Carnegie Mellon vs Tufts vs Northeastern vs RPI

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So I've narrowed it down to these schools.... thinking of a major in chemistry. </p>

<p>Carnegie Mellon is a really great education, probably my best choice academically, but it TERRIFIES ME. By what I've read on here, people there find extra work fun, which simply doesn't describe me most of the time. I also like a good party, which I just haven't heard happening there. I want to like this school but I'm scared. It's also the farthest commute. </p>

<p>Tufts is socially comfortable and pretty up there in ranking too, even if the chem department is small. I like the people. Originally this school was my first choice. The atmosphere feels right. I can't really see anything wrong with it, though there's nothing quite right either. I don't know if it's just because I'm a jaded senior but I used to get so excited over tufts and now I'm just worried about everything.</p>

<p>Northeastern has a really good chem department that would have me really hireable once graduating, but at this point I think I'd also like to go to grad school so I'm not sure how relevant that is? I would basically go for free to NEU. I get cool honors housing and likely a single dorm. It's just that if I decide Chem isn't for me, I don't feel the rest of the university is worth it. </p>

<p>RPI I love the people. I have friends going there, which I know shouldn't be a deciding factor but I feel like I'd have fun there (yay 30-70 ratio! Odds are good even if the goods are odd (I'm female)). Chem department, though, was kind of a dump when I visited. And if I change my mind from the science path I'm pretty much screwed there. RPI is also very cheap for me due to scholarships. Tufts and CMU I would pay plenty. </p>

<p>So basically...CMU would be like "fulfilling my potential" fully, but I don't know if I can make it. I feel really intimidated. Maybe I'm underestimating myself, but unless I get some sort of sign that there's something of a social life to prevent me going suicidally depressed I fear going there. </p>

<p>Help? :(</p>

2

<p>look at hendrix college and muhlenberg college
both maybe a better all around fit undergrad. </p>

3

<p>it’s…a little late for me to apply there unless I take a gap year?</p>

4

<p>LOL at zobroward’s post. As for your fear of the workload and competition at CMU, NU and RPI are not walks in the park academically either. Tufts is another story. Also, what makes you think that the rest of NU isn’t worth it?</p>

<p>Are you a Scholar at NU? If so it is a lot more than free tuition. You don’t mention the finances at the other schools. Loans can be a quagmire if overdone that will haunt you for decades to come. </p>

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<p>RPI is certainly less competitive than CMU, my son is applying to both but without a hook for CMU, we really doubt it.</p>

<p>Tufts and Northeastern would be well-rounded in comparison to the two tech schools. You need to decide if that matters to you.</p>