Hi, I’m basically picking between Wash U and Colby. Obviously I know Wash U is much more prestigious, but I was offered the opportunity to be a presidential scholar at Colby. So here are the pros cons as I see it. I’d love advice.
Some facts that will help:
-I’m interested in the humanities so possibly philosophy, english, econ, film.
-I don’t know what I want to major in so I’d like the school that would provide me with the best opportunity to explore my interests with great advising
Wash U
more prestigious than Colby
nicer area
nicer housing and food
more opportunity for double majoring and minoring
school activities seem to be more intriguing and for for me
Colby
would probably be considerably easier and would be higher in my class
Presidential scholar opportunity which would pay for me to do research and provide other similar great opportunities
I seem to fit into their student body than Wash U'
more intimate setting
liberal arts college so fits my interests more
Those are just some basic things I have going for both but I’d love others opinions.
Just wanted to say I dispute the idea that Colby “would be considerably easier and would be higher in my class.” You have absolutely no way of knowing that. True, Washington U’s SAT average is about 70 points higher on each part, but that does not translate into Colby being “considerably easier.” Colby’s classes will most likely be significantly smaller, so there are less places to “hide”… you will have to participate or it will obviously stand out. Finally, believe it or not, people with higher stats sometimes underperform, whereas students with lower stats don’t necessarily perform worse. At best, Washington might be a marginally more competitive academic environment.
In addition to the fresh opinions you receive here, I wanted to make sure you have seen the similar thread in the Colby forum. That thread even had an interesting plot twist when the OP, @dzdjdjango, considerately revived the thread to report on the final resolution. I won’t spoil it for you. Good luck.
I guess I’d choose Colby. You’d be a presidential scholar. At Wash U other people will have gotten the comparable opportunities and I wonder how you’d feel about that, being one of the herd. I’d never heard of Wash U until I started reading this board–I think the prestige of it in the “real world” is regional (as opposed to the academic world, in which case, it might be more prestigious (?) but Colby certainly isn’t chopped liver.)
No - in the academic world, Colby is very highly-ranked, too. It’s one of the top LACs in the country and a NESCAC member. Its alumni base is pretty impressive, too.
OP simply doesn’t realize this, in part because UWA is likely more famous where s/he lives and also is much larger, has D1 sports, etc.
Two great choices! I think you’ll find the academics at either school academically challenging enough and I wouldn’t expect to find a huge difference between the two.
You’ll be there at your choice for 4 years. Which school better aligns with your personality and non-academic interests? Are you more of an urban person or outdoorsy? Do you enjoy skiing and hiking? Are you preppy?
Can you go to admitted student events at both to get a closer look?
@harvardandberkeley In no way did I meant imply that Colby would be a cake walk. I had heard that Wash U was extremely difficult, overwhelming and I’ve heard of peoples GPA suffering and I wasn’t sure if that mainly was discussing pre-meds or if that was the schools reputation in general. As to the “hiding,” I have no intentions of hiding at either school. I look forward to participating and trying to be as involved as I can in the classroom. That being said, thank you for your insight.
@merc81 Thank you! That was extremely helpful and that last comment as very telling.
Everyone thank you so far. This has all been great advice. I will be visiting both schools and I think I’ll be able to get a feeling for where I’m a better fit.
This advice may be too late, but I’ll give it anyways for anyone in the future. I was in the exact same boat as you last year and ended up choosing Wash U. For me it came down to wanting an environment that was going to challenge me and not just feel like high school. Colby is a great school – my sibling goes there, don’t get me wrong – but I felt like the overall intellectual level at Wash U was higher. (Although, regardless of where you go to college, it is on you to push yourself and not just slack off). It was hard to say “no” to being a Presidential Scholar, but there are so many research opportunities here on campus – and in a greater range of disciplines, from science to art – that I don’t feel like I am missing out.
You said, though, that you felt like you fit in more with the student body at Colby. Take that seriously into consideration. The vibe at Colby (outdoorsy, outgoing people who’d be great camp counselors) is very different from that at Wash U (more serious/studious people who spend their summers in labs). You can find either type of people at both schools, but you’ll have to look harder.
Hope this helps. PM me if you have any other questions.
Just in case y’all wanted to know… I visited both and chose Colby. The primary reason being I felt more at home there. Both are fantastic academically and provide lots of opportunity. The Presidential Scholarship was a nice added push for Colby as well. During my visits I had lunch with students at both colleges and had and intimate personalized info session with two seniors and just myself at Colby. I also sat in on writing courses at both (Wash U: Fiction, Colby: poetry). Both were fantastic but once again in every situation I felt more at home and more of a connection with the Colby students. Both schools are fantastic and I couldn’t go wrong with either one. I’m choosing Colby though because of the people, the academic and research opportunities (especially as a Presidential Scholar) and I like the idea of being a little more isolated at a smaller school and have this unique experience at a small Maine liberal arts while I can.
This is merely anecdotal, but WashU , and this is communicated to me from more than a few students and actually some administrators suffers from “almost there” syndrome (made-up term). In short, many students were also on the path to Ivy-plus schools, and so while some have made the deliberate selection of WashU over other elite places, many had for lack of a better term, settle for WashU. So, now instead of enjoying the open curriculum of Brown University, or the residential colleges of Yale, or the tech infused savvy of Stanford, they are at WashU, and this creates, and again, this was told to me, an urber competitive and serious environment.
I suppose most schools of this caliber have this type of feeling to it, but when you are on the next level, and not on promenade deck, it can create its own anxieties and psyche. Long way of putting it–my vote is for Colby.
I did want to know, @amorgancc96. Colby will be great for you and you will add a lot to Colby. Congratulations on all your accomplishments and on your choice of a college.
I also have a question for anyone who might know the answer out there. As I’ve mentioned before, my interests include film, econ, philosophy and creative writing. I’m really interested in possibly majoring in Econ, Philosophy, or Engl/Creative Writing with a double minor in either creative writing, philosophy, econ and cinema. Does this major and double minor sound absurd and too busy? These paths are possible because I’ve mapped them out and all of them have at least 7 left over classes for whatever (I included pre-reqs for classes and graduation reqs). Along with this I’ll be doing CARA research and hopefully research throughout my collegiate experience and I’d also like to be involved in an intramural sport (ultimate frisbee most likely) and possibly the school paper (or something similar like a film club or literary magazine). Would this all be too much, good busy, overly-stressed but possible, or just about right?
(I am aware that plans always change once you get in the swing of things and that I can’t do everything which is why I’ve laid out multiple possibilities)
Definitely not absurd nor even too stress inducing. The possible trade-off I see is that since your studies would be concentrated in these few areas you could leave college with an incomplete education.
Mmm. That is a good point. I do have all my Jan plans though and I could explore in those as well as those other 7 or so classes I have. I’m sure my advisors will work on the with me anyways. But good too hear that it’s not impractical and too stressful
@boolahi
My D is currently at WashU and she steered away from highly competitive colleges because she was already exposed to all that all through HS and she didnt’ like it. We paid for a college consultant that helped her with her college selection and she didn’t apply to one Ivy.
She only applied to schools that fit her and she had a huge long list of what she was looking for. WashU is a highly collaborative school and she is very happy there. She studies with her friends ALL the time. She has been very successful because of the collaborative atmosphere. WashU is a great place and it fits her.
@amorgancc96 Congrats on your selection of Colby! Picking the school that fits you is very important! That’s what it is all about at the end of the college process.
/\ And my kid turned down an IVY for WashU. Having graduated he says he made the right choice. Contrary to what @Boolahi wrote, he said that one of the great things about the kids he met was how happy they were to be at WashU. Now his sister has to decide what to do. She is facing a similar choice. She has already declined one IVY and Chicago, and is down to deciding between WashU and a different IVY.
To OP, congratulations on your decision. I’m sure you’ll have a terrific experience at Colby.
