College Search
The Pandora household has been consumed with searching for colleges for our son. We’ve read countless brochures, surfed the web until I can’t stand looking at my computer, and have traveled by car and plane to visit campuses (U of D, Pitt, Penn State, U of M, Boston U, MIT, Stony Brook, NYU, Temple, etc). Quite simply, we have officially overloaded on higher education. My son doesn’t have his heart set on any university. The only thing he knows is he wants to major in engineering – he wants to build things and thinks math is as fun as XBox.
The cost of college tuition for an undergrad degree is nuts – with most kids leaving college approximately 200,000.00 in debt and a slim chance of ever recouping that investment. If college was a stock it would be a risky investment.
All that said, of course he’s going. The question is where. We’ve decided to apply to a boatload of schools since you don’t really find out what sort of financial aid/scholarship package is offered until you pay your application fee and submit your application.
That’s where we are. Any advice, helpful hints, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Tags: Higher Education
Pandora, there is some sort of national college admission form that UD is part of. I think there’s about 300 colleges and universities that take part.
Also, I am a huge proponent of kids taking a year off and working some shit job between high school and college. I think it helps them understand how important it is.
Take the shit job on a vineyard in Provence between Sophomore and Junior year. That way he’ll be more invested in finishing school.
Janson330 he has already had a shit job for the past two years in Fenwick Island.
Thanks, nemski! I think you’re referring to the Common Application. When (if?) I get through this I’m going to write a college navigation manual. Information overload!
Colorado School of Mines is a great engineering school.
We are actually going to apply there, MJ. They have been sending our son letters since his sophomore year.
Universtity of Central Florida – in Orlando
my brother is graduating from there with a dual major in Engineering and business
it is an engineering school – I have the details and I am sure my brother would gladly fill you in on all the details
just give me a call
PS – you can always visit “DISNEY” too
Check out coop schools. University of Waterloo in Ontario has a wonderful program!
Consider the University of Virginia. It’s the highest-ranked public school in the country, the costs are reasonable, and it’s only a 3 1/2 hour drive away. Plus, it’s the alma mater of Bobby Kennedy, Edgar Allen Poe, and, well, me.
“Any advice, helpful hints, would be greatly appreciated.”
What’s wrong with Delaware State University? Close by, the diversity!, cheap, … It worked for me back in the 70’s. Honestly, I think I actually LOST knowledge while there, but they’re accredited now…
It was all I could afford at the time.
oh geez pandora-make that meal–and you know I’ll have you straightened out in 45 minutes!! I am just not on blogs now….way too busy.
Just judging by a snippet you gave of his personality, I would take him to a liberal arts college to see if he likes the concept…
Try Swarthmore, it’s just up the road….if he likes the concept.
then look at Williams, Amherst, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Pomona, Carleton, and Davidson….
As a mom you don’t want to hear this but he will probably decide on the school, where he thinks it easiest to land a girlfriend…..
The price tag is often knocked of considerably by the time financial aid kicks in. Small liberal Colleges have more benefactors per student than do large universities….
These are great times… Remember… you’re the mom… It must be his decision… (and if worse comes to worse, it is pretty smart now not to go into debt for an education whose job you are training for,… is overseas…..