What school dropped off the list because of your visit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four children and have visited numerous schools...our thoughts:

UVA...admissions was arrogant and impersonal...they do not register your visit...they do not care much....that read is heavy..One child went there to grad school (law) and loved it. But with undergrad, no one liked the campus much... vibe was a bit snobby.

W&M...plays up the quirky vibe. Served my bright and shy daughter well...she went there and loved it...the other three...not their scene. I was a huge fan, of course, as I went there.

W&L..too small, too claustrophobic..too archaic.

Wake forest...cheaper W&M without the better restaurants and the area was a bit downtrodden .

ND..cold, yet vibrant , cloistered, but spirit was infectious...(1 son went there )

Elon, 3 called it a bit phony...I liked the groomed stepford vibe

USouth Carolina...sketchy is what son called it

College of Charleston..."like going to school on a vacation in a budget hotel'....(I wish this school was better, because i love this city)

Colgate...at first she loved it and then she went in the dorms. And is the middle of absolutely nowhere

Lehigh..at first she loved it, and then the hills and the old buildings brought things down.

Bucknell...way to fratty, and what do we do if we don't frat?

Quinipiac..."like summer camp.".I actually thought is that a bad thing?

Syracuse...the town was a downer...but near a great mall, and they have underground tunnels for the cold. Still wonder that might have been an Ok choice.

Providence...the town was a downer...but boy, the staff was so friendly.

Duke...pretentious, gothic gloom, but if my kid got in...i would have forced them to go?

Fairfield...Old fashioned was his response...but I wonder if that may have been an Ok choice for business.

Mary Washington..mini W&M without the prestige

CNU...lovely...no engineering, which what he wanted. and it is in Newport News..so nope

Villanova...unfortunately saw in a deep freeze., Campus is just not that pretty and undergoing construction at the time..lost out to Boston College for this daughter.

Va Tech..drive by..too big..she said too much stone...really?

JMU..drive by..highway in the middle..nope.

There were others, but thats my main input

LOL, that seems like you put a lot of work into it. Let's just summarize it for you, I'm a frigging negative loser that has no life and is a miserable human being...I probably don't know it but my family hates me. Took me 30 seconds, have a nice weekend.

I went to UVA, absolutely loved the school, think it's incredibly beautiful and have nothing but good memories and would encourage everyone to apply there but... I found this post kind of funny. Why do you guys care if someone else doesn't like the school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think tours are valuable in different ways at different stages in the process.

1. Very early -- to see a range of school types (big/small) and setting (urban vs suburbs vs college town) and see if kid had a strong preference. Some do, some don't. But if you do it's a helpful first filter for the list.

2. Deciding where to apply. If you have a lot of potential schools that aren't that different on paper -- have the program you want, you like the reviews and what you see online, same general range in ranking -- but you don't want to apply to 20+ schools then tours can really help narrow the list based on the quality of life/vibe you get on campus. I think this is most important for finding a safety and a couple matches you can love. IMO it's a waste of time to tour reaches and adds too much stress to the process.

3. After admitted to make the final decision.

This is basically how it worked for my kids. Early tours in driving distance of home and after that DS decided he really preferred the big state school in a college town. Toured a couple others in that category in junior year that didn't require a long trip. He ultimately applied to 8 schools, some visited, some not, but all fit that basic profile. Went to Virginia Tech.

DD settled early on a preference for a LAC and doesn't want to be in a city. Wants to be within a reasonable drive from home. Needs to be strong in science and have good environmental science resources. There are many LACs that could fit the bill so we will be spending a lot more time touring with her to help narrow the list of match and safeties. There will also be reach schools on the list that we won't make a big effort to visit. She can visit if she gets in.

[Anonymous]

Huh, for some reason I remember my kid checking in by name at the desk in Peabody before we went to sit down for the admissions presentation with the gentleman with the short ponytail. Perhaps I'm mixing up the UVA tour with another one.

[Anonymous]

Only one of my four kids had any interest in touring colleges before applying. We indulged her, but without joining her on her tours because we weren't the ones going to college. Yes, in the end, it probably helped her make her decision -- but for mature reasons, not for silly ones like clicking with the tour guide, liking the food, or discovering that the ag school made its own ice cream. She sat in on a classes in her intended major, etc. That made sense to us, but we didn't need to be there for it.

The other three kids never took a college tour. No interest.

All four went to very good colleges and did just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four children and have visited numerous schools...our thoughts:

UVA...admissions was arrogant and impersonal...they do not register your visit...they do not care much....that read is heavy..One child went there to grad school (law) and loved it. But with undergrad, no one liked the campus much... vibe was a bit snobby.

W&M...plays up the quirky vibe. Served my bright and shy daughter well...she went there and loved it...the other three...not their scene. I was a huge fan, of course, as I went there.

W&L..too small, too claustrophobic..too archaic.

Wake forest...cheaper W&M without the better restaurants and the area was a bit downtrodden .

ND..cold, yet vibrant , cloistered, but spirit was infectious...(1 son went there )

Elon, 3 called it a bit phony...I liked the groomed stepford vibe

USouth Carolina...sketchy is what son called it

College of Charleston..."like going to school on a vacation in a budget hotel'....(I wish this school was better, because i love this city)

Colgate...at first she loved it and then she went in the dorms. And is the middle of absolutely nowhere

Lehigh..at first she loved it, and then the hills and the old buildings brought things down.

Bucknell...way to fratty, and what do we do if we don't frat?

Quinipiac..."like summer camp.".I actually thought is that a bad thing?

Syracuse...the town was a downer...but near a great mall, and they have underground tunnels for the cold. Still wonder that might have been an Ok choice.

Providence...the town was a downer...but boy, the staff was so friendly.

Duke...pretentious, gothic gloom, but if my kid got in...i would have forced them to go?

Fairfield...Old fashioned was his response...but I wonder if that may have been an Ok choice for business.

Mary Washington..mini W&M without the prestige

CNU...lovely...no engineering, which what he wanted. and it is in Newport News..so nope

Villanova...unfortunately saw in a deep freeze., Campus is just not that pretty and undergoing construction at the time..lost out to Boston College for this daughter.

Va Tech..drive by..too big..she said too much stone...really?

JMU..drive by..highway in the middle..nope.

There were others, but thats my main input

LOL, that seems like you put a lot of work into it. Let's just summarize it for you, I'm a frigging negative loser that has no life and is a miserable human being...I probably don't know it but my family hates me. Took me 30 seconds, have a nice weekend.

I went to UVA, absolutely loved the school, think it's incredibly beautiful and have nothing but good memories and would encourage everyone to apply there but... I found this post kind of funny. Why do you guys care if someone else doesn't like the school?

Wow, maybe what they say about you UVA sycophants' is true, you really are self-absorbed losers. A lot more going on here than the UVA comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four children and have visited numerous schools...our thoughts:

UVA...admissions was arrogant and impersonal...they do not register your visit...they do not care much....that read is heavy..One child went there to grad school (law) and loved it. But with undergrad, no one liked the campus much... vibe was a bit snobby.

W&M...plays up the quirky vibe. Served my bright and shy daughter well...she went there and loved it...the other three...not their scene. I was a huge fan, of course, as I went there.

W&L..too small, too claustrophobic..too archaic.

Wake forest...cheaper W&M without the better restaurants and the area was a bit downtrodden .

ND..cold, yet vibrant , cloistered, but spirit was infectious...(1 son went there )

Elon, 3 called it a bit phony...I liked the groomed stepford vibe

USouth Carolina...sketchy is what son called it

College of Charleston..."like going to school on a vacation in a budget hotel'....(I wish this school was better, because i love this city)

Colgate...at first she loved it and then she went in the dorms. And is the middle of absolutely nowhere

Lehigh..at first she loved it, and then the hills and the old buildings brought things down.

Bucknell...way to fratty, and what do we do if we don't frat?

Quinipiac..."like summer camp.".I actually thought is that a bad thing?

Syracuse...the town was a downer...but near a great mall, and they have underground tunnels for the cold. Still wonder that might have been an Ok choice.

Providence...the town was a downer...but boy, the staff was so friendly.

Duke...pretentious, gothic gloom, but if my kid got in...i would have forced them to go?

Fairfield...Old fashioned was his response...but I wonder if that may have been an Ok choice for business.

Mary Washington..mini W&M without the prestige

CNU...lovely...no engineering, which what he wanted. and it is in Newport News..so nope

Villanova...unfortunately saw in a deep freeze., Campus is just not that pretty and undergoing construction at the time..lost out to Boston College for this daughter.

Va Tech..drive by..too big..she said too much stone...really?

JMU..drive by..highway in the middle..nope.

There were others, but thats my main input

LOL, that seems like you put a lot of work into it. Let's just summarize it for you, I'm a frigging negative loser that has no life and is a miserable human being...I probably don't know it but my family hates me. Took me 30 seconds, have a nice weekend.

I went to UVA, absolutely loved the school, think it's incredibly beautiful and have nothing but good memories and would encourage everyone to apply there but... I found this post kind of funny. Why do you guys care if someone else doesn't like the school?

Wow, maybe what they say about you UVA sycophants' is true, you really are self-absorbed losers. A lot more going on here than the UVA comment.

Well... as I said I went to UVA so I can't comment about the other schools lol. I'm just saying that it's possible to love your school but understand why someone else wouldn't. Why are you so mad about that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four children and have visited numerous schools...our thoughts:

UVA...admissions was arrogant and impersonal...they do not register your visit...they do not care much....that read is heavy..One child went there to grad school (law) and loved it. But with undergrad, no one liked the campus much... vibe was a bit snobby.

W&M...plays up the quirky vibe. Served my bright and shy daughter well...she went there and loved it...the other three...not their scene. I was a huge fan, of course, as I went there.

W&L..too small, too claustrophobic..too archaic.

Wake forest...cheaper W&M without the better restaurants and the area was a bit downtrodden .

ND..cold, yet vibrant , cloistered, but spirit was infectious...(1 son went there )

Elon, 3 called it a bit phony...I liked the groomed stepford vibe

USouth Carolina...sketchy is what son called it

College of Charleston..."like going to school on a vacation in a budget hotel'....(I wish this school was better, because i love this city)

Colgate...at first she loved it and then she went in the dorms. And is the middle of absolutely nowhere

Lehigh..at first she loved it, and then the hills and the old buildings brought things down.

Bucknell...way to fratty, and what do we do if we don't frat?

Quinipiac..."like summer camp.".I actually thought is that a bad thing?

Syracuse...the town was a downer...but near a great mall, and they have underground tunnels for the cold. Still wonder that might have been an Ok choice.

Providence...the town was a downer...but boy, the staff was so friendly.

Duke...pretentious, gothic gloom, but if my kid got in...i would have forced them to go?

Fairfield...Old fashioned was his response...but I wonder if that may have been an Ok choice for business.

Mary Washington..mini W&M without the prestige

CNU...lovely...no engineering, which what he wanted. and it is in Newport News..so nope

Villanova...unfortunately saw in a deep freeze., Campus is just not that pretty and undergoing construction at the time..lost out to Boston College for this daughter.

Va Tech..drive by..too big..she said too much stone...really?

JMU..drive by..highway in the middle..nope.

There were others, but thats my main input

LOL, that seems like you put a lot of work into it. Let's just summarize it for you, I'm a frigging negative loser that has no life and is a miserable human being...I probably don't know it but my family hates me. Took me 30 seconds, have a nice weekend.

I went to UVA, absolutely loved the school, think it's incredibly beautiful and have nothing but good memories and would encourage everyone to apply there but... I found this post kind of funny. Why do you guys care if someone else doesn't like the school?

Wow, maybe what they say about you UVA sycophants' is true, you really are self-absorbed losers. A lot more going on here than the UVA comment.

Well... as I said I went to UVA so I can't comment about the other schools lol. I'm just saying that it's possible to love your school but understand why someone else wouldn't. Why are you so mad about that?

Good point.

[Anonymous]

I thought PPs long list funny and accurate in some ways

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is a difference between high-achieving students and everyone else. Generally, high-achieving kids want to go to the best academic school they can get into and their family can afford. Period. If the kid gets into Harvard, it doesn't matter what the food tastes like, whether or not the dorm is air conditioned, or if there is a nearby Starbucks. IT DOESN'T MATTER. However, if the goal is to get an average education at one of 3,000 schools across the nation, perhaps, food, dorms, recreation facilities, sports teams, etc. matter. Just keep in mind, you're paying for an eduction, not a country club. Sure, if you can have both, so be it, but it's sad if you're selecting a school based on comfort over learning, IMHO. But, to each his own.

What you call "high achieving," others would call "status-conscious." They are not synonymous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is a difference between high-achieving students and everyone else. Generally, high-achieving kids want to go to the best academic school they can get into and their family can afford. Period. If the kid gets into Harvard, it doesn't matter what the food tastes like, whether or not the dorm is air conditioned, or if there is a nearby Starbucks. IT DOESN'T MATTER. However, if the goal is to get an average education at one of 3,000 schools across the nation, perhaps, food, dorms, recreation facilities, sports teams, etc. matter. Just keep in mind, you're paying for an eduction, not a country club. Sure, if you can have both, so be it, but it's sad if you're selecting a school based on comfort over learning, IMHO. But, to each his own.

What you call "high achieving," others would call "status-conscious." They are not synonymous.

NP. Maybe the highest achieving students who want to go to the highest ranked school no matter what and for whom paying for college is not an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four children and have visited numerous schools...our thoughts:

UVA...admissions was arrogant and impersonal...they do not register your visit...they do not care much....that read is heavy..One child went there to grad school (law) and loved it. But with undergrad, no one liked the campus much... vibe was a bit snobby.

W&M...plays up the quirky vibe. Served my bright and shy daughter well...she went there and loved it...the other three...not their scene. I was a huge fan, of course, as I went there.

W&L..too small, too claustrophobic..too archaic.

Wake forest...cheaper W&M without the better restaurants and the area was a bit downtrodden .

ND..cold, yet vibrant , cloistered, but spirit was infectious...(1 son went there )

Elon, 3 called it a bit phony...I liked the groomed stepford vibe

USouth Carolina...sketchy is what son called it

College of Charleston..."like going to school on a vacation in a budget hotel'....(I wish this school was better, because i love this city)

Colgate...at first she loved it and then she went in the dorms. And is the middle of absolutely nowhere

Lehigh..at first she loved it, and then the hills and the old buildings brought things down.

Bucknell...way to fratty, and what do we do if we don't frat?

Quinipiac..."like summer camp.".I actually thought is that a bad thing?

Syracuse...the town was a downer...but near a great mall, and they have underground tunnels for the cold. Still wonder that might have been an Ok choice.

Providence...the town was a downer...but boy, the staff was so friendly.

Duke...pretentious, gothic gloom, but if my kid got in...i would have forced them to go?

Fairfield...Old fashioned was his response...but I wonder if that may have been an Ok choice for business.

Mary Washington..mini W&M without the prestige

CNU...lovely...no engineering, which what he wanted. and it is in Newport News..so nope

Villanova...unfortunately saw in a deep freeze., Campus is just not that pretty and undergoing construction at the time..lost out to Boston College for this daughter.

Va Tech..drive by..too big..she said too much stone...really?

JMU..drive by..highway in the middle..nope.


No tunnels under Syracuse. There are old abandoned ones but not accessible to students. There is a petition for them. But no. That's a rumor.

How is an institution Phony? Or Summer Camp? These descriptions are really terrible. Obviously compiled by 12/13 year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is a difference between high-achieving students and everyone else. Generally, high-achieving kids want to go to the best academic school they can get into and their family can afford. Period.

I think that, outside of places with schools like Stuyvesant or Thomas Jefferson, kids who have an easy time testing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four children and have visited numerous schools...our thoughts:

UVA...admissions was arrogant and impersonal...they do not register your visit...they do not care much....that read is heavy..One child went there to grad school (law) and loved it. But with undergrad, no one liked the campus much... vibe was a bit snobby.

W&M...plays up the quirky vibe. Served my bright and shy daughter well...she went there and loved it...the other three...not their scene. I was a huge fan, of course, as I went there.

W&L..too small, too claustrophobic..too archaic.

Wake forest...cheaper W&M without the better restaurants and the area was a bit downtrodden .

ND..cold, yet vibrant , cloistered, but spirit was infectious...(1 son went there )

Elon, 3 called it a bit phony...I liked the groomed stepford vibe

USouth Carolina...sketchy is what son called it

College of Charleston..."like going to school on a vacation in a budget hotel'....(I wish this school was better, because i love this city)

Colgate...at first she loved it and then she went in the dorms. And is the middle of absolutely nowhere

Lehigh..at first she loved it, and then the hills and the old buildings brought things down.

Bucknell...way to fratty, and what do we do if we don't frat?

Quinipiac..."like summer camp.".I actually thought is that a bad thing?

Syracuse...the town was a downer...but near a great mall, and they have underground tunnels for the cold. Still wonder that might have been an Ok choice.

Providence...the town was a downer...but boy, the staff was so friendly.

Duke...pretentious, gothic gloom, but if my kid got in...i would have forced them to go?

Fairfield...Old fashioned was his response...but I wonder if that may have been an Ok choice for business.

Mary Washington..mini W&M without the prestige

CNU...lovely...no engineering, which what he wanted. and it is in Newport News..so nope

Villanova...unfortunately saw in a deep freeze., Campus is just not that pretty and undergoing construction at the time..lost out to Boston College for this daughter.

Va Tech..drive by..too big..she said too much stone...really?

JMU..drive by..highway in the middle..nope.

There were others, but thats my main input

LOL, that seems like you put a lot of work into it. Let's just summarize it for you, I'm a frigging negative loser that has no life and is a miserable human being...I probably don't know it but my family hates me. Took me 30 seconds, have a nice weekend.

I went to UVA, absolutely loved the school, think it's incredibly beautiful and have nothing but good memories and would encourage everyone to apply there but... I found this post kind of funny. Why do you guys care if someone else doesn't like the school?

Wow, maybe what they say about you UVA sycophants' is true, you really are self-absorbed losers. A lot more going on here than the UVA comment.

Well... as I said I went to UVA so I can't comment about the other schools lol. I'm just saying that it's possible to love your school but understand why someone else wouldn't. Why are you so mad about that?[/quote]


+1. Angry person for some reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is a difference between high-achieving students and everyone else. Generally, high-achieving kids want to go to the best academic school they can get into and their family can afford. Period. If the kid gets into Harvard, it doesn't matter what the food tastes like, whether or not the dorm is air conditioned, or if there is a nearby Starbucks. IT DOESN'T MATTER. However, if the goal is to get an average education at one of 3,000 schools across the nation, perhaps, food, dorms, recreation facilities, sports teams, etc. matter. Just keep in mind, you're paying for an eduction, not a country club. Sure, if you can have both, so be it, but it's sad if you're selecting a school based on comfort over learning, IMHO. But, to each his own.

My goodness, the sheep of Dcum ruin another thread that could have been so helpful. High achieving Harvard types will give up basic needs such as edible food and mold/pest free housing vs everyone else. What a fool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four children and have visited numerous schools...our thoughts:

UVA...admissions was arrogant and impersonal...they do not register your visit...they do not care much....that read is heavy..One child went there to grad school (law) and loved it. But with undergrad, no one liked the campus much... vibe was a bit snobby.

W&M...plays up the quirky vibe. Served my bright and shy daughter well...she went there and loved it...the other three...not their scene. I was a huge fan, of course, as I went there.

W&L..too small, too claustrophobic..too archaic.

Wake forest...cheaper W&M without the better restaurants and the area was a bit downtrodden .

ND..cold, yet vibrant , cloistered, but spirit was infectious...(1 son went there )

Elon, 3 called it a bit phony...I liked the groomed stepford vibe

USouth Carolina...sketchy is what son called it

College of Charleston..."like going to school on a vacation in a budget hotel'....(I wish this school was better, because i love this city)

Colgate...at first she loved it and then she went in the dorms. And is the middle of absolutely nowhere

Lehigh..at first she loved it, and then the hills and the old buildings brought things down.

Bucknell...way to fratty, and what do we do if we don't frat?

Quinipiac..."like summer camp.".I actually thought is that a bad thing?

Syracuse...the town was a downer...but near a great mall, and they have underground tunnels for the cold. Still wonder that might have been an Ok choice.

Providence...the town was a downer...but boy, the staff was so friendly.

Duke...pretentious, gothic gloom, but if my kid got in...i would have forced them to go?

Fairfield...Old fashioned was his response...but I wonder if that may have been an Ok choice for business.

Mary Washington..mini W&M without the prestige

CNU...lovely...no engineering, which what he wanted. and it is in Newport News..so nope

Villanova...unfortunately saw in a deep freeze., Campus is just not that pretty and undergoing construction at the time..lost out to Boston College for this daughter.

Va Tech..drive by..too big..she said too much stone...really?

JMU..drive by..highway in the middle..nope.




No tunnels under Syracuse. There are old abandoned ones but not accessible to students. There is a petition for them. But no. That's a rumor.
How is an institution Phony? Or Summer Camp? These descriptions are really terrible. Obviously compiled by 12/13 year olds.