College Choices and Classmates...

<p>So i go to a pretty good high school thats ranked in the 200's of NewsWeek and most of the students here are competitive. I am currently a senior and ive been asking around with my friends what college they want to go to . Most answer with basic state universities that anybody can get into as long as they even try in high school. Now im saying the friends that i ranked are at least in the top 5% of my class and pretty wealthy when compared to my family. But i kinda feel like a pariah from my friends when i say that i want to go to Vanderbilt and/or Duke (cause ive worked my butt of in school to just go to such tier universities). Is it normal for a senior to feel this way? I just feel that my friends are following their other friends and that their not making their own decisions based on what universities they like.</p>

<p>I understand. Pretty much everyone who graduates with a GPA higher than a 4.0 (nearly half) go to the huge state universities. Even last year's valedictorian went there. We usually send two handfuls of students to out of state colleges and then two to three of those end up going to top-tier colleges. It's mostly because I live in Florida and if you do well enough, Bright Futures scholarship pays for your entire college tuition plus some of your other expenses.</p>

<p>I'm kind of scared because my friends are applying to some of the same schools as I am. If we end up getting into the same schools and I end up liking a different school than them, I don't want them standing in the way of me choosing the school I like more. But at the same time, it'd be awesome going to the same college...</p>

<p>they say the friends you will make in college lasts a lifetime
and it's probably very true, i've seen many cases where best friends in high schools drifted apart whether they went to different or same schools. I'd go wherever i'd want and not care about who's going
it's your future, don't ruin it just because you're worried about what your friends will think.</p>