Pros & Cons of East Carolina University & Old Dominion University

[Stacy9402]

My daughter is considering these 2 colleges and she cannot make up her mind.

A little info:

ODU - 3 1/2 hours form us & 30 minutes from grandparents.
ECU - 4 1/2 to 5 hours from us & 2 1/2 from grandparents

ODU - instate
ECU - out of state - but grandparents are Alumni (does that get her anything?)

She is thinking about going into a field of Criminal Justice and I know that this will probably change. It already has this past year -- she has went from criminal justice to nursing to psychology and back to criminal justice. lol

The one thing she does know is that she wants to dabble a little in photography so she might get a minor in that.

She can be active but mostly lazy.
She is concerned about dorms and she mentioned that a few of ECU dorms did not have air conditioner.

So if you have any insight it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mickeyboat]

Well, there are lots of things to consider - has she visited both schools? What kind of financial aid has she been offered?

The only thing I can tell you is that ECU is ranked as one of the top (and the top in some polls) party school.

 

[MrsPete]

This isn't school-specific advice, but since she's kind of all over the map with majors, a big school is a good idea. In a big school, she has a better chance of changing majors without changing schools.

I can't say much about Old Dominion, but I do know some things about East: Known as Easy-East, It's considered one of the lesser state schools in North Carolina. It's easy to get into, and it's known as a party school. They are particularly known for their blow-out Halloween bash every year (students from other schools flock in for the festivities), and they're trying to live down having the highest numbers of STDs among the 16 state schools.

However, I have seen plenty of indications that they're on the upswing. They're particularly pushing to improve the quality of their health-related departments. They have good facilities, and they have a 5-year program that leads to a Nurse Practioner license. They also have a whopping online program that attracts working professionals looking to earn a long-distance Masters degree. I suspect that 10 years from now their reputation will be quite different.

The area isn't great. Greenville, NC. Close to nothing and a town with some definite rough areas. I'd double check that no air in some dorms thing; that doesn't sound right -- not for a place that far east.

Having grandparents who attended will not help her with admission, but it might make her eligible for an alum. scholarship.

I don't think she's going to find a photography minor at a university. She might look into something more broad; for example, Communications. Or, if she's interested in opening a photography studio, she might want to consider photography classes at a community college -- she's likely to get more of a hands-on, here's how to take really great pictures class at a community college -- and business classes at the university.

Finally, I'll echo what another poster said: Visit. There's absolutely no substitute for setting foot on the actual campus to see whether the atmosphere appeals to her.

 

[Goofycampers]

Honestly I couldn't justify out of state tuition unless the university offered something you couldnt get elsewhere. I graduated ODU, but that was a long time ago (1984). But it does have a decent reputation and a pretty good football team which makes for a fun college experience. Being close to family would be a plus for me.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

I personally would not pay out of state tuition for my child to go to ECU.

 

[Stacy9402]

She has been to both campuses. She really likes that they do not feel big. She is concerned with security and that is a big con at ODU.