Why a Large Flagship/Public?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

I think you meant to say top/middle ivys rather than top-middle. That is why pp got confused. By the way Cornell is a lower ivy but known for their STEM and Engineering programs. I bet their research is top notch. I did not go to Cornell but I work in a STEM field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.,

Yea, our son chose another state school for that reason - and loves it!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yeah it’s a helicopter parent thing…

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]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yeah it’s a helicopter parent thing…

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.

It’s a helicopter parent hang up…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

But facts are facts, and her college has NO graduate students or post-docs...so, the professors can only employ undergrads to work in their labs.

Your pithy comment is totally irrelevant, but maybe you heard a scientist say it once? (I am an actual scientist, and know when that statement applies.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see any appeal or advantage to attending a large public university as an undergrad. The competition is fierce in the intro courses, you don't get direct interaction with professors, you could easily disappear for a few days or a week and nobody would notice, you could flunk out and nobody would care, etc....

Other than fun football games in the fall semester, what's the appeal?

You have very narrow perspective. Not worth my time correcting you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.,

Yea, our son chose another state school for that reason - and loves it!!

Yea, and it's a really immature reason for not going to a flagship. My kids went to UVA and had nothing to do with anyone from their high school. Easily done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure they’re cheaper but the idea of a school where 75% of students come from a single state seems entirely unappealing.

+1
College is about discovering new areas of interest, geographic cultures and people. Not living a 13th year of high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

But facts are facts, and her college has NO graduate students or post-docs...so, the professors can only employ undergrads to work in their labs.

Your pithy comment is totally irrelevant, but maybe you heard a scientist say it once? (I am an actual scientist, and know when that statement applies.)

If you're an actual scientist then you're a terrible one. So her school has no grad students or post-docs. That's just great. But it doesn't mean that schools that do are devoid of research opportunities for students who want them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure they’re cheaper but the idea of a school where 75% of students come from a single state seems entirely unappealing.

+1
College is about discovering new areas of interest, geographic cultures and people. Not living a 13th year of high school.

In your view, that is. For most people it's primary purpose is getting an education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

I think you meant to say top/middle ivys rather than top-middle. That is why pp got confused. By the way Cornell is a lower ivy but known for their STEM and Engineering programs. I bet their research is top notch. I did not go to Cornell but I work in a STEM field.

Yes, I meant all Ivies excluding Brown and Dartmouth, which are much closer to SLACs in atmosphere and research output.

[Anonymous]

Have taught at public and independent schools and have attended private college and a state flagship. Never went to a football game at either, and campus life still provided more options than I could ever take advantage of.

The biggest difference in both settings is the physical space and the resources available. The physical spaces in the private schools (elementary through college) are often spaces you feel good being in. Public schools have fewer of these. In a private college with resources, they bring in accomplished guest faculty who lead small seminars. This can be thrilling. Flagships bring in stellar performers to their large concert halls. You get the exposure but less personal interaction.
The weed-out classes in science and engineering are tough in the large universities, but the profs are (usually) responsive. And yeah, you learn their dog’s names there too, if that matters to you.

PPs had lots of good points I won’t repeat them.
One thing you can find in the large flagships are a cross current of viewpoints. Independent thinkers are invigorating, and the students who haven’t been carefully prepped and cultivated for a certain destiny, bring a delightful freshness to discussions. Rich doesn’t equal interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blessed to have W&M in VA which, despite its larger than slac size, feels like a slac.

Doesn't answer OP's question though.

Must be a W&M grad

No, I’m a prospective parent.

[Anonymous]

What weird posts these are—so defensive and angry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t really understand a school the size of a HS. I don’t understand wanting to be buddy buddy with professors. I want somebody who learned the material without hand holding and get out and got a job. I don’t need to hire somebody who needed to be handled and coddled and “known”.

Many want to fly under the radar and just get an education.

If you hire a flag state student they are self starters, don’t need to bring their dog to work for support and work hard.

No offense but you don’t seem terribly bright.

Your comment is not terribly bright.