Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 12:36     Subject: Positivity
I absolutely love Maryland's campus -- it's just gorgeous. Walking around, it feels like such a futuristic place; it's like having a tech hub within a university.

Going to the very top of the football stadium's upper deck and being able to see the Monument is breathtaking.

I also love seeing happy, smiling (and in several cases, quite helpful!) students throughout the campus.

There's some...heft (FLOABW) to that campus. Feels like you're somewhere important, of significance.

Oh, and their slogan (or one of them?), "Fearlessly Forward", is pretty darn awesome - and apt, I'd say!
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 07:47     Subject: Positivity
Anonymous wrote:

Stanford's tour guides have this funny tradition where people who recognize the guide yell "Happy Birthday [Name]!" I actually thought it was his birthday before he told us that it's just a tradition.



The do this at Georgetown, too, and even at my kid's (private) high school to the admissions director. I thought it was charming! I can imagine the admissions director is less charmed, though he took it well.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 22:22     Subject: Positivity
Anonymous wrote:I know it's not everyone's thing but DS loves the architecture/"Hokie stone" of Virginia Tech. He says he thinks it makes it feel like a serious place that encourages him to take school seriously (although he has fun too).


We love it too!


Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 22:16     Subject: Positivity
Anonymous wrote:At Amherst, the Office of Sustainability has a “free yard sale” at move-in where they give away items students would have discarded in spring (& encourage freshmen not to over-buy for their dorm room before checking this out). I wish every college did this!!


Virginia Tech does this, and I wouldn't be surprised if most other schools do as well.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 22:08     Subject: Positivity
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We stopped at Hood College in Frederick after touring GU, GW, and AU almost as a “scared straight” experience for our prone-to-slacking-off kid. I felt like an elitist snob when I realized that it was truly a beautiful campus with a gorgeous new library, honors college, and a recent multi-million dollar gift for scholarships. It actually went on the safety list.


One of the things I have come to appreciate about the whole college application process is that it has knocked most of the elitist snob tendencies out of me. I am a much kinder and enlightened person than I was four years ago, at least when it comes to education. I just assumed my kid would go to one of a few dozen schools I had heard of, assumed he'd be a great student, assumed that schools I had never heard of were not as good as the ones I had.

But oh, it is a great big world out there! So many paths, so many possibilities, so many "right" places to land.

I had never heard of the school my kid will be going to in the fall until a year or so ago. I now wear the t-shirt proudly.


I think there is some version of this for almost everyone. My kid is at a school that I sneered at (a bit) when we were first talking about college. Of course, the admissions rate at their school today is *significantly* more competitive than the Ivy that I went to in the 1980s/90s. And yet it's still a wonderful school with nice kids. Which feels like a great win, even if it doesn't wow the neighbors.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 21:53     Subject: Re:Positivity
We attended an admitted students day at Emory before DC committed. We were on a dorm tour that self routed to the dorm, not on the tour, with a group of parents. Standing in the first floor of the dorm with no university guide, a student came out of his dorm room, greeted us and asked what we needed and answered so many questions. When we explained what happened, he explained in a very professional, polished and unrehearsed way, what Emory had meant to him. Confirmed everything that many of us were hoping for.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 13:53     Subject: Positivity
I know it's not everyone's thing but DS loves the architecture/"Hokie stone" of Virginia Tech. He says he thinks it makes it feel like a serious place that encourages him to take school seriously (although he has fun too).
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 13:12     Subject: Positivity
I loved the nerdy/quirky nature of MIT and that finally I was somewhere that people wouldn't give me s@!t for being smart. The secret tours, the weird traditions, etc. Also, I never got tired of crossing Mass Ave into Lobby 7 and thinking "I can't believe I'm actually here."
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 13:06     Subject: Positivity
I love the Miami University (Ohio) campus. Walking to class on that campus would be so invigorating.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 10:05     Subject: Positivity
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When I took my DS to tour CNU, the part that stuck with us most was when "Miss Linda," the dining hall supervisor, came out to talk to our tour group in the food court area. She was just the loveliest, most genuine person who spoke about "her" kids with such affection. She seemed to really know them all by name.

This was four years ago, and my son chose a different school, but we still talk about Miss Linda with fondness.


My friend’s son is a freshman there and absolutely loves it. He’s matured a ton and has become proactive in ways his mom did not expect. It looks like her younger DC will be going there, as well. Really great place!
Our kids remember her! Same year. She was awesome!

We know so many kids who love CNU, and are graduating this year with excellent outcomes. Don't skip it.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 08:08     Subject: Positivity
Anonymous wrote:My son and I went to an open house at La Salle. Definitely the best one we attended. He was wearing his HS hoodie (from a Christian Brothers HS). One of the brothers came up him after one of the presentations and talked to him for about 30 minutes. He asked about some brothers he knew at the HS. He asked about my son’s interests and we chatted about various topics. That personal touch put La Salle at the top of both of our lists. My son decided on another Catholic university but La Salle did all of the right things. Two thumbs up!


That is great to hear! They're struggling with declining enrollment, but I live in Philly and know many wonderful, successful alums. Like Temple, they struggle to hook kids due to the neighborhood, but they are great schools.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 07:41     Subject: Positivity
My son and I went to an open house at La Salle. Definitely the best one we attended. He was wearing his HS hoodie (from a Christian Brothers HS). One of the brothers came up him after one of the presentations and talked to him for about 30 minutes. He asked about some brothers he knew at the HS. He asked about my son’s interests and we chatted about various topics. That personal touch put La Salle at the top of both of our lists. My son decided on another Catholic university but La Salle did all of the right things. Two thumbs up!
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 07:07     Subject: Positivity
We really enjoyed touring WashU. It was a beautiful campus and the weather was perfect the day we visited. After the tour, we walked over to zoo, which was 15 minutes away, and had a blast.

Having done the school tours last March, it was actually a fun experience and the whole application process itself wasn't bad. We looked at this as an adventure. Nine months after her first tour, she has submitted her deposit and we have moved to a stage.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 05:43     Subject: Re:Positivity
Last April was tough as my kid was wading through waitlists and rejections from her top choice schools. I will forever be grateful to Temple University for the admitted students day they put together where she felt loved and excited about the school. It was well organized and focused on making everyone feel welcome.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2025 05:23     Subject: Positivity
Anonymous wrote:We took DS to Auburn on a hunch that it could be a good safety. Had never been to Alabama before that week.

We loved the days we spent there in the early spring and the 'townies' were all, to a person, incredibly pleasant and helpful. The whole town vibe was so relaxed and friendly and engaging. DS went elsewhere but I will always remember the pervasive good vibes and white barbecue in Auburn, AL


+1 - I think the Princeton review list Auburn as the happiest college campus!