<p>My daughter was waitlisted at her first choice but was accepted at a much more competitive school. She has sent an acceptance to the more competitive school but yesterday received an acceptance from her waitlisted school. She is now really torn. My husband says she should not change her mind and should go to the higher ranked school. He thinks it would be a big mistake for her to go to a lower ranked school just because she likes it better. Although I think she will be fine at either, she really "lit up" when she found out she had been accepted at the school she wanted from the start. Anyone else have an experience like this? She has to decide in two days.</p>
<p>Tell us the two schools and her major.
Any difference in your family’s out of pocket expenses for them?</p>
<p>My S loved his less competitive school. It was Tulane with merit money. However, he was in the Katrina class and post-Katrina they eliminated his major. He then went to a more competitive school (cc top 20) and never liked it at all. </p>
<p>Just one anecdote, but “higher ranked” does not always mean better.</p>
<p>Remember that, on the one hand, rankings are just an artifical construct that some magazine makes up to sell, well, magazines. OTOH, we all become aware of them and there can be some value in coming from the “name” school.</p>
<p>So… if it were me, I would not pressure her and hope your H will not. Let her choose the one she prefers. Won’t hurt to chat with her about the pros and cons of attending the higher ranked place. But if the other one “fits”… well, you know the cc mantra.</p>
<p>Final note: When my S ended up not liking his school, (where he spent 3 years and did well and ended up with a fine job but simply never enjoyed it at all), there was a huge comfort to me in knowing that the school had been <em>his</em> choice and not something we had pressured him into choosing.</p>
<p>Congrats to your daughter! But that is a tough one. Do both schools offer the departments she seeks? Was she happy when she planned on going to the competitive-first acceptance school? </p>
<p>Is there a huge difference in the two reputations (does she plan to go on to a graduate school program?) </p>
<p>Will she feel overwhelmed at the more competitive school? She needs to feel comfortable and capable of succeeding at her chosen college, despite her father’s interest in the better ranking of the other school. Good luck–this will be a busy 48 hours!</p>
<p>school called from : UVM…</p>
<p>no idea the “supposed” higher ranked school…can’t imagine the ranking really matters though unless it’s top 20 or so…and even then, it’s all about “fit”; let her go where she wants to be…</p>
<p>UVM = very highly respected school regionally
Don’t know how well known it is outside New England, but it certainly is not an inferior school to very many</p>
<p>My son just finished his freshman year at the less competitive college he chose. He absolutely loved it, I cannot imagine him having had a better experience at the more competitive colleges he was accepted at.</p>
<p>I think by senior year in high school, our kids know themselves fairly well. If you remove the competitive factor, which school would she attend? I think that’s your answer.</p>
<p>Yes we are in a similar position. D paid her deposit on her number one choice and was delighted, then a few days later her number two choice came back to us with an offer of a full 100% scholarship.</p>
<p>With her first choice we would still have a balance to pay which would increase every year but with the second one there is a high GPA to maintain to keep the scholarship.</p>
<p>We are going back to number two on Friday.</p>