I’ve been on CC for some time, and I’ve heard a lot about the infamous ‘fit’. That one must always and only apply to schools that ‘fit’, that schools can tell from a mile away whether or not you ‘fit’. Well, I don’t really understand any of it.
So here’s some simple stuff about me, and I was wondering if you could suggest any schools you think would ‘fit’:
I want to stay in the Northeast/right around the Northeast
I hate really rural environments
I am not an outdoorsy type of person at all.
I'm academically liberal - So like Edward Said = Yes in my mind and I'm pro-Palestine, Arab, etc.
My interests are 80% academic - all my clubs are academic (debate, MUN, science research), I don't really do art, and I do sports at a very non-competitive level. So intramural sports are a plus, but I don't care about other programs to do with art a school has for the most part.
I want the opportunity to have a lot of options for internships in college.
I am going in as a biology major, but I full expect to switch majors a lot during college - I'd like a school that can allow me some flexibility with what I want to study and do for the first few years. Some school that has a good program in bio, but also a good program in economics/public health/foreign policy/CS/engineering.
I'm not really quirky. Sorry. I am a bit 'hipster', though. IDK what you do with that, but I've heard that's important for some reason.
The opportunities of a city is a huge draw for me, but I think I might get tired of living somewhere as huge and dirty and crowded as NYC.
I want to have some experience with a traditional campus/college environment, even if it is in a city.
The food is SO important.
Honestly, other than the first two criteria, I can’t begin to eliminate colleges based on this list. Any help appreciated because I don’t know what ‘fit’ is, let alone what ‘fits’ me.
It is hard to give ideas of realistic fits without knowing your stats, but based on some of the things you said, Case Western Reserve sounds like a good fit. City school, lovely, interesting area around it in University Circle. Cleveland was a big city, but pretty much the downtown and uptown are all that is left outside of the burbs, but plenty to do in those areas. Significantly for you it is a very open and tolerant student body and atmosphere in a liberal, but won’t beat you over the head with it way, and has a single door admission policy, so if admitted you aren’t limited to a single college within the University as is the case with many large research universities. Just one of many possibilities if you give more info on stats and the like.
@“Erin’s Dad” - On my Chances thread I asked for chancing at general tiers (i.e. HYPSM -> Georgetown -> George Washington). Don’t really have a list, so I was asking for chances at various tiers/levels.
@Anonymoose3 have you reached out to schools to gauge whether they are anti-Israel? Or perhaps you can write your admissions essay on that cause to gauge whether your world view is welcomed.
have you reached out to schools to gauge whether they are anti-Israel?
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@ClarinetDad16 Not sure if you’re joking but I have not, no. Rarely will a school be anti-Israel (I think) but I’m hoping I can find one that isn’t pro-Israel. Or even one that isn’t in your face about being pro-Israel.
When I read this, I instantly thought Swarthmore. U Chicago could be a good choice too, if you’re not opposed to going out of the Northeast. Maybe Johns Hopkins?
I think this major below at Georgetown would suit you because it combines every subject you expressed an interest in, plus you could continue taking Arabic classes there as well. Also, while the university itself may be somewhat conservative with the Catholic influence, you can find all your people within metro DC – loads of intellectuals of every type of political persuasion, and people from around the world:
Pro-Palestinian does not necessarily require being anti-Israel (or vice-versa), although a lot of people seem to think it does because the noisiest and most violent people who make the news are.
In any case, have you talked to your parents about what they will contribute to your college costs, and run some net price calculators at college web sites?
University of Pittsburgh would satisfy the criteria of location, urban, intramurals, breadth of majors, campus (it’s urban, but not entirely campusless like BU or NYU), and food. Pittsburgh’s got a growing reputation as a pretty hip city but don’t know if the student body could be characterized as “hipster” overall.
However, your stats and chance list seem to put it a bit below your target tier. Could be a fit that’s also a good safety though. You’d probably be competitive for merit aid, which even if not needed, is usually welcome.
I’ll chalk up your conflation of the issues of academic quality and the Palestinian conflict to your youth and inexperience. One has little to do with the other. Edward Said didn’t teach science or Art Humanities at Columbia (2 required classes, by the way), so how does the late Prof. Said’s perspectives aid you in any way as you weigh your college options?