Are there any top schools that you would NOT send your kid to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a super social kid who gets really good grades at a really tough HS. We were *completely* turned off by Chicago and VT at a college fair. Multiple parents have told me that W&M is challenging in a good way academically, but also challenging socially which would not be a good fit for our kid. We will still be looking at both VT and W&M because they are state schools, but Chicago is off the list.

DC is currently at Purdue because VT engineering turned him off. They were still talking’everyone for himself’ and ‘you’re on your own’. Purdue was talking collaboration and support.

That was probably a wise idea for your child then. VT does weed out the engineering students in engineering 101.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am hoping with all my heart that DC gets into Brown

Why? It's gone so wacky liberal that you can't get an education there anymore. It's all about social engineering. Check recent thread on trustafarians there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not Columbia and not NYU. Going on the name alone isn't impressive to me, and I haven't met any alum who had more than a "meh" experience at either university. It was confirmed when we visited. Yes, there's the NYC factor, but that can be a pro and a con.

As an alum, interesting to see several "Cornell" responses on here. PPs are not wrong - it's sink or swim. And there's the beautiful campus and plenty of school spirit, but goodness, Ithaca can be an icy, depressing hell. I'd still consider sending my kid if they wanted to go, though. Met some lifelong friends there.

I had to laugh at "sink or swim"
Did you know that Cornell literally has all freshman take a swim test? If you don't pass, you have to take their swimming class until you do.

Engineering students don't have to take the swim test. I went to harvard when it still had the swim test left over from the Titanic/Widener days, but it's now long gone.

Has that changed recently? They were required to pass 20 years ago.

And presumably the earlier PP is aware of the swim test given that he/she is an alum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not Columbia and not NYU. Going on the name alone isn't impressive to me, and I haven't met any alum who had more than a "meh" experience at either university. It was confirmed when we visited. Yes, there's the NYC factor, but that can be a pro and a con.

As an alum, interesting to see several "Cornell" responses on here. PPs are not wrong - it's sink or swim. And there's the beautiful campus and plenty of school spirit, but goodness, Ithaca can be an icy, depressing hell. I'd still consider sending my kid if they wanted to go, though. Met some lifelong friends there.

I had to laugh at "sink or swim"
Did you know that Cornell literally has all freshman take a swim test? If you don't pass, you have to take their swimming class until you do.

Engineering students don't have to take the swim test. I went to harvard when it still had the swim test left over from the Titanic/Widener days, but it's now long gone.

Has that changed recently? They were required to pass 20 years ago.

And presumably the earlier PP is aware of the swim test given that he/she is an alum.

Contributing to the derailment -- The engineering exception is at Columbia, not Cornell. It's mandatory for everyone at Cornell unless you get a physical disability waiver. I don't think a swim test requirement is a good reason to cross a school off your list though

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not Columbia and not NYU. Going on the name alone isn't impressive to me, and I haven't met any alum who had more than a "meh" experience at either university. It was confirmed when we visited. Yes, there's the NYC factor, but that can be a pro and a con.

As an alum, interesting to see several "Cornell" responses on here. PPs are not wrong - it's sink or swim. And there's the beautiful campus and plenty of school spirit, but goodness, Ithaca can be an icy, depressing hell. I'd still consider sending my kid if they wanted to go, though. Met some lifelong friends there.

I had to laugh at "sink or swim"
Did you know that Cornell literally has all freshman take a swim test? If you don't pass, you have to take their swimming class until you do.

Engineering students don't have to take the swim test. I went to harvard when it still had the swim test left over from the Titanic/Widener days, but it's now long gone.

Has that changed recently? They were required to pass 20 years ago.

And presumably the earlier PP is aware of the swim test given that he/she is an alum.

Contributing to the derailment -- The engineering exception is at Columbia, not Cornell. It's mandatory for everyone at Cornell unless you get a physical disability waiver. I don't think a swim test requirement is a good reason to cross a school off your list though

Continuing the derailment, Columbia has a swim test too. It dates from the Revolutionary War when the College was concerned that the Brits might invade Manhattan and the students would have to swim the East River or Hudson to get away.

[Anonymous]

Smith

[Anonymous]

Have not heard of anyone applying to Smith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid does have a serious medical condition (Crohn's) and goes to college 850 miles away from home. At some point, you have to cut the apron strings. Yes, I was nervous about letting her go so far away, especially given her health issues, but that is MY issue to deal with - my fears shouldn't stop her from taking advantage of amazing opportunities like going to a college that is a perfect fit for her.

YOU are a good parent. Bravo. Some of these people really do not get it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Our kids are athletes and have sustained injuries. It sucks when your swimmer calls sobbing with a burst eardrum, your kid needs surgery on his finger, he breaks his shoulder, someone gets mugged and you can't fet to them immediately. Call me a helicopter but i think we made a mistake not keeping them closer.

LOL - we have one in boarding school - guess what, they learn to deal with this. The other, not in boarding school, was an exchange student and ended up in a European hospital without us. All okay and they know how to live and take care of themselves as a result.

Haha exactly. Those poor "kids"...what are they supposed to do, PP, graduate and move in next door so you can tensto their every need until they're 50? You've failed at the "wings" part of roots and wings, and you've failed as a parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cost is the only factor, otherwise it is entirely up to DCs.

+1

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I will strongly discourage my kids from going to super small insulated schools like Dartmouth, Bowdoin, Colby, etc. I think a more diverse environment and wider ranges of experience is good for growth - going to a tiny, narrow-minded school is not much different than high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid does have a serious medical condition (Crohn's) and goes to college 850 miles away from home. At some point, you have to cut the apron strings. Yes, I was nervous about letting her go so far away, especially given her health issues, but that is MY issue to deal with - my fears shouldn't stop her from taking advantage of amazing opportunities like going to a college that is a perfect fit for her.

YOU are a good parent. Bravo. Some of these people really do not get it

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a super social kid who gets really good grades at a really tough HS. We were *completely* turned off by Chicago and VT at a college fair. Multiple parents have told me that W&M is challenging in a good way academically, but also challenging socially which would not be a good fit for our kid. We will still be looking at both VT and W&M because they are state schools, but Chicago is off the list.

DC is currently at Purdue because VT engineering turned him off. They were still talking’everyone for himself’ and ‘you’re on your own’. Purdue was talking collaboration and support.

That was probably a wise idea for your child then. VT does weed out the engineering students in engineering 101.

Many schools are obsessed with stamping out plagiarism and "improper assistance." This is conundrum for engineering and computer science students. Effective collaboration is everything in the workplace. You would be expelled from school for doing things that are required in the real world.

[Anonymous]

Dartmouth. They don't call it the Animal House of the Ivy League for nothing.

[Anonymous]

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2017/10/for-the-college-on-the-hill

Dartmouth looking at expanding.