Most of my college decisions are out (thank GOD) and I’m having a really tough time deciding where I want to go… I applied as a history major to all my colleges, as I love the subject, and because I plan for law school when I leave my undergraduate years. I am a socal resident, so it was only natural for me to apply to many UC’s and Cal States. Unfortunately I did not get into many. I did apply to some east coast schools as well, and I did not get into many. My parents income bracket is >100,000; they can afford a college 35,000 and below without taking out any loans and I am definitely lucky that I’m under these circumstances. (COA= Cost if Attendance). The schools I got accepted to are: St. Catherine’s University (19,000 COA), Regis University (43,000 COA), Butler University (45,000 COA), University of San Francisco (49,000 COA), UMass Amherst (50,000 COA), Chico State (24,000 COA), Cal Poly Pomona (27,000 COA), CSUF (28,000 COA), and Penn State (50,000 COA). I did get waitlisted to Rhodes, but I do not even plan on considering the college. I applied VERY late to University of Hawaii at Manoa as it was an affordable option as well as a desirable one. Since I do receive the Western Undergraduate Exchange, I get reduced tuition compared to an average non-resident student. The COA for me at Hawaii is about 32,000 and is likely to be reduced, considering that this is an estimate with the most expensive housing on campus.
So, I want to go to Law School. My brother is graduating this year from UCI and has informed me to go to a school where you will thrive and be able to make connections in the professional world so it is an easier transition into law school, and that internships, extracurriculars, connections, and grades are KEY especially for my path. So I’m thinking that a big city would provide many opportunities for me, as I usually utilize my resources and environment well. I am not so focused on how presitigious my college is at this point because it is about what you do with your time THERE at the college, not the name. My parents and brother have spoken to me about students who have done well academically at big name universities (i.e. USC and Notre Dame), but struggled or failed to find adequate-paying work and as a result, are now underemployed. As unfortunate as it sounds, I think I have learned that college IS about networking so I plan to do a lot of it regardless of where I go. I think a big city environment like Honolulu would make it easier for me. The problem is, I don’t know what would be best for my profession. I CAN afford Hawaii and I am in love with the location as well as the campus. It is my top choice, however I applied close to a month late after the deadline and I won’t be hearing back most likely until after May 1st, which is the deposit deadline for most colleges. It has a considerably high acceptance rate and has “requirements” rather than percentile GPAs and test scores. I spoke to an admissions counselor and resident hall office worker when I visited last week and she reassured me that I will most likely be able to find housing on campus and get classes, despite my late registration, it may not be the classes or housing of my choice, which I don’t mind. The dilemma with my other schools: my other best affordable option is CSUF, but I don’t want to go. A lot of my high school feeds into that university, and I just don’t want to be STUCK here in my county. I want to get out and be an adult somewhere else. It’ll be harder for me to get out of my comfort zone, and just area in general,if I stay that close to home. I have not visited Penn State but I know that it is a GREAT school and has a strong alumni network; the problem is I’D BE IN DEBT FOR YEARS… A lot of the state schools that I was accepted to are good schools but I just can’t see myself at any of them. There is one problem with UHawaii and it is mostly a problem that my parents keep bringing up and it’s that I would be a 6-hour plane ride away from home.Right now, I’m just considering a lot of things, so any advice at this point would be great.