<p>I have recently been accepted to penn state schreyer honors college and William and Mary Monroe Scholars Program. I loved both schools and i am having an extremely difficult time deciding. I know that Penn state and W&M are completely different types of schools. I like the social scene and school spirit of Penn state but i also appreciate the intellectual quirky feel at W&M. I plan to join a fraternity but i do not want it to consume my life. I am majoring in chemistry and hope to either go to med school or try to get a phd. I know the schreyer program is extremely helpful in coordinating research and study abroad but the Monroe scholars seems to offer similar research and study abroad advantages. I'm having a tough time deciding. If anyone has any information about the academic and social scenes at the schools that may help me in deciding, i would really appreciate it! Thank you!!</p>
<p>The kids that get into Schreyers are really brilliant - I know lots that turned down ivy schools for it. You will make your own “intellectually quirky” friends within the honors college I’m sure - Schreyers kids stay together in south halls during their freshman year. If you want to join a frat at PSU though and dont want it to be your whole social life you’ll want to join an honors fraternity not a social one. </p>
<p>Thanks @Etuck24 Im very grateful to have been accepted to schreyer because i know how competitive it is. About the South Hall thing, I thought Schreyer students stayed in the Atherton and Simmons Honors dorms freshman year? Or do some choose to live in south halls?</p>
<p>You’re correct, however those two halls are part of the “South Halls” complex
<a href=“LiveOn Housing | LiveOn”>LiveOn Housing | LiveOn;
<p>OP- What fantastic opportunities. I love Williamsburg and the traditions at W & M, but I think a Chem major would be able to get better research experience at Schreyer. PSU has plenty of quirky intellectual.</p>
<p>Both are fantastic opportunities. Congratulations, this is amazing 
Have you visited? Overnight? (eating in the cafeteria, spending time in the dorms, talking with students, listening to discussions, reading the college newspaper, attending a class or two?)
How much would each cost?
If “fit” is great at both, I’d choose the cheapest option if I were you
If you like them both, you can’t go wrong.</p>
<p>Thank you @longhaul and @MYOS1634 I know that i will meet great people at both schools so im not too worried about that as i may have eluded to in my op. Schreyer is cheaper because i am in state so that is obviously a huge plus. I am going to visit them back to back which will give me an opportunity. After the suggestion i think i will definitely look into an overnight visit to get even more of a sense of daily life. Thanks for the tips!</p>
<p>so which school will cost you more and by how much?</p>
<p>OOPs, just saw Schreyer is cheaper. By how much? You want to avoid debt if you’re going phd or med school. Chemistry phds are a dime a dozen and employment is not always easy to find, and med school itself is outrageously expensive.</p>
<p>@jkeil911 yeah schreyer is about half the price of william and mary so that is obviously going to factor into my decision. Money is important but i want to make sure that is not the only factor in my decision because i definitely value the college experience. Fortunately for me, schreyer seems to be an equally great experience at half the price from what ive read, but im definitely going to visit to find out.</p>
<p>I’ve spent a lot of time as an adult on both campuses, and it’s very hard to say one is preferable to the other because, frankly, they’re so different. Get yourself onto each campus at least once, and maybe twice. Try to make a good decision.</p>
<p>Is William&Mary affordable (ie., if W&M is $20,000 but your parents don’t have the money, the point is moot, whereas if it i $26,000 and your parents had planned on a $30,000 budget for college, then you’re fine and it’s strictly a family decision about how you allocate resources)?
What were your reasons for applying there?
You’re OOS and it’s not an “obvious” choice so there have to be specific reasons. Have those changed?
W&M students tend to be very intellectual, would be interested in schools such as Reed, Columbia, UChicago.
Penn State as a whole is a top flagship, perhaps similar to UWashington, UC-SD, UC-D, UC-SB - very large, very diverse. Shreyer changes the “vibe” a lot for Shreyer Scholars but it’s still part of the larger “Penn State” tradition.
If you haven’t done an overnight visit (including staying in a dorm, eating in the cafeteria, attending a class, seeing how people spend their <em>regular</em> evening) you should really do so. </p>
<p>I am a parent in state PA. I have always been biased AGAINST Penn State – far too many drank the Kool-Aid and I just never connected to the culture. However, after I had kids in high school, I paid attention to Schreyer. I only know a very limited handful who went, but their experiences were unbelievable. Combined with the Penn State alum network and cost difference, if you were my kid, I’d be gently pushing you toward Penn State. </p>
<p>If you wanted history/politics major, W & M is incredible, but for Chem, I’d be surprised if the labs and research could match Schreyer.</p>
<p>You need to “see” the labs AND send some e-mails to Professors conducting research at each school. </p>
<p>@longhaul I have a parent who went to penn state so i have naturally been enthusiastic about PSU my whole life. Schreyer is so unbelievable but i’ve recently been thinking about the campus life, class size, and everything and i prefer the smaller atmosphere of william and mary. Im just nervous about balancing partying and studying at Penn State. The monroe scholars program gives me superior research opportunities and provides me with a sizeable stipend towards research which really excited me. Its going to be a tough decision for sure. </p>
<p>@thepontinator You really have a wonderful decision to make. You sound as if you prefer W & M. Speak with your parents to be sure they are able to cover the cost difference. </p>
<p>@thepontinator
I feel like I may know the answer to this already, but were you notified about the Monroe Scholars program by email or snail mail? </p>
<p>@dishevled i got my package in the mail and that was when i was notified. They have followed up with a number of emails and website links since</p>
<p>I doubt there’s a bigger W&M fan on the board than I am (sent two kids there from OOS and would happily do it again). However, since you’re thinking about med school, I would advise you to choose Schreyer in-state unless your financial situation is such that you don’t need to borrow to attend W&M. Med school is expensive and the additional cost of OOS tuition at W&M is considerable - it would make quite a dent in your med school costs. Congratulations on having such wonderful options.</p>
<p>A degree from Penn State speaks volumes. Although both schools are great, and it’s a difficult decision, I think you would have more opportunities at PSU, plus the cost is lower, which will help when it’s time to pay for medical school.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a question of reputation or opportunities - both have excellent reputation and opportunities.
The key elements are
1° W&M is more expensive but can you afford it? Is it within budget - is it that your parents don’t want to pass up a cheaper opportunity even if they have enough money to cover W&M without making drastic changes to their lifestyle… or is it that they couldn’t afford W&M without stretching a lot, taking on loans, etc?
2° FIT.
Both universities have VERY different “vibes”.
Shreyer is amazing and part of a huge university (with all the advantages and disadvantages this entails.) W&M is like all-around Shreyer - and the W&M Monroe Scholars are quite a special bunch. The campuses are very different. Williamsburg is very different from State College, too.
Before you make any decision, make sure to attend Monroe Scholars Weekend (I just checked: it’s April 12-13).
Where do you see yourself?
There’s no wrong decision. Both are great programs.</p>
<p>Thanks for the idea @MYOS1634 I can afford W&M and my parents are not too worried about the price as long is I think it is a better fit. I am going to Monroe Scholars weekend and then to Penn state Schreyer session the day after. After some deliberation I think i may be leaning towards William and Mary because I prefer the quieter, intellectual vibe of the campus and overall smaller class sizes. I can join a fraternity even at W&M and I think the balance of scholastic activities/studying and partying is probably better for me at W&M. Of course schreyer is an amazing option and i will go to visit both again before making a decision, but as of now i think i would pick W&M. </p>