<p>I'm a non-partying girl passionate about writing. I love cities but also beautiful nature. I don't want to be super-stressed in college. Vegetarian. I love trees. Currently undecided, but interested in history, english, and lately, political science/ government. No idea what I want to do as a career--lately, the foreign service seems cool, but really, not something I'd base a decision off of. Want to study abroad at Oxbridge. Will take Mandarin and a few creative writing classes. I love seminars. </p>
<p>Mount Holyoke is offering me a funded internship + tutorial and reassuring financial security with a huge scholarship (no loans, yay!). Wellesley has pretty good finaid and the added costs in comparison to MoHo would mostly be my responsibility (2.5k in loans, 2k in work study) and it would cost 2k more a year for my parents. Bowdoin finaid kinda sucks in comparison (10k more a year than MoHo) but I'm readying to negotiate if I decide I must go there. </p>
<p>I'm not sure if a women's college or a coed college would be best for me. I'm hermitly. I'd like to become a really articulate, well-spoken person in college. I want to be surrounded by laid-back, friendly people. I want a really nurturing, warm school--MoHo seems to be wining in that aspect. </p>
<p>Any insight from CC posters? The choice is sort of heart-wrenching, and I feel so torn. The day before yesterday I was thinking Wellesley. Yesterday, Bowdoin. Today, MoHo seems like the right choice.</p>
<p>They will all give you what you seek academically. It comes down to where you feel best.</p>
<p>I went to Wellesley and have friends who went to Mount Holyoke. I would not describe Wellesley as having a laid-back or nurturing vibe. People are pretty competitive and it attracts students who thrive on pressure. That’s not to say that you necessarily need to be like that to succeed there, but it is a factor to consider.</p>
<p>I think Bowdoin is out - it is simply not worth the extra cost of Wellesley. Holyoke is great especially with the Five Colleges factored in, but at the end of the day given the slight cost differential, I would go with Wellesley it is too good an opportunity to pass on.</p>
<p>To be honest, I’m a bit like that myself–always putting pressure on myself, stressing out needlessly. I appear laid-back on the outside but inside it’s turmoil (kidding!). A big turn-off for Wellesley for me is that I’m concerned that it will only feed into this tendency of mine, being surrounded by 2,000 crazy, work-till-I-die people similar to me. I’ll probably be stressed anywhere but I think maybe moreso at Wellesley if that’s the culture. </p>
<p>Also, yeah, from my interactions with just MoHo and Wellesley, I get a very nurturing vibe from MoHo and not so much from Wellesley. Which is a plus for MoHo.</p>
<p>Do the students who go to MoHo seem happier and less stressed than the students at Wells?</p>
<p>@Sisto: I think you’re right about Bowd. I’ve been hanging onto Bowd but I think paying even 5k more a year isn’t worth it. Sigh.</p>
<p>I think both WC and MHC students are generally content with the environment they chose. Some people are actually made happier by stress and challenge. These types would probably enjoy Wellesley. It’s not as if Wellesley is a super-cutthroat, win at all costs kind of place; it has an honor code and cheating is despised. But I do think there is a sense of striving there which may be less prominent at MHC.</p>
<p>You could show your Wellesley package to Bowdoin and see what happens. It does work out sometimes where a school will match a package if it is a comparable or slight “better” institution. NJ Sue nailed it in her take I think.</p>
<p>@NJ Sue: Ah, thank you for the explanation. I’m pretty sure that I’d be happier in a more laid-back environment. On one hand, Wellesley is just really hard to turn down–it seems in so many ways ideal–but MoHo’s scholarship + built in opportunities + nurturing touch is hugely appealing. </p>
<p>I’ve been checking the flight prices to visit Wellesley, and it is about half the price I was expecting to get out there. Maybe I’ll be able to visit after all…I think it would be impossible to decide on a college without a feel for the vibe. This is the next four years of my life, after all. </p>
<p>I’ll update on my visit to MoHo, though. Hopefully things will be clearer then.</p>
<p>@Sisto: That’s my plan. Bowdoin has a firm “we don’t match” finaid policy but I’m hoping the fact I got an early write means I have some bargaining power. <em>crosses fingers</em> If the finaid doesn’t improve, I would definitely have to eliminate Bowdoin. But if it does, I’m incredibly drawn to Bowdoin.</p>
<p>I hope you can visit Wellesley before you need to make your choice. But really, all three are wonderful special places, and you cannot go wrong with any of them. Congratulations and good luck.</p>
<p>I didn’t really love it–the ruralness was depressing and I didn’t like the fact that no one spoke up in the classes I sat in on–but I don’t think I would be unhappy there overall. The students seemed kind and happy and the administration was very caring. I was thinking about it today and I think it would be incredibly stupid not to take the $100k merit scholarship.</p>
<p>So I’m pretty sure I’m going to MoHo. I’m not as thrilled as I would like to be but I think it’s the right decision. </p>
<p>Choose the place where you feel most comfortable after you figure out the costs. I have a friend at Wellesley who wishes she chose Bowdoin. What she wanted in Wellesley wasn’t what Wellesley was for HER. She was unhappy with the lack of social life for her, the lack of guys, and how Boston was too far for her (although it’s probably a 45 minute drive, she didn’t have a car, and didn’t like the bus rides). Also the cut-throat atmosphere made her wary of some other girls. </p>
<p>Choose where you feel happiest. I have friends at Bowdoin who turned down Wellesley in a cinch, something my friend regrets not doing it. But Wellesley is an amazing place, but only if you feel a fit there and think 4 years of it is what you want.</p>
(kidding!). A big turn-off for Wellesley for me is that I’m concerned that it will only feed into this tendency of mine, being surrounded by 2,000 crazy, work-till-I-die people similar to me. I’ll probably be stressed anywhere but I think maybe moreso at Wellesley if that’s the culture. </p>