<p>If yes, what is the best thing about your college?</p>
<p>If no, why do you regret your decision?</p>
<p>Why did you choose your college in the first place/ what was the deciding factor?</p>
<p>Did your college meet all of your expectations as an incoming freshman? What were those expectations?</p>
<p>Yes and No</p>
<p>If yes, what is the best thing about your college?
I like my school because it’s prestigious, unbelievably cheap, and has wonderful academics. Those are certainly the best parts of my university, but there are drawbacks.</p>
<p>If no, why do you regret your decision?</p>
<p>UNC is huge and I always had my heart set on a small LAC. Adjusting has been more difficult than I initially expected, but I’m slowly but surely imbibing the Kool-Aid. </p>
<p>Why did you choose your college in the first place/ what was the deciding factor?</p>
<p>Prestige and cost were the only two factors that drove me to UNC. Prestige was probably the biggest reason I came (several other schools offered me significant merit aid, but I turned them down for UNC) and secondly, I knew even before I got my FA package that I could absolutely afford to come here. </p>
<p>Did your college meet all of your expectations as an incoming freshman? What were those expectations?</p>
<p>I didn’t really have any expectations. I had a really rough first month or so, but I’m slowly but surely becoming more and more acclimated to UNC. I think by the end of this year or next, I’ll totally be in love with it.</p>
<p>I have enjoyed certain aspects more than others.</p>
<hr>
<p>If yes, what is the best thing about your college?
I am about to graduate from a small LAC. The best thing has been the social maturation that I have seen in myself over the past 4 years. Academically things are great, but I love the small community and the ability to meet individuals from very different backgrounds. I like the small classes and having great relationships with my professors.</p>
<p>If no, why do you regret your decision?
I wish it was a little more prestigious and there was a greater selection of course offerings. Also, it feels reallyyyyy small by the time you graduate. Great for the first couple years, but I am over it now.</p>
<p>Why did you choose your college in the first place/ what was the deciding factor?
Beautiful campus, prestigious, small, prof/stud relationships, away from home but still close enough</p>
<p>Did your college meet all of your expectations as an incoming freshman? What were those expectations?
Freshman year was a long time ago, so I’ll just answer in relation to my overall college experience. College has been enjoyable but I am ready to be done. It is overrated in some respects (the amount of work outside class), but I have loved my experience. I really dont mind going to class, but the out of class work has gotten old. I also am tired of such a small environment with an administration that is overbearing and micromanages.</p>
<p>Satisfied with Cornell :D</p>
<p>I enjoy the diversity of people and opportunities</p>
<p>The deciding factor was the money – Cornell only costs me ~$11,000/year</p>
<p>Yeah, it met my expectations (in fact, it exceeded my expectations). Students are extremely smart and/or hard-working (some even cut-throat :()</p>
<p>Yes I like UMD</p>
<p>I love everything about UW-Madison. I love the location, the campus, the academics, the social life, and the amazing financial aid I get. I could not ask for more out of college. I couldn’t see myself happier anywhere else.</p>
<p>The best thing about it is the party scene 
I’ve gotten to branch out and meet more people than I ever could. I love all the independence and freedom and the unbelievable amounts of fun I have almost constantly (ahhhhhh, when can I finally go back?!)</p>
<p>I knew I wanted to go to Madison when I was pretty young because I knew it would be cheap (I never knew it would be 100% free, though) and I knew it was a party school that was still respected for academics. It was also a great way to get out of Florida which I really disliked.</p>
<p>I only applied to two schools: Madison and UF as a backup. Maybe that was a little risky considering my grades were not the best but I knew what I wanted.</p>
<p>My college exceeded my expectations in every way. I’m in love with it, and the amazing thing is that most people I know are in love with it as well. I am firmly of the belief that I go to the best school in the world, in the best place in the world, and I have become such a happier person since I moved to Madison.</p>
<p>I want this week to be over so I can go back!!!</p>
<p>That sounds awesome</p>
<p>Not really. My parents picked my school for me though, so it wasn’t exactly “my decision.”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Again, I didn’t choose this school. My parents sat me down after I got all my letters back and said “So, you’re going to the University of Illinois and that’s final, no questions asked.” Even though it’s expensive out of state, it’s the most prestigous school I got into and my dad was all over the rankings even though they’re the least of my concern.</p>
<p>I remember move in day. I think I’m a fairly friendly looking person, but even considering that, not one person introduced themself to me. They were ALL hanging out with friends from their high school since the school is only 6% out of state students. I started talking to people, and they were just bitter and standoffish. It was like an east coast mentality. And when you get here, especially if you’re OOS or NOT from Chicagoland, it literally feels like everyone knows eachother already and you don’t know anyone. So the first few weeks were pretty hard on me, although I occasionally met some cool people and by October-ish I had a group of people to hang out with, ALL being out of state students and all feeling the same way I did.
Around that point in the semester, I started to realize how all around crappy the school is. Frat Rush was in full swing and I, being the furthest thing from a partier (although still very social) felt super out of place and was literally shot out of friendships with other people because I didn’t care to go greek. As well, the professors just slack and they make their Russian or Mid-Eastern TA’s lecture for them andyou literally can’t understand a word they say. Not to mention, they don’t care! They just keep talking and the prof doesn’t give a damn; the low grade distribution just makes them look more powerful.
Student Activities are a joke here. They’re ALL composed of high school cliques and people all from the same Chicago suburbs. When I was getting information about an intramural snowboarding club, the representative asked me: “What suburb are you from?” I told him that I’m not even from Illinois and he snarled at me and kinda blew me off. Needless to say, I did join that club and was immediately weeded out because it’s 18 people whom 16 of them grauated high school together in 2009/2010 and the other two are just really dedicated.
Also, the only things that truly seem to matter to anyone is what you wear, how many shots you can do, and, of course, what frat you’re rushing. Wait, I don’t drink much, I’m not in a frat, and I wear what I want regardless of what people think.
The school is in a horrible location. The bars are crowded, it’s impossible to find a live music venue that’s not 21+ or crowded out the door, and if you decide to leave town there’s nothing for about 100 miles. Just corn. It’s just a huge bubble.</p>
<p>Needless to say, I’m not pleased with my school. I think it’ll get better next year living with people I want to live with and not dealing with pre-greeks 24/7.</p>
<p>Yes…and no. I chose my college out practicality. In that sense, I’m extremely satisfied. Turns out, my state flagship is one of the few schools that has an advertising program and I’m paying practically nothing to go there. Going out of state was really never an option because of finances, so my choices were extremely limited to begin with, though.</p>
<p>If yes, what is the best thing about your college?</p>
<p>The best thing about Tennessee is the school spirit and sense of tradition. I’ve never liked or been interested in sports, but going to a football game or walking across campus and seeing a sea of school colors is pretty amazing. In that sense, there’s a really good sense of community. The honors program is also pretty great and there’s a really great community of honors students.</p>
<p>If no, why do you regret your decision?</p>
<p>I don’t necessarily regret going where I’m going, but it’s not a great fit for my personality. Being in Tennessee, it is very, VERY Southern. A lot of students have come from small, predominantly white towns and have some pretty close-minded opinions. Sometimes I wish I had gone out of state to find a school that has my major and better fit my personality, but then I think about the money it would cost. I guess I’ll always have that “what if” feeling.</p>
<p>Absolutely. I go to Dayton and I love it there. The best thing about it, for me, is that it feels like home. I am so comfortable there, which I know isn’t always the case as friends at Miami U and UC are constantly complaining about X or Y on their campus.</p>
<p>My deciding factor was the feeling I got when I was on campus. UD is very welcoming and I definitely fell in love with it on my first visit.</p>
<p>I tried to go to college with no real expectations of what it should be… I knew I wanted to have fun, makes lots of new friends and meet different people, feel more independent, and make good grades. I’ve done all of these and more.</p>
<p>ugg i do not like my current college at all…i only went here because it was one of the only colleges i got accepted to…plan on transferring after this year :)</p>
<p>Most definitely yes.</p>
<hr>
<p>If yes, what is the best thing about your college?</p>
<p>I attend a small LAC so the community is pretty tight. Most people are extremely friendly; I met well over a hundred people during orientation week. Most of the upperclassmen are not judgmental of freshmen. There is no “Greek life” which was a main point of elimination for large public universities. The academics are incredibly challenging and I was not prepared for it at all, but I am grateful for it and feel very challenged.</p>
<p>Why did you choose your college in the first place/ what was the deciding factor?</p>
<p>I was always bored in high school and felt like none of my classes ever challenged me enough to keep my interest. Reed is notorious for its academic rigor and meeting people who are as interested in learning as I am has been a breath of fresh air.</p>
<p>Did your college meet all of your expectations as an incoming freshman? What were those expectations?</p>
<p>No real expectations, other than getting my butt kicked by my classes (which I did).</p>
<p>I don’t regret my college choice- I actually didn’t have much of a choice anyways, but I’m liking my school</p>
<p>Why did you choose your college in the first place/ what was the deciding factor?$$$, and my major.</p>
<p>Did your college meet all of your expectations as an incoming freshman? Yes, it had all the opportunities one would want from a college, but college is what you make of it. I thought I would make hundreds of friends right off the bat and meet people in class- reality check, that only happens in movies. What were those expectations?</p>
<p>Nope. I had a choice between George Washington and putting myself into a TON of debt (150k) for a useless degree or go in state, have the luxury of staying on the dorms or commuting, get a useful degree, and graduate with only a fraction of the debt that GW would have put me in.</p>
<p>I’ve only been in college for a semester so far - a top-25 school that had been my dream for years. I was also admitted to schools that were A LOT more prestigious - Cornell, Northwestern, UC Berkeley) but chose my college because I knew it had always been in my heart to attend. I was in love with it. It’s also only twenty minutes away from home, but I still live in the dorms. </p>
<p>Now that I’m here, it’s safe to say that the thrill is gone. I had no idea it would be as isolating as it is, as there is no college town and it seems that parties are the only form of recreation here. The worst part is that it seems like everyone is in love with this place but I still have yet to feel adjusted. The bottom line is that I love the academics (my school is AMAZING for my specific major) but the social life is far from what I expected. Sometimes I wonder if I made my decision for all the wrong reasons, but at the same time I wonder if I would be satisfied with ANY campus.</p>
<p>Sigh.</p>
<p>Yes and No.</p>
<p>Yes: I had amazing professors.</p>
<p>No: It’s too close to home. I chose it because it offered the best aid. Not what I expected as far as the social scene goes.</p>
<p>Leaving this place after this semester though!</p>
<p>marmar16, i feel very similarly about my college too, especially since everyone else loves school and can’t wait to go back after the breaks but i don’t feel that way at all.</p>
<p>yes and no for me too.
i like that my college is cheap since i’m in-state and close enough to go home every few weeks if i need/want to. my college has a fairly good academic reputation, the people seem to be fairly nice and classes have been alright so far.
however, many times i feel like i’d rather just live at home and commute somewhere closer to home to save myself the extra cost of living on campus and the homesickness. off-campus parties (which are a pain to get to) are pretty much the only thing to do, and i get so bored just sitting in my dorm room with my group of friends i’ve made. there is absolutely nowhere to go off-campus so i feel sort of trapped. i also feel like i’ve hit a dead end with majors…i’m sick of mine & a lot of the majors on my campus are hard to transfer in to after first semester freshman year (and still be on track to graduate) because they’re so tightly jammed with classes and i’m not really into any of the other majors offered. </p>
<p>Why did you choose your college in the first place/ what was the deciding factor?
a) for the cost b) for the closeness to home c) it had the major i wanted d) my mom loved the school e) my dad liked it for its cost f) i had heard mostly great things about the school</p>
<p>Did your college meet all of your expectations as an incoming freshman? What were those expectations?
yes and no. i kind of expected my floor to bond and be great friends because that’s what everyone says happens here but it’s very clique-y. most of the other freshmen floors here are all very close and i think that impacted how i adjusted. the parties met my expectations- dirty, hot, sweaty, but wildly entertaining.</p>
<p>If yes, what is the best thing about your college?
It’s far enough away from home that I can still have my own freedom, but close enough that I can go back home any day/weekend. Also, since it’s in-state I already know a couple of people from my HS and town that I can hang out with, as well as meet new people.</p>
<p>If no, why do you regret your decision?
N/A</p>
<p>Why did you choose your college in the first place/ what was the deciding factor?
Rutgers was actually my safety. I had my heart set on a small LAC in New England, but last minute decided I couldn’t handle being so far away and knowing absolutely nobody.</p>
<p>Did your college meet all of your expectations as an incoming freshman? What were those expectations?
I stayed in touch with some people form HS, people I actually wanted to keep in touch with that is. I also met a couple of people all throughout New Jersey so that’s pretty cool. The parties here were crazier than expected. Overall I had so much fun my first semester, I was going in thinking I may have made the wrong decision, but I love it here.</p>
<p>Mostly yes.</p>
<p>If yes, what is the best thing about your college?
The prestige, the alumni connections, my friends, the location (Nashville rocks… badumtish), the rigor of my program, the options it provides me, the class sizes, the diversity, how different it was from where I grew up, the food, and the sense of home I get when I’m here.</p>
<p>If no, why do you regret your decision?
Well it was basically between Texas and Vandy; I put down my deposit, signed up for housing, and found a roommate at UT but had a lot of “what if?”'s with Vanderbilt, and ended up here. I often think that life at UT would be easier, for myriad reasons, one of the most important being that it’s literally almost impossible for me to go home on any given weekend with about five months planning in advance. And I’m a huge homebody so that’s a pretty big deal. There’s random bouts of depression (90% of the time around finals when I’m already going crazy) where I seriously consider transferring to UT but I know I’ll never actually go through with it.</p>
<p>Why did you choose your college in the first place/ what was the deciding factor?
Peer pressure based on prestige. Money became enough of a non-issue that it came down to personal preference, and I felt attracted to both in different ways. UT’s a great school, but everyone kept telling me how cool it was that I got in a top-20 university and how so many people would kill to be in my shoes, etc. I said sure why not and deposited.</p>
<p>Did your college meet all of your expectations as an incoming freshman? What were those expectations?
Hm, good question. Yes and no. I had always expected that I would go Greek in college, and was not able to here for various reasons, so that changed a lot of what I was expecting. But on the other hand, I’m actually living the stereotypical college life that is shown on TV and movies, so I can’t complain.</p>