College visits for high school kids
- Thread starter BradStevens
- Start date
Actually I don’t know. I don’t think so tho. The daughter was playing U19 and the mom was a coug. He was young. Mid 20s
Take whatever money you were going to spend on college and buy Bitcoin for them. Better investment for their futures. If they insist on college, have them go to the local IvyTech and pay their own way. I personally would suggest they live at home for the next 5+ years and get a serving job. Make a little money and have a bunch of fun. They’ll be financially set by 30 and debt free.
Don't assume that what you like is what your "youngin" will like. My wife pushed for her school (Maryland) and I pushed for my school (Indiana). There was a bit of good natured rivalry between us.
One day over dinner, (spring off his junior year in high school) we had the following conversation:
DAD: "So Ethan, when do you want to visit Bloomington?"
SON:"Dad, if you want to visit your old school, I'll go with you but I do NOT want to go there."
I dropped my fork in surprise. I glanced over ti look at me wife, and she had a big smile on here face, she had won!
SON: He looked at his mother and said, "Mom I have spent a week every year at Maryland attending lacrosse camps. I've stayed in three different dorms and spent weeks on the lacrosse fields, and I do NOT want to go there!"
Now my wife had a look of shock on her face.
SON: "I don't want to go to ANY big school. I've spent a lot of time thinking this over and I want to go to a small school. A school where I will know everyone. A school with a low student to professor class ratio, a solid business program, academically challenging and one that has a lacrosse team."
The next summer we visited about 25 schools that met his criteria. There were a couple of schools that he ruled out because he wanted a defined campus and not an urban/city school. We never even got out of the car.
Frequently these trips were on week-ends so we would not do a formal tour but just walk the campus to get a feel for it. We would sometimes strike up a conversation with students to ask some questions. If he liked the school we would come back for a formal tour and do a prearranged meeting with the lacrosse coach.
When he had a final 5 list, we would tell the coach and, the next fall, each of the schools invited him for a week-end visit. He stayed in the room of a lax player, meet the team and some other recruits, talked extensively with the coaches, and would attend a fall lacrosse practice. One of the schools was a D-2 school.
So, he graduated from the school he selected, was a 4 year starter, and some of his best friends today are people he met while playing lacrosse. He did have an offer form a D1 school, but it would be as a walk-on (Lax has only 14 free rides for a team of 35-40 players). He ruled that school out because he wanted to PLAY college lacrosse and not WATCH college lacrosse.
LEARNING POINT: Our son knew what was best for him . . . Thankfully, we were smart enough to listen.
It's great he knew what he wanted. Most kids aren't even close to that level of self-awareness.
Too late. I've already beat it into their heads that they must attend a good school or dad won't love them anymore.
Only Top 15, though. I'm not an ogre.
I’d recommend that you be honest with them about what is possible financially. If money is no object, then go wild. I’m just seeing so many kids attend mediocre out of state state schools and I genuinely don’t get it. The amount of kids paying almost $60k to attend a Tennessee or Alabama or Clemson just blows me away.
Another thing that’s changed is that she will be applying for a degree program. Kids are expected to know what they want to major in while applying. It’s nuts IMO but that’s the way it is. So have her look at colleges that have good programs. You kinda need to be a direct admit to your program to ensure she can get out in 4 years.
Another thing that’s changed is that she will be applying for a degree program. Kids are expected to know what they want to major in while applying. It’s nuts IMO but that’s the way it is. So have her look at colleges that have good programs. You kinda need to be a direct admit to your program to ensure she can get out in 4 years.
In my opinion, official tours are a must - especially if it includes something specific for your kids' desired major(s). Sure you'll see what they want you to see. But I found the student tour guides helpful and willing to answer most any question.
Our youngest is a freshman at Tennessee (in marketing) and really likes it. She's living the good life as she got a 4.0 first semester and was invited to join her top pick sorority (Phi Mu). Based upon my own research into this sorority, I cannot wait for dad's day.
Phi Mu UT Instagram:
PHI MU TENNESSEE !! (@phimuutk) • Instagram profile
24K Followers, 1,032 Following, 1,045 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from PHI MU TENNESSEE !! (@phimuutk)
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I’d like to see a football weekend there.In my opinion, official tours are a must - especially if it includes something specific for your kids' desired major(s). Sure you'll see what they want you to see. But I found the student tour guides helpful and willing to answer most any question.
Our youngest is a freshman at Tennessee (in marketing) and really likes it. She's living the good life as she got a 4.0 first semester and was invited to join her top pick sorority (Phi Mu). Based upon my own research into this sorority, I cannot wait for dad's day.
PHI MU TENNESSEE !! (@phimuutk) • Instagram profile
24K Followers, 1,032 Following, 1,045 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from PHI MU TENNESSEE !! (@phimuutk)
Well, we're going to be near Knoxville, so maybe your daughter can give me a tour? Er, I mean my daughter a tour?In my opinion, official tours are a must - especially if it includes something specific for your kids' desired major(s). Sure you'll see what they want you to see. But I found the student tour guides helpful and willing to answer most any question.
Our youngest is a freshman at Tennessee (in marketing) and really likes it. She's living the good life as she got a 4.0 first semester and was invited to join her top pick sorority (Phi Mu). Based upon my own research into this sorority, I cannot wait for dad's day.
Phi Mu UT Instagram:
PHI MU TENNESSEE !! (@phimuutk) • Instagram profile
24K Followers, 1,032 Following, 1,045 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from PHI MU TENNESSEE !! (@phimuutk)
We went to one last Fall and it was fun. Tailgating scene is not as big as I expected, though we were not down on a yacht on the river. Stadium is insane. We were in the upper deck and should have brought a Sherpa to help us climb to our seats.
It is. Has a much older vibe to it than I expected, with a few really old (but cool) buildings. Also much hillier than I expected. Fairly pedestrian friendly. Dorms kind of suck, though, and only freshmen are allowed to live on campus. But lots of REALLY nice apartment complexes right next to campus.
Best part of football weekend? All the coeds wear dresses (usually orange) and cowboy boots to the game.
Orange dresses and cowboy boots. Oh my god. I was doing so good now feel so weak
It’s so clever. They need a leader. And they want him to be awful.I'm cracking up b/c we just watched that movie (not the first time)
It's very realistic. My kids are the same way. Always follow the trouble makers.
Few more things. Despite it's size (101,000), Neyland stadium is a great place to watch a game. Even the seats in the upper deck are good, as the steepness means you are closer to the field than, say, Michigan. It's also loud due to its configuration (upper deck goes all the way around, with no openings). Even though the band is in one corner it sounds like Rocky Top is being played from everywhere. (And no, I was not sick of that song by the end of the game.) Food and drink options aren't great, but maybe that's because we were in the cheap seats.
I also like that they give visiting fans prime seats right behind the visitor's bench. Most schools stick them high up in a corner. UT fans were also very friendly, even towards the opposing team. Granted, we saw them play UT San Antonio, so I'm sure it's a lot different against someone like Alabama or Georgia. They also have a really nice pre-game gathering at the Student Union (I think that's where it was), with live music, food trucks, and beer, all for decent prices. Parking is not so great, as there seemed to be nothing like fraternities selling spots on their lawn, etc. We ended up paying $100 to park in a university garage about 3/4 mile from the stadium. Cheaper lots required you to take a shuttle bus.
Of course the best way to experience a game has to be down on the river (the Vol Navy). That looked incredible, with some enormous boats and tons of people.
Few more things. Despite it's size (101,000), Neyland stadium is a great place to watch a game. Even the seats in the upper deck are good, as the steepness means you are closer to the field than, say, Michigan. It's also loud due to its configuration (upper deck goes all the way around, with no openings). Even though the band is in one corner it sounds like Rocky Top is being played from everywhere. (And no, I was not sick of that song by the end of the game.) Food and drink options aren't great, but maybe that's because we were in the cheap seats.
I also like that they give visiting fans prime seats right behind the visitor's bench. Most schools stick them high up in a corner. UT fans were also very friendly, even towards the opposing team. Granted, we saw them play UT San Antonio, so I'm sure it's a lot different against someone like Alabama or Georgia. They also have a really nice pre-game gathering at the Student Union (I think that's where it was), with live music, food trucks, and beer, all for decent prices. Parking is not so great, as there seemed to be nothing like fraternities selling spots on their lawn, etc. We ended up paying $100 to park in a university garage about 3/4 mile from the stadium. Cheaper lots required you to take a shuttle bus.
Of course the best way to experience a game has to be down on the river (the Vol Navy). That looked incredible, with some enormous boats and tons of people.
I don’t get how you weren’t sick of it. They play it constantly, even when bad things happen to UT.
Furman, Greenville South Carolina is a beautiful campus in a wonderful town. One of ours - now 40s - still wears a Furman sweatshirt though she graduated from Ball State. I'd stop on Rocky Top and have a glance at The University of the South - Suwanee - between Nashville and Chattanooga. Centre College, Danville, Kentucky has a campus/town loaded with historical markers and has been around over 200 years.
About once a month Brett hull passes out at Napoli
Great suggestions.
I won't allow my children to attend a "school" in the state of Kentucky, but it would be fun to visit and point and laugh at the local inhabitants.
Our oldest went to Purdue for engineering - which i would not have predicted prior to him choosing to go there (since its also my alma mater). I always knew he would end up in engineering or computer science, but we did not really push Purdue. Two of the things that pushed him towards Purdue were (1) he was only accepted to Ohio State's Newark campus for the first year (could then transfer to main campus), and (2) we went to the 2019 Elite Eight basketball game (Purdue v. Virginia, in Louisville). I think the level of Purdue support at that game was a big influence on him.
The Ohio State thing was absolutely insane. He had great grades and test scores, yet they would only let him start at Newark (an absolute shithole of a town). He ended up graduating from Purdue in four years, in chemical engineering, with a 3.8 GPA. FU Ohio State. That was your loss. It so reminded me of when I was a senior in high school. I had not yet signed a letter of intent with Purdue but was close. I was at junior nationals (swimming) and a friend introduced me to OSU's coach. My friend told the OSU coach I was going to Purdue, to which the coach replied "We'll have to see about that." Almost told the clown off right there, as I had never heard diddly squat from OSU up until then. I probably wouldn't have gone there, but it would have been nice to at least have gotten a call or letter. Then, to make things worse, after I had been at Purdue 2-3 weeks, I received a letter from the Ohio Board of Regents offering me a scholarship for any public school in Ohio! So happy that none of my kids have attended Ohio State, and to this day I will root against Ohio State in most anything (except when they play Michigan - but that's just on principle).
The Ohio State thing was absolutely insane. He had great grades and test scores, yet they would only let him start at Newark (an absolute shithole of a town). He ended up graduating from Purdue in four years, in chemical engineering, with a 3.8 GPA. FU Ohio State. That was your loss. It so reminded me of when I was a senior in high school. I had not yet signed a letter of intent with Purdue but was close. I was at junior nationals (swimming) and a friend introduced me to OSU's coach. My friend told the OSU coach I was going to Purdue, to which the coach replied "We'll have to see about that." Almost told the clown off right there, as I had never heard diddly squat from OSU up until then. I probably wouldn't have gone there, but it would have been nice to at least have gotten a call or letter. Then, to make things worse, after I had been at Purdue 2-3 weeks, I received a letter from the Ohio Board of Regents offering me a scholarship for any public school in Ohio! So happy that none of my kids have attended Ohio State, and to this day I will root against Ohio State in most anything (except when they play Michigan - but that's just on principle).
Brett Hull ruled ‘drunkest man in America’ in Stanley Cup appearance
The Bruins won Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Sunday night, but it was Blues legend Brett Hull who got Twitter revved up. Before the puck dropped in St. Louis, Hull, the team’s executive …
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The Blues are trash!
-signed a Hawks fan
That's weird re your son. I have a friend up here who has two daughters, both at OSU. Neither was a stellar academic, although they did OK in school (sounded like A and B students?) and they only applied to schools like OSU--Mich St, Iowa, etc.
UK is not that bad. They also have some of the nicest dorms in the world. Louisville is a trash university. Absolute gutter level.
I wonder if it has something to do with coming from in-state v. out-of-state. Or, perhaps they try to limit how many they admit from the same high school? He was not the only one we heard about.
One of his friends did the Newark thing for a year then transferred to Columbus. But, in that kid's case I think it was warranted (i.e., he was lucky to get accepted at Newark).
Back when I was in high school, you were automatically accepted at OSU if you graduated from an Ohio high school with a GPA > 2.0.
Gutter!! I took a recruiting trip there with a teammate from Busch. Met the coach Claudio Moldanado on fri. Gem of a guy. Then fri went out with the team. My buddy got a dwi and I got hit with underage drinking. Were in jail until 4 am. Were supposed to scrimmage with the team. Parents called cops got us out and a court date. We skipped the scrimmage and just went home. Didn’t even tell the coach. That Monday the coach called and said he hoped our visit didn’t leave a bad taste for Louisville 🤣🤣
One of the best slap shots of all time! I used to play his hockey video games and he would break the glass when he hit a slap shot wide of the net. He’s a beauty.
But….
Bobby was better
