<p>I have a list of ~8 other schools, most of which I would be happy to go as well. Let me add that money is a factor in choosing where I go to school, but my parents will be more willing to help me out at a college like Duke or Cornell than somewhere like U Michigan, just because schools like that have an amazing reputation (not that U Mich doesn’t, it’s just that Duke and Cornell have better ones).</p>
<p>Also, I’m not ranked second nationally in chess. I won 2nd place at All Girls Nationals. Not all girls showed up to Nationals. According to my rating, I am in the top 50 in the nation, not in the top 10. So technically its not really that awesome :/</p>
<p>The campus is beautiful, it has great academics as well as athletics and just seems like an open, friendly place. It seems like a place where I could be surrounded by people who care about learning like I do, but who are also interested in other parts of life. Right now, I feel like I’m surrounded by people who are completely focused on college, college, college and who do not have time to relax at all. I kind of regret not doing the “fun things” in high school more; every time a social event rolls around, we tend to have a reason not to go to it (upcoming test/exam/project/paper). I don’t want to repeat this same mistake in college and Duke seems like a place where I can find people that are like me in this regard as well. :]</p>