Best Colleges for Skiing?

RPI's retention rate is over 90%, one of the highest out there, and they're almost entirely an engineering school.  I have more interest in engineering than just about anything else I could study, so I'd probably come in with my major as undecided engineering.  When I visited Union College, they did a really good tour of the engineering facility they have.  Basically all types seem at least somewhat interesting, but I'd probably lean toward civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering.  I also am considering computer science which is offered at more schools.  I know for a fact I'm studying one of those, so why bother transferring schools when you don't have to.

I remember Footer making a post earlier in the thread saying that colleges don't care about academics and usually build a new student union before new academic buildings.  Actually, they build both at some point.  UVM is building a brand new STEM facility and a new first year residence hall, both of which would be finished by the time I'd be going to college.

JasonWx wrote

I have mentioned this earlier. My daughter is a senior  majoring  engineering .. You will basically have zero time to ski if you plan on passing your classes. You can ski during your vacations...

Did you read what Mattchuck wrote earlier?  If you treat college like a full time job and assume that you put in 40 hours a week toward your education, you are going to have plenty of time to ski.  I'd try to set things up so I got to ski at least 3 days a week.  Probably go one weekend and two midweek days.  I'd get many days that were all high quality and never ski at night, although I might do it on occasion.  If you actually sit down and do the work rather than complaining about it, you'll pass your classes and have time to ski.  If you just complain non stop, you'll do poorly and never ski.  My dad told me one of the best skills to have when in college is time management skills you're not working through the night and have time for doing other things.

Sometimes I think Sno is just a troll trying to get everyone's goat and not a real kid.  But maybe not... shouldn't you be in school now?

Anyway... You won't listen to what I have to say, or even calculate it out as an option, so I don't know why I bother but why on earth would you pay $50k a year to do UNDECIDED engineering?  Did you not listen to a word I said?

Anyone can teach you physics and calculus, and that's what you'll take as your core for the first two years.  You'll also have some electives and other sciences.

Every school wants high retention rates.  Having went to a private school after public I can tell you that they used to curve the grades to average a C.  I recall having averages in some classes well over 100% with the curves.  They don't want to be seen as a school with a low retention rate so they fix the course to the students.  It has nothing to do with being a good school or learning a lot.  It's quite the opposite in fact.

40 hrs a week huh?  Maybe.  You'll have to be in class for at least half that time.  Then you think it will be about the same amount outside?  If you are really smart and it is easy for you, yeah, about that maybe.  If you struggle it will be far more, I can assure you that.  Then factor in you should be part of some kind of extracurricular engineering activity if you actually want a job after you graduate.  And if you do a Masters + Bachelors combined, forget it!

You have no idea what you are getting into and you don't believe some one who has the degree you want.  Whatever man.  You know... your dad knows... good luck!!!

This kid is clueless...

This thread is interesting to me, as my daughter is a HS senior and we are in the college search phase.  She doesn't want to go for engineering, and a ski club for occasional activity when time permits is satisfactory, so a lot of this discussion doesn't apply.

Of course finances always do.  Money is always a concern.....how much of a concern depending on where one gets accepted, I think.

If my daughter gets accepted to Brown or Tufts......heck, you find a way to make the finances work.  No?  You graduate schools like that and your ticket is written, the cost of the degree an investment in a sound future.  

Emerson, being the top Communications school in the country, approaches the same status.  The opportunities coming out of that school in terms of programs, internships and connections, if Communications is your bent, are almost as good.  This currently looks like the most likely landing spot for our daughter.

It's when you get a tier below that I think money becomes more of a deciding factor.  Safety schools for our daughter will be the likes of Fairfield and SUNY Geneseo.  Very good schools, but not the same rep as a Brown, obviously, so......whichever out of pocket cost is lower is the winner.  From what I hear the differences don't end up being that much.  A decent merit aid package from a place like Fairfield will likely bring the cost close to in state SUNY tuition.

Sno is 16.

Harvey wrote

Sno is 16.

I'm sure he is.

I read this forum a lot when I wasn't posting here and I'd see how he'd get everyone riled up with his 'ways'... I used to just laugh and shake my head.  I remember thinking to myself he was a better troll than anyone who was trying, but he was probably just being himself.

That's all I meant...

Sno,

Position yourself to get a sales job. Major in business and finance or other suitable major. Frig engineering. Sales is where the money is if you're cut out for such a profession and end up landing yourself in a good spot, selling a viable product. If I could do it all again, it wouldn't be engineering.

Scratch engineering, too much work.  I agree with Jon951 choose business or finance and ski away, plenty of job opportunities out there in those fields and much less work in college.  

Jon951 wrote

Sno,

Position yourself to get a sales job. Major in business and finance or other suitable major. Frig engineering. Sales is where the money is if you're cut out for such a profession and end up landing yourself in a good spot, selling a viable product. If I could do it all again, it wouldn't be engineering.

I told my kid the same, but she has a personality of a tree...

Jon951 wrote

Sno,

Position yourself to get a sales job. Major in business and finance or other suitable major. Frig engineering. Sales is where the money is if you're cut out for such a profession and end up landing yourself in a good spot, selling a viable product. If I could do it all again, it wouldn't be engineering.

Really? I thought engineering was a really safe way to go these days as far as getting a good paying job right out of school.

Truthfully I don't think you are going to be good at anything unless your heart is in it. I would love to see the kid end up working for a ski area doing layout and design, I think he would crush that. He just better keep in mind that a good ski resort has plenty of nasty natural and not just groomed cruisers! :)

JasonWx wrote

This kid is clueless...

I wouldn't call him "clueless" for a 16 year old, more like an educated and typical kid. Educated in the real ways of the world? Probably not but how many 16 year old mid-upper class kids are?

raisingarizona wrote

JasonWx wrote

This kid is clueless...

I wouldn't call him "clueless" for a 16 year old, more like an educated and typical kid. Educated in the real ways of the world? Probably not but how many 16 year old mid-upper class kids are?

JasonWx wrote

I told my kid the same, but she has a personality of a tree...

Sounds like she'll be a great engineer

I would never discourage anyone from engineering, but it is certainly more rigorous, especially undergraduate, than many other majors.

Regardless... anything that is said here in terms of finances and planning could be applied to any major.

$50k a year for undergraduate education.  Our system is definitely broken.  And by no means does paying more mean you get a better education, despite this misconception that some people seem to have.  This country was built on those who had no or very little education.  Innovation and talent are certainly something you cannot buy.

What do you get at an expensive uni?  More labs and resources that you won't use until later years or in graduate school.  Bigger class sizes in core classes that are fundamental to everything else.  Bigger sports programs.  A name.  Prestige.  Professors who care more about their research than their students.

I'm being completely serious here.  Think about it and what you are paying for.

snoloco wrote

JasonWx wrote

I have mentioned this earlier. My daughter is a senior  majoring  engineering .. You will basically have zero time to ski if you plan on passing your classes. You can ski during your vacations...

Did you read what Mattchuck wrote earlier?  If you treat college like a full time job and assume that you put in 40 hours a week toward your education, you are going to have plenty of time to ski.  I'd try to set things up so I got to ski at least 3 days a week.  Probably go one weekend and two midweek days.  I'd get many days that were all high quality and never ski at night, although I might do it on occasion.  If you actually sit down and do the work rather than complaining about it, you'll pass your classes and have time to ski.  If you just complain non stop, you'll do poorly and never ski.  My dad told me one of the best skills to have when in college is time management skills you're not working through the night and have time for doing other things.

I agree with your Dad. Those skills are a lot easier for some than others. I'm terrible at it and that sucks!

I have been good at strategizing my courses for spring semesters to maximize my ski time. I will only be taking two evening courses this coming spring but I'm paying for it now.

As far as the posts in regards to career path I'm not really a good person to look to for advice but I can say that I'm really excited about becoming a nurse. Why? Mainly because you can work three shifts a week and have four days off to go do stuff that you really like to do. Being 40 now my one piece of advice that I'm confident giving is, if you pick a career path that is going to have a job that follows a more traditional 9-5 5 days a week schedule you should make sure that you really like and enjoy it or you just better really like the money (I couldn't be that person but I think it works for some people) or figure out a way to make a good livable wage (think comfort) and have lots of free time to enjoy it. A lot of people associate or define themselves as what they do for a living, I think that's cool and I respect that but it sure isn't for me! A job in my mind is just that, it's a job and a means to be able to afford and spend time doing the stuff you really want to be doing. It's a balancing act imo but again life is different for different people and there isn't a wrong or a right, just make sure you are doing what's right for you and not what other people are telling you to do. This is especially important since your family is going to invest, and support you through your education.

MikeK wrote

JasonWx wrote

I told my kid the same, but she has a personality of a tree...

Sounds like she'll be a great engineer

I would never discourage anyone from engineering, but it is certainly more rigorous, especially undergraduate, than many other majors.

Regardless... anything that is said here in terms of finances and planning could be applied to any major.

$50k a year for undergraduate education.  Our system is definitely broken.  And by no means does paying more mean you get a better education, despite this misconception that some people seem to have.  This country was built on those who had no or very little education.  Innovation and talent are certainly something you cannot buy.

What do you get at an expensive uni?  More labs and resources that you won't use until later years or in graduate school.  Bigger class sizes in core classes that are fundamental to everything else.  Bigger sports programs.  A name.  Prestige.  Professors who care more about their research than their students.

I'm being completely serious here.  Think about it and what you are paying for.

These are good points for sure. I'm in a CC right now and I don't see any point in applying at NAU for their Nursing Program. It's more expensive and rigorous and the end result is exactly the same. Interestingly the local hospital actually does most of their hiring out of the CC and not from NAU.

raisingarizona wrote

I'm not really a good person to look to for advice but I can say that I'm really excited about becoming a nurse.

RA.  You probably won't need any help finding a job because I know nurses are always in high demand, but if you're looking to relocate upon graduation to a low-key mountain town with a low cost of living the medical group that my wife works with is always looking for nurses.  (Confluence Health)

Powderseeker wrote

If you want to focus on skiing then come to Glade Runner University.  Just have your daddy direct deposit your tuition money to my bank account.  We hit all the powder days.

Glade made a funny without telling anyone to F off.  Who knew he had it in him?

nepa wrote

raisingarizona wrote

I'm not really a good person to look to for advice but I can say that I'm really excited about becoming a nurse.

RA.  You probably won't need any help finding a job because I know nurses are always in high demand, but if you're looking to relocate upon graduation to a low-key mountain town with a low cost of living the medical group that my wife works with is always looking for nurses.  (Confluence Health)

Nice! Thanks for the info.

I'm going to have to stay put for a while, I have an 8 year old daughter and her mom and I are separated.

So where do you guys ski at mainly? I have friends that are local or regularly (pass holders) ski at Stevens. They tell me it's got some seriously awesome terrain. Mission looks pretty rad tho too. That Bomber mini golf zone looks silly, I would love to get to know some of those lines and do some hucking.

Sno has trouble being out going and that is not the recipe for a successful sales career I can tell you.  I do think a ME degree and an MBA paid for by an employer at night while working is a great combo.  If you just want to design stuff the MBA is not needed but it does open doors to higher levels of management.

I could see Sno as an accountant

Since he is so committed to skiing he needs to ask himself what and where he wants to be when he grows up.  Living in the mountains means a portable job like nursing, teacher, sales or IT where you Tele commute.  Based on everything we know about him IT seems the best fit.