<p>My son already posted in the Colorado College and Oberlin forums (fora?), but they don't have much traffic, so I thought I'd repost here. We live in the Denver metro area. He was admitted to Colorado College (100 miles away) and Oberlin (1300 miles away), and waitlisted at Carleton. His post:</p>
<p>Hi everyone! These are the two schools I'm trying to decide between... I love both of them, and think I'd be a good fit at either, but I'm not sure quite yet which one I'd like better. Here's a short list of advantages I thought of for each school:</p>
<p>Colorado College
-I already have some experience with the Block Plan from CC's high school summer program, and I think it might suit me very well.
-I live only about two hours away, so I'd have some distance from home, but wouldn't be in a completely new environment.
-The location and weather are nice.</p>
<p>Oberlin College
-The population is more liberal and diverse, and Oberlin seemed to have a slightly friendlier feel.
-While I'm not a music student, I appreciate the opportunities the Conservatory brings.
-In spite of the small town, current students didn't seem to feel Oberlin was lacking in things to do.</p>
<p>I would very much appreciate anybody's input! Thanks!</p>
<p>It sounds like he’s more excited about Oberlin. It IS a school that has a bigger national reputation (not that reputation is critical; both are good schools) and attracts talented, quirky students nationwide. Since I also think it’s healthy and enriching to go to college a bit farther away from home, I’d recommend Oberlin.</p>
<p>No bad choices here and similar vibes culturally. Like katliamom, I think exploring another part of the country (with the support and infrastructure that college provides) is an educational opportunity all by itself. I also doubt that he’ll be bored in the town of Oberlin - with a different music performance every night of the year, a school of more than 2000 creative and enterprising kids, and Cleveland 45 minutes away, he’ll find plenty to do.</p>
<p>What is he planning to study? Has he taken a look at the course catalogs for both schools and checked out what’s available in his areas of interest?</p>
<p>Thanks. I should mention that my son has Asperger Syndrome, which has gone from being a major issue in elementary school to a very minor issue now. He did fine in the IB program in HS. I didn’t get to visit Oberlin, but my wife and he did, and it sounds like he has a little more in common with Oberlin’s student body. For instance, he doesn’t ski, but likes music and art.</p>
<p>I thought he was likely to choose Colorado College because of the familiarity factor, but he seems comfortable with going out-of-state. He is interested in chemistry as a major. I’ll encourage him to look at the course catalogs today.</p>
<p>The other question is whether he should stay on the Carleton wait list. When we visited last summer, we all liked it a lot, and I thought that was where he would end up. My wife still thinks it would be the best choice, but I’m a little concerned it might be too intense academically. Son tends to get stressed out when he’s overworked. It’s hard to know what he thinks, since he isn’t very assertive.</p>
<p>I’d say that staying on the waitlist or not is your son’s call - some kids hate the unsettled feeling of waiting to see if anything is going to happen, others just want the closure -admitted or rejected. No right way to do it. </p>
<p>What to do if Carleton came through could be debated then - the quarter system does add to the intensity - but it’s also got advantages, so he’d need to weigh the pros and cons.</p>
<p>By the way, while your S is checking the course catalog, have his check the student newspaper back issues too. They also tend to give a good feel for what’s on the students’ minds.</p>
<p>Our son decided last night that Oberlin was the one, so we sent in the deposit today. He stayed on the Carleton waitlist. Thanks for your help.</p>