Loyola Chicago Rome Start program

[fourisenough]

Stumbled across this program: https://www.luc.edu/internationaladmission/romestart/

DD is very intrigued. Does anyone have any first hand experience with this program?  Does anyone know of other similar programs? Essentially a study-abroad program that students do as freshmen rather than as an upperclassman, where their merit scholarship will fully apply. I feel like this would really be a great way to kick off the university experience *for the right student*! We’ve traveled a lot internationally and DD has taken a lot of (and loves) classical studies, Latin, and art history in addition to her career interest in nursing or prep for med school. 

[NewnameC]

I don’t know anything about that program.

I have an acquaintance whose son planned to do this program.

https://international.fsu.edu/FYA.aspx
 

(Our paths no longer  cross, so I can’t tell you how it went.)

 

 

[fourisenough]

28 minutes ago, NewnameC said:

I don’t know anything about that program.

I have an acquaintance whose son planned to do this program.

https://international.fsu.edu/FYA.aspx
 

(Our paths no longer  cross, so I can’t tell you how it went.)

 

 

Oh, that look s interesting, too. I’ll take a closer look when I have time later.

[chiguirre]

The University of Dallas has every student spend half their sophomore year in Rome.

Dd did their high school summer Latin program there and it's lovely. The class was good too.

[Roadrunner]

https://haas.berkeley.edu/undergrad/academics/global-opportunities/gmp/
 

Fall in London

[madteaparty]

Stern NYU, or maybe NYU in general too, I’m not sure.

northeastern has a start abroad program I guess as a way to game rankings. There was a long article about this that I didn’t read and could be misinterpreting 

[bibiche]

15 minutes ago, madteaparty said:

Stern NYU, or maybe NYU in general too, I’m not sure.

northeastern has a start abroad program I guess as a way to game rankings. There was a long article about this that I didn’t read and could be misinterpreting 

I think many of these programs could be not so much a way to game rankings and get applicants as they are a way to relieve the housing crunch that lots of schools are experiencing. 
 

I was wondering what type of student would be ready to go abroad first semester. I was thinking it would only be for mature, dedicated students who don’t need the hand-holding that first year (and more!) students seem to require, but then I saw that these are satellites of the actual universities and it made more sense. They can still keep a close eye on their young students and provide them with the same support and services they’d receive at home. No way the typical first year student could integrate into a large university in another country.

Edited May 30, 2021 by bibiche

[fourisenough]

9 hours ago, bibiche said:

I was wondering what type of student would be ready to go abroad first semester. I was thinking it would only be for mature, dedicated students who don’t need the hand-holding that first year (and more!) students seem to require, but then I saw that these are satellites of the actual universities and it made more sense. They can still keep a close eye on their young students and provide them with the same support and services they’d receive at home. No way the typical first year student could integrate into a large university in another country.

Yes, I had similar thoughts. Not sure my DD would even qualify for Rome Start as she has never lived abroad nor completed a study-abroad during high school. But, since she moved away from home at age 13 to train with professional ballet companies’ schools, living in Dallas, Seattle, Miami, and NYC, she has plenty of experience navigating new places, living independently, and mixing with all sorts of people. Hopefully we can make a case that she’d be a good fit (that is, if she decides this is something she wants to pursue).

[madteaparty]

10 hours ago, bibiche said:

I think many of these programs could be not so much a way to game rankings and get applicants as they are a way to relieve the housing crunch that lots of schools are experiencing. 
 

I was wondering what type of student would be ready to go abroad first semester. I was thinking it would only be for mature, dedicated students who don’t need the hand-holding that first year (and more!) students seem to require, but then I saw that these are satellites of the actual universities and it made more sense. They can still keep a close eye on their young students and provide them with the same support and services they’d receive at home. No way the typical first year student could integrate into a large university in another country.

I was talking about northeastern specifically. I know exactly zero about the start abroad programs for other schools other than, they exist 🤣

There was a long piece in Boston Globe? about how they made a concerted effort to climb the rankings, and this was part of their strategy. Must have worked as I’m hearing more about Northeastern now than I ever did when I lived in the area...

[bibiche]

7 minutes ago, madteaparty said:

I was talking about northeastern specifically. I know exactly zero about the start abroad programs for other schools other than, they exist 🤣

There was a long piece in Boston Globe? about how they made a concerted effort to climb the rankings, and this was part of their strategy. Must have worked as I’m hearing more about Northeastern now than I ever did when I lived in the area...

I’ll try to find the article. Yes, it has been amazing watching the rise of Northeastern, which I believe was formerly a small regional commuter school. The same thing happened to Villanova University a while back. And I remember reading an article many years ago about some school in Pennsylvania - Franklin and Marshall maybe? - that was gaming the ratings by rejecting highly qualified applicants to make themselves more desirable. It’s all so stupid. 

[8filltheheart]

Yes, fall abroad keeps those students' info out of the reported info for admissions rankings.  Only fall start admitted students' info is included, so students who are offered spring on-campus admissions are being accepted through a back door.  There was a lot of discussion about these programs at on pt in time on CC.  Many of the kids accepted for fall abroad 1st semester were full pay kids who were not competitive for direct fall admissions without impacting school profile.  I haven't paid attention to it in yrs.  It could be that students love it and the approach has become normalized, but that was not the U's original intent (though definitely spun as a boon for the student.)

[madteaparty]

41 minutes ago, bibiche said:

I’ll try to find the article. Yes, it has been amazing watching the rise of Northeastern, which I believe was formerly a small regional commuter school. The same thing happened to Villanova University a while back. And I remember reading an article many years ago about some school in Pennsylvania - Franklin and Marshall maybe? - that was gaming the ratings by rejecting highly qualified applicants to make themselves more desirable. It’s all so stupid. 

Here it is. https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/08/26/how-northeastern-gamed-the-college-rankings/

and I’ve posted this quote from Bard’s president before (of course I love him and I love Bard) but it’s fascinating that once this absurdity is exposed and understood, It continues to perpetuate and become even more of an absurdity:

“It's one of the real black marks on the history of higher education that an entire industry that's supposedly populated by the best minds in the country - theoretical physicists, writers, critics - is bamboozled by a third-rate news magazine."

[bibiche]

@madteaparty I love that quote! So true! Thank you for posting it.

[Roadrunner]

1 hour ago, 8filltheheart said:

Yes, fall abroad keeps those students' info out of the reported info for admissions rankings.  Only fall start admitted students' info is included, so students who are offered spring on-campus admissions are being accepted through a back door.  There was a lot of discussion about these programs at on pt in time on CC.  Many of the kids accepted for fall abroad 1st semester were full pay kids who were not competitive for direct fall admissions without impacting school profile.  I haven't paid attention to it in yrs.  It could be that students love it and the approach has become normalized, but that was not the U's original intent (though definitely spun as a boon for the student.)

I am surprised. We hear Berkeley’s global management program is very competitive. I don’t know any details about it since my kids aren’t interested, but I am not under the impression that it’s an easier entry. 

[Dmmetler]

Agnes Scott normally has all first years do an international experience, at a variety of locations. It's mid-way through the Spring term (and other years also have various experiences during that time block, either short courses, internships, or other travel)

[8filltheheart]

13 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

I am surprised. We hear Berkeley’s global management program is very competitive. I don’t know any details about it since my kids aren’t interested, but I am not under the impression that it’s an easier entry. 

No idea about all programs.  That seems integral to the degree??  I think that is different than random 1st semester study abroad in general.  NE is one school where spring acceptance was basically the motivation.  I'm not sure, but IIRC, WF might have been another one.

[Roadrunner]

41 minutes ago, 8filltheheart said:

No idea about all programs.  That seems integral to the degree??  I think that is different than random 1st semester study abroad in general.  NE is one school where spring acceptance was basically the motivation.  I'm not sure, but IIRC, WF might have been another one.

Not a clue. We only know about it because friend’s child applied and didn’t get in. 
 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Roadrunner

[Bootsie]

On 5/29/2021 at 8:03 PM, chiguirre said:

The University of Dallas has every student spend half their sophomore year in Rome.

Dd did their high school summer Latin program there and it's lovely. The class was good too.

DD did a the high school Shakespeare program through UD in Rome and then did the fall of her sophomore year there.  Both were wonderful experiences for her.  UD also hosts a Rome trip for alums/parents/donors that DH was able to participate in a couple of years ago.  He said the campus is lovely.