Reply to “Colleges That Change Lives”

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We actually read the whole book (didn't just scan the website for the names of the schools) last year when our son was going thru the college process.  He - and we - wanted a smaller school that would really get to know him and where he wouldn't be lost in a sea of faces.  Some of these schools really did fit that bill.  They are not all intended to be for the same student profile.  Some are "changing lives" because htey are geared toward first-generation college students (not us).  Some are geared to students with learning challenges (not us) or to kids who are looking for a specific type of educational experience (great books, etc) (again, not us).  But some are aimed at families looking for a small student-centered atmosphere, and that is the point of the book... no family is alike in their needs and what they are looking for.  All of these colleges can change lives of the kid who is looking for that experience.

That said, we traveled to and interviewed at McDaniel, Emory & Henry. Denison and Eckerd, and LOVED Denison and Eckerd.  Absolutely nothing about McDaniel appealed to us, though it has a very large first-gen population, and so that's a big thing for them. Emory and Henry is a dry (or "slowly becoming "damp"") campus and has no town to speak of... situated right off of 81, it seemed like you'd have to travel far in a car to find fun stuff to do.  Crossed that one off as well.   DS got into Eckerd but ultimately decided it was a bit too small.  GORGEOUS location on the beach outside of St. Pete, and the culture and traditions are some of the best we've seen.

Read the book, and go look at some schools.  [/quote]

Right.  So they're NOT similar schools at all, except for their size.  Why group them together then?

And "we" interviewed?  I didn't know schools interviewed parents.[/quote]

NP, and we “interviewed” at Wooster and St. Olaf, which I was not prepared for.  The talked to my kid for about 30 minutes, and then brought parents back for the another 15 minutes or so at the end of the interview.  Asked if we had any questions about the school, the programs or the application process. Did a little bit of a sales pitch about why my kid should apply and why it was a good fit for him.  Specifically talked to us about the type of merit award we could expect. Both advised us on a couple ways to apply for and stack merit scholarship that would put my kid above the merit number they generally advertise as a cap.

So yes, some school do talk to parents. Or interview parents.  Or sell themselves to parents. Or whatever this was. And, it’s smart to sell themselves to parents as well as kids.  I care about things like Grad school placement that my kid is not focused on.   College is a joint parent-kid decision in our house. Kid makes the final call, but there are parameters while we are the ones paying the tuition bills.  [/quote]

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