Question for parents that have sent their kids to college

ChileG said:
I have heard UNC has one of the worst college tours.
I think it is because they don’t have the need to try to recruit people to go there.
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I was very turned off by Carolina back in the 90s for this attitude. Meanwhile, lol was pulling out all the stops.

Obviously, I still made the right choice.


Which reinforces UNC’s shitty recruiting.
 
NYCBlueBlood said:
As for picking a school, it's key for the kid to figure out the kid's preference for:
  • City vs. college town
  • Big school vs. small school
  • Highly competitive vs. more laid back
  • Big sports
  • Religious
  • Climate/ region
  • Specialized vs. broad based liberal arts
On the last point, I highly recommend going to a school that has good overall academics vs. one that's highly specialized (tech or business focused school). Soooooo many college kids change their major completely in their first two years... makes it 10x harder when you have to change schools to do it.
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Think this is great starting point plus a couple more variables:
-Cost (what can you afford, what are some good values)
-Possible major vs rankings (I'd work off the assumption that they will most likely change, contemplate possibilities)
-Distance from home (some kids want to get far from home, others need more support)

I've been the unofficial college adviser for my kids as well as nine nephews and nieces. All sorts of colleges from super competitive to schools for kids that need some support. Its gotten to a point where other kids and parents have asked me to look at their lists and ask for suggestions on app strategy.

College tours give some general vibes, but understand that there is great variance. A great guide will make it sound like lollipop and rainbows, while a bad guide can poison the well. Think they can be worthwhile, particularly if you don't know an area. I'd probably go visit my top targets.

Ive found that the most useful insights are talking with current students. Try finding someone from your school who goes there...even if its a weak link, talking to a real life student helps. Go beyond the easy questions (almost everyone loves their school at first blush, they want to justify their decision). Ask them what they don't like? What they would change. How do they get along with people in their dorm, how many hours they study, how hard is the grading?

YouTube videos have gotten very slick; during Covid schools got really good about putting up videos. There's also student created content that you can check out to get a general feel. My kids got turned off from some schools from those videos (something they later regretted).
 
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