DD wants to scale down for college? Looking for advice

[Anonymous]

Don't jump to the conclusion that well known colleges are necessarily high pressure. My DS graduated from one of the five DC high schools mentioned above and now goes to an ivy. He found his freshman year to be less pressure than in high school and he has a lot of fun at college, My perception is that some students fee lots of pressure and others are more laidback, regardless of where they go to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't jump to the conclusion that well known colleges are necessarily high pressure. My DS graduated from one of the five DC high schools mentioned above and now goes to an ivy. He found his freshman year to be less pressure than in high school and he has a lot of fun at college, My perception is that some students fee lots of pressure and others are more laidback, regardless of where they go to school.

I think the perception is to leave the high pressure kids behind more than the college or the curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She should start with three questions:
-what part of the country does she want to be in?
-Big versus small school
-urban versus rural school

Answer those three questions and she can narrow a list pretty quickly. The only way to get a sense of it is to visit a variety of schools, even when going on trips that are not "college" trips, just to see what different types of campuses feel like.

Location, Location, Location. Get her to the mid-west or west coast. The pressure cooker is just so different when you get off the east coast. Pick two of the schools ppl have recommended that are off the East Coast and send her for a visit. It will be a big change, but it will serve her well in life to know what the rest of the country is like. So many great option.

[Anonymous]

^^ if she goes West Coast she needs to know that everyone is friendly there, EVERYONE. You cannot be a snob or a bitch on the West coast - it literally sinks you. Unlike DC where that is the norm...