Why are Northern Kids Flocking to Southern Universities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Country seems a lot smaller with smart phones and social media. And when you’re a rich teen you can go anywhere you want. Why would you go to a cold weather college? Let alone cold in the miserable rust belt. The average outgoing teen is going to beeline for the sun belt. If they’re high stats smart, Duke or Vandy, maybe USC. If they’re dime a dozen “smart” one of the fun SEC schools or Clemson.

No. Lots of outgoing teens are also going to Big 10 schools. I get it that you're enamored by warm weather, but plenty of teens don't really mind cold winters and know that they can have as much fun at Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, etc. than in the SEC.

Warm weather makes for better parties. Hard to have a pool party when it’s snowing.

+1. Agree. Most (all?) of the kids I know who attend Florida colleges did so as a last minute decision, and are definitely partiers. A couple have switched to more serious schools not in the south, because the partying (including emphasis on Greek life and sports) was just too much. It depends on the kid.

Where do they switch to? Ohio UMD Wisconsin Indiana are huge party schools. Maybe it was a social issue

Yes, which Florida schools? It’s not like you can just walk into UF or Embry-Riddle. Those BigTen schools aren’t so easy to get into anymore, either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are touring schools in the northeast and southeast. Southern schools are prettier, less expensive, and because of athletics driving funding, surprisingly resource rich. It’s hard to justify the cost of some of the northeast schools when we are getting better resources at state schools. And in honor programs our kid will be in small class sizes and have amazing opportunities. She likes the idea of prestigious schools, but for the value and opportunity, she may end up down south. If you haven’t toured somewhere like alabama, auburn, Georgia or ole miss, you might be surprised. And you also might be surprised at the acceptance rate and requirements at somewhere like Georgia or Georgia tech.

Going to a southern university can be a very good choice for some students. But being in an honors program does not mean all your classes will be small, and what's so "amazing" about the opportunities compared to strong schools in the northeast? Plus, you can't generalize about southern universities being more "resource rich" than northeastern schools, especially since some of the latter have huge endowments and more spending per pupil.

Please share your experience with public honors colleges in the southern US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are touring schools in the northeast and southeast. Southern schools are prettier, less expensive, and because of athletics driving funding, surprisingly resource rich. It’s hard to justify the cost of some of the northeast schools when we are getting better resources at state schools. And in honor programs our kid will be in small class sizes and have amazing opportunities. She likes the idea of prestigious schools, but for the value and opportunity, she may end up down south. If you haven’t toured somewhere like alabama, auburn, Georgia or ole miss, you might be surprised. And you also might be surprised at the acceptance rate and requirements at somewhere like Georgia or Georgia tech.

Going to a southern university can be a very good choice for some students. But being in an honors program does not mean all your classes will be small, and what's so "amazing" about the opportunities compared to strong schools in the northeast? Plus, you can't generalize about southern universities being more "resource rich" than northeastern schools, especially since some of the latter have huge endowments and more spending per pupil.

Please share your experience with public honors colleges in the southern US.

At the Honors College at University of Central Florida - I heard that they offer early registration, special advisors, Honors dorms that are apartment style, cool classes only for Honors kids in(like wine tasting), special networking events, lots of free food in the Honors building and in general the program is run by a couple deans that truly care about the students .

[Anonymous]

Hilarious to see someone mention UF and ER in the same sentence.

[Anonymous]

I'm working on a story about this very topic. Are there any parents out there who want to talk about why they're pushing (or hoping) for their kids to go to a Southern college over a Northern one, for a story I'm writing for the Free Press? Email me at eric at thefp dot com.

[Anonymous]

They’re not

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm working on a story about this very topic. Are there any parents out there who want to talk about why they're pushing (or hoping) for their kids to go to a Southern college over a Northern one, for a story I'm writing for the Free Press? Email me at eric at thefp dot com.

I hope you’ll come back and post a link to the article. It sounds like a great read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hilarious to see someone mention UF and ER in the same sentence.

? ooh, do tell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They’re not

Where is the actual data on this--applications are up at all sorts of schools--and state schools are popular everywhere due to costs. At elite schools, it is getting harder and harder to get in, so people are 'flocking' to the schools they can get into.

[Anonymous]

Lots of girls at Southern schools have a big presence on social media. These posts revolving around football, sorority life and parties attract a lot of attention from OOS kids.

[Anonymous]

To add to that, Big 10 schools try to mimic the Southern sorority rush culture, but it’s not the same. Kids who want that scene go South.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see kids in our Jewish community definitely thinking twice about elite liberal arts schools run amok in antisemitism, and looking at alternatives including in the south, Tulane, Emory, Vanderbilt etc.

What are you talking about? There is not rampant antisemitism at elite schools. More criticism of Israel perhaps, which is a function of their intellect and them being more politically involved. I do not see evidence of increased hate crimes or animus towards Jewish people at these schools. In fact, I would say there is more tolerance for Jewish people at these schools. I know for certain that the Southern schools are not more tolerant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of girls at Southern schools have a big presence on social media. These posts revolving around football, sorority life and parties attract a lot of attention from OOS kids.

Yes the contrast to the stuff on ivy campus life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of girls at Southern schools have a big presence on social media. These posts revolving around football, sorority life and parties attract a lot of attention from OOS kids.

Yes the contrast to the stuff on ivy campus life

Show me any yield statistics that show that kids that get into Ivies are going out of state to a southern school. Nothing wrong with these big Southern Us if that's your thing, but the kids who are competitive for Ivies are not flocking there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see kids in our Jewish community definitely thinking twice about elite liberal arts schools run amok in antisemitism, and looking at alternatives including in the south, Tulane, Emory, Vanderbilt etc.

What are you talking about? There is not rampant antisemitism at elite schools. More criticism of Israel perhaps, which is a function of their intellect and them being more politically involved. I do not see evidence of increased hate crimes or animus towards Jewish people at these schools. In fact, I would say there is more tolerance for Jewish people at these schools. I know for certain that the Southern schools are not more tolerant.

You're kidding right? Have you seen the incidents at Michigan and Wisconsin and Penn Harvard etc?