Hello,
I’m looking for insight on the following schools: The New School (New York City), Allegheny (Meadville, PA), and University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL). These are the three schools I have narrowed down as the ones I would legitimately commit to, yet I have my hesitations when it comes to all three institutions. I’ll try to be detailed and concise with my perspective on all the schools and what I’m like as a person.
As a student, I’m very dedicated and passionate, I like problem-solving and excelling in challenging subjects. I’m very good with managing my time, I know when to work and when to play. Socially, I’m very active, I love adventures and venturing in big cities and meeting new people and exchange ideas and expanding my perspective on life. I have a very strong voice when it comes to social justice and human rights.
The New School: It was my number 4 school on my list of top 5 colleges. It’s in my favourite city in the world (, it offers small classes and boasts healthy student-professor relationships. It has a strong stance on advocacy and social justice, which is very much like myself. I don’t know how strong the school is academically for someone who wants to be a future med student but I know I love the location and the opportunities I can find there.
- Hesitation: $$$$
After wrestling with the financial aid department for months I would still have to pay 30 grand a year to go to this school. That price plus the price of living in New York is a very big turn off for me.
Allegheny: I applied to this college on a whim but I wasn’t expecting to get my tuition paid for. I’d still have to pay room and meal plan. I appreciate how this institution encourages students to see beyond the four years of college and foster intellectual interests outside their majors. From what I’ve read the academics are rigorous but the professors are willing to lend a hand at a moments notice. Studying abroad is also very attainable with this school.
- Hesitation: Size & Location.
There are roughly 2,100 students that attend this institution, about the same number attend my high school. While this may result in a close-knit community vibe I’m scared I’ll feel limited or trapped by the lack of diversity (76% of the school is white, I’m African American). Meadville, PA, while I’ve never been, appears to be completely desolate. It’s a small town and has small town charm, but to get the adventure I crave I’d have to board a bus to a nearby city. Because of the lack of entertainment, I’ve read that many of the students resort to getting drunk every weekend for fun, an activity I have no desire to partake in.
University of Central Florida: The comfort in this school is it’s proximity to home (only 3 hours away). The campus is huge and beautiful. I don’t know much about the academics, all I’ve heard is it’s a “new school” or a “good school”. I know it’s relatively tame compared to the party scene at FSU or UF. And it gives students the resources to foster new interests and expand their current interests. It would cost the same as Allegheny, which is nothing.
- Hesitation: I don’t know much about the school, no matter what I research.
Ironically as a Florida native I should have some degree of knowledge, but no matter how much research I do or how many people I talk to that attend there, UCF just blurs as another Florida school. There’s nothing special about it other than the “safety net” I feel surrounding it. Over 50 students from my graduating class will be attending that school, and my uncle lives in Orlando.While I might enjoy that my first month or so, I know it’s not throwing me out of my comfort zone and into new experiences.
All in all, I’d appreciate some input on which school seems to be the best fit for me, and if there is anyone who is knowledgeable about the schools (student, alumni, parents of students) helping me demystify these institutions that would be amazing.