Anonymous wrote:My DS will be attending GMU in the fall for the CS major. He turned down UVA 45K/year school of engineering and decided to attend GMU and live at home, and commute to school in his brand new 2023 Tesla Model Y.

Imagine thinking that last line was some kind of flex.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a top student. 1580 SAT. Also took ACT and scored 35. He was accepted to all the schools he applied to and he did not apply to many: GMU, Pitt, VaTech, JMU, VCU, UMD, and WPI. He wants to choose GMU Honors for (1) cost savings and (2) location. We live maybe 35 minutes away. He will live on campus. He can see us every day or never, it's up to him. He has ADHD. He likes his therapist and doesn't want to lose her, he doesn't want to worry about access to his meds, and he takes solace in us being near just in case he needs support. The problem is everyone thinks he is throwing his talent away and they look down on him for his choice. I've heard his friends tease him about it. Many chose UVA, VATech, JMU. W&M. I am proud of him for choosing what is best for him. How do I help him be comfortable and confident in his decision?

Is he second guessing his decision?

And are these truly his preferences on college? Because they sound weak. Therapists can do virtual appts. If he's in-state there won't be any issue w/med access. And it's not like the other schools are all that far away.

See, OP, people like this are the ones who should cause you to roll your eyes and ignore.

GMU is a fine school. Their basketball team made the final four recently. The law school has made a huge jump in rankings.

Anonymous wrote:DS is a top student. 1580 SAT. Also took ACT and scored 35. He was accepted to all the schools he applied to and he did not apply to many: GMU, Pitt, VaTech, JMU, VCU, UMD, and WPI. He wants to choose GMU Honors for (1) cost savings and (2) location. We live maybe 35 minutes away. He will live on campus. He can see us every day or never, it's up to him. He has ADHD. He likes his therapist and doesn't want to lose her, he doesn't want to worry about access to his meds, and he takes solace in us being near just in case he needs support. The problem is everyone thinks he is throwing his talent away and they look down on him for his choice. I've heard his friends tease him about it. Many chose UVA, VATech, JMU. W&M. I am proud of him for choosing what is best for him. How do I help him be comfortable and confident in his decision?

Parent of UVA and GMU students here. two comments:

1) The Honors program is terrific. I know of a recent grad who opted for the GMU honors program against other more costly private options due to sudden financial concerns that happened in her family. She soared at GMU (graduated with highest honors) and has now been accepted at five very fine law schools. You are probably aware that the Honors program gives nice perks like Honors dorms and faculty meetings. It was a great choice for this student.

2) re: ADHD. My DC had this and an autism diagnosis. He made use of the campus disability services which was not very strong at that time (start of freshman year would have been about 9 years ago). There was too much turnover in the disability services office. No one could agree on what "services" should be offered. I hope that has changed. Check it out. We paid an additional $6K for a "new" autism program that was a big disappointment and was disbanded the next year. But that may have all changed. We were required to get "new" neuropsych testing because my son's was over three years old - which is standard - but just be prepared for that if your testing is old. GMU provided us with a list of testers and we picked one that was familiar to us. Another $3,000 down the drain in testing but them's the rules. DS then took the testing to disability services before the start of the school year to set up accommodations. Due to the diagnosis, we arranged for a single but somehow the GMU system managed to put DS in a Triple but being used as a cramped quad with three other students ... so we had to go back to Disability services to get that corrected. You might want to consider the single if he lives on campus.

If you think your child will need extra time on tests or for tuning in papers, you will have to work that out through Disability Services.

Get a FERPA waiver so you can help your child advocate. We had to make use of that once when a teacher was being abusive and claimed not to know of DS's issues (but each prof must sign a sheet at the beginning of the term indicating that they have been informed that your child has disabilities and receives accommodations and that signed document is returned to the Disability Services office). We had to advocate on behalf of DS.

Our child took 5 1/2 years to graduate because he took a reduced load. He lived in the dorms for five years. The last 6 months he took night courses to finish out the degree requirements. He also took some summer courses which I was allowed to sit in at the back - it's lovely on campus during the summer and parking is easy so consider taking some of the more difficult courses then.

good luck. happy to answer questions.

Congratulations!!! Excellent choice.
Outcomes are really incredible. Recent grad at Yale for Economics.
Wishing your kid all the best.

Anonymous[b wrote:]Just dropping in to say how much I'm loving all the positive comments and support for the OP.

OP, it sounds like your son is the kind of kid who will thrive and be successful anywhere because he has the maturity to make thoughtful and pragmatic decisions!

[/b]



My kid went to GMU for game design/computer and was hired before graduation by Bethesda Softworks and has been happily employed by Microsoft (which acquired Bethesda) ever since. Go tour the high tech Manassas campus if you want to learn about computers/cyber-security, etc.

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Anonymous wrote:DS is a top student. 1580 SAT. Also took ACT and scored 35. He was accepted to all the schools he applied to and he did not apply to many: GMU, Pitt, VaTech, JMU, VCU, UMD, and WPI. He wants to choose GMU Honors for (1) cost savings and (2) location. We live maybe 35 minutes away. He will live on campus. He can see us every day or never, it's up to him. He has ADHD. He likes his therapist and doesn't want to lose her, he doesn't want to worry about access to his meds, and he takes solace in us being near just in case he needs support. The problem is everyone thinks he is throwing his talent away and they look down on him for his choice. I've heard his friends tease him about it. Many chose UVA, VATech, JMU. W&M. I am proud of him for choosing what is best for him. How do I help him be comfortable and confident in his decision?

I think that GMU is really the equivalent of a UK “plate glass university,” like the University of Warwick. It’s a top school in a top location. Nothing to be ashamed of at all.

WTH?? The University of Warwick is nothing like GMU — I went there. It certainly is not in a top location and it is very self-contained. Sinfully ugly, but one of the best universities in the UK. GMU is a suburban school and it’s fine. Nothing against it, but couldn’t be more different than Warwick.

0.
And GMU is rapidly becoming one of the best U.S. research universities in the United States. It’s just new, not bad.

please don't keep saying this - it makes you sound a bit delusional. people have been trying to make this happen for at least 25 years. The biggest bump the school has received was when the mens basketball team made it to the final 4 in the ncaa tournament in 2006 (and that's still a crown jewel achievement for the school).

It is difficult to be close to the top in research "expenditure" without a medical school. Berkeley, for instance, rates high, but lower than UC San Francisco alone which is only medical.

What is wrong with you? Read and learn what R1 means.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a top student. 1580 SAT. Also took ACT and scored 35. He was accepted to all the schools he applied to and he did not apply to many: GMU, Pitt, VaTech, JMU, VCU, UMD, and WPI. He wants to choose GMU Honors for (1) cost savings and (2) location. We live maybe 35 minutes away. He will live on campus. He can see us every day or never, it's up to him. He has ADHD. He likes his therapist and doesn't want to lose her, he doesn't want to worry about access to his meds, and he takes solace in us being near just in case he needs support. The problem is everyone thinks he is throwing his talent away and they look down on him for his choice. I've heard his friends tease him about it. Many chose UVA, VATech, JMU. W&M. I am proud of him for choosing what is best for him. How do I help him be comfortable and confident in his decision?

I think that GMU is really the equivalent of a UK “plate glass university,” like the University of Warwick. It’s a top school in a top location. Nothing to be ashamed of at all.

WTH?? The University of Warwick is nothing like GMU — I went there. It certainly is not in a top location and it is very self-contained. Sinfully ugly, but one of the best universities in the UK. GMU is a suburban school and it’s fine. Nothing against it, but couldn’t be more different than Warwick.

And GMU is rapidly becoming one of the best U.S. research universities in the United States. It’s just new, not bad.

It's already the largest R1 university in the Commonwealth and it has four campuses, one in Seoul, Korea.

Anonymous wrote:My kid is similar and will likely go to GMU because they have a good com sci program, he doesn't care at all about football and rah-rah culture, and he doesn't want to be 4 hrs from home (which is fine by me). Also, GMU has a lot of connection to jobs/industry. He could likely get into UMDCP, but why pay $30k more per year to get to the same endpoint?

I think people around you are not thinking about your kid's college choice as much as you think they are. And if I'm wrong about that, then you might want to change who you are spending time with.

GMU also has an excellent enginering department and a cutting edge cybersecurity major.

OP, perhaps you need more humility.

Just dropping in to say how much I'm loving all the positive comments and support for the OP.

OP, it sounds like your son is the kind of kid who will thrive and be successful anywhere because he has the maturity to make thoughtful and pragmatic decisions!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a top student. 1580 SAT. Also took ACT and scored 35. He was accepted to all the schools he applied to and he did not apply to many: GMU, Pitt, VaTech, JMU, VCU, UMD, and WPI. He wants to choose GMU Honors for (1) cost savings and (2) location. We live maybe 35 minutes away. He will live on campus. He can see us every day or never, it's up to him. He has ADHD. He likes his therapist and doesn't want to lose her, he doesn't want to worry about access to his meds, and he takes solace in us being near just in case he needs support. The problem is everyone thinks he is throwing his talent away and they look down on him for his choice. I've heard his friends tease him about it. Many chose UVA, VATech, JMU. W&M. I am proud of him for choosing what is best for him. How do I help him be comfortable and confident in his decision?

I think that GMU is really the equivalent of a UK “plate glass university,” like the University of Warwick. It’s a top school in a top location. Nothing to be ashamed of at all.

WTH?? The University of Warwick is nothing like GMU — I went there. It certainly is not in a top location and it is very self-contained. Sinfully ugly, but one of the best universities in the UK. GMU is a suburban school and it’s fine. Nothing against it, but couldn’t be more different than Warwick.

0.
And GMU is rapidly becoming one of the best U.S. research universities in the United States. It’s just new, not bad.

please don't keep saying this - it makes you sound a bit delusional. people have been trying to make this happen for at least 25 years. The biggest bump the school has received was when the mens basketball team made it to the final 4 in the ncaa tournament in 2006 (and that's still a crown jewel achievement for the school).

It is difficult to be close to the top in research "expenditure" without a medical school. Berkeley, for instance, rates high, but lower than UC San Francisco alone which is only medical.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a top student. 1580 SAT. Also took ACT and scored 35. He was accepted to all the schools he applied to and he did not apply to many: GMU, Pitt, VaTech, JMU, VCU, UMD, and WPI. He wants to choose GMU Honors for (1) cost savings and (2) location. We live maybe 35 minutes away. He will live on campus. He can see us every day or never, it's up to him. He has ADHD. He likes his therapist and doesn't want to lose her, he doesn't want to worry about access to his meds, and he takes solace in us being near just in case he needs support. The problem is everyone thinks he is throwing his talent away and they look down on him for his choice. I've heard his friends tease him about it. Many chose UVA, VATech, JMU. W&M. I am proud of him for choosing what is best for him. How do I help him be comfortable and confident in his decision?

I think that GMU is really the equivalent of a UK “plate glass university,” like the University of Warwick. It’s a top school in a top location. Nothing to be ashamed of at all.

WTH?? The University of Warwick is nothing like GMU — I went there. It certainly is not in a top location and it is very self-contained. Sinfully ugly, but one of the best universities in the UK. GMU is a suburban school and it’s fine. Nothing against it, but couldn’t be more different than Warwick.

0.
And GMU is rapidly becoming one of the best U.S. research universities in the United States. It’s just new, not bad.

please don't keep saying this - it makes you sound a bit delusional. people have been trying to make this happen for at least 25 years. The biggest bump the school has received was when the mens basketball team made it to the final 4 in the ncaa tournament in 2006 (and that's still a crown jewel achievement for the school).

Yes. Please don't keep saying this. We want GMU to quietly be successful and not attract too many outsiders so it becomes too competitive for VA kids. All we care about is that it gives a good education that lead to great jobs in the greater DC area (which it does). We want it to be like San Jose State University. No one cares about it yet the vast majority of the kids there end up working at SV companies, starting with Apple.

The ONLY people who say disparaging things about GMU are some people who live in NOVA and have been living under a rock over the last decade or so. Students come from all over the US and world to attend GMU - they're certainly not looking down on it.

It's a great school and OP, I commend your son for being not only incredibly bright and hardworking, but also for being so mature and practical - and for knowing himself. He will be very successful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a top student. 1580 SAT. Also took ACT and scored 35. He was accepted to all the schools he applied to and he did not apply to many: GMU, Pitt, VaTech, JMU, VCU, UMD, and WPI. He wants to choose GMU Honors for (1) cost savings and (2) location. We live maybe 35 minutes away. He will live on campus. He can see us every day or never, it's up to him. He has ADHD. He likes his therapist and doesn't want to lose her, he doesn't want to worry about access to his meds, and he takes solace in us being near just in case he needs support. The problem is everyone thinks he is throwing his talent away and they look down on him for his choice. I've heard his friends tease him about it. Many chose UVA, VATech, JMU. W&M. I am proud of him for choosing what is best for him. How do I help him be comfortable and confident in his decision?

I think that GMU is really the equivalent of a UK “plate glass university,” like the University of Warwick. It’s a top school in a top location. Nothing to be ashamed of at all.

WTH?? The University of Warwick is nothing like GMU — I went there. It certainly is not in a top location and it is very self-contained. Sinfully ugly, but one of the best universities in the UK. GMU is a suburban school and it’s fine. Nothing against it, but couldn’t be more different than Warwick.

0.
And GMU is rapidly becoming one of the best U.S. research universities in the United States. It’s just new, not bad.

please don't keep saying this - it makes you sound a bit delusional. people have been trying to make this happen for at least 25 years. The biggest bump the school has received was when the mens basketball team made it to the final 4 in the ncaa tournament in 2006 (and that's still a crown jewel achievement for the school).