Colleges that Change Lives

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Not everyone has 1500+ SAT scores with straight As to get into the "elite, top-tier" colleges. Nor can everyone get into a Cal/UNC/UVA/Michigan-level "public Ivy." But, that doesn't mean that they can't get an excellent education. A B+ student with 1200 SATs may do far better at Centre College or Evergreen or Hope than at a bigger college like James Madison or George Mason or VCU or one of the Cal State campuses. These schools have a track record of developing students who may not have the shiniest of credentials to go on and have great careers and lives.

BTW - Deep Springs is not a College That Changes Lives, but it is an exceptional place that is not for everyone. You have to have Ivy level stats and write responses to some phenomenally difficult essays just to get to the visit/interview round where you have to demonstrate that you can learn to be a rancher. With the first co-ed class, it will be exceptionally difficult for men/boys to get in since they will have to reserve most of the slots for women this year. If anything, it is the hardest way to get into Yale.


Big schools are great for a lot of people - having many activities, friend groups , majors and classes to choose from is a great thing for many people.
For many people the small schools are stifling in many ways. Don’t look down on the large schools.
[Report Post]

I don't think it is a matter of looking down on large schools but figuring out where your student will best thrive. A kid who doesn't know what they want to do may be able to find that path at a large university through the wider network of activities and potential friend groups. Or they may find it easier to just do the greek party scene, and slog along with a major they aren't all that enthused about. It totally depends on the individual kid and his or her level of maturity and initiative. For us, DC wanted a small school and more personalized experience. I liked the CTCL model because it is more difficult to switch majors mid-stream at a large public and I thought DC would have a better shot at graduating in four years, and with a better over-all educational experience, at a CTLC school. DC#2 is very different and wants a bigger school, so we will likely follow a different path for that child.

[Anonymous]

I went to a CTCL and ended up going to an Ivy for my PhD. I think the individualized attention from professors and the quality of letters of recommendation they write really helped in the admissions process. Also, I learned a lot during my education--there was no coasting/hiding since class sizes your professors always knew you. There's a Collegiate Learning Assessment that is a great way to assess how students gain in critical thinking as a result of their educations and a number of those schools do VERY well on it. Personally, I think it's better to go to one that is in a small city rather than rural and that has a strong foreign study program otherwise they CAN be stifling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I highly recommend deep springs college.

https://www.deepsprings.edu/

um... two year college, very small, all men at this point, incredibly hard to get into. Not too realistic, IMHO.

Read carefully. They start to accept women from 2018. And after finishing 2 year, majority of students transfer to elite universities. No try, nothing to earn.

Deep Springs has an enrollment of 26. That's not a typo - 26. And you'll have to do your application process all over again since it is only a two year program.

Yes, however number of applicants are around 200. admitted rates is around 5-7%. Why are you trying to put down my opinion ? When I saw " Colleges that change lives". I remember deep spring college. Would this mind you so seriously? Even 1 % admitted rates, there are students who are admitted. What matter?

I think you try to put down because Deep Spring college is 2 year college. This one is totally different with 2 year community colleges. Most elite universities likes to admit Deep Springs college graduate. I have learned this college from Harvard graduate. I thought this one is for very inspired, insight students.
After finishing Deep Spring colleges, alumni head to Harvard, Stanford, Brown etc. When they are welcomed from those elite universities. This might be another option for some serious brilliant , insightful students.
Their alumni show remarkable outcomes.

Does l this really bother you?

I am not trying to put down your opinion.
I looked into it seriously.
Anyone who reads your recommendation should be aware of the drawbacks
You can't just give one side of the story.
It's very unrealistic to expect to go there.
Oh by the way it's on a working ranch near Bishop California, if anyone wants to check out where that is.

[Anonymous]

A family member went to Eckard in St. Pete, FL - they never wore shoes to class.

[Anonymous]

My daughter went to one in the Midwest and graduated in 2016. She got into Macalester, but it was 25k more because we didn't qualify for aid. She had a good experience and is gainfully employed. The only thing I would suggest is to take the book with a grain of salt because the info was outdated by the time she graduated.

[Anonymous]

"None of the CTCL schools (with the possible exception of Reed) measures up to W&M or UVA. They are all at least a tier or two beneath. UVA is probably too large for my DD but I would send her to W&M over any of the CTCL schools."

If you get into BOTH a CTCL AND W&M or UVA, your merit aid from the CTCL will likely make the CTCL cheaper than W&M or UVA, even in-state.

I can agree that if in-state W&M is only $2k more than a CTCL, I doubt I would opt for the CTCL BUT for us in MD W&M is outOS, the choice is SMCM for $23k or a CTCL for maybe $10k more or W&M for more like $58k.

Obviously college tiers, exist but they will never be as important in your life as they seem during college decision time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems like a marketing gimmick to get parents to pay $200K for some obscure school where their kid will come out making $35K/year.

Hard pass.

I graduated from Earlham, went on to an Ivy League law school.

Before I went to Earlham, I had a C average in high school. It did indeed change my life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not everyone has 1500+ SAT scores with straight As to get into the "elite, top-tier" colleges. Nor can everyone get into a Cal/UNC/UVA/Michigan-level "public Ivy." But, that doesn't mean that they can't get an excellent education. A B+ student with 1200 SATs may do far better at Centre College or Evergreen or Hope than at a bigger college like James Madison or George Mason or VCU or one of the Cal State campuses. These schools have a track record of developing students who may not have the shiniest of credentials to go on and have great careers and lives.

BTW - Deep Springs is not a College That Changes Lives, but it is an exceptional place that is not for everyone. You have to have Ivy level stats and write responses to some phenomenally difficult essays just to get to the visit/interview round where you have to demonstrate that you can learn to be a rancher. With the first co-ed class, it will be exceptionally difficult for men/boys to get in since they will have to reserve most of the slots for women this year. If anything, it is the hardest way to get into Yale.


Big schools are great for a lot of people - having many activities, friend groups , majors and classes to choose from is a great thing for many people.
For many people the small schools are stifling in many ways. Don’t look down on the large schools.
[Report Post]

I don't think it is a matter of looking down on large schools but figuring out where your student will best thrive. A kid who doesn't know what they want to do may be able to find that path at a large university through the wider network of activities and potential friend groups. Or they may find it easier to just do the greek party scene, and slog along with a major they aren't all that enthused about. It totally depends on the individual kid and his or her level of maturity and initiative. For us, DC wanted a small school and more personalized experience. I liked the CTCL model because it is more difficult to switch majors mid-stream than at a large public and I thought DC would have a better shot at graduating in four years, and with a better over-all educational experience, at a CTLC school. DC#2 is very different and wants a bigger school, so we will likely follow a different path for that child.

You are assuming that the kid would be compatible with the same professors that they would be seeing day in and day out , which is not always the case. A lot of people really look forward to having a wide variety of teachers in college. It also sounds like you were afraid of your child going off the rails and joining a frat in college as if that ruins people’s lives - many people have survived joining frats. Socially a small school can be stifling as well. It sounds like you wanted DC to have a college experience similar to high school and that is not a good option for most kids.

A lot of your reasons for the small school sound very controlling - no Greek life, no changing your major mid stream, a very limited number of majors , small defined social group and school population, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not everyone has 1500+ SAT scores with straight As to get into the "elite, top-tier" colleges. Nor can everyone get into a Cal/UNC/UVA/Michigan-level "public Ivy." But, that doesn't mean that they can't get an excellent education. A B+ student with 1200 SATs may do far better at Centre College or Evergreen or Hope than at a bigger college like James Madison or George Mason or VCU or one of the Cal State campuses. These schools have a track record of developing students who may not have the shiniest of credentials to go on and have great careers and lives.

BTW - Deep Springs is not a College That Changes Lives, but it is an exceptional place that is not for everyone. You have to have Ivy level stats and write responses to some phenomenally difficult essays just to get to the visit/interview round where you have to demonstrate that you can learn to be a rancher. With the first co-ed class, it will be exceptionally difficult for men/boys to get in since they will have to reserve most of the slots for women this year. If anything, it is the hardest way to get into Yale.


Big schools are great for a lot of people - having many activities, friend groups , majors and classes to choose from is a great thing for many people.
For many people the small schools are stifling in many ways. Don’t look down on the large schools.
[Report Post]

I don't think it is a matter of looking down on large schools but figuring out where your student will best thrive. A kid who doesn't know what they want to do may be able to find that path at a large university through the wider network of activities and potential friend groups. Or they may find it easier to just do the greek party scene, and slog along with a major they aren't all that enthused about. It totally depends on the individual kid and his or her level of maturity and initiative. For us, DC wanted a small school and more personalized experience. I liked the CTCL model because it is more difficult to switch majors mid-stream than at a large public and I thought DC would have a better shot at graduating in four years, and with a better over-all educational experience, at a CTLC school. DC#2 is very different and wants a bigger school, so we will likely follow a different path for that child.

You are assuming that the kid would be compatible with the same professors that they would be seeing day in and day out , which is not always the case. A lot of people really look forward to having a wide variety of teachers in college. It also sounds like you were afraid of your child going off the rails and joining a frat in college as if that ruins people’s lives - many people have survived joining frats. Socially a small school can be stifling as well. It sounds like you wanted DC to have a college experience similar to high school and that is not a good option for most kids.

A lot of your reasons for the small school sound very controlling - no Greek life, no changing your major mid stream, a very limited number of majors , small defined social group and school population, etc.

Not PP.

You don't know what you are talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not everyone has 1500+ SAT scores with straight As to get into the "elite, top-tier" colleges. Nor can everyone get into a Cal/UNC/UVA/Michigan-level "public Ivy." But, that doesn't mean that they can't get an excellent education. A B+ student with 1200 SATs may do far better at Centre College or Evergreen or Hope than at a bigger college like James Madison or George Mason or VCU or one of the Cal State campuses. These schools have a track record of developing students who may not have the shiniest of credentials to go on and have great careers and lives.

BTW - Deep Springs is not a College That Changes Lives, but it is an exceptional place that is not for everyone. You have to have Ivy level stats and write responses to some phenomenally difficult essays just to get to the visit/interview round where you have to demonstrate that you can learn to be a rancher. With the first co-ed class, it will be exceptionally difficult for men/boys to get in since they will have to reserve most of the slots for women this year. If anything, it is the hardest way to get into Yale.


Big schools are great for a lot of people - having many activities, friend groups , majors and classes to choose from is a great thing for many people.
For many people the small schools are stifling in many ways. Don’t look down on the large schools.
[Report Post]

I don't think it is a matter of looking down on large schools but figuring out where your student will best thrive. A kid who doesn't know what they want to do may be able to find that path at a large university through the wider network of activities and potential friend groups. Or they may find it easier to just do the greek party scene, and slog along with a major they aren't all that enthused about. It totally depends on the individual kid and his or her level of maturity and initiative. For us, DC wanted a small school and more personalized experience. I liked the CTCL model because it is more difficult to switch majors mid-stream than at a large public and I thought DC would have a better shot at graduating in four years, and with a better over-all educational experience, at a CTLC school. DC#2 is very different and wants a bigger school, so we will likely follow a different path for that child.

You are assuming that the kid would be compatible with the same professors that they would be seeing day in and day out , which is not always the case. A lot of people really look forward to having a wide variety of teachers in college. It also sounds like you were afraid of your child going off the rails and joining a frat in college as if that ruins people’s lives - many people have survived joining frats. Socially a small school can be stifling as well. It sounds like you wanted DC to have a college experience similar to high school and that is not a good option for most kids.

A lot of your reasons for the small school sound very controlling - no Greek life, no changing your major mid stream, a very limited number of majors , small defined social group and school population, etc.

Not PP.

You don't know what you are talking about.

Yeah - I think the first kid is very passive so went along with what mommy wanted but the second kid is strong willed enough to say ‘no way’ to the 4 year extension of high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not everyone has 1500+ SAT scores with straight As to get into the "elite, top-tier" colleges. Nor can everyone get into a Cal/UNC/UVA/Michigan-level "public Ivy." But, that doesn't mean that they can't get an excellent education. A B+ student with 1200 SATs may do far better at Centre College or Evergreen or Hope than at a bigger college like James Madison or George Mason or VCU or one of the Cal State campuses. These schools have a track record of developing students who may not have the shiniest of credentials to go on and have great careers and lives.

BTW - Deep Springs is not a College That Changes Lives, but it is an exceptional place that is not for everyone. You have to have Ivy level stats and write responses to some phenomenally difficult essays just to get to the visit/interview round where you have to demonstrate that you can learn to be a rancher. With the first co-ed class, it will be exceptionally difficult for men/boys to get in since they will have to reserve most of the slots for women this year. If anything, it is the hardest way to get into Yale.


Big schools are great for a lot of people - having many activities, friend groups , majors and classes to choose from is a great thing for many people.
For many people the small schools are stifling in many ways. Don’t look down on the large schools.
[Report Post]

I don't think it is a matter of looking down on large schools but figuring out where your student will best thrive. A kid who doesn't know what they want to do may be able to find that path at a large university through the wider network of activities and potential friend groups. Or they may find it easier to just do the greek party scene, and slog along with a major they aren't all that enthused about. It totally depends on the individual kid and his or her level of maturity and initiative. For us, DC wanted a small school and more personalized experience. I liked the CTCL model because it is more difficult to switch majors mid-stream at a large public and I thought DC would have a better shot at graduating in four years, and with a better over-all educational experience, at a CTLC school. DC#2 is very different and wants a bigger school, so we will likely follow a different path for that child.

Talkative think they are smart, but just talktative nothing more, nothing less.

[Anonymous]

It remains funny to me that people who are criticizing the CTCL concept do not realize they are making the main point of the CTCL concept as they do it.

It's a version of "Nobody goes there, it's too crowded".

[Anonymous]

I know a kid who applied to Beloit, Kenyon, Cornell College and Denison on top of some of the usual suspect big publics (Michigan, Wisconsin, UVA, UVM etc.) He is in a very specialized major program (think something that you can only find at 5-6 schools) and was down to Wisconsin, Kenyon and Beloit at the end of things. Got a full ride at Beloit but turned it down to be at Wisconsin with his then-girlfriend. Regrets it to this day and wishes he could transfer to get more one on one attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a kid who applied to Beloit, Kenyon, Cornell College and Denison on top of some of the usual suspect big publics (Michigan, Wisconsin, UVA, UVM etc.) He is in a very specialized major program (think something that you can only find at 5-6 schools) and was down to Wisconsin, Kenyon and Beloit at the end of things. Got a full ride at Beloit but turned it down to be at Wisconsin with his then-girlfriend. Regrets it to this day and wishes he could transfer to get more one on one attention.

It just goes to show you that it’s SO dependent on the person. I’m from Wisconsin and a lot of my friends were really into these tiny liberal arts colleges in high school but were beyond ready to graduate (or transferred to places like UW or Minnesota) after while. Always seeing the same people, having the same professors again and again, etc. Stifling is a good way to describe it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a kid who applied to Beloit, Kenyon, Cornell College and Denison on top of some of the usual suspect big publics (Michigan, Wisconsin, UVA, UVM etc.) He is in a very specialized major program (think something that you can only find at 5-6 schools) and was down to Wisconsin, Kenyon and Beloit at the end of things. Got a full ride at Beloit but turned it down to be at Wisconsin with his then-girlfriend. Regrets it to this day and wishes he could transfer to get more one on one attention.

It just goes to show you that it’s SO dependent on the person. I’m from Wisconsin and a lot of my friends were really into these tiny liberal arts colleges in high school but were beyond ready to graduate (or transferred to places like UW or Minnesota) after while. Always seeing the same people, having the same professors again and again, etc. Stifling is a good way to describe it.

I don’t know, I’d rather have smaller classes taught by professors than larger lectures with hundreds of students and classes taught by TAs.