Alt to Georgetown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe William and Mary. Similar size - decent bio department. Even OOS it is cheaper than Georgetown. Not really in a city though. If you want that, you are mostly looking at private and similar $$.

I *love* William and Mary. I recommend it to all my kids and all have applied and then decided no. They pointed out that there's just nothing at all to do for college aged kids after, like, freshman year. In other words, freshman year you might enjoy the novelty, the quaintness of the Colonial area (literally, across the street) and even Busch Gardens. But by sophomore year, that's old hat and there's just nothing to do in a sleepy town full of retirees.

It's sad to me that they don't have bigger imaginations. As someone who went there (and went to Busch Gardens once and toured CW … maybe also once?), it was endless fun. I hope you keep recommending it; the right ones will find their way there.

People go to college in sleepy towns all the time. Every small liberal arts college is in a sleepy town and people wax poetic about those.

William & Mary has 7,000 students. If kids are bored, it’s probably because they are boring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe William and Mary. Similar size - decent bio department. Even OOS it is cheaper than Georgetown. Not really in a city though. If you want that, you are mostly looking at private and similar $$.

I *love* William and Mary. I recommend it to all my kids and all have applied and then decided no. They pointed out that there's just nothing at all to do for college aged kids after, like, freshman year. In other words, freshman year you might enjoy the novelty, the quaintness of the Colonial area (literally, across the street) and even Busch Gardens. But by sophomore year, that's old hat and there's just nothing to do in a sleepy town full of retirees.

It's sad to me that they don't have bigger imaginations. As someone who went there (and went to Busch Gardens once and toured CW … maybe also once?), it was endless fun. I hope you keep recommending it; the right ones will find their way there.

People go to college in sleepy towns all the time. Every small liberal arts college is in a sleepy town and people wax poetic about those.

William & Mary has 7,000 students. If kids are bored, it’s probably because they are boring.

I think the disappointment comes because the William and Mary student was probably cross shopping larger state schools. Just a guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t afford Georgetown, just go to a state flagship.

Probably the right path. Unless pre-med, biochemistry is going to require a graduate degree for any real career. Go to UMD, save $250-300K, and then pick somewhere for grad school.

Valid point. I wish UMD wasn’t so large or there was a W&M type school for MD. I’ll look at UMBC as an in state option.

SMCM. Public, great school.

Where is the urban area near SMCM?

Yeah, SMCM is a great little school and strong in sciences but the environment is *nothing* like Georgetown and I can’t think of a single similarity between these schools.

Bars near Georgetown have actual floors vs. SMCM. Another thing to cross off the list!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son loved GU. But $$$ is a factor. I just can't see how the school is worth $96K/yr. Can you give me some alternatives to consider? He's interested in biochemistry so a good arts and science school. He liked the small campus size and access to town. He also likes that it's relatively close to home.

DD accepted to GU - also accepted at GW and Pitt with merit (25k range for GW and 10k for Pitt). have heard case offers generous merit and BU has honors/scholarship application for merit $$.

[Anonymous]

I think of Macalester as the "easier to get into" Georgetown. Similar academic programs.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think the OP said “urban” - just access to a town.