Depends on the person. My daughter had a fine social life, and there is always Scav Hunt. But any school of the mind attracts some people who hole up and some who don’t. At MIT when I was there there was one dorm which had a reputation of housing tools, and other dorms which had lots of social activities. Work also gets done, but not 24/7.
I would agree that you get out of college what you put into it - and talent rises to the top, pretty much regardless of where you get/got your degree.
I work at a small college here in Las Vegas. One would think the options for these students would be limited - and one would be wrong.
We have had graduates go out and get the best jobs in their fields - and not just locally. Some of these students went to NYC or LA or even major cities in Europe and have blown away the competition from far more prestigious schools.
Why? Partly talent, and partly because they worked their collective asses off at our school. However, they did learn what they needed to learn, and then excelled and went even further.
Just saying - going to a smaller, “non-prestige” school does not necessarliy spell doom in the real world.
BTW, I briefly lived in a roommate situation in a large house in LA - and the owner was a graduate of Harvard and never missed an opportunity to mention he went to Harvard. Oh how we heard about Harvard, Harvard and Harvard. He was a lawyer. He was also an asshole. And I found out later, he was also an unethical asshole who was later fired from his law firm. Now he is an unemployed Harvard graduate.
I’d take Washington over American in a heartbeat.
Agree. Between American and Wash U there’s no contest at all that it’s Wash U by a mile.
To put it bluntly, going to the worst school in a major metro is more of a disadvantage than going to a rural school with lots of rep.
I am struggling to make any case for attending American. If she doesn’t like Wash U she can always transfer to American but it is much more difficult to go the other way. Wash U or Georgetown, that’s a tough choice, but not this.
And yes, I am aware that some people choose schools that are not as well-regarded and still succeed. It’s just about putting yourself in the best position that you can given the information you have right now, which is frankly nothing, because no 18-year-old really knows anything about what they want to do or will like, with any certainty.
Wash U students were ranked #6 in overall intelligence nationally. “Intelligence” in this case was measured by testing in the areas of: attention, memory, speed of processing, problem solving, and flexibility.
Disclaimer vis a vis my endorsement of said list: I went to #11.
ETA: click through to the study. There’s an interesting scattergraph.
Update: She’s been waitlisted at Emory, and rejected by Brown, so we are definitely down to Wash U vs. American. She’ll be back from DC tomorrow, and we’ll see how she weighs the pros and cons. And her gut.
Thanks for all the opinions here. I’ll let you know what she decides.
Okay your thoughts for my kid …
Lots of waitlists but of where he is accepted is most interested in Tulane, Bates, and Lawrence.
My most academically interested kid so far (at least at this point, the other two turned more academically focused in college). Strong interest in stage crew, strong and serious interest in music (but definitely not Conservatory level), solid interest in history and literature. Strong interest in international relations. Not great foreign language. No idea what he wants to do with his life and reluctant to take anything off the table. Thinking he’ll take the one science class per semester needed to even keep Med School an option (he’s had some exposure in his old man’s office and sees his eldest brother having decided to go back post-Bacc to take science classes to try to get into med school after four years of working in Japan).
Tulane is the biggest (still not huge) and seems to have a nice quality of life. New Orleans, man.
Bates is a tiny but very well regarded Liberal Arts college in Maine. He’s not yet seen it and trip is to be arranged forthwith. A bit more “prestigious” than Tulane and a helluva lot colder.
Lawrence is a pretty decent Liberal Arts college in Appleton WI, not so far from our Chicago metro home, most notable for its having both a regular college and a very well thought of music conservatory that run side by side with classes in each open to all no matter which one you are accpepted to. Decent theater options. A bit less prestigious but they offered him a sizable chunk of merit scholarship (which I won’t pressure him with, but dayum). We stopped there but on a week end in the Summer without a formal tour and few on campus. Another visit there to be had in short order as well.
None were one of his (I believe, he plays his cards close to his vest) first or second choices, (rejected and waitlist respeciviely) but they are all good places in very different ways. I’m pretty confident he’d find people he likes at each and that each will offer him enough challenges to his POVs.
I AM going to do my best to keep my mouth shut but what thoughts do you have to offer?
Well, American was very nice, she was treated very well by the History chair, and she had a fabulous time visiting the family in DC. The relatives, who all have younger kids and would love a babysitting cousin in town, did their best to talk her into going there.
Ultimately, though, she thinks that Wash U is the place for her. We’re sending in the forms and deposit this week. We’re thrilled and couldn’t be more proud (and I would say that no matter which school she had picked).
My son is in 9th grade, so we get to do this all over again in 3 years. Can’t wait.
DSeid: Good luck with your son’s decision. They all sound like great choices.