OT: Visiting Campus

[Pudge]

I went to TWO State Universities. This might be a good question. My undergrad UCONN had 200-600 size classes for a FEW cafeteria level entry Freshman classes. Like the first Psychology class (and if you had a good Professor - that was actually performance art) or the First Sociology or a Criminology. Maybe 200-240. But by the time you focused and got to your Major ... the class was never over 40. And maybe far less for something you really wanted to know.

UCLA is distinctly higher ranked than the University of Connecticut - and that is where I got my MBA. In the woods for 4 years; in Boston job market for 3; In Westside LA for 2 (and then extended). UCLA then ... and I believe today ... still has big big lecture halls well into your Junior year in major topics.

 

[MattMang23]

Yeah, mine goes to a competitive Catholic School in the Boston suburbs (and Providence suburbs too I suppose). Last year kids went to: Arizona State, Auburn, BYU, Clemson, College of Charleston, Furman, Loyola NO, Marquette, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, St. Louis, Santa Clara, Alabama, Iowa, Notre Dame, Oregon, Richmond, South Carolina and others. That's a bizarre change from my day. My school was 3 times the size (with fewer going to college) and I doubt we sent anybody to schools like those.

Even two years ago when she first attended the list was not that geographically diverse. I know the kid who went to Clemson on the list above and his list included: NC State, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia and Florida State.

Yeah, when I went to UConn in 2003, my high school- which is also a top 10 public in Connecticut and is ranked just below the high school my girlfriend works at, so our kids also had our picks- sent like 40% of our graduating class to UConn, 40% to Northeastern and the other 20% mostly scattered to small liberal arts colleges in the northeast. Times have definitely changed.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yeah, when I went to UConn in 2003, my high school- which is also a top 10 public in Connecticut and is ranked just below the high school my girlfriend works at, so our kids also had our picks- sent like 40% of our graduating class to UConn, 40% to Northeastern and the other 20% mostly scattered to small liberal arts colleges in the northeast. Times have definitely changed.

So funny to see Northeastern mentioned. It was a big feeder school because of the co-op program when I graduated in 1984. But it was just a medium level regional school. Now it's bonkers to get in there with people coming from everywhere.

 

[8893]

So funny to see Northeastern mentioned. It was a big feeder school because of the co-op program when I graduated in 1984. But it was just a medium level regional school. Now it's bonkers to get in there with people coming from everywhere.

The co-op is still the driver there. In a world where everyone now wants college = job, they have something very attractive to sell--and they are very good at selling it.

The crazy thing is that other schools offer it but don't sell it like they should. See, e.g., UConn. I did a both a co-op and a study abroad program there and each were incredibly valuable experiences that literally changed my life and still pay dividends today. You had to be a bit of a self-starter to learn about and take advantage of those programs, but they were there for the taking for those who sought them out. I don't know whether they are part of the marketing push to new students now, but I don't remember seeing it in the materials or hearing my daughter or wife mention it.

 

[UConnRock]

My son is a freshman at Northeastern. being from Tennessee likely helped, but NEU sells 2 things 1) the co-ops and 2) a decent amount of merit money spread across a large student population as opposed to other schools that focus full ride merit on a few students.

 

[8893]

Good insight:

I Killed My Teenager’s Fancy College Dreams. You Should, Too.

Saying no to the expensive dream schools may hurt now, but a debt-free life is worth it.

slate.com