Anonymous wrote:I'm pp who's dc is deciding between UGA Wisconsin and possibly Michigan. He is visiting all again mid to late April. Do people really cut it this close? I'm having such anxiety about the rushed timing, or if he gets sick and can't visit when he plans and him not being able to decide. I can't believe it's come down ot the wire. He has travel and a senior spring break trip and then a sports thing he doesn't want to miss first weekend in April. Do these second visits and/or tours once they're admitted really help seal the deal? He visited both a year ago w just us went out briefly. The return visits are for games, meeting kids in frat, one seeing tour of business school, and I guess just more overnight w kids who are students there.

I am in the same situation as you! My DC has to decide among Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. He has no hooks and yet achieved such stellar acceptances. Yet he can’t make up his mind! East coast or West coast? Urban or suburban? Techie or Medicine oriented or undergraduate focused with world famous professors teaching Freshman classes? He wants to visit all three, meet students he interacted with on his first visit, hopefully meet with some professors if possible. He will stay one day at each place. When he makes his final decision and informs the school, I don’t even know whether he will send in the acceptance from home with us recording the momentous decision. I feel like, after his 12th grade, the path to his future is splitting into three and each path will lead him through unique but different experiences and life’s journey. I am panicked if the final choice he will make will lead to happiness and fulfillment for him or one of the other two paths he would have to discard would have been a better one in the long run! We are in the same boat in having sons with great choices and worrying whether they will make the right choice! Shaky fingers crossed and waiting with trepidation for his final decision!

Anonymous wrote:Also strsssed what if he loves both lol. Meaning I hope it's an easy decision. I don't see how these kids pick. He doesn't care about where he lives after college. Meaning, he's focusing on where he will spend the 4 years. Maybe it will come back to the campus and that's it! One is city more than college town.

Flip a coin. Done.

Also strsssed what if he loves both lol. Meaning I hope it's an easy decision. I don't see how these kids pick. He doesn't care about where he lives after college. Meaning, he's focusing on where he will spend the 4 years. Maybe it will come back to the campus and that's it! One is city more than college town.

Anonymous wrote:Only be panicked when you have zero choices.

With open enrollment schools everyone has a choice.

Huh? The top schools/ivies don't come out for another 5-6 days so lots of kids have not even begun deciding. That is what the whole month of April is for. There is no reason to panic.

Only be panicked when you have zero choices.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid likely won’t decide until May 1.

We have several admired student events next month.

He likes a lot of schools so it’s really going to come down to his he feels after these.

Has he been to the schools at all?

Not all of them. The ones farther away- we waited to see if he’d get in first.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- UGA offered money (about 10k a year) Wisconsin none and i think it's about 50k

UGA has lower tuition, so that makes it $20k less per year for total cost of attendance. That would be an easy +1 for UGA for me.

Do you mind sharing your son’s stats? My DC is interested in applying to both places next year.

4.8 weighted 3.9 uw 33 superscore/31 composite. Submitted tests. 8-9 ap's. Wisconsin doesn't superscore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, how are admitted student days different than the campus tour he did? Walking around with friend, meeting guys, gojng out, talking about majors and sports he may do- seems to be a good option seeing as he has already toured the campus and liked it.

I don’t think campus visits are that relevant here.

The real decision factors here are:

- Cost, if money is a big deal.

- Ease of getting the classes needed to graduate in four years.

- Ease of sliding into an easier major or drastically different major.

- Ease of adding a second major or minor.

- Ease of getting campus jobs and internships or jobs near campus.

- True cost of housing, and ability to get housing, over four years.

- Airport access.

The problem with campus visits is all you really know about is the buildings. The people are always changing.

Bless your heart. No, these are not the only or even main decision factors for an admitted student. Campus culture and learning about the nuances of the school are a huge factor, and thus additional in-person visits to ask current students his detailed questions are 100% worth it. Many colleges have separate admitted student visits (get paired up with a current freshman & stay overnight on campus) that give your student a completely different perspective compared to the standard prospective student tour with mom & dad.

Your passive aggressive “bless your heart” isn’t charming or witty. It is sexist and misogynistic.

Anonymous wrote:OP here- UGA offered money (about 10k a year) Wisconsin none and i think it's about 50k

UGA has lower tuition, so that makes it $20k less per year for total cost of attendance. That would be an easy +1 for UGA for me.

Do you mind sharing your son’s stats? My DC is interested in applying to both places next year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm pp who's dc is deciding between UGA Wisconsin and possibly Michigan. He is visiting all again mid to late April. Do people really cut it this close? I'm having such anxiety about the rushed timing, or if he gets sick and can't visit when he plans and him not being able to decide. I can't believe it's come down ot the wire. He has travel and a senior spring break trip and then a sports thing he doesn't want to miss first weekend in April. Do these second visits and/or tours once they're admitted really help seal the deal? He visited both a year ago w just us went out briefly. The return visits are for games, meeting kids in frat, one seeing tour of business school, and I guess just more overnight w kids who are students there.

How is this even a choice?

Michigan is the only school on that list to pick.

UGA is no where near the other two in terms of getting a job after college. Parents are just stupid.

I know Michigan is in it's own league here, but why is UW so far ahead of UGA as far as postgrad outcomes?

And where are these links to
Compare?

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if this helps, but if you're this anguished about it, both choices are probably equal and you can't go wrong.

That's a valid point.

Anonymous wrote:My kid likely won’t decide until May 1.

We have several admired student events next month.

He likes a lot of schools so it’s really going to come down to his he feels after these.

Has he been to the schools at all?

Anonymous wrote:This reminds of a VBA (for the NYers who are on this site if any)!

OP here. Had to look that up. I swear it's not! Yes good issue to have but I'm truly feeling stressed.. He hasn't gotten into Michigan and very likely won't. So it's Wisconsin| UGA. Slight edge to Wisconsin before visiting both again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, how are admitted student days different than the campus tour he did? Walking around with friend, meeting guys, gojng out, talking about majors and sports he may do- seems to be a good option seeing as he has already toured the campus and liked it.

I don’t think campus visits are that relevant here.

The real decision factors here are:

- Cost, if money is a big deal.

- Ease of getting the classes needed to graduate in four years.

- Ease of sliding into an easier major or drastically different major.

- Ease of adding a second major or minor.

- Ease of getting campus jobs and internships or jobs near campus.

- True cost of housing, and ability to get housing, over four years.

- Airport access.

The problem with campus visits is all you really know about is the buildings. The people are always changing.

Bless your heart. No, these are not the only or even main decision factors for an admitted student. Campus culture and learning about the nuances of the school are a huge factor, and thus additional in-person visits to ask current students his detailed questions are 100% worth it. Many colleges have separate admitted student visits (get paired up with a current freshman & stay overnight on campus) that give your student a completely different perspective compared to the standard prospective student tour with mom & dad.

+1. Totally agree. I appreciate the other points PP raised to think about, but none of those would sway DC compared to not feeling at home or comfortable w the vibe and other kids.