Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:27
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:UVA was the #1 choice before starting campus visits and then we didn't even apply.
Looks just like a prison.
I’d turn to a life of crime if prison was like UVA.
We were pleasantly surprised by JMU’s
school of art and design. Absolutely beautiful facilities. Didn’t love the rest of campus so much, though.
We kind of dragged kid to Pitt since we were in town anyway. Didn’t expect much, but she loved it and has applied.
Lafayette was a bust.
Also surprised how much we loved Pitt.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:25
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:UVA was the #1 choice before starting campus visits and then we didn't even apply.
Looks just like a prison.
I’d turn to a life of crime if prison was like UVA.
We were pleasantly surprised by JMU’s
school of art and design. Absolutely beautiful facilities. Didn’t love the rest of campus so much, though.
We kind of dragged kid to Pitt since we were in town anyway. Didn’t expect much, but she loved it and has applied.
Lafayette was a bust.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:22
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Liked Vanderbilt, Rice, and McGill
Did not like Northwestern or Columbia. They both seemed cold
Did not like Northwestern or Columbia. They both seemed cold
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:20
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Didn't like BU - bailed on the tour halfway through.
We had a good, engaging tour guide and the students we encountered were friendly, but you have to like an urban school. One of the top choices last year for my DS.
100% agreed - didn't like the setting and is leaning toward a more rural SLAC.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:19
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Anonymous wrote:Pleasantly surprised by Carleton. Almost didn't visit because of the location and because DD had several other colleges she liked and felt pretty settled on for ED1 and ED2 after touring colleges all over the country, but Carleton bewitched all of us and shot to her new ED1.
Can you share more what you liked? It's at the top of my junior's list, but we haven't been able to visit yet.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:18
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DD loved Mount Holyoke, hated Smith and was underwhelmed by Bryn Mawr. Loved Haverford.
Would you mind sharing what she loved about Haverford? We are heading there to tour with our son.
The long drive in on College Lane really set the scene for her - then lots of students were hanging out on Cape Field as we drove by and they seemed to be having a blast. She also commented on how beautful Founders Hall/Green are and her face lit up. There was just something really special about the whole campus for her. And the students we saw all seemed friendly - lots of smiles and eye contact. The library was quiet, but lots of students working together in small groups and all seemed to genuinely like one another.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:13
Subject: Re:Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Ours did not like UMW at all and was pleasantly surprised by how much she liked University of Richmond, which is widely hated on this site. She ultimately went somewhere else but Richmond was in her final mix.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:12
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Pleasantly surprised by Carleton. Almost didn't visit because of the location and because DD had several other colleges she liked and felt pretty settled on for ED1 and ED2 after touring colleges all over the country, but Carleton bewitched all of us and shot to her new ED1.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:11
Subject: Re:Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
DD didn’t like JMU after our tour. Tour guide was a bit weird, which was off putting to her and she ran into way too many people from prior years of her high school and extracurriculars as we moved about campus. Great school in general but definitely was not the fit for her.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:10
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Anonymous wrote:Didn't like BU - bailed on the tour halfway through.
We had a good, engaging tour guide and the students we encountered were friendly, but you have to like an urban school. One of the top choices last year for my DS.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:08
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Anonymous wrote:DD loved Mount Holyoke, hated Smith and was underwhelmed by Bryn Mawr. Loved Haverford.
Would you mind sharing what she loved about Haverford? We are heading there to tour with our son.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:04
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Anonymous wrote:Were any of you put off by the guide versus the campus?
Yes, at Northeastern although the school wasn’t a fit anyway. Very much into herself
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:01
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
Didn't like BU - bailed on the tour halfway through.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 15:01
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
We were surprised not to like Williams. It was so high on the list before visiting.
We were surprised to like W&M as much as we did, much better in every respect than we expected.
We were surprised to like W&M as much as we did, much better in every respect than we expected.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 14:59
Subject: Schools you toured that you were surprised you liked or didn’t like?
We loved Boston College, Notre Dame and Dartmouth's campuses. Lovely with a real heart and soul!