University of Kansas
 

My son is a senior in high school and is applying to KU! We live in California, but as our own state school system (the UC system) continues with budget problems and the fact that it is getting impossible to gain admittance to many of our best state campuses, students are really looking at more and more schools outside of California. Several people have told us really great things about KU, and Lawrence, KS! My question: Do you think kids from outside of Kansas and outside of the immediate region can find their niche at a place like KU? My son would probably want to go greek too, as his dad and I and his two sisters are in the greek system. How do the KU frats view out of the region guys?

Advice for this California family??

Go check out the schools. What looks good on paper or by word of mouth may not be what he is looking for once he gets there. My daughter graduated from a CA high school and went to school at PITT. Different culture, different lifestyle, but she loved it. The only problem with sending any child out of state is that there is a good chance they will never live here again. My daughter is now in Boston after living in Orlando for 2 1/2 years following graduation.

DaffyKD

Speaking as a fellow Big XII grad (Iowa State), KU is a good school, but the culture shock from Cali to Lawrence may take some adjusting. Kansas City is a close drive, though, for flights and "big city" entertainment. I think KU is big enough for an OOS student to find his/her niche, and (at least from my experience at Iowa State) Midwestern people as a whole are very open and welcoming to people from all over the country. I would guess that would include the fraternities as well, but can't say definitively.

If you plan a trip, definitely try to go during a KU home basketball game - that's a whole experience unto itself.

My husband and I are both KU grads and we both went to KU from out of state. I came from a very small town in Nebraska and my husband came from St. Louis. I knew a number of people from California who went to KU, and had a couple of sisters who were from the Bay area. Lawrence is a great town to live in. It actually has more of a big city feel than you may realize.
PM me if you would like. Husband and I are ardent supporters of the University.