S/O-Are there any Hive kids at Mizzou?

[Dmmetler]

We'll be visiting in a few weeks. DD15 has been accepted, but has never visited (she applied based on their programs)-and needs to decide whether to put in the effort to compete for the top scholarships. She's particularly interested in organismal biology, animal science, animal behavior and science education, and eventually wants to do education and outreach for a zoo or natural science/history museum or NGO. Her other interests are Pokemon, table gaming, fan fiction, discussing ideas...basically, she's a nerd -and proud of it. 

[katilac]

No, Hive kids are too smart to go to Mizzou. 

/runs from rabid Mizzou fans/ 

it's just a joke 

[Lanny]

On USNEWS Mizzou is listed as tied for 124, among National Universities, so it is a very good school, based on that. That's only one measure and it is a very high level look at the school. Your DD is very young if she is only 15.  In the high level description on USNEWS they say that Mizzou has highly rated Graduate programs, but none of them seem to be related to the interests your DD has.  The areticle also says there are 280+ Majors there. Possibly some of them are related to the interests your DD has and well rated. If so, she should contact the Department Head of any Major that she may have serious interest in, ASAP and possibly she might be able to meet with them, in person or via Zoom.

The campus episodes (approximately 5 years ago?) are something you might include in the investigation, if your DD considers "Mizzou".  Are they still having issues like that?  "Can we get some muscle over here?"   She is very young to be around situations like that, that can become very dangerous, very quickly. The Professor who said that later went to Gonzaga, so she is not there at this time.

Much good luck to your DD!   She has many very specific interests and that may help her getting Mentors and Scholarships.

[Guest]

Herpetology is niche enough to not really be reflected on graduate program ratings. Mizzou has a strong relationship with the Missouri department of natural resources, and has a pretty good program, including a student-run outreach organization specifically in the field. And there are some excellent PIs and labs, and the program has a good reputation among female students (being connected to a lot of grad students helps). They're a STAMPS school, and DD is a good contender for the STAMPS program. 

 

But campus size, campus feel, is it safe, how far away are dorms from campus buildings, how well lit is it, etc, is a concern. And after a pretty awful summer program cafeteria experience , I know DD would appreciate hearing from a vegetarian/vegan as to how hard it is to actually get decent food. 

[Lanny]

The education part in that specialty sounds very good for your DD. The concerns you brought up in the 2nd paragraph are of extreme importance. You might join the sub Reddit for Mizzou. I assume there is one. I read (don't post) on the one for Carolina and have read many interesting things there.  Occasionally I pass links to a thread to my DD.  As I recall, the issues that had to do with that Professor ("Can we get some muscle here?") had to do with Racial issues on the campus? What is the situation there now, some years later?

In addition to campus safety and the other things of interest to you and your DD, you brought up the Vegetarian/Vegan diet thing.  Unexpectedly, after watching 2 or 3 videos about  how they slaughter cattle, my wife converted us, to our astonishment, to almost Vegetarians. I believe that my DD is still doing that diet. 

Here's the problem your DD might face in the Dining Hall at Mizzou or other universities:  The Dining Halls at UNC are I believe closed for in-person dining. They have a limited variety of different things to eat available, because of that. Take out foods.  I don't know if any of the things they have available now (my DD is in a Dorm there) are Vegetarian/Vegan.  I believe my DD is Cooking things in her Suite and/or in the Kitchen where the students can cook in her Dorm.  So the diet of your DD and where she can get Vegetarian/Vegan food is certainly something you need to investigate. Pre COVID-19 I doubt there would have been an issue for her, but with so many students studying from home and not on campus, there will probably be a lot of places on campus that are closed.

ETA: My DD did not buy a Meal Plan (tickets for meals) this semester. She is not, as far as I know, eating any of her meals in the UNC Dining Halls this semester.

 

Edited September 19, 2020 by Lanny
add ETA

[BusyMom5]

We know people there, and DD could get a good scholarship, but so far she has not applied bc she isn't sure about living there.  If you watch the weather,  it's much windier and colder than where I live.  The campus can be big to walk,  depending on where you live and where your classes are. As for the race issues a few years ago- I think that's a risk on any campus.  A family member works on the campus and she said it feels safe, but I'm not a big fan on the city of Columbia.   They do have a good vet school,  but I'm not sure how that relates to herpetology.  We have it on our list to consider,  but its not currently at the top.  

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by BusyMom5

[Lanny]

I googled and found a sub Reddit for Mizzou. This thread may be troubling:

I agree with BusyMom5 that there may be racial issues, or other issues, on the campus of any large university. I also believe that can happen on a small campus  too.

[almondbutterandjelly]

A young man I'm tangentially acquainted with went to Mizzou for a year and then returned home to Texas.  My understanding was that it was hard to make friends.  However, it is entirely possible that Texas-friendly is very different from Missouri-friendly.  I suppose Tennessee-friendly might be more similar since y'all are next to each other.

Not very helpful, I guess.  But I wanted to mention it.

[Guest]

That's one reason to try to talk to students. This isn't going to be a good year to judge dining options for any school, but kids who have been there before this year might have a better idea. 

Herpetology tends to be more common at schools that have Ag/Vet schools because they have the equipment and training to do the kind of research that is required without the biology department having to make a decision to focus lab funds on organismal. And such schools usually need a herpetology class or two for those majors, so again, the departments can piggyback and share staff because a class on reptile anatomy and physiology is an elective for a bio major NOT planning to be a herpetologist, but it is a requirement for a small animal vet who might have to spay a bearded dragon. It's not the only concern, and there are programs that are very well regarded that are not at schools with vet/ag schools but it's gotten several schools onto DD's lists.  I also kind of feel Mizzou is a good test case. If it's campus is too big and overwhelming, she can probably not even bother to apply to some of the other big Ag schools that might be a good fit (but are far enough away that they would have to overcome the "want to be able to get home easily" concern to rise to the top).  If it's too cold that definitely adds some geographic limits. 

And, realistically, racial tensions will be a concern at almost any school that meets DD's geographic requirements, and she's grown up in Memphis, so it's not like she's inexperienced with it.  The question is how well does the school manage it, and do all groups feel heard. Which is something that, again, is easier to judge on the ground than from a distance.  DD's PMI CC sends a good number of kids to the Missouri system, and to Mizzou in general, and it doesn't have a "Stay away" rep, which some schools do, but it is definitely something we're keeping in mind in all schools. 

 

Making friends and fitting in is also a concern anywhere-although the presence of a herpetology club that focuses on outreach and education on campus is a pretty good sign that DD can probably find at least a couple of like minded people. But she's definitely picking schools partially on whether she feels she can fit in, and I suspect that will be hard to judge now. One reason why she really liked UAH is that there were so many visual signs that there were kids there who shared her interest and were interested and active enough to put up flyers. But I don't think many colleges are encouraging extracurriculars now, and if they are, that's going to be a big "run away" cue for this parent-because if they aren't taking COVID seriously now, I don't want my child there in a year. 

 

[8filltheheart]

Has she considered NCSU?  With her background, she is strong contender for their Park Scholarship.  I don't know aout herpetology in general, but they have an active herp club. https://getinvolved.ncsu.edu/organization/herpetologyclub

https://park.ncsu.edu/apply/selection-criteria/

[elegantlion]

A couple of things to consider with Mizzou - which you probably already have. 

MO higher education budget cuts have been extreme in the last few years. Mizzou always gets hit hard by those cuts - although the vet/ag program is probably pretty secure. It has a long-standing good reputation and I noticed they were hiring for that college over the summer - not sure what fields, but vet/ag related. So I'd make sure the people, programs she needs are fairly secure. 

I'd also ask if Columbia has access to those outreach, internship programs or would she need to travel to KC or St. Louis to have the right opportunities. 

 

[Lanny]

1 hour ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

Has she considered NCSU?  With her background, she is strong contender for their Park Scholarship.  I don't know aout herpetology in general, but they have an active herp club. https://getinvolved.ncsu.edu/organization/herpetologyclub

https://park.ncsu.edu/apply/selection-criteria/

That area has Winters that are (usually) much milder than in many places. The Summers are long hot and humid. There are companies in the Triangle that might be potential employers for her, in addition to the universities there?

[Lanny]

Re: comment by elegantlion.  Yes.  When I read the article I linked to above in this thread, MU was deeply hurt (far fewer students, financial issues, etc.) by the social unrest in 2015 and that Professor who I read went to Gonzaga. That's one of the issues they need to survive.

[Guest]

We’ve been able to set up a visit with the college of ag and natural resources specifically at Mizzou. We’re also going to piggy back a visit to Lincoln since it’s close.