<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I am a high school senior from California, and have recently been accepted to Reed, Hampshire, and UC Davis for fall 2011 admission. I need advice!</p>
<p>I have visited and been to classes at Hamp and Reed, and loved them both. There are multiple factors that draw me to each school;</p>
<p>Academics:
I am interested in studying linguistics/cognitive science, and know that all three schools have great programs. At Hampshire, the Culture, Brain, and Development program really interests me - it has a great reputation, and I really enjoyed talking with current students at a cognitive science reception the other day. As for Reed, I would be interested in linguistics/philosophy/psychology, and the psycholinguistics class I went to was AMAZING. I could literally feel my mind expanding at both schools (although maybe more socially at Hamp because I was staying in a mod with my boyfriend - it seemed purely academic at Reed).
Also, while Reed's academics are arguably stronger (and more structured), Hampshire has the immense benefit of the other 4 schools being close and accessible (multiple linguistics/language-learning opportunities, UMass graduate classes available, research positions potentially more accessible, more students to interact with while still receiving personal attention at Hamp). </p>
<p>Cost:
I did not receive any financial aid (only a bit of merit aid at Hampshire), so cost is an issue. Although it seems like I will be able to pay for private school right now, it is possible that my family's financial situation could change. My parents have made it clear that they'll support my personal decision. Hampshire would be around $47k, Reed $53k, and Davis is less than $25k (meaning I could possibly acquire a car as an upperclassmen). In addition, Traveling to Hampshire alone is extremely costly and cumbersome, whereas Reed and Davis are relatively close/simple/cheaper. </p>
<p>Personal issues/academic and social resources:
I was born in Portland, and visit Oregon a few times annually, and therefore feel a close connection to the area. Massachusetts is also an incredible area, and I have loved every minute I've spent there - I just got back from a 5-day trip to Hampshire where I lived in a mod, etc. Another factor is my boyfriend, a sophomore at Hamp. Our relationship has been long distance for a little while, and it has been going pretty well. He is not the reason I would go to Hamp by any means, but it isn't possible to remove him from my decision process, as he is an important, healthy part of my life. (If I did go to a different school, we would definitely still keep in touch, etc.)</p>
<p>Any advice/comments are greatly appreciated! I don't go on these forum sites too often, but I wanted to see who had an opinion - I am having such a hard time deciding!
Thanks!</p>