<p>I'm currently enrolled at Carnegie Mellon right now, but I got into one of my top choice schools (Vanderbilt) yesterday off the waitlist. I really want to go to Vanderbilt, but my parents don't want me to go because of some extremely flawed logic. Both schools cost the same btw. </p>
<p>I like Vanderbilt a lot more than CMU because of its social scene and environment. When I visited CMU, I felt a really nerdy/introverted vibe. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but I felt a little out of place since I'm a pretty social guy. Also, Pittsburgh seemed pretty boring. I've done a lot of research on Vanderbilt's social scene by talking to tons of current and former students, and I have a feeling I'd like it a lot more than CMU. My parents won't let me visit because they don't want me to go there anyways. Plus, I talked to my mentor from an internship I did last summer (proprietary trading, which is something I want to do in the future), and he told me that I can't go wrong with either school and that I should choose the one I like more. </p>
<p>My parents and I have already established that both schools have around equal academics/prestige in terms of my major (econ), but they're totally against considering ANY factors (ie. social scene, environment, surrounding area, campus culture, etc) outside of academics. Basically, they won't listen to me when I say that I like Vandy more because of the environment. Their logic is, since CMU and Vandy have pretty much equal academics, why bother changing schools? Obviously, this is ignoring lots of very important factors that should be considered in a college decision. </p>
<p>Also, they think CMU's better just because of a bunch of dumb USNews rankings for economics, which are grad school rankings anyway, not undergrad. </p>
<p>Can any of you parents help me out in convincing my parents to let me go to my top choice? Help will be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Well, I LOVE Pittsburgh. But putting that aside, they let you apply, and there’s no extra money involved, so I would be delighted to allow my kid to make his/her own choice - after all s/he’d have to live with it.</p>
<p>Are you trying to transfer? (your post isn’t clear)</p>
<p>The more likely it is that you fit in at a university, the more likely you will have friends and work on projects in your major. Also, the more you are comfortable at a university and the more you actually WANT to go there, the more likely you are to do well in your classes.</p>
<p>These are certainly different schools socially. My husband went to CMU in the 70’s and it is a very good school (and Pittsburgh is actually a great city ) but my guess is that the social scene and your average fellow students would be pretty different at the 2 schools. You clearly prefer Vanderbilt (congratulations on getting off the waitlist) and since the cost is similar, try to explain that you just feel you will do better at a school you are excited about. Offer to pay the lost deposit at CMU back to your parents. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. I’m really frustrated right now because I worked hard for the past 4 years to get as far as I am today. I busted my ass studying for SATs/SAT IIs/APs, tried my best in school after repeated failures, and spent months writing the best essays I possibly could. I went through an immense amount of stress this year, worrying nonstop about whether I’ll be able to get into my top choices. And now that I have finally succeeded in getting into one of my top choices, my parents won’t even let me go based on the stupidest reasons. </p>
<p>Well, just found out that I was accepted into another one of my top choices (UNC Chapel Hill) off the waitlist. It’s much cheaper than both schools, so I guess I’m going to neither CMU nor Vandy now. muahahahahahaha</p>
<p>Congratulations on finding three CCers to support you. I’ve no doubt that the longer this thread stays alive, the more supporters you will find.</p>
<p>I will not be one of them, unfortunately. I can only assume from the tenor of your post that you’ve used similar language to explain your feelings to your parents. You’ve no doubt made clear to them that their attitude is “■■■■■■■■” and that, even though their payments for college were intended to provide you an education, they are as “dumb” as the USNWR rankings if they honestly believe that each school’s party scene is not as important as, if not more important then, its academics. Shame on your parents for having their priorities so screwed up!!!</p>
<p>@dodgersmom: I didn’t read it that way. While there is a danger of enjoying the social scene too much, it didn’t sound like that was their parent’s concern. It sounded like they think non-academic factors are irrelevant. I do think it’s certainly reasonable to use non-academic factors as a tie-breaker.</p>
<p>UNC is great and Chapel Hill is a cool town. Have only been to Chapel Hill once but remember thinking the school and town seemed very nice.I assume you are instate for UNC since you say it is much cheaper? UNC is probably closer to the vibe at Vanderbilt than to CMU(although I’ve never seen Vanderbilt, I’ve seen CMU many times).
I don’t believe that non academic factors are irrelevant to the college choice.</p>
<p>Well, there might be a back story that is not coming through here (that either the parents are not telling the student, or the student is not telling here).</p>
<p>But if UNC-CH is preferred by both the student and parents over CMU and Vanderbilt, then it seems that the problem is solved.</p>
<p>There’s a big social scene at unc so your parents may actually now be steering you to a bigger party school… Don’t say anything or you might end up back at CMU</p>
<p>Let me clarify. I would ordinarily agree that a variety of factors should be taken into account when choosing a school.</p>
<p>But the OP has posted that his parents’ logic is “■■■■■■■■,” that the USNWR rankings are “dumb,” and that his parents (who are presumably paying for this kid’s education) are ignoring lots of “very important factors” that the OP thinks they should consider.</p>
<p>Well, here’s a news flash: most parents stop listening once you tell them they’re stupid. If you want your parents to listen to you, start listening to them.</p>
<p>my nephew graduated from Vandy Econ last year and had a fabulous experience. </p>
<p>Those ranking lists should be burned.</p>
<p>With money being equal your parents should let you pick where you want to go. There is partying at every school, even CMU. However, the decision should be yours.</p>
<p>^^Thanks, sevmom…I did catch that post. If money were equal at every school, then it would be important to let the kid pick out his own school choice. However, if the third school is much cheaper, and his parents want him to consider that one, then the student should consider that very seriously.</p>
<p>To me it should not be a matter of which school is a point or two different in the ranks. It should depend on the cost to the family and if the student can be happy with that choice. Since he said that UNC was one of his top choices, then obviously it would be better for him to go there over CMU despite what the rankings say.</p>