@Kelvin82 - So where are you in your thought process? Inquiring minds want to know!
(and, yeah, if you’re hyperventilating from “in the 50s” worth of cold, CA is looking better and better.)
In the other hand, learning to live with cold may be a useful skill to develop. It takes a while for the body to adapt but as an 18 year if it’s much easier than as an adult.
@MYOS1634 - some of us never adapted. I grew up on the east coast and always hated winter. I think cold weather would bother me less as a grad student or as a young professional than as an undergrad.
Am I the only one that checked this a few times today?
Yes, really wondering!!
@Kelvin82 - You’re killing us here!! What did you decide?!?
Don’t rush her - she has 7 more hours!
True… she’s on the West Coast!!!
Ahh, I didn’t realize that my Swarthmore post was cut off. I liked the classes I took. The Calculus and Classical Chinese studies classes were interesting and thought provoking. The really cool thing was that the professors knew all their students’ names, which was rare at UCLA or USC. I really liked the people I met there; they seemed to be really friendly, nerdy, and quirky. I remember that the admissions office hosted board games for prospies to play with current Swatties. Exploding Kittens and Saboteurs was quite fun. When I asked my hostess about her favorite thing of Swarthmore, she immediately mentioned the generous endowment, so that there were grants for unpaid internships and a Dean’s emergency fund to funding for winter clothes.
The one thing that intimidated (and still scares) me about Swarthmore is the grade deflation. In the bell curve distribution of mean GPAs, there always has to be someone at the left ends of the curve. I’m scared that I’ll be there.
@CADREAMIN My USC visit was phenomenal! The Trojan spirit was amazing and I clearly saw that every Trojan I met seriously loved USC. The marching band was super cool and my hostess was really nice. I also watched a lot of USC vlogs on Youtube, and really liked that there was so much spirit for the football team. I’ve never tailgated before, and to be honest, am still undecided on Greek life, but I liked that USC offered a traditional college experience. In terms of spirit and pride in their students, USC wins. Plus, they have so many resources, being in Downtown LA. Although, I didn’t particuarly care for the emphasis on partying, and felt a little bit uncomfortable when everyone around me seemed to be really extroverted and bubbly. I take time to warm up to people.
Wait did your reply get cut off again? lol. Do you have a final answer???
btw, not everyone at USC is a flawless perky cheerleader, but I see how you can get that impression. There are plenty of serious types there too, and those serious types that balance it out with some fun. You can find any kind of group you want there.
Did you commit anywhere yet?
Swarthmore’s retention and graduation rates are among the highest. You got in because you are qualified; and in fact I’m sure you have far more “grit” than a lot of other admitted students. Sure, you probably won’t ace everything; but you’re not aiming for med school, so there’s no reason your GPA has to be perfect.
Not to say you should necessarily choose Swat over USC or wherever else is still in contention; just saying you shouldn’t not choose it because of grade deflation. If you go there, you will be fine!!
Are you still deciding??
@Kelvin82 - You’ve got us at the edge of our seats!
USC vs. Swarthmore – very different places with very different vibes. Which resonated more with you? Which felt more right?
I agree with @CADREAMIN that USC has plenty of students that are not perky cheerleader types – there are some serious nerds there as well. You’ll be able to find all types of people and have a quintessential college experience if that’s what you seek. It’s easy enough to avoid the party scene if you want, or join it when you’re in the mood. USC has some pretty solid freshman honors programs in both humanities (Thematic Option) and in the sciences (Freshman Science Honors).
And @aquapt makes a good point about Swat – they accepted you because they though you would thrive there. And you would. And yes, at a LAC your classes will be smaller and your professors very accessible. Swat will have no shortage of interesting, nerdy, smart, quirky kids.
You can’t go wrong with either choice…with exactly 1 hour to go, which will it be??
(I’m not sure she’s even confirmed that Berkeley and UCLA are off the table…?)
Berkeley is definitely off the table @aquapt I didn’t particularly care for the environment or the large class sizes.
UCLA was honestly one of my favorites (amazing dining hall food and the people seemed really happy, but I felt that the student body was too large, if that makes sense) yet after mmy visits, I liked USC and Swarthmore more.
You seem so laid back. Don’t you have to decide tonight?
Did you already decide, and you’re just toying with us? :))
I’m not going to get to sleep if I don’t find out…you’re killing, me @Kelvin82 !!
Ya we are all looking at the clock with 18 minutes till midnight - did you get extensions on the decision or something?
No…It was precisely due to this college decision deadline that my family and I argued intensively. I didn’t want to bring that anxiety and stress into here. It was basically them for USC and me for Swarthmore, and they were constantly saying how at Swarthmore, it would be a lot harder for me, both with adapting to the weather and with the heavy workload and with the homesickness. A certain family member said that at Swarthmore, I’d get a 2.0 GPA and that my acceptance wasn’t genuine, because (and I quote) “You relied on your visual disability and extrended time on the SAT to get in” It made me feel as if my accomplishments were worthless. The arguments happened throughout the month of April and today.
I know that at USC, there are all kinds of people, and I’m positive that I’ll be able to find my people there. I should clarify, that I feel that at some schools, it would be easier to find my tribe than at other schools.
Oh, gosh. I’m sorry the decision has been so rough with your family.
I really think you would do great at either school, but TBH those statements are both unkind and unfair, and really kinda make me want you to go to Swarthmore and prove them wrong. X(
So yes, it came down to a coin flip, pros and cons list, overanalyzing the Fiske Guide and past threads on CC, and randomly drawing a slip of paper with the name of the college out of a hat. Funnily enough, for the 1st and 4th scenarios, the result was Swarthmore. Maybe a sign from the universe?
I won’t lie; for me, it’s really really hard to ignore what my family has been telling me to do. I’m worried that I’m going to get a less than satisfactory GPA, and ruin my chances of getting a job or going to grad school. I’m worried that I will be at the bottom of the bell curve, and that I won’t make any friends. I’m worried that as a low income student and first gen college student, that I feel it is my responsibility to attain a stable job with a stable and high salary, so I can help my mom and provide for her everything that she couldn’t have. This past month, I cried almost twice weekly in school, because there was a lot of external family issues that I was trying to deal with.
Understandably, my family feels that USC is the safe decision. The decision that will have me close to home, the decision that will give me “a safety net” and “easier time maintaing and earning a better GPA” Not being a natural risk taker, I really hope my decision was the right one.
Excited for the next chapter at Swarthmore College.
This would not have been possible without the guidance of College Confidential and all the amazing advice I was given by the posters. Thank you, all, so much.