<p>I am admitted to these three schools, and I am not sure about which one to choose.</p>
<p>Brandeis University, $10,000/year + Leader-Scholar Community (money is not really an issue)
Does anyone know about the LSC? How is it? If it is only about several seminars and meetings, I am not so much into it. </p>
<p>Money is not a big issue, so I am eager to learn about the school spirits for each one of them.
Though I read previous threads, I still think I need more discussion here.</p>
<p>I am a liberal arts student, looking at literature, media, history or even law…
I’ve heard that all of them have strong humanities, especially the latter two ones…
My mom prefer W&M, since she thinks it has higher reputation.
I am an international student from China, so I am not sure about the real situation in the U.S.</p>
<p>I would be truly grateful if someone could give me some suggestions! </p>
<p>Congratulations on your acceptances, and sympathy for the difficult choice you face, made even more difficult because (I assume) you are unable to visit the three schools to see them for yourself.</p>
<p>I was hoping to see replies to your question, but as none has been forthcoming, here goes:</p>
<p>First of all, the reputation of the three schools is a non-issue. They are all equivalently well regarded, and fall in the same general range of college rankings (e.g. Forbes, US News). Differences reflect variation in methodology and the factors considered rather than any meaningful differences in the schools’ individual reputations. Nor will there be a difference in how your degree is regarded by graduate schools or employers in the U.S. </p>
<p>Your instinct to learn more about the spirit of each school is very wise. The college experience is about so much more than the classes you take, and your goal should be to choose the environment in which you best see yourself thriving. Some resources to look at are <a href=“http://www.princetonreview.com”>www.princetonreview.com</a>, and <a href=“http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com”>www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com</a>. The Princeton Review tries to capture the flavor of the schools, in addition to relevant statistics about each. College Prowler is a lot like College Confidential, in that the contributions are random, opinionated and unverified (suggest you sort comments by most useful, but you still need to view the most emphatic ones with some skepticism).</p>
<p>Even more valuable might be to try to talk to international students from China at each of the schools, as their frames of reference might be closer to your own (and your mom’s). Upperclassmen in particular might address how their choice of school is affecting their future plans and opportunities. Brandeis is likely to have a more diverse and cosmopolitan student body than the others, as well as access to the incredible cultural resources of Boston and Cambridge and potential for interaction with students at the other universities in the area. (Full disclosure – our family thought being in the Boston area was such a significant plus that we did not even consider Colgate.) Colgate is in an area described as “rural”, W&M in a “village”, and it sounds like your sphere of activity at these schools would for the most part be confined to the campus – getting to a city would require significant effort. That might seem fine initially, but does it feel confining over a period of four years? </p>
<p>Good luck with your awesome decision, and let us know how it plays out.</p>
<p>These are 3 very fine schools: Brandeis and William and Mary are tied at #32 National Universities, while Colgate, the smallest of the 3, is # 20 as a Liberal arts school (US News and World Report). William and Mary while a public, state funded school, is the oldest and located in a lovely part of Williamsberg, VA. on a stunning campus. Colgate is perhaps the most isolated, but has a lovely campus with wonderful vistas. Brandeis has strong sciences and was created to establish a Jewish-sponsored secular university, so has a strong Jewish identity and is close to Boston.</p>
<p>You really can’t go wrong with any of these. Good luck!</p>
<p>As a Brandeis alumnus who chose Brandeis over other liberal arts experiences, including Colgate and Tufts, let me give you my take. Colgate, while a fine school was too isolated/rural for my tastes. Brandeis is likely more diverse than William and Mary. To begin with, W&M is a state school with the vast majority of its students coming from Virginia, plus it’s located in charming but secluded Williamsburg. In contrast, the Brandeis culture is quite diverse. First, it is completely secular with students hailing from all over the USA and with a strong international flavor (116 countries and 17 different religions represented (with an International Business School that is majority international students); about 40 % of students identify as Jewish among the 5000 undergrads and grads combined–similar to, say, Barnard, --so not an overt Jewish culture.</p>
<p>The culture of Brandeis, in my opinion, grows out of its intimate, “research college” structure. Brandeis truly is an amazing school. Its small student body- the smallest I believe (about 800 in a class) of any top tier national research university–is matched with high-powered professors who actually teach in small classes. So, the research opportunities are tremendous. Plus, as you know it’s very close to Boston, the world’s greatest college town, but on its own suburban campus with a cohesive community–really the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>Its intellectual environment is comparable in many ways to its University Athletic Association sister school, U Chicago (perhaps no coincidence that the President of U Chicago is a Brandeis alum). Yet its students are down-to-earth, friendly and non-competitive with one another.</p>
<p>Unlike some preppy place or frat-oriented environments where social interaction is based on the “exclusivity” of the frat system, Brandeis has a welcoming, relatively-nonjudgmental environment–yet there are some off-campus frats for those who like what they have to offer. There is no pressure to party, but parties are there if you want them. Often social interaction centers around the numerous clubs and other terrific extracurriculars like music and theater–if you’re into theater/music/art, there’s a ton of high quality opportunities and it’s a very exciting place to be.</p>