Intense, work-heavy colleges vs fun schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think any top20 school is fun if you're in STEM or the science and want to do well.

I have a UVA kid who is trying to keep close to a 4.0 in a challenging STEM major and they work really hard, study a lot and don't play around very much at all. Their STEM friends at Michigan are also working extremely hard. Their Cornell friends are working very hard too.

If you want a more relaxed college experience at these type schools you need to study an easier major or decide that you're not going to attempt to get straight As.

Mine is a double Stem major at Columbia and is very engaged and having fun. The issue is the curve, first semester he was freaked out as he assumed everyone was "cracked" and he had no idea how he'd do. He has great study habits and solid foundation from his private high school. Turned out he does very well on the curve but it takes organization and work throughout the full semester. Not really possible to cram. I definitely think it is possible to have balance and fun in these programs but it takes some study habits that it seems not all high schools instill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS picked Vandy over Chicago for this reason.

Your DS got into both Chicago and Vandy in RD???

ED to Vandy, got in, and delayed withdrawing his app to Chicago because he was curious to see what they’d eventually say (yes) (declined).

Same for the UCs. Because he was curious (UCLA = no)

That’s unethical not to withdraw right away just for ego gratification. Bullshit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do think college should be fun and a place where kid is not totally stressed all the time. However, it is totally kid dependent. My older kid just graduated from Cornell. He worked so hard there but just loved it. He had an active social life of dinner parties and meeting different friend groups for meals, running club, outdoor activities, and inter-murals and did go to some hockey games. He did not want a big Greek ra ra school. Hates football and frat culture (yes, there is a Greek system at Cornell too). He flourished and enjoyed interacting with accomplished peers.

My kid is a STEM freshman at Cornell, and this describes it well. Actually had been struggling to decide between Rice and Cornell (which, surprising to us but according to a Rice student we spoke with, actually wasn't an uncommon situation). For better or for worse, went with Cornell. Having a great time, but probably would've had a great time at Rice as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD has had impressive college admissions but admitted that high school has been a grind, not a lot of fun, but very high achieving. She is thinking of going somewhere more fun for college instead of continuing the drudgery (her words). Anyone else's kids feel this way? She will be successful wherever she goes, I am confident, but I want her to be happy too.

Avoid all T15/ivy, maybe most a step below depending on her natural ability. They are for the ones who thrive in competitive environments. Many love it, including ours, but it is not for everyone. These kids do not consider learning to be drudgery. Pick a school where her natural intellect puts her well above the 75th%ile pre-Test-optional score ranges: she will feel smarter and be smarter than the vast majority and should not have to work for As. As long as she does not want to go to a top job or competitive grad/professional school, it does not matter much in the T100 where she goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s the danger of pushing kids too hard in high school or sending them to crazy intense high schools. It’s easy to burn out

The top ones do not burn out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has more to do with majors.

Op here. Electrical engineering.

Electrical engineering will be a heavy workload at almost every school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:- then avoid Johns Hopkins university at all costs.

people gatekeeping on here when hopkins had high grade inflation is funny. nice try

+1

The secret sauce is to pick an elite like JHU: they all have more inflation than UVA or William and Mary, and some have excessive inflation. STEM major grading is all about the curve and the median. The median is assigned to a B+ at almost every elite school, for most Freshman/intro STEM classes(A- for most humanities). Then the median becomes an A- for most of the upper level STEM courses. Cs are given to fewer than 15% usually, even for intro courses. True it is harder to be above average at Hopkins than it is at UVA, given the peer group, but if you work toward that goal the GPA will be fairly easy to clear 3.7 overall/3.5 STEM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD has had impressive college admissions but admitted that high school has been a grind, not a lot of fun, but very high achieving. She is thinking of going somewhere more fun for college instead of continuing the drudgery (her words). Anyone else's kids feel this way? She will be successful wherever she goes, I am confident, but I want her to be happy too.

I'd recommend the following:
Rice
Rice, and
Rice

My kid waiting on Rice decision-would you pick that over UVA? (VA resident)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD has had impressive college admissions but admitted that high school has been a grind, not a lot of fun, but very high achieving. She is thinking of going somewhere more fun for college instead of continuing the drudgery (her words). Anyone else's kids feel this way? She will be successful wherever she goes, I am confident, but I want her to be happy too.

I'd recommend the following:
Rice
Rice, and
Rice

Texas is a turn off for many students in 2026.

But not most! So again, look at Rice.

"Most" students are not applying to schools in Texas.

That wasn’t the filter! Try it this way:

PP: Texas is a turn off for many students in 2026.

Me: Texas is appealing for many students in 2026.

Consider Rice, which absolutely meets OP’s criteria

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS picked Vandy over Chicago for this reason.

Your DS got into both Chicago and Vandy in RD???

ED to Vandy, got in, and delayed withdrawing his app to Chicago because he was curious to see what they’d eventually say (yes) (declined).

Same for the UCs. Because he was curious (UCLA = no)

That’s unethical not to withdraw right away just for ego gratification. Bullshit.

Nobody got hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS picked Vandy over Chicago for this reason.

Your DS got into both Chicago and Vandy in RD???

ED to Vandy, got in, and delayed withdrawing his app to Chicago because he was curious to see what they’d eventually say (yes) (declined).

Same for the UCs. Because he was curious (UCLA = no)

That’s unethical not to withdraw right away just for ego gratification. Bullshit.

Nobody got hurt.

Yea I would not worry about it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Engineering will be hard at the fun schools too

Not so true. DC is graduating from UMich Engineering in 3 years.

Had a lot of credits entering UMich. Goes to all the football games and some basketball/hockey games. Has active social life, much moreso than in HS. Not overly stressed, and made deans list every semester so far. It’s been a great balance

[Anonymous]

^ UMich poster above. DC is in Electrical Engineering

[Anonymous]

In the 1990s VT engineering classes started with people sitting on the floors and the prof said “don’t worry about it— pretty soon there will be plenty of seats.” Definitely there was some weeding out of weaker students in the big freshman classes. Some students find that very intimidating, even if they have the ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD has had impressive college admissions but admitted that high school has been a grind, not a lot of fun, but very high achieving. She is thinking of going somewhere more fun for college instead of continuing the drudgery (her words). Anyone else's kids feel this way? She will be successful wherever she goes, I am confident, but I want her to be happy too.

I'd recommend the following:
Rice
Rice, and
Rice

Texas is a turn off for many students in 2026.

But not most! So again, look at Rice.

"Most" students are not applying to schools in Texas.

That wasn’t the filter! Try it this way:

PP: Texas is a turn off for many students in 2026.

Me: Texas is appealing for many students in 2026.

Consider Rice, which absolutely meets OP’s criteria

Except it’s in Texas, which is a turn off to many students in the current environment.