Very Serious Question

[Censored by Laurie]

Despite my never wanting a family of my own...perhaps a wife (or an Anais Nin-like muse), but never children...this question has recently occurred to me as I see my younger cousins growing up, and close friends popping out babies at an alarming rate...

Would you want your son/daughter going to the University of North Texas?

I do mean this question with the utmost respect and deference to UNT...I loved my time there, and am so incredibly grateful for what it has helped me achieve and for the experiences that helped to turn me into the person I am today (say what you will...), but in the end, UNT does hold it's limitations as an institution. And this isn't meant as a question between sending one's child to UT or UNT, or A&M or UNT...I think those types of options are rather simple and I trust your children will love Denton for their decisions.

But let's, money not with-standing, say Rice accepts your child...or Stanford...or an Ivy league school not named "Brown"...does the promise of a higher academic plane and a more prestigious degree out-weigh one's own loyalties/biases/experiences?

Again, I tread lightly with this question and don't want it taken the wrong way...just curious. I've had the opportunity to experience both and I really don't have any answer...but then I don't measure success in life in a similar manner than many of you, or at least what you envision success being like for your children.

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[MeanGreenTexan]

I still have about 18 years before I have to make this decision, but I hope my thought process at that time is the same as how I'm thinking now: "Where does she want to go?", then we can hammer out pros & cons. Cost will probably be a huge factor...

She'll already know how great UNT is because my wife and I will educate her, but if an elite academic institution comes calling, then that will be up to her to decide upon.

Now, if she ever says she wants to go to SMU, I'll have to give her up for adoption.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Not sure what you're getting at, but yes--I would be happy for any of my children to go to UNT even if they were accepted at schools generally perceived as being academically superior. As long as they could explain their reasoning for choosing UNT over Rice, Stanford, etc., I would be thrilled for them to go to UNT.

[GBarksdale]

To address part of your question, I would actually prefer that my daughter not go to an Ivy League school even if money were no object. I have friends who went to those schools, and the impression I get is that they are extremely over-rated academically.

I loved NT and my time in Denton, and I thought it was a pretty good school. I still support it financially occasionally (at least I did until the Jackson/Bataille episode). But academically, I don't think it's stellar -- although it has undeniable strengths in certain disciplines. So if she wanted to study Radio-TV-Film or Music, for instance, then yeah, I'd be OK with that.

Otherwise, UVA or a liberal arts college would be my preference. But I still have 12 years to think about it.

Edited April 21, 2011 by GBarksdale

[Harry]

I live here in the metroplex and have one starting high school next year and another the year after. Obviously I would love to have them go to North Texas and both of them see it as a viable option.

I am noticing more and more good kids from good families around here going to North Texas. The fact is UT and even A&M have become so difficult to get into that many look at North Texas that might haven't before. I will tell you this with the economy as it is, UNT's tuition is a big deal. My wife and I both went to state Universities and so we are not wanting our kids to go to private schools unless there is a particular program or scholarship that makes it a necessity. Why pay the tuition?

To directly answer your question, absolutely I would want my kids go there. I wouldn't force them to but certainly plan on them having UNT as an option. What you discover is that each kid is different, in terms of the types of programs (music, computers etc) that they want to pursue and that often plays a big part in the school that they choose.

[Maduro]

The great music and incredible education programs (too bad nobody is hiring these teachers anymore) have been the biggest selling point for UNT for years. It's too bad that many of the other degree programs don't have the same reputations.

I had no trouble starting my career (Finance - 2005) the moment I walked out the door and I truly feel that the training I received through my degree program had me ready to take on anybody from ANY school. The only thing I would change about my experience is that I should have saved some money by doing my first couple of years at a community/junior college.

If my wife and I ever decide to have children, I would feel very comfortable sending them to UNT.

[CMJ]

It would depend on what they would want to study, and where they would be comfortable (that's provided I ever have kids of course). My girlfriend went to Caltech, one of the most prestigious schools for science in the nation. She is currently teaching chemistry and algebra. Should she have gone to a school like NT with a great teaching program? She didn't even GET a teaching degree, so maybe so. But you'd never convince her she didn't go to the best school in the country and she's damn proud that she did - much the same way I'm proud to have gone to UNT.

Edited April 21, 2011 by CMJ

[EagleD]

As in most good questions, the answer is, "it depends". As a general rule, yeah I'd like my son or daughter to go to NT. But if either of my kids could go to Stanford, MIT, Cal, or a few other choices, I would drive them to class. There's no way I willingly let them go to Tech, and A&M is only an option if Vet sciences is their field. Oh, did you say full scholarship? Lubbock is lovely in the winter...

[wardly]

i would not trade my experience at north texas [61'/66']. having said that, i found that in the dallas business world bein a ut,a&m,or smu grad opened doors and offered networking opportunities that being a unt grad did not. same applied in ft. worth, except substitute tcu for smu.

[GrayEagle]

The definitive answer is whereever they want to go as long as they can afford it.

Having said that, I would hope that they would go to a university where they can not only get a good education but associate with the average American. I have never been an elitist and too many times the Ivy League schools and the top private schools students thinks that their excrement has no foul odor. They may have a ton of intelligence but little common sense.

I enjoy the "upper middle" where more people seem to have more of the right values. The University of North Texas has had their share of financially successful people who made it on their own. I'm not condemning networking. It can give you opportunities that would not be available to you ever. But, I have special admiration for the man or woman who makes it on their own.

[Travis]

My dad told me, "Travis, you can go anywhere in the state that you want to go to. But, you are paying for it." I came to UNT because I had a scholarship here. So I took it and then loved all of it.

I plan to do the same with my child.

She will go where she wants to and it will be her's to make.

**My dad did help in many ways: paying for my car insurance, gas, and a lot of food. I can see myself doing something like this for my child.

[Rudy]

If they want me paying for their education, they will be Mean Green

[NT03]

My kid is going to the highest bidder

[UNTflyer]

If my kid gets accepted to Stanford or Harvard or any school like that, I would walk through flaming broken glass to get him/her to go there.

[HoustonEagle]

If my kid gets accepted to Stanford or Harvard or any school like that, I would walk through flaming broken glass to get him/her to go there.

THIS

[THOR]

i would never make them go, but if they wanted too, i'd love it. i want my kids to experience college away from home. we live in the area, so i don't want them to be used to everything around here and around all the same things. i want them to go out into the world and live their own experiences.

[SilverEagle]

I've already gone through this with my only son. I was open to any school that he wanted to attend, except for SMU. After he decided what he wanted to study (Business) we discussed all his options. TCU was the only private school that he had any remote interest in, but the cost was pretty prohibitive. In the end he decided on North Texas because their business school was well respected, and he felt that he could do fine in the business world as long as he had a degree.

The college experience is what the individual makes of it, and North Texas can be as memorable or as forgettable as any other school in Texas.

[Got5onIt]

I've got two kids, 4 & 2, so I've got a while before I get there. This is a question I've thought about a couple of times already. If they want to go to school in Texas, I would definitely try to "encourage" them towards UNT. (encourage may not be a strong enough word) . Absolutely no to SMU.

If they want to spread their wings and go out of state, I would probably be happy with anything. Of course, distance, cost, specializations, etc., would come into heavy consideration.

Edited April 22, 2011 by Got5onIt

[MeanGreenTexan]

My kid is going to the highest bidder

This philosophy worked well for Mr. Newton!

[golfingomez]

If I ever have kids...

As long as it's not UT or SMU (sometimes Texas Tech)... I will support their decision fully. If they do decide that, I will never attend a sporting event with them.

[Green P1]

My parents did everything they could to force me into Abilene Christian. I resented the hell out of them for it. I came to UNT because their acceptance letter was the first to arrive. Were it not for UNT's promptness I'd have been at UT.

[KRAM1]

Well, having "been there done that" it is a valid question. What most will find when they do have kids of the age to make this sort of question/answer a reality ( I see lots of answers from folks without kids or with very young kids on this thread), that the answer really does "depend". And, it depends upon a lot of things. Our youngest wanted to attend a military academy (he did), but he also came back to UNT after the academy to pick up some pre-med classes as he worked to get in med school (he did). So, where your son or daughter attend s very much "depends" on may things. We all want the very best for our kids, and UNT definitely fits that bill as a college choice. Your grad will make what they will out of the degree they earn from what ever school they attend. An Ivy League or Standford degree is a great thing, but if you don't do something with it, it's worth the price of the paper it is printed on...nothing more except braggin' rights at the unemployment office.

I would have had absolutely NO reservations about sending my kid to UNT. NONE...ZERO...NADA....My wife and I have done just fine with our UNT degrees, but, again, it is what you do that counts after you get the degree. Will a "Yale" degree open some doors for you? Sure...with other Eli's or perhaps "ivy league" grads, but might not do that much for you elsewise...once you land the job, it's your to do what you will with it. No one in their right mind is going to keep you employed just because you have a degree from Harvard or Yale or Stanford, or...etc.

Once you do have kids and they are old enough to start making college plans, you'll know how to help them decide based on so many more issues than we could even dream of in this thread.

BOTTOM LINE...YEP...would be proud to have a kid or grandkid of mine attend UNT.

You know, I have a friend who graduated from Yale who says he would NEVER send his kid to an ivy league school. He has his reasons, but the guy is a Yale grad and has fond memories of his time there, but just sees them as very overrated at this time...in his opinion VERY OVERRATED and continuing to fall behind. Just his opinion, but I mention it to show that not everyone would "walk over burning coals" to get their kids in such institutions. Lots and lots of things to consider...but, you do realize that kids have a way of figuring out these sort of things as they grow up and grow toward that decision, right/ Just wait...it's a great and fun ride this parent thing.

[meanJewGreen]

If I had to do it over again, I'd have gone to UTSA for a year then UT. Why? I'm a big city guy, and UT offered more cultural programming in my realm (yes thats a very vague description) I also did not like the city of Denton, and the fact that save for a stint in South America and one semester in DC I've lived in the area my whole life now is more important. (i'd like to like in central texas someday, if I dont get to the big city)

I think the networking thing is huge too. UNT is getting better at this (just look at our collin county mixer turnout) but we need a more downtown dallas presence. Why? All the business is down there.

What I would like to see is my alma mater's acceptance rate at 55-60%, not 75%. I want my child to feel honored that he was accepted to UNT, and treat it that way. Having 2 days between when I applied and when I was accepted makes it feel like I was going to Quad C or whatever it is called now. If I'm living in the area, I want my kid going out of state, because he/she needs to experience new things.

[Mean Green Matt]

I have every intention of brainwashing my future children into the "ways of the green"...

In all seriousness, it will come down to what THEY want to do. Like many have said though, if it is SMU, A&M or UT, they can pay for it themselves. I couldn't let them waste 4 years.

For what it's worth, as a person that was going to UNT football games before I was even old enough to remember (The 1995 Oregon State football game is the first one I can recall), I can say with 100% confidence that my life-long experience with UNT has not been a disappointment, and I've received so much more in return than I've put in. I wouldn't trade it for anything, and it is for that reason why I would have no problem steering my childeren to UNT unless it was not in line with their hopes, dreams, and aspirations.

It will be a few more years before I even have kids though...

[Cowtown]

Yes,

My 11 year old daughter currently wants to be a teacher, so naturally I have been pushing NT.

No Baylor, No SMU, No Tech

Aside from that, I am cool with all other schools.