bettyandbob Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 When we were touring various schools I noticed one didn't have a swimming pool. I pointed that out to dd and she rolled her eyes at me--swimming is my "thing" not hers (said by the girl who never practices literally and is in our summer league all stars this weekend). She's now actually thinking about swimming pools because she makes a lot of money teaching swimming and thinks that would be her best bet for part time work. She sent me a list and asked what I think and I wrote back asking which schools had a quidditch club. I think that sent her over the edge. I'll sit down with her more seriously tonight. We have a family friend who has to have a serious ROTC program. Serious, as in, he probably will only apply to VA Tech and VMI, to be part of their corps of cadets. He visit other schools and decided that he couldn't attend a school where ROTC is just a tangential program. His top choice is USNA, but he has to have some backup. He even visited one school and after the admissions officer's spiel was finished, he refused to go a tour--he said to his mom "I'm not going to college to play." Dd and I actually had a similar feeling about that school, even though it is very popular among above average students in our area. For some people the school has to be urban. That's definitely not dd's interest. Although I can see great internship opportunities with urban schools. What are to things standing out to your dc as you search? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 We have a family friend who has to have a serious ROTC program. Serious, as in, he probably will only apply to VA Tech and VMI, to be part of their corps of cadets. He visit other schools and decided that he couldn't attend a school where ROTC is just a tangential program. He needs to apply to the University of North Georgia - home of the number one ranked ROTC cadet in the nation. In fact, there are six senior military colleges in this country - VMI and VA Tech are only two of them! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 After coming along to college reunion with me and dh this summer (we went to the same college), ds has said that he wants a campus without cars, i.e. where roads and parking are mostly on the periphery of campus rather than through the middle and also where few students have cars. He also wants a college with no Greek life. But he's only just-turned-15. These are just things he's mentioned off the top of his head. I have no idea how much weight he will give them in a couple of years. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 After looking at a bunch of schools, oldest DS decided he wanted to be in a college town. Not a town that just happened to have a college located there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 He needs to apply to the University of North Georgia - home of the number one ranked ROTC cadet in the nation. In fact, there are six senior military colleges in this country - VMI and VA Tech are only two of them! They are also looking at in state tuition. I do think North Georgia and aTm both offer instate to members of the corp. I will mention that to his mom. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 My youngest's list was: -- challenging classes but not so challenging that he can't have a social life -- flexible major -- opportunities to work with and be mentored by professors and people who work in areas that interest him -- paid summer internship opportunities -- study abroad programs, preferably with aid -- not small, not huge class -- urban or near urban -- lively, fun college town -- lively, fun student body that also studies -- a place that gives credit for AP classes -- safe (okay, that's mine) -- no cockroaches. He's deathly afraid of them. -- lots of food -- some kind of exercise facility 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 He needs to apply to the University of North Georgia - home of the number one ranked ROTC cadet in the nation. In fact, there are six senior military colleges in this country - VMI and VA Tech are only two of them! Ds is at UNG this summer doing an intensive Russian program- and he can't wait for fall semester to begin because he's wanted to be part of a Corps of Cadets for a long time. UNG is beautiful, has an excellent program, and quite affordable. UNG rocks! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 No dorm-style bathrooms. Suite-style only. No compromise. This one has worked out well for my first kid and seems to be working out well for my second. They figure that since they use the bathroom several times a day, it rates very, very high on the priority list. Any college that can't guarantee a suite-style bathroom will not be considered. Perhaps this is the one flaw I've discovered about homeschooling. :laugh: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 We have a family friend who has to have a serious ROTC program. Serious, as in, he probably will only apply to VA Tech and VMI, to be part of their corps of cadets. He visit other schools and decided that he couldn't attend a school where ROTC is just a tangential program. His top choice is USNA, but he has to have some backup. This was my son exactly. He applied at USNA, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, and three other ROTC schools he was completely uninterested in. After getting the thin white envelope from USNA he chose Texas A&M for their Corps of Cadets program. He really enjoyed the atmosphere far more than the others. He also was interested in a school where the party atmosphere took a back seat to the academics. Because he was a National Merit Scholar, Texas A&M reduced the tuition to in-state and gave him a great scholarship - cheaper than other in-state schools. My daughter is looking for a temperate climate and access to a big city. She has a few months left to actually decide, but these seem to be the big ones right now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Strong study-abroad program. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 My oldest: weak or no Greek life weak or no football culture My middle: weak or no football culture weak or no Greek life single rooms (where she goes to school, three single dorm rooms are combined in each suite) My youngest: LGBTQ friendly strong study abroad program strong internship program strong campus life - lots of social interactions between students in dorm much cooler temperatures (than Texas) since heat causes her to pass out preferably not communal bathrooms weak or no football culture weak or no Greek life easy to do without a car ETA: some kind of exercise facility so she can keep up with the exercises from her physical therapist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 My ds wanted nice weather. He considered places that had four season, but he was adamant that he would not go somewhere extremely cold with snow on the ground for long periods of time. He preferred a school with strong athletics - maybe not where it was THE focus, but he did not want to attend a school that had no school spirit. He wanted the "college experience" - on campus all four years and a strong campus culture. He wanted a school where he would be able to take music instruction (though he ultimately has not yet availed himself of this). He didn't want to to go somewhere where he couldn't have access (because he was not going to be a music major) to top music faculty for private instructors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trafal Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 My husband's nephew's stepson (got it :lol: ) attends the University of North Georgia. He loves the school and has had a wonderful experience there. He will graduate in 2016. We are in NC and I was not aware of North Georgia prior to his enrolling. If you are interested in a Military academy I would encourage you to check out this school! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 I tried to list these in order of priority for each kiddo. Ds's list of must haves: Degree Location - he didn't want to go far Private dorm rooms - no roommate! (he is in a suite of 4 bedrooms, 1 guy in each and there is a bathroom for every 2 bedrooms) Size of school/Class size Place he felt like he could fit in and belong Dd's list: Degree Certification rate - she is going into a program that test for certification at the end and wanted high success rates. Inexpensive - she didn't want to have to worry about maintaining a high GPA for scholarships Vegetarian meal options in dorms Location/Weather (must have cold winters and plenty of snow) Size/class size Not urban Both of my kids found schools that were the top match in every area that mattered to them. The choice was very clear and obvious for both. Every other school they considered fell down in one or more areas, but their top pick matched 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 My youngest's list was: ...-- no cockroaches. He's deathly afraid of them. I think that I shared too much or too often with my daughter about the palmetto bugs that I experienced as an undergraduate in Florida; consequently, Florida was totally off her list as a place to attend college. She also did not want to attend a college that was in a truly cold part of the country. One of the colleges she'd been considering fell off her list when one of the speakers at the event talked about going in to town to have one's nails done. Curiously, I was at the same talk and totally missed that remark. Our children definitely have their own ideas and tastes. She definitely had some serious requirements as well headed by a desire for a strong Classics Department; she went on to major in Latin. Regards, Kareni 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 My son's list was short: close to home - he wants little debt at least for the first few years I suspect food may get added to the list. He's adamant that he doesn't want to buy a lunch. If he gets up early enough to pack anything but grab and go, I'll be surprised. There is a Einstein's Bagel in the building he'll be in most of the day. The food court area is too far to walk in the one 30 minute break he'll get, as his next class is in the opposite direction of the food court. He claims he won't get hungry. We'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenC Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 AC in the dorm is a must. One dd is a vegetarian, so food options are important. Having a fridge and microwave in dorm is important. Shops and restaurants within walking distance is a big plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 No dorm-style bathrooms. Suite-style only. No compromise. This one has worked out well for my first kid and seems to be working out well for my second. They figure that since they use the bathroom several times a day, it rates very, very high on the priority list. Any college that can't guarantee a suite-style bathroom will not be considered. Perhaps this is the one flaw I've discovered about homeschooling. :laugh: My dd is adjusting to the idea of possibly sharing a room, but remains horrified at bathrooms down the hall, lol. We would like the option of living on campus all four years. We've been surprised at how many campuses only guarantee housing to freshman, and have a big shortage after that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 I gotta say, I liked hall bathrooms. I liked them because I didn't have to clean them. People who had suite bathrooms had to do their own cleaning and had to coordinate cleaning with 3 other people. My oldest agrees with me. dd doesn't like the idea of hall baths either. If she could get the kind of suite that has single rooms with shared bath she'd prefer that. It's not a make or break though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I gotta say, I liked hall bathrooms. I liked them because I didn't have to clean them. People who had suite bathrooms had to do their own cleaning and had to coordinate cleaning with 3 other people. I liked hall bathrooms too, and not only for the cleaning issue. There's a sort of intimacy in a shared bathroom that you don't have in a hall bathroom, where everyone maintains a certain level of personal space and privacy. On my freshman floor the bathrooms were even co-ed, and yet it was perfectly comfortable to me. On the other hand, my junior year I was in a suite that had its own bathroom. I was quite good friends with my roommates so I was happy to share a bathroom with them, but I would not have wanted that my freshman year with roommates who were strangers to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I vastly preferred having a communal bathroom down the hall my sophomore year to having a jack&jill bathroom between two dorm rooms like I had my freshman year. We were always running into problems with our suitemates locking the door from the inside and forgetting to unlock it so we couldn't access it. We also all needed to use the bathroom at the same time. Sharing one bathroom with four people didn't work out really well. When I moved to a dorm with communal bathrooms the next year, it was a huge relief. I never had to wait to use the bathroom or the shower and they were cleaned at least 1x/day by the staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Sharing one bathroom with four people didn't work out really well. We have only seen 2 people to a bathroom at the schools we've visited. Four per bathroom would definitely not be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 It really didn't work well to have 4 per bathroom. At UT Dallas where my middle dd is attending, the dorms are set up in suites of 3 rooms. Each suite has a shower room, a separate toilet room, and a row of three sinks in the hallway between them. That has worked out very well. You aren't locked out of the shower because somebody else is using the bathroom or locked out of the bathroom because somebody else is taking a shower. I love the dorm setup at UTD. It also helps that they built their very first dorm just 6 years ago, so everything is new and in good shape. They quickly went from one dorm to five due to overwhelmingly positive response from students. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 My latest college student (still have three in college) chose a college based on being in a big city (we live in a small town, so she wanted the big-city experience), and close to at least some siblings/relatives. She also wanted a smaller campus, with good public transportation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 DD wanted: Freshmen can have a car on campus; parking is feasible and not $$$ Dorm hallways that are "pretty" (Regent in VA was amazing in this respect; Uni of MD, CP was the worst. Looked like a prison.) A female a cappella group Good flexibility with food options and meal plan. Beautiful campus setting She also wanted a great college town; this is one feature she is not getting. She would have liked to be able to keep a cat, but this is not possible on-campus anywhere we looked. (The closest thing was a school that had service dog training as a club.) DS so far wants: To be in a cold/snowy region so he can snowboard ROTC/ Military affiliation ...but I don't know if he really knows what he wants vs. What will be possible for him. We'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 The ds that is entering college this fall ended up rejecting the UP schools he was looking at due to his leg injury because prolonged winter was a BAD choice. He was looking for writing accreditations and in particular, from the national association of journalists (don't quote me on that, it might be association of or...I don't think I have the wording right), plus computer science with gaming clubs because he does both artwork for video games as well as coding so wanted to be a part of something like that on the side, swim club with no competition because swimming is so good for his leg, and excellent classical guitar professors. Kind of an eclectic mix, LOL! Middle boy needs are : strong environmental science program with major, national recognition, opportunities for undergrad research beginning after the first semester, field studies so Tech is high on the list for holding summer courses on site at Gratiot Lake Conservancy, U of WI at Milwaukee for Floating Classroom, etc., skiing and snowboarding, option of Coast Guard Auxiliary - so again, schools basically on a Great Lake are of primary consideration - and ski patrol training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 They are also looking at in state tuition. I do think North Georgia and aTm both offer instate to members of the corp. I will mention that to his mom. Yes, they do offer in-state tuition to cadets. Here is information on costs for cadets. Registration is open for the National Leadership Challenge weekends for this academic year. He can also schedule an overnight on campus through the Cadet Admissions Office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Love seeing Corps of Cadets interest! Hubby and I loved our time at Va Tech - in the Corps of Cadets, of course. Our kids weren't interested though (sigh). Oldest wanted a Christian college that was good in all things business/banking, etc, as he had plans to go into Microfinance overseas. He ended up meeting "the" one for him and she doesn't seem interested in overseas, so it's good that his school was good in business, etc, as that led to his current job right after graduation. Middle wanted research options and brain studies of some sort - plus a good pre-med reputation and a hospital on/very near campus so he could volunteer there easily. He ended up with the most options to choose from as he wasn't too picky. Youngest wanted a college in the south that was right on the water - literally. Once he found Eckerd all others failed in comparison. I chuckled at those who couldn't stand cockroaches... youngest purposely uses them for part of his composting on campus - telling me they are quite a bit better than worms. He was born in the same county he goes to college in. Hubby and I often wonder if he identified too much with the salmon/turtle/bird/etc documentaries we watched talking about how the young always return to where they were born. :lol: So far, my guys have all liked their picks and they've all gone to their #1 choices. Youngest had a rough first semester transitioning and finding friends, but that got fixed by second semester and changing roommates. Hubby and I loved Virginia Tech too. It was his first choice. It was my second choice (Duke was first, but unaffordable). In hindsight, I'm really glad Duke didn't work out for me. :tongue_smilie: I loved VT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 DD wanted: Freshmen can have a car on campus; parking is feasible and not $$$ Dorm hallways that are "pretty" (Regent in VA was amazing in this respect; Uni of MD, CP was the worst. Looked like a prison.) A female a cappella group Good flexibility with food options and meal plan. Beautiful campus setting She also wanted a great college town; this is one feature she is not getting. She would have liked to be able to keep a cat, but this is not possible on-campus anywhere we looked. (The closest thing was a school that had service dog training as a club.) DS so far wants: To be in a cold/snowy region so he can snowboard ROTC/ Military affiliation ...but I don't know if he really knows what he wants vs. What will be possible for him. We'll see. If cold, snowy, snowboard, and ROTC is really important to him he might want to check Michigan Technological University, Northern Michigan University, and University of Minnesota at Duluth. All are heavy winter sports oriented, and all have VERY active ROTC on campus. Duluth has more majors than the other two, but for STEM, Tech is mighty strong, and ROTC is super, duper well respected at Northern. I am not sure what OOS at any of these schools would be though since we are in state to two of them and after faculty interviews with Duluth, unfortunately, ruled them out for both boys due to some weaknesses in their prospective majors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel-in-CA Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 NOT urban was definitely on dd's list. We toured two urban schools, one in a multi-story office complex near LAX, one in SF. The school she ended up at, in addition to much lower tuition (yea!) backed up on a nature conservancy. She still had a commute, but it was much preferred to city traffic or a city setting. DS' main criteria besides having his major was cost. As a result he'll be a transfer student from the CC, living at home and paying nearly 100% of his own way; no debt. That's a biggie to him. He can spend bucks on grad school if he's interested, but he'll probably look for a company that will pay for employees' classes. Thrifty boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profmom Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Dd wanted: ~ Either a strong Christian campus or secular (not a Christian campus in word only) ~ If Christian, chapel services that the students find meaningful and don't dread attending ~ Not a super-strict campus (dresses only & gospel music would be out immediately) ~ 4 seasons, but not too long of a cold, snowy winter ~ Pretty campus ~ Beautiful natural scenery nearby (didn't really get this one!) ~ Not too large or too small (ended up choosing one with 3,200 students) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryJen Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Ds1 wanted no serious cold. And a pool for jobs and swim team (D3- very chill). We wanted small. Dd1's requirements all have to do with swim team. Everything else is secondary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 My daughter is hoping for a place that has Nordic skiing and cross country running, but that's not make or break. She doesn't seem to have any must-haves at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 For my oldest: Weak greek life and strong social life for non-greeks Small school with lots of contact with professors Something to do in town (since the school would be small.) Strong science programs with lots of hands-on work Undergraduate research a priority Paid undergraduate research Dry campus or low party culture low emphasis on athletics Middle kid: LGBTQ friendly Small school Weak greek presence Lots of faculty contact NOT hot weather Strong social justice Strong in math and science - not just for academics but a good number of geeks who like to have fun undergraduate research low emphasis on athletics Dd (she's only 15 so her list is incomplete) Medium-sized school Rock climbing easily accessible (rock gym close by and/or day trip to outdoor climbing) Urban or near-urban with a school campus and stately buildings (eta) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 One thing that I haven't seen on anyone's list that I ALWAYS looked for was the book store and library selection and facilities. I wanted a browser-friendly bookstore that invited extra-curricular purchases. I wanted an extensive library with at least some very quiet areas for study and a large selection of books. It's surprising how many liberal arts colleges don't seem to have books all that available beyond what is used in class. Disappointing, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 My dd has been busy evaluating the appearance and "feel" of campuses. Spending four (or five years-due to a combined masters program) in one place is something she has never done and it seems like a long term commitment. She wants a place that is attractive and pleasant rather than prison like. **Not that this is her top priority but it does lead to some colleges being ranked higher with her than others when all else is equal. ***She also jokes that a Chick-Fil-A on campus is a huge draw :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 My husband mused the other day, "How many students do you think Caltech loses due to lack of climbing wall?" Emily 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted August 13, 2015 Author Share Posted August 13, 2015 My husband mused the other day, "How many students do you think Caltech loses due to lack of climbing wall?" Emily VCU has an aquatics center with a climbing wall leading to a waterpark type slide. I wanted dd to check it out so I could find how I could spend time at the aquatics center. However, dd is really not interested in that school and won't even visit. Her cousin loved it, but I don't think she used the aquatics center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Sad to say, but I know someone who turned down a better financial aid package at school A because school B had a Starbucks. Not kidding. She was adamant about needing the Starbucks. I am willing to admit that I am a rather severe coffee addict, but this was a little too much determination for "perfect fit" for me, and I, like Creekland, do believe fit is important! I really can't wrap my brain around it, LOL. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Hubby loves youngest school. They allow parents to check out sailboats (and other water equipment) for free when visiting. One does have to pass a swim test first, but he (hubby) did that at student drop off! Oh, and it's a decent academic school too. ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Hubby loves youngest school. They allow parents to check out sailboats (and other water equipment) for free when visiting. One does have to pass a swim test first, but he (hubby) did that at student drop off! Oh, and it's a decent academic school too. ;) Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted August 13, 2015 Author Share Posted August 13, 2015 Sad to say, but I know someone who turned down a better financial aid package at school A because school B had a Starbucks. Not kidding. She was adamant about needing the Starbucks. I am willing to admit that I am a rather severe coffee addict, but this was a little too much determination for "perfect fit" for me, and I, like Creekland, do believe fit is important! I really can't wrap my brain around it, LOL. If someone is taking out student loans, they should figure out what that premium cup of coffee costs when you add in the fact that you are borrowing money to pay for it. That might be a $30 cup of coffee, was it worth it? It probably won't seem like it was worth it in 20 years when those loans are still chained to you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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