UK, none of the London schools have good student satisfaction ratings. This is a variable that is measured here. Kings College, UCL, have very low student satisfaction ratings. Surprisingly, Oxford and St Andrews are always at the top. And I dont think Cambridge participates. The

I don’t see why that’d be surprising. Oxford is an amazing experience and the type of person who attends Oxford loves learning, especially from some of the world’s best scholars. It’d be unusual if people disliked Oxford

So what is St Andrews excuse? 19 of the last 20 years they had the #1 student satisfaction rating?

DD went to Yale and did not have a good experience. prestige has nothing to do with a good experience.

Their excuse? They’re a fanned good college and known for their student experience. That’s why there’s so many Americans lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much every school has. If you’re not happy, you’re not a good fit.

100% I know people who have been happy and others who have not been happy at the exact same school. Obviously, a lot of it depends on fit but I think it also depends on people giving themselves a chance to settle in. Too many students decide to transfer after the first semester. I'm sure that for some, it was a good move, but I think a lot of people didn't give it a chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering how and if this is measurable, beyond the "vibe" one gets from visiting a school. I feel like college has become such an industry (this board alone underscores the intensity of admissions!). I want my kid to get a good education, but more than anything, I want my child to take away invaluable lessons about happiness, balance, and values during those four years instead of getting caught up in the noise of the competitive rat-race. Which schools have happy graduates? Which schools have a healthy balance between work and life? How is this measured, and can it be?

I know way too many kids who worked so hard for some kind of elite school, thinking it would solve their problems or magically open doors, and it did none of those things. I know one teenager who took his life after being denied admission to a top college. I know others who have been admitted to psychiatric hospitals due to intense academic pressure. It all feels like too much, and I'm wondering how and where to look for communities that put these four years into healthy perspectives.

Here in the UK, none of the London schools have good student satisfaction ratings. This is a variable that is measured here. Kings College, UCL, have very low student satisfaction ratings. Surprisingly, Oxford and St Andrews are always at the top. And I dont think Cambridge participates. The

I don’t see why that’d be surprising. Oxford is an amazing experience and the type of person who attends Oxford loves learning, especially from some of the world’s best scholars. It’d be unusual if people disliked Oxford

So what is St Andrews excuse? 19 of the last 20 years they had the #1 student satisfaction rating?

DD went to Yale and did not have a good experience. prestige has nothing to do with a good experience.

Their excuse? They’re a fanned good college and known for their student experience. That’s why there’s so many Americans lol.

Damned*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kids we know at Duke, Davidson and Tufts are universally happy.

Willing to bet they were all pretty happy before they went there.

[Anonymous]

DD went to Berry College and it was a wonderful experience. She graduated a few years ago, but still returns, occasionally, for alumni events.

Although it has a pretty small enrollment, one of their bragging points is that they have the world’s largest campus, so there are ample opportunities to enjoy nature. I also had the impression that the teachers sincerely cared about their students and are actively supportive of them.

There is a very strong sense of community and tradition. While their emphasis on “education of the head, heart, and hands” may seem trite and may be echoed in other schools, at Berry, the students actually embrace it. They have a student work program which has been carefully structured to offer students the chance to choose from a wide range of meaningful work, with progressive responsibility, so that a student can graduate with significant work experience. While not required, most Berry students participate in the work program at some time. There is also a strong emphasis on community service.

https://www.berry.edu/ppd/lifeworks/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:JMU

Anecdotally: Sadly, I know several students that left JMU with mental health issues. They did not have them prior. It could be timing, onset of some issues are early adulthood/late adolescence. It just stood out to me that I know 5-6 kids that left for a year or completely due to this and none of the other many, many college kids I know from other schools had this issue.

same. several.

+1 two close friends’ kids and a relative

[Anonymous]

Parent of a Vanderbilt senior. I think the work hard / play hard trope is correct. Not every week ends with a trip to Broadway, but when they do go, it sounds borderline euphoric. Then they graduate and have objectively top outcomes.

[Anonymous]

DS is Harvard rising senior and very unhappy. Selected Harvard over Dartmouth and regrets it to this day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: it sounds borderline euphoric.

What are they doing that makes it so euphoric?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:JMU

Anecdotally: Sadly, I know several students that left JMU with mental health issues. They did not have them prior. It could be timing, onset of some issues are early adulthood/late adolescence. It just stood out to me that I know 5-6 kids that left for a year or completely due to this and none of the other many, many college kids I know from other schools had this issue.

DP. I don't believe for a minute you know "5-6 kids" who left JMU with mental health issues. Please stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD went to Berry College and it was a wonderful experience. She graduated a few years ago, but still returns, occasionally, for alumni events.

Although it has a pretty small enrollment, one of their bragging points is that they have the world’s largest campus, so there are ample opportunities to enjoy nature. I also had the impression that the teachers sincerely cared about their students and are actively supportive of them.

There is a very strong sense of community and tradition. While their emphasis on “education of the head, heart, and hands” may seem trite and may be echoed in other schools, at Berry, the students actually embrace it. They have a student work program which has been carefully structured to offer students the chance to choose from a wide range of meaningful work, with progressive responsibility, so that a student can graduate with significant work experience. While not required, most Berry students participate in the work program at some time. There is also a strong emphasis on community service.

https://www.berry.edu/ppd/lifeworks/

I love hearing this. Berry isn't discussed much on this forum and it should be. And what a gorgeous campus!

[Anonymous]

Virginia Tech and JMU are two schools that have happy students and very loyal alumni.