Oh my. As the mom of four girls, I guess I was just clueless. We were a military family with our home of record in Texas. My oldest daughter wanted to be a nurse. Quick scan and found the state schools in Texas that offered nursing. Second scan showed which state school in Texas had a chapter of Alpha Gam. One chapter was an Annulet chapter. My oldest went there. Her sisters followed. All are Alpha Gams, although one gave me a heart attack during recruitment... All 4 have wonderful jobs and wonderful husbands and families, only the nursing major actually uses her degree. All four are forever grateful for their alma mater and the fact that they graduated without loans. It seemed to work.

Your approach with your daughters would be my approach with daughters #1, 3 and 4. Cheddar is just scholastically on a different level and I can't let that fact go un-noticed.

Is the rockwall in your name in reference to rockwall, tx by chance?

Valpo Graduate here.

I graduated from Valpo and the Meteorology program is top-notch! They have a great building that was built in the last 10 years, have excellent opportunities for Storm Chasing (both summer trips and those during the year). The professors in the program are well loved and the class always seems to have a great bond. It's smaller and liberal arts so that may suit her needs and although Greek Life is growing it's not the only way to connect on the campus. Many of the graduates go on to graduate work although there is also a cohort that are going to be on-air meteorologists (Probably one of our most famous Alumni is Ginger Zee, from Good Morning America).

The weather is definitely different than Texas but there's a lot of it and getting to track snow storms and with our Lake Effect Area it could be fun for your daughter!

Let me know if you have anymore questions? There are actually a decent amount of Valpo Alumni in Texas so have her reach out to admissions now!

Yes! I've lived in Rockwall for going on 10 years, a newcomer, I know!!

That thought never crossed my mind. We will get right on that.

We're neighbors. :)

If she's not familiar with the terms "cooler by the lake" or Lake Effect Snow, She Will (said in a scary foreboding tone with horror music rising up)

Lake Effect Snow: You may be buried up to your ears in snow, the neighboring zip code won't even have a flake. Also known as the bane to existence in NWI and SW Michigan

When I lived in Chicago I was a block off the lake, in the heart of the greenhouse effect, so while it would be several degrees cooler by me than at, say, O'Hare, we really didn't get as much snow as outside the little bubble I lived in. Chicago is really a microcosm of SO MUCH WEATHER. Including tides, by the way, for people who don't know much about Lake Michigan. When a storm blows it, it totally looks like a Nor'easter. Except I don't know that there are any roads that freakishly close to the Atlantic ocean, such that you have to worry about the storm surges crashing onto and even over LSD. It was terrifying sometimes.

Her inner weather geek is familiar with lake effect snow, but being knowledgable and experiencing it are two different things.

WKU Graduate here. I would suggest WKU's B.S. in Meteorology http://www.wku.edu/meteorology/.

I suggest that she look at the Honors College at WKU. If she is accepted into the Honors College, it would give WKU a smaller feel. Just a thought and a shameful plug. There are two WKU alumni chapters in TX. I can put you in touch with one of them, if you like.

Greek life is growing and strong on The Hill.

Thought of this thread today when I read this week's Bloomberg Businessweek cover story:
How to Get Into an Ivy League College - Guaranteed

Also, and slightly more on topic - this Lake Effect sounds like my personal nightmare.

:) A friend from my rush group in college was from San Diego. She couldn't take the harsh Michigan winters, so she stayed in CA each winter semester. I don't know how she was able to do it academically, but she graduated with us on time.

Our "pool" this past winter. This was really an exceptionally snowy winter.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...d9bf1072759aa7

I don't know any current members, but the Valpo Gamma Phi alumnae I have met are all great...I know several who are very active alumnae (chapter advisors or volunteer leaders) and the chapter came to do the Philanthropy round when the chapter I advise colonized. The resident CLC for the first semester was also a Valpo alum, as was the first chapter advisor.

Our first official tour is today. OU bound for the day. This will set the standard for our college. This is the school Cheddar has said she wanted to attend since she was 8 years old. She's so excited she can hardly contain herself.