Baltimore or New Jersey for a day

[nisryus]

Kid is a senior and will be going off to college in Fall. We have been touring schools during spring break and summer, but mainly to those in the DC area and California.

In mid February, we are planning to visit DC area once more time to check out American Univeristy (we missed it due to schedule conflict) on a Thursday, then the next day take Greyhound to go to Baltimore for another school. the final leg will be taking Greyhound to New Jersey to check out Seton Hall.

I can either spend two days in Baltimore and one day in New Jeresey, or vice versa.

Which city is more interesting and what can I do in two days (ok, one and a half day as half of a day woudd be school tour).

For New Jersey, I know i might be able to take Lyft to cross to NY and do a day trip there. What about Baltimore? Are there anything interesting to do or see there?

TIA!

 

[Torn Mind]

Baltimore is a mosaic. The Inner Harbor is to please the tourists; there isn't anything else worth looking at except crime. Maybe you can check the neighoring rowhouses near Hopkins(I'm assuming that's the school you're interested in, because everything is basically for in-state people only).

 

[MrSquished]

Spend the two days in NJ, Seton Hall is not far from the city, if you or your son have never been, it's one of the greatest cities in the world. North Jersey also has some of the most diverse food options. If you're going to stay in New Jersey for a day check that out.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Find a community college or trade school close to home.

Save many thousands of dollars.

 

[PowerEngineer]

I'm guessing that you have some idea of which school your son is more likely to attend. If so, I would plan to spend the additional day in the city where that school is located.

 

[purbeast0]

Baltimore is a shithole so I'd steer clear of there. I haven't been to jersey though so I can't comment on it.

 

[Torn Mind]

Find a community college or trade school close to home.

Save many thousands of dollars.

If you want to obtain social standing and the power to lord over others and slip away from wrongdoing, community college is guaranteed self segregation to a lower class and location.

Academic path - Ivy League
Military Path
Law enforcement
Get close to a fat cat or power broker.(i.e Julianna Marriott is technically a neighbor of min(only owns bare land while her new hubby lives in Potomac.
"Respectable" businessman/woman.
Esteemed professions(related and dependent on the above) - lawyer, doctor, scientist.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Baltimore has one of the best car dealerships in the world, worth checking out. Bring the wife.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Baltimore has one of the best car dealerships in the world, worth checking out. Bring the wife.

 

[akugami]

Baltimore is a shithole so I'd steer clear of there. I haven't been to jersey though so I can't comment on it.

Been to Baltimore, can confirm.

Most parts of Jersey, except the "rich folk area" is a shit hole too.

I'd much rather be in most parts of NJ than Baltimore though.

 

[nisryus]

Thanks guy.. Well, looks like we will only stay at Baltimore for a day just to visit that college.

He actually got top merits from all of the schools he has applied to so far. Problem is they are all along the East coast between DC and NJ.

 

[nisryus]

So an update.

The college in Baltimore (Twoson area) has invited my son to compete for a scholarship (selecting 5 out of 30 invited students) that could offer him one of the following: a full ride, full tunition paid, or $8k a year extra in additon to the $40k merit aid he is already getting from the school.

We will definitely be flying out to DC in mid Feb, and then take Greyhound to Baltimore. Does it usually snow much in mid Feb around DC and Northern Baltimore?

 

[akugami]

Hasn't snowed much in the last few years in eastern PA, which has roughly the same weather as south NJ. From about central NJ to north NJ (near NY) has a much higher chance of snow.

Baltimore can get snow, but it's far enough south that while it does get cold, snow is less likely than in NJ. And even when it does snow, it is likely to be less severe.

If your son can get a full ride, I'd take it. Having a full ride gives him a head start in life.

A person can go to a lesser school, and still come out well educated, or go to a good school, and come out uneducated. That's not to say there aren't good schools in the Baltimore area.

 

[purbeast0]

Is doesn't snow much at all in the DC/Baltimore area, especially the last couple of years. Last year we literally had no snow other than like a 1/4" dusting. At most we will get like 2-3 storms a year if we do get them.

It won't be as much accumulation in the actual cities though, but between then will be more.

But it can also be like 1 inch or 2 feet. So basically, there is zero predictability!

 

[Torn Mind]

So an update.

The college in Baltimore (Twoson area) has invited my son to compete for a scholarship (selecting 5 out of 30 invited students) that could offer him one of the following: a full ride, full tunition paid, or $8k a year extra in additon to the $40k merit aid he is already getting from the school.

We will definitely be flying out to DC in mid Feb, and then take Greyhound to Baltimore. Does it usually snow much in mid Feb around DC and Northern Baltimore?

Blizzards can occasionally happen in February depending on the mood of the winter. Baltimore being rather close to the water might mitigate the snowfall. At its worst, maybe 2 days of being disabled.

Towson's university is not the star uni of the state, that would be UMCP or UMBC. It's something above a community college, but your son is likely overqualified and hence they're going all-in in pulling him in. The potential of him becoming a significant alumni in the list must be high for them to roll out the red carpet They only need a 3.00 GPA to meet consideration for admission, so it's not that hard to make the cut.

Looking for feedback on Towson University- positive or negative.
by u/Royal-Elderberry7174 in ApplyingToCollege

Reddit here mention it is a "safety school".

A neighbor who defrauded Walter Reed graduated from Towson(Prosthetics sales can make a corrupt millionaire)

 

[brianmanahan]

this thread might as well have been titled

"hell or purgatory for a day"

 

[nisryus]

Thanks guys.

It is actually Goucher College. We learned abput it from college that change lives.

 

[Charmonium]

Of course I'm biased to NJ but if you do spend some time here, the Princeton campus is quite lovely and downtown Princeton (Nassau St.) has all manner of cafes and shops. Unless he's going to apply there though, don't spend more than a few hours.

The old Queens campus at Rutgers is also very nice but it's only two city blocks. New Brunswick generally has really blossomed in the past decade with several highrises. And the college part of downtown (Easton Ave. and environs) is a pleasant and fun walk.

 

[Torn Mind]

Thanks guys.

It is actually Goucher College. We learned abput it from college that change lives.

It's interesting to say at least. Very small school. Very expensive.

Some love it, others don't.

https://www.unigo.com/colleges/goucher-college/what-is-your-overall-opinion-of-this-school

Goucher College Reviews | GradReports

67% of 8 students said Goucher College boosted their career and 100% of students recommend it to others.

www.gradreports.com

What is Goucher College like?

<p>I’m a junior at Goucher, and basically, here’s what I can tell you:</p> <ul> <li><p>Goucher is a small school, but the types of people who go here are pretty diverse. On the one hand, to give you some idea, we have both a pretty sizable Magic club as well as a Dungeons and Dragons club. On...

talk.collegeconfidential.com

https://www.yelp.com/biz/goucher-college-baltimore

Everyone has different needs, so whether it is right or wrong is ultimately going to involve more questioning and research.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Did you manage to visit Hamsterdam on your trip? Heard good things about that W-M-D.

 

[nisryus]

Just booked flights and hotels. Plan is fly into DC early on the 17th to tour American U, then in person interrview with GWU. Stay at hotel near Arboretum because closer to National Mall or Dupunt Circle woudl cost too much.

Take Greyhound/Flixbus to Balitmore on the 18th. Going to check out the area around Twoson, since Goucher is next to the town center. Probably not going to spent time around downtown Baltimore.

Morning of 19th do the scholarship competition interview thing, then fly back to Austin in theafternoon.

Kiddo is in a public charter high school, so he got used to small size school and is actually like it better than UT Austin or Texas A&M. The only other two bigger out of state schools are Seton Hall and Mercer, which he got admitted too.

If Seton Hall could match, or offer more financial aid, then I would prefer he goes to Seton Hall - bigger student body, but not too big like 30k. City setting, bigger campus, close to NY, close to UN, more opportunities.

 

[manly]

It's interesting to say at least. Very small school. Very expensive.

Some love it, others don't.

https://www.unigo.com/colleges/goucher-college/what-is-your-overall-opinion-of-this-school

Goucher College Reviews | GradReports

67% of 8 students said Goucher College boosted their career and 100% of students recommend it to others.

www.gradreports.com

What is Goucher College like?

<p>I’m a junior at Goucher, and basically, here’s what I can tell you:</p> <ul> <li><p>Goucher is a small school, but the types of people who go here are pretty diverse. On the one hand, to give you some idea, we have both a pretty sizable Magic club as well as a Dungeons and Dragons club. On...

talk.collegeconfidential.com

https://www.yelp.com/biz/goucher-college-baltimore

Everyone has different needs, so whether it is right or wrong is ultimately going to involve more questioning and research.

It's ranked about 120th* in national liberal arts colleges by USNWR, which seems a bit low considering lesser liberal arts colleges tend to have pretty poor ROI (financial aid notwithstanding). Being a former women's college, the M:F ratio should be favorable for the OP's son. If it actually has the academic program that the kid wants, then I wouldn't rule it out if it's free. At a glance, their list of programs looks fine for such a small school. And they have some academic partnerships with large universities.

Normally but not always, attending your home state's flagship public university (or closest alternative) is the best value in higher ed but even that has exploded in cost since the turn of the century.

* It's kinda silly that they brag about being named one of the best liberal arts colleges by USNWR. Since they're about 117th best, what's the cut off?? Is this a participation award?

 

[dank69]

Fresh Maryland crab cakes or the single worst smelling state in the nation 60 years running. Difficult decision.

 

[purbeast0]

Fresh Maryland crab cakes or the single worst smelling state in the nation 60 years running. Difficult decision.

As a Marylander my whole life, MD blue crabs are overrated AF, as is Old Bay.

 

[nisryus]

It's ranked about 120th* in national liberal arts colleges by USNWR, which seems a bit low considering lesser liberal arts colleges tend to have pretty poor ROI (financial aid notwithstanding). Being a former women's college, the M:F ratio should be favorable for the OP's son. If it actually has the academic program that the kid wants, then I wouldn't rule it out if it's free. At a glance, their list of programs looks fine for such a small school. And they have some academic partnerships with large universities.

Normally but not always, attending your home state's flagship public university (or closest alternative) is the best value in higher ed but even that has exploded in cost since the turn of the century.

* It's kinda silly that they brag about being named one of the best liberal arts colleges by USNWR. Since they're about 117th best, what's the cut off?? Is this a participation award?

Yep, we saw the ranking too, but the school has his major.

Of course, the main reason is the probability of him getting a free ride. If he does gets it, then financially it is good. Plus the cost of attendance with his merit aid is already lower than our instate school too.

and... more girls is always better for him!