# Visiting colleges & mother/daughter bonding in NYC



## senorak (Jun 10, 2012)

With the class of 2012 now graduated, my daughter is now officially entering her senior year of high school.  Heading to NYC on the 19th to visit colleges:  Columbia and perhaps Hofstra, (taking Long Island RR from Penn Station).  She is interested in majoring in a science field, and wants to play field hockey at the collegiate level.  (I think she'll choose to attend a school closer to home in PA, but I'm not passing up a chance to spend a few days in NYC with my daughter!)
We already have tickets for "Harvey", (thanks to a suggestion from Tombo)....and am considering either "Jersey Boys" or "Million Dollar Quartet".  Any thoughts?  I know tickets for JB are $$$$---both of us could see the other show for less than the price of one ticket to JB.  (We've already seen "Wicked", "Lion King", "Mamma Mia", "Avenue Q", "Hairspray", "Altar Boyz" and "Phantom" on other visits.  Will also be taking in a Yankees game during our stay. 
Also looking for new places to eat.  We loved TUGgers recommendation of "Becco" last year....and will most likely return for a meal.  Also discovered the Chelsea Market last visit, (and walked the High Line), so that is another must "re-visit".  I'm not familiar with the area near Columbia University---any good eats in that area?  We will be touring the college around lunchtime.
And I know nothing about Long Island/Hempstead area where Hofstra is located.  Any info would be much appreciated.

Deb


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## vacationhopeful (Jun 10, 2012)

Is this a major NYC vacation or college shopping? 

Do the college shopping LIKE she would be LIVING there. Walk everywheres, eat at the student hangouts, visit the dorms, checkout the hockey fields, look at apartments.


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## e.bram (Jun 10, 2012)

If she gets into Columbia, you don't have to visit any other campus.


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## senorak (Jun 10, 2012)

It's a bit of both.  Visiting campuses during the day, (Columbia is a definite--tour scheduled), and enjoying shows/ballgame at night.  At this point in the college search, we are looking to narrow down her choices.  She already has 2 that will be "return visit/overnight stay" in the fall, once school is back in session, (and the field hockey season has started).  This summer, we are finishing up first visits, or exploring a few of her "reach schools", to see if they will stay on her list.  

Deb


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## tombo (Jun 11, 2012)

We loved Carmines. They have huge portions and the 2 of you will not be able to eat one entree. We had the Lasagne. I am a big eater and my wife and myself ordered that for both of us and we carried enough back to the room to have another meal. Reservations are recommended.
http://www.carminesnyc.com/locations/tdny/index.php

Also liked John's pizza. 
http://www.johnspizzerianyc.com/index2.htm

We did Sardi's. It was good and it was fun looking at all of the pictures of celebrities on the wall. They have a Prix Fixe menu for about $29.95 a person with appetizer, main course, and dessert. Reservations are recommended.
http://www.sardis.com/htmldocs/cms/menu/prix_fix.htm

Carnegie Deli has the larget sandwiches I have ever seen. I had the woody Allen corned beef and pastrami and my wife had the reuben which is unusal because it is bread on the bottom with none on the top.
http://www.carnegiedeli.com/menu.php

Ellen's Stardust diner was fun. All of the waiters/waitresses are aspiring actors and they take turns singing throughout your meal. Virtually evey one of them has enough singing talent to be in a broadway show. Your waiter will take your order , bring your ffood, and sing at some time during the meal. They will tell you about former waitpersons who worked there who are now in Broadway shows and what parts they are playing. Food was good, entertainment was great, but is is pretty loud. 
http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Way4E47i2M
PS This is not my video, I got it from you tube. The place was packed for supper when we went.

If money doesn't matter eat at 11 Madison Park (reservations required as far in advance as possible). Prepare to spend AT LEAST $200 for 2 plus wine/drinks. 11 Madison Park was great, but not worth the money IMO. I am from the south and a really good meal is about $50-$75 a person at the nicest restaurants. Most of the time it is only $25 to $30 per person sans wine. No food anywhere is worth $250 to $500 for 2 to me. I had to try it just to say I had eaten at one of NY's top restaurants, but if I go back I will not eat at another restaurant with these kind of prices no matter how highly rated they are. JMHO

We ate at numerous other places but these were my favorites. Picking a place to eat in NY is hard because there are so many choices. 

You and your daughter might enjoy seeing David Letterman. Request tickets on line and they will hopefully call you a week or less before the date(s) you picked. 

They will ask you a Letterman trivia question which you have to get correct to get tickets. They will askl who owns hello deli (Rupert Gee), What does paul shaeffer play (piano/keyboard), The show's stage managers name (Biff Henderson), and who is the red headed announcer (Alan Kalter). Those are all of the questions I know they ask (they might have others) from talking to people in line to see the show. Keep the above list with you and when they call pull out the list to be ready to answer. Perhaps your daughter's number would be better to give them.
http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/tickets/online.php

Have fun. We had a GREAT 9 days in New york last month and did everything we wanted except for seeing Sat Night Live.


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## Helene4 (Jun 14, 2012)

Do the college shopping LIKE she would be LIVING there. Walk everywheres, eat at the student hangouts, visit the dorms, checkout the hockey fields, look at apartments.[/QUOTE]

Do not walk around Hempstead at Hofstra. First: No place to walk to! Second: Some areas  in the center of Hempstead are not terribly safe.

 I went undergrad and graduate at Hofstra many years ago. Great school, Wonderful drama department (not my major), need a car to get around. Roosevelt Field Mall is nearby and HUGE with lots of "name" stores. (yes, I worked there all through college). I vote for NYU or Columbia (also not so safe in some areas) for ease of getting around.


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## javabean (Jun 15, 2012)

We live north up the Hudson River from NYC. Our daughter also considered Hofstra. We realized that we would be fighting traffic each way that we traveled, for 4 years. And it is very heavy traffic. This is just meant to be a consideration among many you will all face when deciding on a school. Enjoy the experience and good luck to all.


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## sammy (Jun 17, 2012)

Jersey Boys is phenomenal.  So much fun; I'd just want to be sure your daughter likes the music of that era.  If so, this is an outstanding pick!

As for really fun food - you discovered Chelsea Market.  A super fun thing to do is to get the cooked lobsters from the seafood market there and sit out in the hallway, talk, and people watch.  Finish it off with baked goods or Gelato from the vendors there.  I did just this with my 3 sisters for girls weekend and it was so much fun!  

If you don't like the lobster idea, the restaurant in Chelsea Market, The Green Table, although very small and crowded,  was a great lunch spot.  The food was high quality, delicious, upscale and fun with the girls as well.

Also, for some great desserts, stop in to Magnolia Bakery near Rockefeller Plaza.  Get a few items, sit in the Plaza, then head up to the Top of the Rock for a striking view of the city.  I really enjoyed seeing Central Park and the Statue of Liberty from that perspective.  Makes  you realize just how big the city is.

My DD is also a senior this year.  A NYC weekend sounds like a great idea and I know DS would enjoy meeting us there for a few foodie tours.

Have fun!


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## senorak (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks for the advice!  I talked to several people who saw Jersey Boys, and read lots of reviews.....all of them raved about the show and said it was worth the $$$, so that is what we decided to see.  I've been wanting to see this show for years, and decided now was the perfect time!  DD loves all types of music.....and she's very familiar with Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons, thanks to her grandfather.  I'm very excited to see the show!! 

Looks like the only college we will be visiting is Columbia.  I have the full day on Wednesday set aside for the visit, and if we need more time, we can go back on Thursday.  Our evening activities are taken up with the Yankees game and 2 Broadway shows.  One pre-show dinner is reserved for Becco's....and considering one at "Alpha Fusion" on 34th...anyone tried this restaurant?  LivingSocial has a great discount offer for this restaurant, and we both love japanese/chinese/asian cuisine.  We will definitely hit Chelsea Market on our arrival day.  Thanks for the recommendation of Magnolia Bakery....haven't visited that spot yet.  We've done "Top of the Rock" several times, but love to sit in Rockefeller center and people watch.

Deb


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## Mel (Jun 24, 2012)

So, how was the visit?  Did she like Columbia?  We're perhaps a bit ahead in the same process, mainly because DD left this morning for a 6-week internship in Baltimore, and can't do college visits again until August.  Fun process, isn't it?

We just ran all the financial aid calculators for her top choices - a few are now out of consideration, hard to believe the range in "family contributions."


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## senorak (Jun 24, 2012)

Had a great time in NYC, (even with the 95 degree temps).  
DD LOVED Columbia!  Walked through those iron gates, and our jaws dropped when we saw the two libraries.  Unfortunately, the tour didn't take us in the dorms, (told it was "for security reasons"), and we didn't see any classrooms---just the buildings.  We are hoping for a return visit to meet w/ the hockey coach, and perhaps get a more individualized tour.  Walked around the surrounding area, and had lunch in a nearby restaurant.  So far, we've visited 6 schools and only 1 was taken off her "list".  We still have Lehigh and one of the PA state schools, (told DD she has to have a state school on her list---everything else is $$$private schools).  Of course, they all mention "academic scholarships"...but even $10-20K still leaves $35,000 or more in tuition.  YIKES!  I'll have to do the financial aid calculator.  We didn't get any aid w/ my oldest, (who will still be finishing up at a state university during her first year), so perhaps we'll get a some aid.  And her younger brother will be following her in 2 years.  Once her choice is made, I'll be starting the search with him!

We saw "Harvey" and "Jersey Boys".  "Jersey Boys" was the highlight of our trip.  It was simply amazing!!!  I should have saved that show for our last night.....because after seeing that, "Harvey" was a bit of a let down.  It was a cute, charming show, but it paled in comparison to "Jersey Boys".  (I know....two completely different types of shows, but I would see JB again and again.)  DD loved it as well.

We ate our way through Chelsea Market  :whoopie: ---sushi at "The Lobster Place", crepes at "The Suzette Bar", "Peoples Pops" popsicles, (walking the High Line & in Chelsea Market), and dessert from one of the bakeries in Chelsea Market, (can't remember the name).  Found a great sushi place via "Living Social" near our hotel, "Alpha Fusion", and had another great meal at "Becco".  Our studio at Affinia Manhattan was very nice....2 beds, small kitchenette, small bathroom, and a lovely terrace....which we rarely used due to the oppressive heat.  

So, we have 2 more schools to visit this summer. Then she is planning on doing a few "overnight visits" in the fall to get more of a feel for the school and the hockey team, (both players & coach), and see if she can find the best fit of academics and athletics for her.  The one nice thing that I stressed, (and she agreed with my sentiment), is that the school  be one she would want to attend regardless of whether she plays on the hockey team.  If she thinks visiting the campuses  takes a lot of time, wait till she experiences the application process. 

Deb


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## vacationhopeful (Jun 24, 2012)

senorak said:


> ..  We still have Lehigh ...



I loved going to Lehigh for grad school. My sister and I walked graduation together. She met her husband there and he graduated Lehigh 6 months later. 

We all got together to watch the NCAA round where Lehigh Basketball team beat DUKE - as we tag team called our Duke sister. :hysterical: 

Enjoy the visit to South Mountain ... The campus is stunning. The professors are excellant.


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## Luanne (Jun 24, 2012)

senorak said:


> We didn't get any aid w/ my oldest, (who will still be finishing up at a state university during her first year), so perhaps we'll get a some aid.



Glad you had a good trip.  Saw "Jersey Boys" in San Francisco a few years back and loved it. My two dds went with me and even though they didn't think they were familiar with the Four Seasons they realized they were.  They loved the show as well.

Don't count on getting financial aid with your second.  It's not based on whether you've gotten aid in the past, but on what they government feels you, the parents, can contribute.


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## senorak (Jun 25, 2012)

Luanne---I meant that perhaps we would be eligible for aid since we will have 2 children in college at the same time.  DD and oldest, (for one year), then DD and youngest for at least 2 years.  Just cross our fingers and hope for the best.

Lehigh is only about a half hour away from us.....can't believe we haven't been on campus yet, (tho she has played hockey in various tournaments at their athletic fields complex).  Two of the schools on her list are a short drive, (Ursinus being the other one).  Would be nice to be able to see most of her games if she went to one of those schools.  (Although DD might want to be a greater distance from her family  )

Deb


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## e.bram (Jun 25, 2012)

Why bother to visit the Columbia campus. You mean to say you would not send your daughter there if she were admitted and you did not like the campus?


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## Mel (Jun 26, 2012)

senorak said:


> Luanne---I meant that perhaps we would be eligible for aid since we will have 2 children in college at the same time.  DD and oldest, (for one year), then DD and youngest for at least 2 years.  Just cross our fingers and hope for the best.
> 
> Lehigh is only about a half hour away from us.....can't believe we haven't been on campus yet, (tho she has played hockey in various tournaments at their athletic fields complex).  Two of the schools on her list are a short drive, (Ursinus being the other one).  Would be nice to be able to see most of her games if she went to one of those schools.  (Although DD might want to be a greater distance from her family  )


Start doing completing the Net Price Calculators.  We a paring a list of 60 or so down, and ran calculations for all this weekend.  about a dozen dropped off our list, and a few that were on the "maybe look at" section of the list have moved up.  Your "family contribution" will usually be split between two kids in college at the same time, meaning your oldest's aid should increase, and your second will get more aid her first year (than less 2nd year, and more again when your youngest starts.

Also don't discount possible merit aid.  Some of the most expensive schools have incredible endowments, and may offer significant merit aid (and I'm sure you're aware, grants are far better than loans, so that merit aid will make a difference).

e.bram - that's why they want to visit, so she won't bother applying if she doesn't like the campus.  Would you really make your child commit to attending a school she doesn't like?


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## e.bram (Jun 26, 2012)

Can't see anyone turning down Columbia, except for Princeton, Yale , Harvard, MIT, Caltech or Stanford. Certainly not Hofstra or NYU.


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## senorak (Jun 26, 2012)

Thanks for the advice, Mel.
e.bram---choosing a college that best fits DD, not based on (perceived) prestige.  If she doesn't feel comfortable with the school, (whether it's location/surrounding area, curriculum, campus housing/dining, coach, etc.), then the school is off our list.  Doesn't matter if it's Ivy League, state school or community college.  

Deb


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## Mel (Jun 26, 2012)

e.bram said:


> Can't see anyone turning down Columbia, except for Princeton, Yale , Harvard, MIT, Caltech or Stanford. Certainly not Hofstra or NYU.


The "anyone" in my house has in fact scratched Columbia off her list because she doesn't want to be in the heart of a big city.  It's not for everybody.  Yes, she is considering Princeton and Yale as well, but also several other less "prestigious" schools because they are a far better fit for her, and they are known for the programs that interest her.

Senorak - is she looking at only Division I, and is she being recruited?  Would she consider Division III?  I only ask because the competition may be tough just to get on the team.  When we visited American University earlier this month, we had lunch with a young woman from England, who was just finishing up the equivalent of her HS sophomore year, and was touring a series of schools who were actively recruiting her to play Lacrosse.  They start recruiting fairly early.


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## senorak (Jun 26, 2012)

Mel--most of her other schools are D3.  That's why we want to meet/talk w/ coach.  She's been contacting coaches for over a year now, but we haven't met w/ Columbia coach....yet.  She really wants to play and be an integral part of the team, wherever she ends up.  She is aware that at the D3 schools, she will have a much better chance of seeing playing time in her freshman/sophomore years.  Two of her choices have told her she would probably see significant playing time freshman year....and they are both very competitive in their divisions.  And from following field hockey for several years now....there are quite a few D3 school hockey teams that are much more competitive than D1.  The only D1 schools she is considering at this point are Columbia and Lehigh, (and Columbia is her "reach school").  Her "frontrunner" right now is Ursinus---D3 w/ a very competitive hockey team, and a solid academic reputation.  (And only 1/2 hour from home....which means we'd be able to get to most of her games  )  

Deb


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## e.bram (Jun 26, 2012)

Deb:
Although the Ivy League schools have "perceived" prestige, it is perceived by a lot of people.
Also Columbia is more concerned about is's academic reputation than sports as it is by by large by all Ivy Leauge schools.
Graduating from an Ivy League school will be important(for self esteem) for the rest of the person's life where any college sports prowess will be forgotten soon after graduation.
I would not give up the opportunity , because of the campus envionment, which incidentally takes more than campus walk through to determine.
Ivy Leaguers never say their school is "just as good as *****".


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## Luanne (Jun 26, 2012)

senorak said:


> Luanne---I meant that perhaps we would be eligible for aid since we will have 2 children in college at the same time.  DD and oldest, (for one year), then DD and youngest for at least 2 years.  Just cross our fingers and hope for the best.



Maybe, maybe not.  We had two in college at the same time, still no aid beyond the student loans.  It all depends on how much the government thinks you can pay.


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## Mel (Jun 26, 2012)

Luanne, while that's true of most public school, many if not most private colleges have their own aid formulas.  When we ran the Net Price Calculators. which all schools are now required to have. we found a vast range of costs, depending largely on institutional and merit aid.  Some places expect us to come up with $35,000 while others are as low as $7,000.  One of the lowest was Yale, which has a very high sticker price.  It's just that very few actually pay that price.  

The other factor is how the aid is given.  One of the school had a deceptively low net price, because they included $25,000 in loans as part of their suggested aid package.  Yale's figure, on the other hand, was before any loans.  Unfortunately those loans are considered part of the aid package because they are subsidize, but obviously you still have to pay them.  With a second child in college, the "family contribution" is usually split between the two, often resulting in more aid for each.  But the form of that aid might still be student loans.


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## Luanne (Jun 26, 2012)

Mel said:


> Luanne, while that's true of most public school, many if not most private colleges have their own aid formulas.  When we ran the Net Price Calculators. which all schools are now required to have. we found a vast range of costs, depending largely on institutional and merit aid.  Some places expect us to come up with $35,000 while others are as low as $7,000.  One of the lowest was Yale, which has a very high sticker price.  It's just that very few actually pay that price.
> 
> The other factor is how the aid is given.  One of the school had a deceptively low net price, because they included $25,000 in loans as part of their suggested aid package.  Yale's figure, on the other hand, was before any loans.  Unfortunately those loans are considered part of the aid package because they are subsidize, but obviously you still have to pay them.


Your experiences may be different than ours were.  One dd attends a private school.  She got no aid based on need, but did get a nice merit scholarship.

I don't think even the private schools give "need based" scholarships if you don't qualify.  The types of aid your student might get from one of these schools would be something different.



> With a second child in college, the "family contribution" is usually split between the two, often resulting in more aid for each.  But the form of that aid might still be student loans.


This is true.  And in our case the "aid" available for two students in college at the same time was only student loans.

I am basing everything I've posted on filling out the FAFSA, not on this Net Price Calculator.


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