Hi everyone! I am trying to make a decision between Colgate and Villanova college of liberal arts and sciences, but am pretty torn. Cost is not an issue at either school. I am undecided but leaning towards a science or math type major.
In terms of pros for Colgate, I love the campus, the community feel of the college, and think overall it may be considered a better school. I also prefer the core curriculum to Villanova’s given the lack of religious requirements and it feels more purposeful. I worry about the small size and possibly outgrowing it as well as the weather in the winter, however, neither are dealbreakers. I am also concerned about the amount of work students get as I have seen that it can be overwhelming at times and very difficult to do well (obviously I am expecting and looking forward to being challenged in college, but wonder if it would make more sense to possibly get better grades at Villanova which doesn’t have this extreme reputation).
For Villanova, I love the school spirit and sports aspect and I think the campus is incredible. Students seem to love it there and campus involvement seemed important. However, I know that a lot of Villanova’s reputation comes from the business school. Will this be obvious as someone in the college of liberal arts and sciences? I worry that the quality of the science programs could be lower as they are not prioritized. Have also heard negative things about the social scene but that is less important as I’ve seen most people say that it is what you make of it in response to those concerns.
I also plan to study abroad and hopefully find research opportunities but not sure which school would be better in either area.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated- thanks in advance!!