Reply to Majors for boy who might not crack 700 on SAT math

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This is a little crazy, but both of my boys go to college and neither cracked 700 on math.

One has a niche humanities interest and is pursuing that, the other was undecided when he first arrived at college, a small LAC, and now is pursing a business major.  Both love college and are doing well.  [/quote]

This is generally my view as well. [b]The smaller the better for kids (male and female) who seem a bit lost. Larger schools are perfect for kids who know precisely where they're going and can get themselves there with little to no hand-holding.[/b]
Now, if finances are an issue, well, just go to the cheapest option. No loans ever.[/quote]
I've been a professor for 20 years now at large research universities, and this perception is not really helpful. While it is true that go-getters can thrive at a large state university with little hand-holding, the majority of kids enrolled at large universities are not going to be this way. Most of them are happy to be anonymous and part of a larger crowd where they won't be accountable if they skip class. Also, so much depends on your major. Smaller majors, especially those with few graduate students, even at large universities typically mean a lot more attention paid to undergraduate students. Larger majors, typically bio, econ, poli sci, mean a lot of anonymity and, sometimes, falling through the cracks and/or needing an extra semester or year to graduate so that major/graduation requirements can be fulfilled. 
There is a lot to be said for kids who know what they want with little hand-holding who attend selective LACs. They are going to be pushed by the professors (in a good way), and they will be held accountable. At a larger university, these kids would likely be ignored by professors (as most undergrads at large research universities are, until maybe junior or senior year), and left alone by TAs because they don't need the help. Remember large research universities prioritize research, not teaching. Your kid may end up with great teachers, but that is by chance not by design. At the tippy top LACs, you get both research and teaching. At most LACs, you get excellent teaching with less emphasis on research.[/quote]

These are excellent points. In particular the emphasis on teaching was my own experience at a very strong but not tippy top LAC.  It’s an expensive thing to buy. However, for a kid who has the potential to be intellectually curious but who might not know what he/she wants to be doing, can be worth it. [/quote]

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