rising 6th grader asking to visit colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the harm?

It can hurt her socially. When she’s talking in the carpool in 6th grade repeatedly about her visit to UVA, Harvard or whatever college and the other kids are rolling their eyes. This happened more than once with DD’s group of kids she knew.

There is no reason to do this before 6th grade.

Talking repeatedly about something is another issue. Well-adjusted kids know to mention it once if asked about their summer, then to drop it. And your DD should not be rolling her eyes at kids who don't have a good handle on social interactions - what a horrible little child.

What a horrible adult, bullying children you've never met.

[Anonymous]

We took a family vacation to Colorado Springs a couple of summer ago and had a blast. We were there over the 4th and stayed at the Broadmoor, which does a really nice celebration and had wonderful activities (the falconry was particularly cool). Cheyene Mountain Zoo was awesome, and we went to nearby caves and their adventure park. There was more we could have done if we had longer. Also an easy drive up to Denver. So if you decide to make a trip of it you'll enjoy it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't worry about "feeding into an obsession" or any other over-the-top nonsense. I think it sounds like a great trip!

Thanks. I'm worried people will judge us now.

Why do you care what anyone thinks?

I don't have any friends and would like to make them, so it's crucial I not act weird or off.

My earlier posts got deleted but I think it’s odd to plan a trip that involves a flight specifically because your kid has an an interest in the Air Force academy. There are so many things around here where you can explore her interest in civil air patrol. If you were already going to Colorado and were in the area, sure. But she’s too young to plan a trip because she’s interested in this. It’s no different than when DCUM tells parents to stop talking up UVA to their elementary kids because then they end up with 17 yo who think it’s there or nothing. You have no idea if she will even have a shot in getting in.

Why don’t you get her involved in Young Eagles instead? https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/free-ye-flights

Why plan a summer vacation specifically to avoid it? That's odd, sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't worry about "feeding into an obsession" or any other over-the-top nonsense. I think it sounds like a great trip!

Thanks. I'm worried people will judge us now.

Why do you care what anyone thinks?

I don't have any friends and would like to make them, so it's crucial I not act weird or off.

My earlier posts got deleted but I think it’s odd to plan a trip that involves a flight specifically because your kid has an an interest in the Air Force academy. There are so many things around here where you can explore her interest in civil air patrol. If you were already going to Colorado and were in the area, sure. But she’s too young to plan a trip because she’s interested in this. It’s no different than when DCUM tells parents to stop talking up UVA to their elementary kids because then they end up with 17 yo who think it’s there or nothing. You have no idea if she will even have a shot in getting in.

Why don’t you get her involved in Young Eagles instead? https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/free-ye-flights

I agree with this. It is weird to plan a trip to Colorado to take her to the air force academy. It would be different if you were on a long road trip and passing through. She is going to know you are specifically going to Colorado to take her there. Just do a tour of the Naval Academy since it is close and convenient. It is amazing to see, interesting history, and I would much prefer to have a kid there than the Air Force academy anyway. But all the service academies have some similarities and she will likely enjoy it, even it wasn’t her top pick.

People fly on vacation, you know. And your opinion of which academies matter is irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the harm?

It can hurt her socially. When she’s talking in the carpool in 6th grade repeatedly about her visit to UVA, Harvard or whatever college and the other kids are rolling their eyes. This happened more than once with DD’s group of kids she knew.

There is no reason to do this before 6th grade.

Talking repeatedly about something is another issue. Well-adjusted kids know to mention it once if asked about their summer, then to drop it. And your DD should not be rolling her eyes at kids who don't have a good handle on social interactions - what a horrible little child.

What a horrible adult, bullying children you've never met.

Teens who roll their eyes at uncool kids ARE horrible little children, though. That's not bullying, it's a fact.

[Anonymous]

I visited my parent's college, Cornell when I was 14 we also did NYC on the same trip. I had a great time!

I ended up getting in but decided to go to a different school that I didn't visit.

[Anonymous]

What school?

We visited UPenn during Covid because we went to PA for vacation since we weren’t flying anywhere. My kids were probably ages 10 and 12. We only walked around campus because this was back when we weren’t going inside museums or anywhere crowded. Both boys must have gotten a great impression because now they are teens and both have UPenn as their #1 pick for college.

During this same time frame, we also visited Charlottesville and visited UVA. Both did not like UVA.

I don’t think it is necessarily too young. If it is easy to do a vacation to that state, why not visit? I would not take a tour but it is easy enough to walk around campus.

[Anonymous]

Pp here. Just wanted to clarify that we went to PA for vacation and decided to walk around UPenn’s campus. We were probably there for less than half an hour.

[Anonymous]

uh... tell her no? and not to mope?

Offer to look at some local schools and go back when it is closer to the time-frame of applying. Remind her, it makes no sense to look now when she will hardly remember the school in 6 years when she is picking.