<p>Hello everyone! I was just looking at some of the hopeful threads of the Ivies, and thought that it’s about time Amherst has it’s own too.</p>
<p>While i’m currently more inclined towards the Ivies, a small, under grad focused college somehow appeals to me. (as does the fin aid.)</p>
<p>Anyone else facing the same dilemma?</p>
<p>haha I’m not facing your dilemma at all, actually. I’ll only apply to Brown RD to please my mother - and that’s only if I get deferred/rejected from an LAC ED. So I’m not partial to the Ivies at all and don’t really have any desire to attend one.</p>
<p>But I am an “Amherst hopeful 2015” :D</p>
<p>I don’t think i’m applying to Brown at all!
Wow. You’re the first person i know who doesn’t want to go to an Ivy. Any particular reason?</p>
<p>Which other LACs are you applying to? I’m considering Middlebury and Williams.</p>
<p>Another Amherst hopeful here! 
<em>waves at everyone</em>
On the other end of the spectrum I’m also looking at UT Austin… LOL!</p>
<p>Here! Probably applying ED. Way too excited for the common app and supplements to be released.</p>
<p>I know, right?! Only a couple of more days until the Common App opens!! :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ithaca is gorges.</p>
<p>Am I just being really stupid, or is not possible to sign up on the common app website yet?</p>
<p>Driftwood, it’s possible now as of August 1st (today) :]</p>
<p>And @kaira07, my sister goes to Cornell and hates the weather/competitive atmosphere. HYP are too pretentious and competitive for me. Brown’s cool but in a town/state too conservative for my liking. Columbia’s amaaazing but I hate NYC. And I don’t really know much about Dartmouth.</p>
<p>the common app is finally out. 
work, work work.</p>
<p>I love NYC, but i just don’t want to study in such a big city. I’d be ecstatic with HYP though. Dartmouth is supposed to be the Ivy most like a LAC, if im not mistaken.</p>
<p>I’m an Amherst hopeful, too! There are many reasons not to go to an Ivy, kaira07. I’m applying to three Ivies, but I might choose Amherst, Bowdoin, or Williams over them if I had better FA.</p>
<p>Sooo many reasons I don’t want to go to an Ivy…mostly because of size and focus on undergrads, though. My list is 100% LACs :D</p>
<p>Agreed with the two above. Ivies, truthfully, aren’t made for academic undergradate growth.</p>
<p>^ Well, how to define “growth” at the undergraduate level… depends on the individual, really.</p>
<p>The safety net that Harvard’s prestige provides more than offsets any disillusionment one may have with one’s quality of education and social life there. According to Princeton Review’s survey of undergrads, Yale is consistently ranked high for students most satisfied with their quality of life. Princeton’s lack of professional graduate programs is often brought up as the reason it provides a quality UG experience. Having spent three of my high school years undertaking a “Core Curriculum,” I personally appreciate Columbia’s effort, and its campus is much smaller than those of most of the LACs. Dartmouth provides a fairly convincing pseudo-LAC experience while allowing HYP-rejects to ride the Ivy League banner and boast about UG quality. And, Brown has the Open Curriculum and offers the same side-benefits as Dartmouth.</p>
<p>The odd ones out are really Penn and Cornell–the former has a reputation for having a shamelessly pre-professional student body, and the latter is pretty much a state school.</p>
<p>You can’t really rule out ivies unless you have actually visited and had a feel for them. Ivies aren’t for everyone (neither are LACs). </p>
<p>Kwu; how is Cornell “pretty much a state school?” It holds just as much “prestige” as your HYP. Granted, Cornell has some state schools, but they still carry with the same educational and social benefits as any school, if not more. </p>
<p>When I was applying to schools, I did all LACs because I wanted to be in a small, tight-knit community. Some people prefer the big, research driven universities. I wouldn’t rule out Ivies; it really depends on what you want to do. Ivies are very beneficial, in terms of research, if you plan on venturing off into anything science or math related. </p>
<p>Furthermore, if you believe that LACs aren’t competitive, you’re mistaken. Amherst, being the top LAC in the nation, is competitive - ask kwu. Granted, the student body might be extremely lax and not cut throat, grades are extremely important to some. </p>
<p>Some chose ivies because they get a fuel from the competition. In essence, to each their own. Also, keep in mind that a 3.8 at Harvard is certainly different and holds differently than a 4.0 from say, Beloit. </p>
<p>One last piece of advice: don’t be too set on one school, ever. NEVER obsess over the sheer awesomeness that is Amherst (lol) but be weary that everything always happens for a reason. Good luck to all you hopefuls.</p>
<p>P.S: It doesn’t matter which school you go to…it matters how you seize the opportunities available to you and how you kick everyone else’s ass, GPA wise. :)</p>
<p>Additionally,</p>
<p>For all the females in the crowd…if you’re crazy about Amherst, I advise applying to, or at least researching, Smith. </p>
<p>That is all. :)</p>
<p>-MM</p>
<p>Hahaa nice advertising plug, miss_murd3r ;)</p>
<p>Haha. I’m being totally serious though!</p>
<p>Amherst was, like some Smithies I know, a first choice. We all applied to Smith as a safety and we are now incoming students. I still love Amherst, but I can’t say enough about how awesome Smith is. :)</p>
<p>Definitely give it a look see!</p>
<p>^^^^^'</p>
<p>Yes you love Smith, but fess up, I know you are dying to go over to Amherst and hang out with my D! BTW, she says just FB her.</p>
<p>I’m between Amherst and Pomona</p>