<p>Hey everybody, I need some advice. I have less than 7 days to make my college decision and I still am going back and forth between two schools: Rhodes College and Case Western. The decision will not come down to money because I will have to get a substantial amount of loans at either one, so either way i'll be in debt up to my ears, but still at this point they are both have my dream school qualities and I'm willing to pay if I will be happy in the long run. So hopefully...someone can answer these questions for me to maybe ease my decision.</p>
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<li><p>I know Case is a really competitive school, but I'm nervous that being a white female, I will have to fight tooth and nail for every opportunity because the majority of the student body is male, incredibly diverse, and tend to go the same pre-med route that i will. Does anyone know if that is an accurate assumption?</p></li>
<li><p>I have the same question for Rhodes as well. However, Rhodes is not diverse at all, but instead it is incredibly small. Does anyone know if the internships and research opportunities through St. Jude Hospital are limited and therefore, difficult to get because many students would be competing for the same thing?</p></li>
<li><p>Is hard work going to be enough anymore at either of these schools, or will it take an incredible amount of brains and hardwork to be successful?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I have some doubts about both, but I find myself defending each one as well. I don't know what I will do at this point. I need some opinions. Any would be helpful. Thanks!</p>
<p>Also, would anyone happen to know if it is even possible to get approved for a loan without an official part-time job and cosigner or will I absoultely have to put an add on Craigslist for a cosigner. (Kidding.) Thanks</p>
<p>“either way i’ll be in debt up to my ears”</p>
<p>Run the numbers here, and then talk with your parents about what they mean. [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Award Letter Comparison Tool](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Award Letter Requirements - Finaid) The only loans you can get without a co-signer are the ones that you qualify for by filing the FAFSA. If you don’t have a co-signer lined up already who is able to help you for all four years, you need to find more affordable options than these two “dream” schools.</p>
<p>For fun reading about what happens if your debt becomes more than you can pay off, visit [Project</a> on Student Debt: Home](<a href=“http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org%5DProject”>http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org)</p>
<p>If you’re worried about being a minority at CWU, you’ll be a majority (both as white and female) at Rhodes. Also, the pre-med advising is open to everyone who is interested, regardless of major, GPA, or MCAT scores, enrolled or alumni. Some schools use some sort of gatekeeping criteria that blocks access to premed advising (not implying that CWU does - I don’t know). </p>
<p>If you haven’t already spoken to Prof. Jaslow, the pre-med advisor, you should give him a call. He can also give you more detailed information about what kinds of research and clinical experiences are available to those interested in going to med school. I want to say there are something like 15 St. Jude Summer Plus positions a year, but I’m not exactly sure. St. Jude is one option, but there are tons of others as well. All of the science faculty run labs with research projects that undergrads are involved in, there are collaborations at U of Memphis, there are volunteer opportunities in the regional trauma center, etc. In other words, enough to go around.</p>
<p>With regards to you other question about what it takes to succeed, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that it will take brains in addition to hard work to be successful at either school. The good news is that when you got accepted to both schools, they both declared their professional opinions that you’ve got the intellectual horsepower to succeed. Neither school admits people who aren’t smart enough to make the grade. </p>
<p>On the financial aid questions, call Ashley Bianchi, the director of financial aid at Rhodes. She’ll be able to explain it all as it applies specifically to you, not just in the general case.</p>
<p>Good luck making your choice. Go Lynx!</p>
<p>Wow, thank you so much lynxinsider. I called the financial aid office and they basically told me the same thing everyone else is. “You’ll need a cosigner” or “We can figure something out.” So no real progress in that area. And I’m glad that I have finally heard numbers on approximately how many positions are available so that I’ll know my chances. I feel confident that Rhodes is the place for me, and I know that I have the ability to fit in anywhere I go if I make an effort, but if you could answer one more question for me.</p>
<p>I have messaged several students that have already graduated from Rhodes about the social life and people in general. They all basically say the same thing: The majority of people are the typical rich, party kids, who may be nice to your face…but even then it is an empty kind of nice. When I visited the campus everyone was incredibly nice…am I missing something? Will a more simple lifestyle, normal type of girl, maybe on the dork side, who would choose not to party every weekend if given the choice, be able to fit in?</p>
<p>I don’t think you’re missing anything. My experience included being Greek but not drinking till I was 21. I was not a hard partier but loved it. One thing that helps is how much there is to do in Memphis.</p>
<p>The biggest complaint I hear about social life is that the college doesn’t sponsor enough stuff, so student affairs started a program that has activities every week and weekend. Some is low key like free tickets and a charter bus to the movie theater. There’s a lottery right now for free grizzlies playoff tickets. Sometimes it’s a trip to St. Louis or Nashville or skiing or rafting or canoeing. some stuff is cultural like a walk over to the art museum or ballet or a theater production.</p>
<p>For the geek inside there’s mock trial or student government or the newspaper or all kinds of stuff.</p>
<p>One of the students who worked for me was very much a “normal girl with a geeky side”. She is a hall of fame member of the class of '09.</p>