Moving OUT of Singapore

[malcontent]

I hope to take my kids to some of these different settings ahead of time. It's still different than actually being a student but hopefully they can get some vibe of what they like/don't like. At least make it so they don't have to make a decision blind. Or, don't close anything off due to preconceived notions (alternatively, don't waste time applying somewhere you know you don't want to go).

I would highly recommend boots on the ground. I thought I knew what to expect in California, but it was quite a shock for us. Definitely nothing like the videos on YouTube. We stopped our vehicle right in the middle of Berkeley campus because we needed a bathroom break - we got out and managed to find one nearby, in one of the many buildings on campus that is just super creepy and old — felt like walking into a horror movie.

Agree. I've been to a lot of these cities and campuses (although not all of them in relatively recent times), but they haven't been to as many (or they were probably too young to make heads or tails out of it). At the end of the day, there are a lot of considerations, generalisations aside. Depending on what one wants to do, you may put more weight on the school or department, even if the physical location is not your first choice. Anyways, the college town is something they are not that familiar with, so they should probably see what that is like (even if they don't apply to any US schools in the end).

Ann Arbor is almost the quintessential college town - unlike other college towns, it has other employers and enough of a non-college going population to balance things out. It’s a well-to-do town, but not pretentious at all. It’s also close enough to Detroit to easily access most things any major metro has, including major concerts, shows, events… plus Detroit has a great airport (with flights to Singapore via Seoul) just 30 mins away from Ann Arbor. It’s really the weather that is the major downside in my opinion, unless you happen to like 5 months of blistering snow and cold.

[Lisafuller]

My daughter was not keen on the Midwest at all, she's a city girl through and through, and though I try to explain to her that it's not all farms there, she wasn't having it. At the end of the day, it's really about personal opinion. She may love it, or she might not. Only one way to find out.

My girl has been living in New York for about a month now, and absolutely loves it. The city access, sense of community, and New York charm are irresistible for her.

I hope to take my kids to some of these different settings ahead of time. It's still different than actually being a student but hopefully they can get some vibe of what they like/don't like. At least make it so they don't have to make a decision blind. Or, don't close anything off due to preconceived notions (alternatively, don't waste time applying somewhere you know you don't want to go).

Is your kid in NYC or just outside of it? All else the same, I recommend the population centres for the young, but that is just personal preference. And you can only go where you get accepted, so it's hard to get too hung up on any one or two places.

Anyways, glad she enjoys it.

She's 20 minutes from Manhattan, and absolutely loves it. She's close enough to the city to be where all the action is when she wants to be, but can also retire to her idyllic campus when things become too much.

[Lisafuller]

U Mich in particular is a school that EVERYONE and their dog is applying to this year. Can't exactly explain the popularity but it's one school that seems to only get better and better. Get in now and by the time of graduation it may very well be in the single digits.

Really didn't know about this. I just assumed the school has gotten more popular than ever because of football, after Covid people really love their football more than ever.

U Mich has also been a very good school but I have wondered what's boosted it too? Tangible changes (faculty, facilities, research output, etc) or just got more popular on the intake side of things and the virtuous cycle starts (seems to be the case in general). Sports are something that gets the schools in the news and adds to campus life/school spirit.

For a long time, I thought UVA and Berkeley were the top two public schools. Then, in no particular order it was something like UNC, UCLA, UT Austin, and Michigan. I think I get why UCLA got really hot, but the other movements I'm not as sure.

From what my daughter has shared, Michigan, in particular is a school that has become relatively popular on social media in the last two years. This has boosted the number of applications significantly and consequently, the acceptance rate has gone down, which only continues to feed the cycle.

[Lisafuller]

U Mich has a very dim view of Singaporean applicants because of the low yield rate. Because of this, we have to play up our/her Michigan connections and treat it like her first choice school… and hope they don’t hold Singapore against us! Sadly, my daughter will probably disappoint them anyway.

Hang in there, you are probably feeling the extreme swings from optimism to despair (or anxiety while waiting). The criteria hasn't changed in the last 12 months.

I won't say everything is the same, but there are many things that are closer together than what's depicted by some of the arbitrary lines associated with rankings (I know this doesn't help with meeting expectations/aspirations).

Anyways, just roll the dice and see what happens. Sometimes you hit it big. Alternatively, sometimes you learn more about yourself when you lose than when you win. Good luck.

Right, college admissions is a crazy, unpredictable game. The only way to stand a chance is to try.

[Lisafuller]

I hope to take my kids to some of these different settings ahead of time. It's still different than actually being a student but hopefully they can get some vibe of what they like/don't like. At least make it so they don't have to make a decision blind. Or, don't close anything off due to preconceived notions (alternatively, don't waste time applying somewhere you know you don't want to go).

I would highly recommend boots on the ground. I thought I knew what to expect in California, but it was quite a shock for us. Definitely nothing like the videos on YouTube. We stopped our vehicle right in the middle of Berkeley campus because we needed a bathroom break - we got out and managed to find one nearby, in one of the many buildings on campus that is just super creepy and old — felt like walking into a horror movie.

Nothing replaces seeing a school in person. Unfortunately, my daughter did not have the opportunity to visit any of the colleges she applied to as this was during Covid, but lucky for her She is very happy with her decision.

[Lisafuller]

U Mich has a very dim view of Singaporean applicants because of the low yield rate. Because of this, we have to play up our/her Michigan connections and treat it like her first choice school… and hope they don’t hold Singapore against us! Sadly, my daughter will probably disappoint them anyway.

Hang in there, you are probably feeling the extreme swings from optimism to despair (or anxiety while waiting). The criteria hasn't changed in the last 12 months.

I won't say everything is the same, but there are many things that are closer together than what's depicted by some of the arbitrary lines associated with rankings (I know this doesn't help with meeting expectations/aspirations).

Anyways, just roll the dice and see what happens. Sometimes you hit it big. Alternatively, sometimes you learn more about yourself when you lose than when you win. Good luck.

Neither my wife nor my daughter want to even talk about safety schools, so I quietly added UIUC to the bottom of her list. We need at least one, so it might as well be one that works best for me. I’ve toyed with the idea of UW Madison and UW Seattle, but they aren’t any better than UIUC, so why bother. I’ll be happy if she ends up at UIUC, but I’ll be the only one who is happy about it.

Good for her if UW M is her safety. I had to really force my daughter to apply to a couple safeties, she did not believe she would need them, and luckily, she was right, but at least she had applied.

[Lisafuller]

I hope to take my kids to some of these different settings ahead of time. It's still different than actually being a student but hopefully they can get some vibe of what they like/don't like. At least make it so they don't have to make a decision blind. Or, don't close anything off due to preconceived notions (alternatively, don't waste time applying somewhere you know you don't want to go).

I would highly recommend boots on the ground. I thought I knew what to expect in California, but it was quite a shock for us. Definitely nothing like the videos on YouTube. We stopped our vehicle right in the middle of Berkeley campus because we needed a bathroom break - we got out and managed to find one nearby, in one of the many buildings on campus that is just super creepy and old — felt like walking into a horror movie.

Agree. I've been to a lot of these cities and campuses (although not all of them in relatively recent times), but they haven't been to as many (or they were probably too young to make heads or tails out of it). At the end of the day, there are a lot of considerations, generalisations aside. Depending on what one wants to do, you may put more weight on the school or department, even if the physical location is not your first choice. Anyways, the college town is something they are not that familiar with, so they should probably see what that is like (even if they don't apply to any US schools in the end).

Agree, there are many different factors that might influence one's decision. And these obviously are variable. For some, physical location is more important than anything else, I know for a fact this is the case with many students who end up going to school in New York, not my daughter though.

[Lisafuller]

I would highly recommend boots on the ground. I thought I knew what to expect in California, but it was quite a shock for us. Definitely nothing like the videos on YouTube. We stopped our vehicle right in the middle of Berkeley campus because we needed a bathroom break - we got out and managed to find one nearby, in one of the many buildings on campus that is just super creepy and old — felt like walking into a horror movie.

Agree. I've been to a lot of these cities and campuses (although not all of them in relatively recent times), but they haven't been to as many (or they were probably too young to make heads or tails out of it). At the end of the day, there are a lot of considerations, generalisations aside. Depending on what one wants to do, you may put more weight on the school or department, even if the physical location is not your first choice. Anyways, the college town is something they are not that familiar with, so they should probably see what that is like (even if they don't apply to any US schools in the end).

Ann Arbor is almost the quintessential college town - unlike other college towns, it has other employers and enough of a non-college going population to balance things out. It’s a well-to-do town, but not pretentious at all. It’s also close enough to Detroit to easily access most things any major metro has, including major concerts, shows, events… plus Detroit has a great airport (with flights to Singapore via Seoul) just 30 mins away from Ann Arbor. It’s really the weather that is the major downside in my opinion, unless you happen to like 5 months of blistering snow and cold.

Unfortunately, the weather is the case in most of the US now. My daughter is experiencing her first fall/winter in many years and is having a hard time. We are usually in Singapore or Florida so this New York cold is a far cry from what she's used to.

[malcontent]

Hang in there, you are probably feeling the extreme swings from optimism to despair (or anxiety while waiting). The criteria hasn't changed in the last 12 months.

I won't say everything is the same, but there are many things that are closer together than what's depicted by some of the arbitrary lines associated with rankings (I know this doesn't help with meeting expectations/aspirations).

Anyways, just roll the dice and see what happens. Sometimes you hit it big. Alternatively, sometimes you learn more about yourself when you lose than when you win. Good luck.

Neither my wife nor my daughter want to even talk about safety schools, so I quietly added UIUC to the bottom of her list. We need at least one, so it might as well be one that works best for me. I’ve toyed with the idea of UW Madison and UW Seattle, but they aren’t any better than UIUC, so why bother. I’ll be happy if she ends up at UIUC, but I’ll be the only one who is happy about it.

Good for her if UW M is her safety. I had to really force my daughter to apply to a couple safeties, she did not believe she would need them, and luckily, she was right, but at least she had applied.

To be a safety, you’ve got to be above the 75th percentile on GPA/SAT and the acceptance rate has to be above 30%.

U Mich acceptance rate is 17%, so it’s really not a safety school for anyone, no matter how good you are. Any school with an acceptance rate below 20% should be considered a reach.

My daughter has 6 reaches, 2 targets, 1 safety… and she’s decided not to apply any binding ED, she wants to keep her options open. She’ll apply USC and U Mich EA, and the rest RD. I’d also say 2 of the 6 reach schools are at risk of dropping off, considering the super low acceptance and work it takes to apply.

[Lisafuller]

Out of curiosity, what are the other schools on her list?

[NYY1]

I really like UT Austin, but my wife and daughter both believe Texas is the Wild West and Austin is a cowboy town with nothing to do but watch tumbleweed roll by. They don’t like the midwest, mainly because of the cold and gloomy weather.
...

It may be a lost cause but there is an article about Austin in one of the local papers this weekend (should be able to access without subscription).

[malcontent]

I really like UT Austin, but my wife and daughter both believe Texas is the Wild West and Austin is a cowboy town with nothing to do but watch tumbleweed roll by. They don’t like the midwest, mainly because of the cold and gloomy weather.
...

It may be a lost cause but there is an article about Austin in one of the local papers this weekend (should be able to access without subscription).

Thanks, I found it and shared it with my family’s WhatsApp group, but like you said, it’s a lost cause. Basically they die die want California — first choice LA area, second choice SF area.

If they can’t get either of those, then the entire rest of the US is equally undesirable (in their mind), so the Midwest is the obvious “last choice” considering the acceptance rates for the quality of schools, plus I have family, friends, employment prospects, and cost of living is low. It’ll also be an experience for my kids having four seasons. They’ve enjoyed winter on our trips back, they seem to handle the cold better than me.

[malcontent]

I have to say, the college application process has really gotten crazy in the US. At least for top schools it has become so complex & cumbersome. The essays in particular are a special kind of crazy, you’ve got to be authentic, original and compelling, yet personal, relevant and specific… and all this has to play off what the college is looking for in applicants. It’s no wonder the admissions rates are so low. Fortunately we’ve been able to cobble together what I believe is a fairly robust application for my daughter, so at least she has some chance. We are pretty close to sticking a fork in the two early application schools, which is good since the deadline is 3 days from now. Those two schools alone required 5 essays and a 10 question series of short answers. Exasperated is the only word I can think of to describe the feeling, that and a bit miserable from the heightened tensions and stress. Hopefully the hardest part is over, but we still have 4 more schools to go (counting UC as one).

[NYY1]

I have to say, the college application process has really gotten crazy in the US. At least for top schools it has become so complex & cumbersome. The essays in particular are a special kind of crazy, you’ve got to be authentic, original and compelling, yet personal, relevant and specific… and all this has to play off what the college is looking for in applicants. It’s no wonder the admissions rates are so low. Fortunately we’ve been able to cobble together what I believe is a fairly robust application for my daughter, so at least she has some chance. We are pretty close to sticking a fork in the two early application schools, which is good since the deadline is 3 days from now. Those two schools alone required 5 essays and a 10 question series of short answers. Exasperated is the only word I can think of to describe the feeling, that and a bit miserable from the heightened tensions and stress. Hopefully the hardest part is over, but we still have 4 more schools to go (counting UC as one).

Good luck!

I never understood why people thought this was so easy; not whether one will or will not get accepted, but all of the components that play a part and the general odds applicants are up against (plus some uncontrollable factors from the universities' side).

When you really evaluate a range of kids year after year that you have no emotional attachment to, things become a lot clearer. We don't always have the same level of detail, but you can see the range of outcomes and make some inferences about what tripped them up or got them over the line.

[NYY1]

Thanks, I found it and shared it with my family’s WhatsApp group, but like you said, it’s a lost cause. Basically they die die want California — first choice LA area, second choice SF area.

If they can’t get either of those, then the entire rest of the US is equally undesirable (in their mind), so the Midwest is the obvious “last choice” considering the acceptance rates for the quality of schools, plus I have family, friends, employment prospects, and cost of living is low. It’ll also be an experience for my kids having four seasons. They’ve enjoyed winter on our trips back, they seem to handle the cold better than me.

Understand, I just thought it was odd to show up in the press here, and in that respect, could serve as a good piece of evidence (to make your case). Still, people want what they want, and that is fine too (despite the positives, it wouldn't be high on my list either).

I think the employment situation around UT Austin has probably improved quite a bit in the last decade plus. Perhaps, this will impact the university's trajectory in the future, both with respect to placement and attracting applicants from different places (across the US or internationally). Regardless, I see why the Midwest wins out for you guys if you can't land what you want in CA.