My smart, but lacking ambition kid has thrived at WVU.

He had good test scores but just okay grades (mostly A’s and B’s but some C’s and D’s in subjects he didn’t like). Lots of either doing the work but not turning it in or not doing the work because it didn’t interest him.

His HS counselor told us to focus on out of state colleges. It was a good plan as he got rejected from the three VA universities and accepted at all 5 out of state schools. He picked WVU because it was close-ish to home and some friends from school were going as well.

This is his 3rd year and he’s made deans list every semester after his first. Even that semester wasn’t bad.

Why do some uninformed posters suggest that SLAC's and science strength are mutually exclusive? They absolutely are not.

OP here--I asked where kids had EXCELLENT college experiences. Not what led to six figure incomes/fame and fortune.

Keep the posts coming. Most readers totally got what I was looking for.

Anonymous wrote:UVA, daughter in humanities, no greek affiliations, LOVEs IT. And she hated in the first time we toured. Worked out very well.

How did she find her social group there?

Dickinson College. Amazing study abroad program, engaged professors, nice campus and town, easy drive. DC and friends all got great jobs/grad school admission.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll let you know after we see DD's first semester grades.... so far she loves her school, social life, etc. but we have no idea what she's up to as a student.

Freshman year courses are generally a joke. Be very alarmed by any GPA under a 3.3.

O.K...... Curious to know what you would do if your child got under a 3.3?

I'd be fine with it if my D.D. were lower than this.

So would I. Not every kid hits the ground running.

Anonymous wrote:‘Nobody calls their baby ugly’.
College is loads of fun and too much family money and ego involved for anyone to admit they’re unhappy with their choice. Most are too naive to know what they’re missing out on anyways; you don’t know what you don’t know.

Or, it could be that the OP asked where our children had an EXCELLENT experience.

My first is having a perfectly fine experience, but not excellent, which is why I didn't respond. Not ego, but simply nothing to add.

I'm reading for ideas for Kid 2.

Beloit. Great science departments, close relationships with professors, lots of research opportunities, intellectually curious students. Son at an Ivy now getting his PhD.

I'm curious about those of you who say "worked out well," when you're kids have just begun there. If my SIL tells me how awesome Elon is because her kids loved it there, I don't know if I can continue to filter out what I want to say: glad they loved it, but there lives post-graduation kind of suck--really low-paying jobs, not sure what they want to do with their lives, etc. So really, how did that work out for them?

UVA, daughter in humanities, no greek affiliations, LOVEs IT. And she hated in the first time we toured. Worked out very well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll let you know after we see DD's first semester grades.... so far she loves her school, social life, etc. but we have no idea what she's up to as a student.

Freshman year courses are generally a joke. Be very alarmed by any GPA under a 3.3.

O.K...... Curious to know what you would do if your child got under a 3.3?

I'd be fine with it if my D.D. were lower than this.

Possibly at LACs; not at science and tech schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll let you know after we see DD's first semester grades.... so far she loves her school, social life, etc. but we have no idea what she's up to as a student.

Freshman year courses are generally a joke. Be very alarmed by any GPA under a 3.3.

O.K...... Curious to know what you would do if your child got under a 3.3?

I'd be fine with it if my D.D. were lower than this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll let you know after we see DD's first semester grades.... so far she loves her school, social life, etc. but we have no idea what she's up to as a student.

Freshman year courses are generally a joke. Be very alarmed by any GPA under a 3.3.

Yes but it’s the first time kids are on their own and many kids let loose.

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is a junior and having an amazing experience at Oberlin. She couldn’t be happier with the community, her classes/profs and the opportunities like Exco. She also really loves having so much great music everywhere even though she’s not a musician.

+1 for my sophomore there.

Richmond.