<p>Im trying to decide which school to make my ed/ea choice. I really enjoy the social environment, oxford setup, and smaller classes at claremont but ultimately i want to do what is in the best interests of my future. I dont mind sacrificing prestige but would i get as strong an education and as many/similar caliber job opportunities going to claremont as i would going to stanford?
I was also enticed by the prospect of getting an mba in a year at claremont's robert day school, how does this compare to just doing undergrad at stanford?
thank you, i appreciate any input</p>
<p>Does your family need to compare aid packages at all, or are you willing to accept whatever package CMC offers? There is a big difference between the binding ED at CMC and REA at Stanford. Furthermore, if you are competitive for Stanford REA (about 6% admit from a very strong pool), then CMC should be a virtual match for you RD. So what is the advantage to going ED to CMC?</p>
<p>(Did I use enough initials for you?)</p>
<p>CMC and Stanford are equally amazing schools. As a freshman at CMC, I have been very, very impressed with CMC…it actually impressed me more than Stanford did when I visited. CMC’s financial aid, along with Stanford, is some of the most generous in the nation. At the least, definitely apply to CMC!!</p>
<p>Stanford, no question. If you’re a viable candidate for Stanford EA you’re a lock for CMC and you shouldn’t lock yourself into a potentially below-par FA package at CMC whereas Stanford’s EA will let you go elsewhere should you choose.</p>
<p>If you’re a viable candidate for Stanford EA you are not a “lock” for CMC. The schools have different admission criteria and I have known students that have been admitted to one but not the other. That being said, Stanford’s EA program doesn’t require you to commit, so if you believe you have the background to be admitted to both, I’d recommend you apply to Stanford EA, then apply to CMC RD, and if you are admitted to both you can take your time deciding which is the best fit.</p>
<p>schsswcw and tenorforlife have made some good points…</p>
<p>Our D looked into this last year and in the end chose not to apply early at all. She found that unless you are way at the top of their applicant pool, applying to Stanford SCEA can actually put you at a disadvantage, as it does at some other competitive schools (like Notre Dame, for one) so check this out carefully before you decide to see if any new policies are in place.</p>
<p>Also, you have been given some poor information. Being in the running for Stanford guarantees nothing at CMC. They look at much more than stats. Applying ED at CMC can help your cause. And they are not going to give you a poor financial aid package because you apply early…it will be exactly what they would offer you RD. By the way kio888 is Pomona grad that posted on the board for a few days…long enough to tick off a lot of people.</p>
<p>If you are unhappy with your aid at Claremont McKenna you can ask to be released, but it never happens. They have some of the best financial aid anywhere and with no loans. They also include so many extras with the cost. Our D ended up there and she very little out of pocket expense. Also, they do not require the summer work contribution which Stanford does (great for internship/summer program opportunities, plus it can be hard these days to find a summer job)…check out the breakdown of financial aid at different places very closely. Meeting full need varies a lot.</p>
<p>If you are talking robert day and mba then you are talking econ, right? CMC is top notch in this area and tops in career placement. Stanford is great but it sounds like you may be a small school person. I guess only you know best which would fit. </p>
<p>If you really can’t decide, I would advise RD at both places. If you want Stanford and have the app to be at the top of the pool, apply SCEA and see what happens. The “social environment, oxford setting and smaller classes” along with econ and career opportunities (have you looked at all of the finance speakers at the atheneum?) say CMC to me, but only you can decide.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>The consensus is that kio888 (a disgruntled Pomona grad) has come back as kim234. You may want to take what he says with a large grain of salt.</p>
<p>I see that your gpa is not where you want it to be, so conventional advice would be to wait for the 1st semester grades to come out before applying so you can show an upward trend. I certainly wouldn’t think it would help your cause to apply early at Stanford, under the circumstances. You could take your chances with CMC ED because they do look very strongly at fit…not just stats but you will need to decide if you can make a stronger case there RD as well.</p>
<p>My biggest concern would be, do you really have a clear first choice? I see that Stanford, Georgetown and a couple of other schools were at the top of your list in the summer…no mention of CMC. You might be better off to work on your grades, test scores etc and apply to all of you favorite colleges RD. If you are using ED to get an admissions advantage…there is nothing wrong with that if you know for sure where you want to be next fall- for any other reason, you may end up with what ifs and serious regrets.</p>
<p>Good luck, whatever you decide. It looks like you will have an impressive application. I’m sure that you will end up somewhere great.</p>
<p>Just fyi, if financial aid is a factor, anyone who says CMC isn’t a good choice is CRAZY. CMC has some of the best financial aid in the country and is not only need-blind in the admissions process, but is a loan-free school. I applied to 13 schools, mostly private, and CMC gave me the best package by FAR and was the most willing to work with my family. This isn’t just me either; I’m a current freshman and I’ve met more people than I can count who were amazed by the package CMC gave them.
Also, CMC’s Career Services Office is consistently ranked in the top 5 in the country, and that’s not just top 5 out of liberal arts colleges, but out of all institutes of higher education of all sizes and both private and public. Trust me. CMC WILL set you up for incredible job opportunities.
It’s all about fit. CMC and Stanford are both fantastic academic institutions, but it’s about what you want. Very different schools. If you want consistently small classes, a real ‘community’ type of a campus, and other opportunities that come from a small school, go for CMC. If you’d rather go to a big school and want the opportunities that come from that, Stanford.
I do recommend doing an overnight visit on both campuses if you can, because that will tell you more about where is best for you than anything you’ll read or anything anyone will tell you. Good luck!</p>
<p>I know someone who got into Stanford EA and rejected by CMC ED - why he did both Idk, just know that both are extremely hard to get into. CMC offers one of the best academic environments in the nation (socially… eh, not my type), that’s why it’s being recognized more and more in recent years. It only seems like it’s not as prestigious as the big brand name schools because it’s a really, really young school compared to every other school.
FA at CMC is one of the most generous in the nation - my roommate/a few of my friends are really happy with their packages. You should check the breakdown on the website.</p>
<p>fbgm - I find that a little hard to believe since Stanford clearly states that their EA is restrictive, i.e., if you apply EA to Stanford you may not apply EA or ED anywhere else.</p>
<p>I have no idea how it works as I didn’t apply EA/ED - that’s what he told me and I’d have to believe him. Well, he’s going to Stanford now so :)</p>