Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?

[Anonymous]

Amherst was a disappointment but nearby Northampton was an absolute dream with a very strong literary scene.
Colby had a quaint campus but the community in Waterville felt a bit abysmal.
Bowdoin had the strangest campus layout and architecture but the students were very warm-one even helping us navigate around and inviting us to event with free cookies.
Williams had the most intense vibe from the students, but I adored the mountains and beautiful architecture!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thought UVA wasn't as pretty as I was expecting and Villanova was bland. Both are terrific schools, so no knock on them otherwise.

UVA is only a World UNESCO site. Try harder next time

Not anymore.

I’m a sucker for gothic so I also found UVA underwhelming.

What is your cite showing it’s been removed from UNESCO?

[Anonymous]

Northwestern and Stanford use to have amazing vibes but now they've been taken over by scared intense grinders who just want to compare resumes and steamroll their way into clubs.

Try to find a happy school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northwestern and Stanford use to have amazing vibes but now they've been taken over by scared intense grinders who just want to compare resumes and steamroll their way into clubs.

You surmised all that from a tour?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Northwestern and Stanford use to have amazing vibes but now they've been taken over by scared intense grinders who just want to compare resumes and steamroll their way into clubs.

You surmised all that from a tour?

I'm a Stanford grad and I live 5 mins from campus now. I'm on campus quite a bit. My nephew is at Northwestern now as an undergrad student and his mom (my sister) went there a generation ago.

I'm speaking from experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:North Carolina state was awful in person.

What was awful? Went to 2 admitted student days there (1 with each kid), plus several regular tours. Neither kid ended up there, but I thought it shows well. We’re about 35 mins away & both kids have friends there, all of whom seem happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northwestern and Stanford use to have amazing vibes but now they've been taken over by scared intense grinders who just want to compare resumes and steamroll their way into clubs.

Try to find a happy school.

Both of my child's friends at Northwestern (from different crowds) are really unhappy and thinking of transferring per their comments this weekend. They are bright kids but say they want a more social school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Northwestern and Stanford use to have amazing vibes but now they've been taken over by scared intense grinders who just want to compare resumes and steamroll their way into clubs.

Try to find a happy school.

Both of my child's friends at Northwestern (from different crowds) are really unhappy and thinking of transferring per their comments this weekend. They are bright kids but say they want a more social school.

Maybe they should go Greek?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Northwestern and Stanford use to have amazing vibes but now they've been taken over by scared intense grinders who just want to compare resumes and steamroll their way into clubs.

Try to find a happy school.

Both of my child's friends at Northwestern (from different crowds) are really unhappy and thinking of transferring per their comments this weekend. They are bright kids but say they want a more social school.

Maybe they should go Greek?

Yep, I think they plan on it but NU has rush in winter quarter so it hasn't happened yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thought UVA wasn't as pretty as I was expecting and Villanova was bland. Both are terrific schools, so no knock on them otherwise.

UVA is only a World UNESCO site. Try harder next time

Not anymore.

I’m a sucker for gothic so I also found UVA underwhelming.

Yes, the most important factor in college choice - The VIBE. The architectural style of the school buildings as a factor in school choice - you do deserve the stress of college admissions. Wishing you more.

You seem confused. This thread is about campus tours/architecture/vibe. Not academics or other factors.

This thread is about what impression people got from tours, which definitely includes academics.

Sounds like you needed to do more research ahead of time if you didn’t know about the academics until the tour.

For example, the school where my kid applied ED is known for their project based learning. We of course knew that before touring, but my kid was even more excited about it when hearing specifics from the tour guide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thought UVA wasn't as pretty as I was expecting and Villanova was bland. Both are terrific schools, so no knock on them otherwise.

UVA is only a World UNESCO site. Try harder next time

Not anymore.

I’m a sucker for gothic so I also found UVA underwhelming.

What is your cite showing it’s been removed from UNESCO?

UVA has not lost its UNESCO designation. PP must have mistaken a humor column in The Cavelier Daily as fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very underwhelmed by Villanova. It just looked like a newly developed living community that used to be all parking lots. And on a highway

They also acquired Cabrini and sophomores will have to use shuttles between the campuses.

I thought the main Villanova campus was pretty but a bit too “churchy” looking.

I expected a cute walkable downtown, but instead just one mini strip mall with Starbucks. You can’t have a car the first two years and there really is not much that is walkable.

Was expecting more based on how some Alumni praise it.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely loved Clemson. Curious to see Auburn now as have heard it’s similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alabama. Amazing and completely unexpected. Our school search ended there.

Because who wouldn't be thoroughly impressed by a school with an 80% acceptance rate?

Anyone who's not a prestige whore? I do feel DCUM needs to get out of their rat race bubble sometimes and realize that their worth as a human is not tied to their alma mater and HHI. Many, many people are totally fine with their kid attending a school with acceptance rates over 10% if it's the right program and fit. I can't imagine telling my kid they can't go to a school they really loved because it's going to embarrass me to tell my friends and colleagues where they're going. Unless you're doing finance, Big Law, or McKinsey consulting, where they are also academic snobs, it really does not matter that much.

Agree. We were super impressed by Alabama as well. Roll tide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alabama. Amazing and completely unexpected. Our school search ended there.

Because who wouldn't be thoroughly impressed by a school with an 80% acceptance rate?

Anyone who's not a prestige whore? I do feel DCUM needs to get out of their rat race bubble sometimes and realize that their worth as a human is not tied to their alma mater and HHI. Many, many people are totally fine with their kid attending a school with acceptance rates over 10% if it's the right program and fit. I can't imagine telling my kid they can't go to a school they really loved because it's going to embarrass me to tell my friends and colleagues where they're going. Unless you're doing finance, Big Law, or McKinsey consulting, where they are also academic snobs, it really does not matter that much.

There are many schools that DC area students attend that are not Alabama & not considered prestigious. Most students attend schools relatively close to home.

JMU, UMBC, GMU, Towson, community college to state university.

This forum definitely skews towards fancier schools!