Why a Large Flagship/Public?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is attending UVA and not doing well. The only appeal is the in-state tuition.

Not doing well because of the size?

The size, the culture of partying and drinking, the lack of support from the school for transitioning, the meanness of some students and professors. If your kids are socially adept and mature, a large public is fine I guess. But for a socially awkward, geeky kid, it might be a struggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved the anonymity of it. My Ffx co high school had 359 in our grade. I knew everyone. Most for over a decade. I wanted new. I wanted not everyone to know my name or did crazy things without fear everyone would be talking about it.

I loved the crowds and tail gating and fun. The good friends I met were family amongst the larger setting/crowds.

Funny, my kid did not want our state flagship because she knew some kids from her high school were attending it wanted a fresh start.,

[Anonymous]

My kid has published 3 scientific papers as an undergrad, one as first author. I attribute this in part to the fact that she is not doing scut work for a Masters student, doctoral student or post-doc. There is no one between her and the PI, who has written her great recommendations for internships and grad school. ( She is at a tiny LAC).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid ruled out big state schools early. When we toured them, they felt like cities. For example, you could never leave your things on the table in the library or they would get stolen. Parking was difficult and expensive. This was not the case at the small LAC's she favored.

As a parent, I liked the idea of her finishing her growing into adulthood in a relatively closed, safe environment. She will have her twenties to face all of the world's dangers and hardships (no need to encounter that at 18, though of course there is learning in doing so). What is wrong with her sitting on an Adirondack chair reading on a beautiful spring day? Four years at an LAC struck me as a rather idyllic interlude. Her professors stroll by. She knows their dogs.

At the time she was choosing, I supervised a recent U of MD graduate. She said that during finals week she had to go to her parents house to study, since there was no seats on campus/in the library. That stuck with me.

I was happy that my DC preferred and got the LAC opportunity. (Note: we are not wealthy. She chose second tier schools that gave generous merit aid.)


Both environments undoubtedly suit some kids. So we don't have to fight over this.

You sound pompous and your kid sounds childlike. No offense intended. Just advising that you read a post like this through the eyes of potential readers before clicking "submit."

Since we are giving advice to each other, if you don't intend to offend someone, maybe don't call them pompous (which I did not get from the post at all) or demean their child.

"I liked the idea of her finishing her growing into adulthood in a relatively closed, safe environment. She will have her twenties to face all of the world's dangers and hardships (no need to encounter that at 18, though of course there is learning in doing so). What is wrong with her sitting on an Adirondack chair reading on a beautiful spring day? Four years at an LAC struck me as a rather idyllic interlude. Her professors stroll by. She knows their dogs."

If that's not pompous I don't know what is.

DP. No, sorry, it’s not “pompous.” Arguably, it’s precious and reflective of a bubble mentality. But I have no problem with it.

Yea, you're right. Wrong word. How about annoying? Nauseating?

Yeah because sending your kid to a large state school is like putting them on the mean streets. Those football tailgates are murder.

You people are so pathetic. A large state school is closer to a LAC than it is to anything else.

[Anonymous]

<<A large state school is closer to a LAC than it is to anything else.>>

This makes no sense.

Whatsoever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:<<A large state school is closer to a LAC than it is to anything else.>>

This makes no sense.

Whatsoever.

They’re both colleges. Compare that to someone who can’t go. Who has to work, doesn’t graduate high school or has to enlist in the military.

Having a large class size or difficulty meeting a professor doesn’t harden you. You’re privileged just going to college.

Sheesh.

[Anonymous]

There are so many social and academic opportunities at a large university that just don’t exist at a small college because there just aren’t enough people there to support a huge variety or majors and clubs. It may take some effort to
find your people, but they are definitely there somewhere. After college the name recognition and alumni support can be very helpful. You never have to explain where you went to school, everyone recognizes it. There are alumni everywhere that are favoring your resume because they went there too. It’s not for everyone, but there are definitely pluses beyond the price.

[Anonymous]

We really don't need to convince each other.

It is not necessary for someone to "win."

Why can't people just respectfully share THEIR views, without attacking each other?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid ruled out big state schools early. When we toured them, they felt like cities. For example, you could never leave your things on the table in the library or they would get stolen. Parking was difficult and expensive. This was not the case at the small LAC's she favored.

As a parent, I liked the idea of her finishing her growing into adulthood in a relatively closed, safe environment. She will have her twenties to face all of the world's dangers and hardships (no need to encounter that at 18, though of course there is learning in doing so). What is wrong with her sitting on an Adirondack chair reading on a beautiful spring day? Four years at an LAC struck me as a rather idyllic interlude. Her professors stroll by. She knows their dogs.

At the time she was choosing, I supervised a recent U of MD graduate. She said that during finals week she had to go to her parents house to study, since there was no seats on campus/in the library. That stuck with me.

I was happy that my DC preferred and got the LAC opportunity. (Note: we are not wealthy. She chose second tier schools that gave generous merit aid.)


Both environments undoubtedly suit some kids. So we don't have to fight over this.

You sound pompous and your kid sounds childlike. No offense intended. Just advising that you read a post like this through the eyes of potential readers before clicking "submit."

Since we are giving advice to each other, if you don't intend to offend someone, maybe don't call them pompous (which I did not get from the post at all) or demean their child.

"I liked the idea of her finishing her growing into adulthood in a relatively closed, safe environment. She will have her twenties to face all of the world's dangers and hardships (no need to encounter that at 18, though of course there is learning in doing so). What is wrong with her sitting on an Adirondack chair reading on a beautiful spring day? Four years at an LAC struck me as a rather idyllic interlude. Her professors stroll by. She knows their dogs."

If that's not pompous I don't know what is.

I don’t think it is pompous, but it very precious and assumes your child has no ability to cope with the real world. Which is very sad for an 18 year old. It is how we get failure to launch young adults.

Yea, I agree. I mean the stated reasons are ridiculous. It's hard to park and expensive? Well, she'd be living on campus presumably and wouldn't need a car. She can't leave her things on the table or they'd get stolen? Silly.

She said absolutely nothing about the quality of the education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is attending UVA and not doing well. The only appeal is the in-state tuition.

Is that the school's fault, or DD's? As another poster noted, the overwhelming majority of UVA students graduate on time.

[Anonymous]

^^Probably because quality of education is not something you can generalize across ALL large publics or ALL small privates.

You sound both dense and obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid ruled out big state schools early. When we toured them, they felt like cities. For example, you could never leave your things on the table in the library or they would get stolen. Parking was difficult and expensive. This was not the case at the small LAC's she favored.

As a parent, I liked the idea of her finishing her growing into adulthood in a relatively closed, safe environment. She will have her twenties to face all of the world's dangers and hardships (no need to encounter that at 18, though of course there is learning in doing so). What is wrong with her sitting on an Adirondack chair reading on a beautiful spring day? Four years at an LAC struck me as a rather idyllic interlude. Her professors stroll by. She knows their dogs.

At the time she was choosing, I supervised a recent U of MD graduate. She said that during finals week she had to go to her parents house to study, since there was no seats on campus/in the library. That stuck with me.

I was happy that my DC preferred and got the LAC opportunity. (Note: we are not wealthy. She chose second tier schools that gave generous merit aid.)


Both environments undoubtedly suit some kids. So we don't have to fight over this.

You sound pompous and your kid sounds childlike. No offense intended. Just advising that you read a post like this through the eyes of potential readers before clicking "submit."

Since we are giving advice to each other, if you don't intend to offend someone, maybe don't call them pompous (which I did not get from the post at all) or demean their child.

"I liked the idea of her finishing her growing into adulthood in a relatively closed, safe environment. She will have her twenties to face all of the world's dangers and hardships (no need to encounter that at 18, though of course there is learning in doing so). What is wrong with her sitting on an Adirondack chair reading on a beautiful spring day? Four years at an LAC struck me as a rather idyllic interlude. Her professors stroll by. She knows their dogs."

If that's not pompous I don't know what is.

DP. No, sorry, it’s not “pompous.” Arguably, it’s precious and reflective of a bubble mentality. But I have no problem with it.

DP. Agree. To quote the Princess Bride, that word doesn’t mean what pp thinks it means.

I get what the other pp is going for. I believe that there are advantages to transitioning through a more nurturing environment in college. My DC has applied and been accepted to several huge state schools, as well a medium-sized private and some very small schools. I’d be fine if he chooses one of the state schools (he could go to our flagship basically free!), and they definitely have their appeal, but my advice has been to go to a private school for undergrad and go a big state school for graduate school. My DH, who attended his state flagship for undergrad, and is the furthest thing from a helicopter parent, is quite adamant that a smaller school is the best choice.

If he's "quite adamant" about where your son should go to college, he is by definition not "the furthest thing from a helicopter parent."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is attending UVA and not doing well. The only appeal is the in-state tuition.

Not doing well because of the size?

The size, the culture of partying and drinking, the lack of support from the school for transitioning, the meanness of some students and professors. If your kids are socially adept and mature, a large public is fine I guess. But for a socially awkward, geeky kid, it might be a struggle.

Your kid obviously didn't do the research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has published 3 scientific papers as an undergrad, one as first author. I attribute this in part to the fact that she is not doing scut work for a Masters student, doctoral student or post-doc. There is no one between her and the PI, who has written her great recommendations for internships and grad school. ( She is at a tiny LAC).

Association doesn't mean causation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top tier research reputation at a small fraction of the cost. Some students like the sports culture and school spirit as well.

Ignoring the top-middle Ivies and the likes of Stanford/MIT/Caltech/Hopkins, etc., the top research universities are public flagships.

UC's (across the board), U. Michigan, U. Washington, Purdue (for engineering), UNC-CH, etc.

The top students get access to world renowned professors, have small honors-specific classes, get great merit aid given they are competitive for Ivies.

Harvard or Princeton not offering all that?

Can you not read?

Are Harvard and Princeton not top Ivies?