So, apparently I have raised a "geography snob".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait until he finds out that southern Ohio and northern Kentucky are identical

Add Indiana, West Virginia and southern Illinois.

[Anonymous]

A college freshman will lack the maturity to eventually like the places he already thinks he hates. My freshman roommate had a dis against our college from the start and ended up leaving after a semester.

And more important than the regional culture is the campus culture. Those two cultures go hand in hand but don't have to be the same. Maybe one of those has a high rate of our if state students, and therefore he may not feel like the only cultural outsider--more people will feel that way and create a more unique campus.

[Anonymous]

Correction: Out of state

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I question whether first-hand exposure, especially of the college tour variety, would make him more willing to consider various locales. I've certainly found that, on closer (but still relatively superficial) inspection, places I was open-minded about looked less attractive to me after I'd actually seen them.

But that's different, right? You were revising an opinion based on actual first-hand information but he is forming one based on stereotypes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I question whether first-hand exposure, especially of the college tour variety, would make him more willing to consider various locales. I've certainly found that, on closer (but still relatively superficial) inspection, places I was open-minded about looked less attractive to me after I'd actually seen them.

But that's different, right? You were revising an opinion based on actual first-hand information but he is forming one based on stereotypes.

Just saying it could be a very expensive way of reinforcing his stereotypes. E.g. Visit Iowa in the summer, see corn. Now it's an experience not a prejudice.

[Anonymous]

Back when I was applying, I haughtily declared I would not attend any college with a state as part of the name. So stupid.

My son has not liked the more rural places we've visited, even when they're big campuses with vibrant university communities. So I'd say it's a mixture of snobbery and fear of the unknown. He's most comfortable in the city and suburban campuses because that's what he knows best here in NoVA.

There's a school in Iowa I would have loved for him to visit but I found trying to fly into Iowa for an inexpensive weekend is impossible. Makes me more inclined to have him consider schools in airline hub cities!

[Anonymous]

I'm getting a little worried about his chosen major. Don't tell us if you don't want to but if it is only offered 20 places in the country and it is not on the tuition exchange, this raises red flags.

For an example, I knew someone who got an undergraduate degree in Turf Management, she played D1 Golf. Boy, could she read a green. With this degree, her options were really limited. She couldn't work in true farming agriculture. Golf courses didn't really need a degree because their turf management jobs involved about half of your time sitting on a lawn mower. She tried to get a job at companies that grow sod but the smaller companies didn't need the degree and there are only so many larger companies growing sod. She ended up getting a Phd in Chemistry but her dissertation dealt with the chemistry of growing turf. This got a few interviews with some of the larger companies but eventually she ended up as a research professor stretching her, ok salary, to cover the holes between grants.

The point of the story is that most fields are better approached from a less specific degree that is offered all over. It is much better to get an undergraduate degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with internships doing turf management than a full degree in Turf Management. The broader degree allows the graduate to pivot away from their narrow ideas of how the world works that they have in HS.

[Anonymous]

I'm getting a little worried about his chosen major. Don't tell us if you don't want to but if it is only offered 20 places in the country and it is not on the tuition exchange, this raises red flags.

I have to admit I'm a little curious about the major, too.

My DD was interested in a couple of majors that are primarily offered at land grant schools (but not all of them), so she was somewhat limited, but the list of possibilities was probably over 30. Her GPA was a little low for the one in-state school that offered what she was looking for so she's leaving the state.

If your kid has specific places that he would like to live, then crossing off states that aren't on their radar for whatever reason is probably fine unless they are missing out on the perfect program or free tuition by doing so. DD was not interested in going to states where confederate flags are flying or where homophobes are running the government and I saw no reason to argue with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, MD participates in the Southern Regional Education Exchange. If your kid's intended major is not available in your state but is offered in member state schools, he can get in state tuition.

For some reason, there is no option for his particular degree in the tuition exchange. I can't figure out why as two schools on our list that have his major participate on the tuition exchange for closely related majors, but not for his. I feel as though, perhaps, there's some school in MD that I'm not thinking of that has his major that I'm not finding, but I've checked every 4 year school I can find listed. It's a mystery.

It's worth a call to SREB to find out what the deal is.
It might also be worthwhile to consider closely related majors if they are available in your state and in SREB member schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm getting a little worried about his chosen major. Don't tell us if you don't want to but if it is only offered 20 places in the country and it is not on the tuition exchange, this raises red flags.

For an example, I knew someone who got an undergraduate degree in Turf Management, she played D1 Golf. Boy, could she read a green. With this degree, her options were really limited. She couldn't work in true farming agriculture. Golf courses didn't really need a degree because their turf management jobs involved about half of your time sitting on a lawn mower. She tried to get a job at companies that grow sod but the smaller companies didn't need the degree and there are only so many larger companies growing sod. She ended up getting a Phd in Chemistry but her dissertation dealt with the chemistry of growing turf. This got a few interviews with some of the larger companies but eventually she ended up as a research professor stretching her, ok salary, to cover the holes between grants.

The point of the story is that most fields are better approached from a less specific degree that is offered all over. It is much better to get an undergraduate degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with internships doing turf management than a full degree in Turf Management. The broader degree allows the graduate to pivot away from their narrow ideas of how the world works that they have in HS.

This poster is very wise OP. My niece did the same thing with another specialized major; she was fortunately able to marry and SAHM. Otherwise, it was back to square one. Encourage your kid to pick a related, more commonly offered major so they can go to a college that is a better fit. Win win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm getting a little worried about his chosen major. Don't tell us if you don't want to but if it is only offered 20 places in the country and it is not on the tuition exchange, this raises red flags.

For an example, I knew someone who got an undergraduate degree in Turf Management, she played D1 Golf. Boy, could she read a green. With this degree, her options were really limited. She couldn't work in true farming agriculture. Golf courses didn't really need a degree because their turf management jobs involved about half of your time sitting on a lawn mower. She tried to get a job at companies that grow sod but the smaller companies didn't need the degree and there are only so many larger companies growing sod. She ended up getting a Phd in Chemistry but her dissertation dealt with the chemistry of growing turf. This got a few interviews with some of the larger companies but eventually she ended up as a research professor stretching her, ok salary, to cover the holes between grants.

The point of the story is that most fields are better approached from a less specific degree that is offered all over. It is much better to get an undergraduate degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with internships doing turf management than a full degree in Turf Management. The broader degree allows the graduate to pivot away from their narrow ideas of how the world works that they have in HS.

This poster is very wise OP. My niece did the same thing with another specialized major; she was fortunately able to marry and SAHM. Otherwise, it was back to square one. Encourage your kid to pick a related, more commonly offered major so they can go to a college that is a better fit. Win win.

Thanks for the feedback. We have done a great deal of thinking, researching, and talking to people in the field and are confident that he is making a good choice.

I think calling the SREB is a good idea. I am a puzzled why this major is excluded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm getting a little worried about his chosen major. Don't tell us if you don't want to but if it is only offered 20 places in the country and it is not on the tuition exchange, this raises red flags.

For an example, I knew someone who got an undergraduate degree in Turf Management, she played D1 Golf. Boy, could she read a green. With this degree, her options were really limited. She couldn't work in true farming agriculture. Golf courses didn't really need a degree because their turf management jobs involved about half of your time sitting on a lawn mower. She tried to get a job at companies that grow sod but the smaller companies didn't need the degree and there are only so many larger companies growing sod. She ended up getting a Phd in Chemistry but her dissertation dealt with the chemistry of growing turf. This got a few interviews with some of the larger companies but eventually she ended up as a research professor stretching her, ok salary, to cover the holes between grants.

The point of the story is that most fields are better approached from a less specific degree that is offered all over. It is much better to get an undergraduate degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with internships doing turf management than a full degree in Turf Management. The broader degree allows the graduate to pivot away from their narrow ideas of how the world works that they have in HS.

This poster is very wise OP. My niece did the same thing with another specialized major; she was fortunately able to marry and SAHM. Otherwise, it was back to square one. Encourage your kid to pick a related, more commonly offered major so they can go to a college that is a better fit. Win win.

Wait, she ended up a research professor (tenured?) in her field? Sure she doesn't earn as much as I do, but shit, she got to do her thing, and she gets to do it every day.

Also, so if you major in turf, but take enough classes in other areas to be a general well-rounded sciencey person, that has to be better than a BA in communications....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a topic in collegeconfidential called something like "stupidest reasons my child won't look at a college". It's a bit like the 'why my toddler is crying' site, in that students have been known to veto schools because:
-I don't look good in those school colors.
-The dorms smelled funny. (OK, that was my neighbor's kid).
-If I go to Purdue, everyone will ask me if I like chicken . -Harvey Mudd is a stupid name for a school.

etc.
The whole process is not as rational as you might think and add an irrational teenager into the mix and you never know what you will get.

I can see saying things like that as a teenager!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a topic in collegeconfidential called something like "stupidest reasons my child won't look at a college". It's a bit like the 'why my toddler is crying' site, in that students have been known to veto schools because:
-I don't look good in those school colors.
-The dorms smelled funny. (OK, that was my neighbor's kid).
-If I go to Purdue, everyone will ask me if I like chicken . -Harvey Mudd is a stupid name for a school.

etc.
The whole process is not as rational as you might think and add an irrational teenager into the mix and you never know what you will get.

I can see saying things like that as a teenager!

OP here, I do realize that this post is not really any different from the "My 4 month old wakes me up in the night" posts, or the "My 3 year old is full of sass" posts. Some of this is developmental. Doesn't mean it's not worth discussing.

[Anonymous]

I realize your kid isn't thinking as an adult so you need to help him see different schools. You're looking at Cincy, so bring him to the city and in a few days he can see Univ of Cinci, Xavier, NKU, Miami, Dayton and possibly even Oberlein and Kenyon if you're willing to drive. Each school has a different feel and vibe. UC and NKU have a lot of commuter students, the others not so much. UC is urban, NKU is more suburban, neighborhoods are very different.