what "good" college did you attend but would not necessarily recommend to your kids or others?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Georgetown - Graduated in 1989. The school hasn't repaired, replaced or updated one single thing since I was there. Even the graffiti is still there. The same old broken stair railing too !!

They updated some rooms in White-Gravenor. there is tons of new construction since 1989. TONS!

But the old crap is still old and crappy. Yep a few rooms here, a sports field there. It's so very run down for the price. I literally noticed some of the exact same issues from 1989.

As someone who worked at Georgetown for a long time, I can say unequivocally that the campus is a dump. The school is notorious for under-investing in its physical plant. Sure, they put up new buildings once in a while (and have eradicated all green space except Healy Lawn in the process), but they don't maintain their facilities. Academic buildings and residences alike suffer from a myriad of plumbing, sewage, mold, and pest issues -- issues that only grow worse over time.

I went to a professional meeting there and was shocked by the condition of furniture in the common buildings. Like broken chair legs, couch cushions that were too stained to considering using. Why do they not think this does not impact their image/reputation? (Not to mention, the many social media posts about dorm conditions, rats, etc)??!

And yet, all the smart rich kids still want to go there. Maybe not as lavish as some of its peers but the condition is just what most colleges used to be like before everyone dumped too much money into 4-star hotel dorms and farm to table cafeterias. Vandy, Georgetown, Duke and USC. Rich outgoing kids all fight to get into these colleges.

Let’s say many smart, rich kids want to go there—certainly not all.

I am not exaggerating when I say there was no chair to sit on in the common area of a student building. They either had broken off legs (so non-functional) or dark, old, gnarly looking stains covering every seat cushions.

Please don’t suggest I was missing fancy. I have NEVER been to any public building (including county hospitals and state schools) with worse upkeep. I have nothing against the school, but am reporting my genuine experience.

I would not pay high tuition or housing costs for my child to be educated in such a poorly managed institution.

I did some work in the library at Georgetown a few years ago, and it wasn't as nice as the main library at the flagship state school I went to as an undergrad. Neither physically, nor collections-wise.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:University of Southern California. Too large. Way too much emphasis on Greek life. Absolutely lives up to its nickname of University of Spoiled Children.

I don't think it will easily shake the stink of the Varsity Blues scandal with Aunt Becky's overprivileged youtuber daughter.

Smart rich and attractive USC families don’t give a darn what malcontent proles think of them. USC is elite and will become a top 20 if not too 15 university in the near future.

USC has the greatest assets of maybe any college in America: Los Angeles, sunny, rich, d1 elite sports, private, elite programs, on the rise, full of attractive smart kids, boisterous Greek life. It’s basically going to become Duke in a 10000x better location or Stanford without the weirdos.

Found the OP of the “southern schools” thread.

They are referring to the University of Southern California not University of South Carolina

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read any of this thread, but I want to mention my alma mater anyway:

University of Virginia

Hated it. Snobby, elitist, overall unfriendly, and in academic terms, just not all that.

And yet my DD had a wonderful four years there. She graduated recently. She loved everything about her four years. She did debate not anything Greek. Her only dislike were the frat boys who started drinking the weekend early at the corner. She became an academic superstar and is now at Oxford doing graduate work. She and I had the same major so I was able to compare experiences. Her UVA texts, profs, seminars were all better than my slac experience.

[Anonymous]

Harvey Mudd. It was a joyless grind and not really alleviated by the option to take classes at the other consortium schools. The campus was incredibly smoggy (rarely ever saw the stars) and the surrounding towns were boring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harvey Mudd. It was a joyless grind and not really alleviated by the option to take classes at the other consortium schools. The campus was incredibly smoggy (rarely ever saw the stars) and the surrounding towns were boring.

Appreciate your perspective. I always wonder what Harvey Mudd is like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harvey Mudd. It was a joyless grind and not really alleviated by the option to take classes at the other consortium schools. The campus was incredibly smoggy (rarely ever saw the stars) and the surrounding towns were boring.

Interesting comment regarding smog. I have been told that smog (air pollution) is a concern during the first two months of the academic year at the Claremont colleges. Was this your experience ? TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvey Mudd. It was a joyless grind and not really alleviated by the option to take classes at the other consortium schools. The campus was incredibly smoggy (rarely ever saw the stars) and the surrounding towns were boring.

Interesting comment regarding smog. I have been told that smog (air pollution) is a concern during the first two months of the academic year at the Claremont colleges. Was this your experience ? TIA

I remember the smog being especially bad when the school year started, but maybe that was just the effect of the transition from my parents non-smoggy summer home to the smoggy campus. Smog never really went away. This was many years ago, though, and for all I know it's better now.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I didn't read any of this thread, but I want to mention my alma mater anyway:

University of Virginia

Hated it. Snobby, elitist, overall unfriendly, and in academic terms, just not all that.

And yet my DD had a wonderful four years there. She graduated recently. She loved everything about her four years. She did debate not anything Greek. Her only dislike were the frat boys who started drinking the weekend early at the corner. She became an academic superstar and is now at Oxford doing graduate work. She and I had the same major so I was able to compare experiences. Her UVA texts, profs, seminars were all better than my slac experience.

Surprisingly, different people can have different experiences at the same college. No college is great for all students.

[Anonymous]

The smog problem is much better in LA now.

There are other problems, however. Not so much in Claremont, but agree with PP that the area is a bit "boring."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Top catholic college as a woman. Why did not someone talk me out of doing that? Solid jesuit education but almost a second class citizen by definition in the faith. Women are not permitted in leadership positions. I would have been better off elsewhere.

Which school is this so my kid can steer clear? ND?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top catholic college as a woman. Why did not someone talk me out of doing that? Solid jesuit education but almost a second class citizen by definition in the faith. Women are not permitted in leadership positions. I would have been better off elsewhere.

Which school is this so my kid can steer clear? ND?

It has been clarified that the PP is not talking about leadership positions in the school (Georgetown), but priesthood leadership positions in the Roman Catholic Church. So I guess she had wanted to be a priest or maybe the Pope, but discovered she can't be, therefore doesn't like Georgetown University.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read any of this thread, but I want to mention my alma mater anyway:

University of Virginia

Hated it. Snobby, elitist, overall unfriendly, and in academic terms, just not all that.

And yet my DD had a wonderful four years there. She graduated recently. She loved everything about her four years. She did debate not anything Greek. Her only dislike were the frat boys who started drinking the weekend early at the corner. She became an academic superstar and is now at Oxford doing graduate work. She and I had the same major so I was able to compare experiences. Her UVA texts, profs, seminars were all better than my slac experience.

OMG, how many times are you going to tell us about your daughter?
DP

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:University of Southern California. Too large. Way too much emphasis on Greek life. Absolutely lives up to its nickname of University of Spoiled Children.

I don't think it will easily shake the stink of the Varsity Blues scandal with Aunt Becky's overprivileged youtuber daughter.

Smart rich and attractive USC families don’t give a darn what malcontent proles think of them. USC is elite and will become a top 20 if not too 15 university in the near future.

USC has the greatest assets of maybe any college in America: Los Angeles, sunny, rich, d1 elite sports, private, elite programs, on the rise, full of attractive smart kids, boisterous Greek life. It’s basically going to become Duke in a 10000x better location or Stanford without the weirdos.

Found the OP of the “southern schools” thread.

They are referring to the University of Southern California not University of South Carolina

That OP is obsessed with the idea that kids only care about going to “warm” schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of Southern California. Too large. Way too much emphasis on Greek life. Absolutely lives up to its nickname of University of Spoiled Children.

I don't think it will easily shake the stink of the Varsity Blues scandal with Aunt Becky's overprivileged youtuber daughter.

Smart rich and attractive USC families don’t give a darn what malcontent proles think of them. USC is elite and will become a top 20 if not too 15 university in the near future.

USC has the greatest assets of maybe any college in America: Los Angeles, sunny, rich, d1 elite sports, private, elite programs, on the rise, full of attractive smart kids, boisterous Greek life. It’s basically going to become Duke in a 10000x better location or Stanford without the weirdos.

Found the OP of the “southern schools” thread.

They are referring to the University of Southern California not University of South Carolina

That OP is obsessed with the idea that kids only care about going to “warm” schools.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of Southern California. Too large. Way too much emphasis on Greek life. Absolutely lives up to its nickname of University of Spoiled Children.

I don't think it will easily shake the stink of the Varsity Blues scandal with Aunt Becky's overprivileged youtuber daughter.

Smart rich and attractive USC families don’t give a darn what malcontent proles think of them. USC is elite and will become a top 20 if not too 15 university in the near future.

USC has the greatest assets of maybe any college in America: Los Angeles, sunny, rich, d1 elite sports, private, elite programs, on the rise, full of attractive smart kids, boisterous Greek life. It’s basically going to become Duke in a 10000x better location or Stanford without the weirdos.

Found the OP of the “southern schools” thread.

They are referring to the University of Southern California not University of South Carolina

That OP is obsessed with the idea that kids only care about going to “warm” schools.