Would you allow your child to go to a college you’ve never heard of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have only vaguely heard of Green Mountain College. Looking it up now, I see its highly specialized in environmental studies. It looks charming and like a really thoughtful place to study, if that makes any sense. And OOS tuition is $35k.

The only thing that would give me pause is the 66% acceptance rate. That is high and I have a mental ceiling of about 45% acceptance rate (UMD)and a preference for the 6-26% acceptance rate college choices. Yes, I base a huge amount of credibility in that statistic and don't adhere to the "there are many excellent colleges" cry- out because I don't believe that at all.

That is nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The three colleges OP mentioned that his/her kid is interested in all focus on Environment and Sustainability. They are pretty well known by those in the know in those fields. I assume OP's kid wants to work in that field.

Which doesn’t contradict that most people have not heard of them. Don’t most kids change their major at least once? In any case, plenty of better known schools offfer environmental studies majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The three colleges OP mentioned that his/her kid is interested in all focus on Environment and Sustainability. They are pretty well known by those in the know in those fields. I assume OP's kid wants to work in that field.

Which doesn’t contradict that most people have not heard of them. Don’t most kids change their major at least once? In any case, plenty of better known schools offfer environmental studies majors.

well. OP hasn't been back to say why her DC chose those three schools; I assume the kid has looked into the many choices out there and had a good reason to choose those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All the schools you mentioned are Christian. Does your kid have a particular desire to attend a Christian SLAC? Not criticizing that choice, but it’s just a possible explanation.

Northland and Green Mounrain aren’t. These are hardcore liberal environmentalist schools.

One is Unitarian and the other is Methodist. They’re on the liberal side of Christianity, but they’re still Christian.

Sorry, UCC not Unitarian.

UCC = Unitarians considering Christ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All the schools you mentioned are Christian. Does your kid have a particular desire to attend a Christian SLAC? Not criticizing that choice, but it’s just a possible explanation.

Northland and Green Mounrain aren’t. These are hardcore liberal environmentalist schools.

One is Unitarian and the other is Methodist. They’re on the liberal side of Christianity, but they’re still Christian.

Sorry, UCC not Unitarian.

UCC = Unitarians considering Christ

No, it is United Church of Christ. Considered one of the Mainline Protestant denominations. Fairly small, as far as numbers go, but very progressive.

[Anonymous]

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The have you heard of it test is pointless OP. We’ve all heard of large state colleges with middling academics but great althletic programs. What percentage of Americans have heard of Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Haverford, Grinnell, Macalaster, Swarthmore, Davidson or Kenyon?

There are a lot of metrics on which to choose a college— size, location, strength in your area of specialty, graduate placement, cost, and very definitely, will my kid thrive there. But have I heard of it is a bad one. Most people have only heard of Ivys/top 25 national universities, big state schools, football/basketball powerhouses, and colleges in their geographic area. That leaves out a lot of excellent colleges.

I have heard of all of these ^^ in bold but never Green Mountain, Northland, or Berry.