Background info: I’m a senior (hispanic female) from a suburb around Dallas, Texas. I applied to both of these schools as an intended political science major (maybe double major in human rights/minor in Spanish). I don’t know if I’m going to law school or not, but I would love to do research and perhaps go to graduate school for political science. I’ve also been incredibly interested in working for the federal government one day so I would like the opportunity to do internships and delve myself into the field.
I’d like to share with you all my final two options and see which one you recommend that I should go to.
= pro, - = con, +/- = could be good or bad. I haven't been able to decide.
SMU- My target school for all of senior year. I got in around December, visited multiple times, and did multiple essays to get scholarships.
Location: Dallas, my hometown and one of the fastest growing job markets in the country. I don't mind being close to home (30-45 min away), but I'd still choose to live on campus.
Presidential Scholarship: full tuition and fees for 8 consecutive years (requires full time enrollment and 3.3 gpa), additional scholarship that pays for room and board, one paid study aboard trip during the semester, pays for summer honors retreat in NM, and various events exclusive for scholars. Only around 20-25 students get this offer. Would essentially be debt free from an institution that costs about $79k per year.
Campus is very nice. Residential college system seems fun and there is a sense of community/school pride.
Automatically in various programs like the Honors Program, Rotunda Scholars, and First-Generation Initiative that aid in helping me transition, succeed in college.
Fantastic alumni network and very well known in the state of TX.
Reputable school with a respectable academic program. One of 7 schools in the nation to have a human rights degree program.
Very easy to double major and classes have a lot of flexibility.
Diversity. While there are minority groups on campus, it would be a dramatic change from my environment in high school. The stereotype here in Dallas is that it's a "preppy white school". (I actually mentioned this in my interviews and said I would want to change this/add to the community here!)
I'll probably wonder "what if I went to Columbia" a couple of times during my first year.
+/- Being a big fish in a small pond. It could be great because I can really shine and get lots of opportunities and resources. I don't know how I would feel being in a "small pond" for 4 years though.
Columbia- The only Ivy I applied to and my “dream” school for a few years. Did not expect to actually get in.
Location: NYC! I've never been, but after this pandemic is over, I would love to go and explore someplace new.
One of the top schools in the nation, easily recognized around the world.
Incredible connections and alumni network. So many opportunities to do research and get internships!
Diversity is off the charts and everyone comes from different backgrounds. These kids are some of the smartest and brightest people I ever met.
"small fish in a big pond". Personally I prefer to be challenged. Something I wrote in my applications was that I'm the type of person who'd rather go somewhere where I'd have to earn/work hard, even if I don't end up on top, rather than do the bare minimum and be #1.
I've already starting meeting people and feel a real sense of community. There are lots of clubs and things to be involved with on campus.
Politically active! And also has a human rights concentration!
The Core gives me a liberal arts education and I have the freedom to take all types of classes.
I would grow so much at this school in all aspects and that's really exciting to me.
Travel expenses might mean I only go home for Christmas and summer.
Never visited the campus and don't 100% know the feel of it.
I feel a bit sad about making my parents pay, but they're so proud. I'm the first to go to college, and they told me not to worry about money. I still overthink and worry though, so maybe this is a me problem.
The imposter syndrome is real y'all.
+/- I qualified for financial aid and got around $75k in grants. My parents would contribute about $3,617 and I would contribute $5,490 (own contribution+work study) per year. This is affordable to us and my parents offered to also cover my half. If needed, my grandmother in El Salvador offered to pay as well. I'm still waiting on my results for The Gates Scholarship (I get it, it would pay for my end of the net price (the $5,490 per year)).
So there you go. Two incredibly great options. I am extremely grateful for having the chance to pick where I can attend next year and can finally say that my hard work has paid off. Which one should I go to?
@user_370122 , those are two great options! I think you mean 8 semesters, not 8 years, at SMU. Your parents must be so proud.
Each program has its advantages. All of the programs at SMU should really help you to succeed, and you will be surrounded by smart students in the Honors program.
Will you miss your parents too much if you go to New York? Or will you really grow as a person being only 30-45 minutes from home? You will meet lots of people from different places, but only going home once during the year could be tough, and it sounds like you are close to your parents.
The SMU study abroad programs are great. When I studied in Spain, it really changed my outlook on life. And if you really want to change the environment at SMU, that could be a challenge worth pursuing. But being in NY and especially Columbia could be life changing all by itself. We visited Columbia a couple of years ago and I also did several years back. It’s truly a city school, but it has some degree of college campus to it. But the area is of course surrounded by a big city.
Sounds like Columbia is affordable. If you get the Gates Scholarship, can you take out a loan or do work study for the rest so it isn’t a burden on your folks, and instead of going home once a year, they could spend some money to visit you in NY once or twice?
Wish I could shed more light on this, but this is a personal call. Even doing something that makes you a little uncomfortable will help you grow and give you confidence.
Imo, both are great options, so to me the only questions are: how do you do with change and how good is your family at video chat?!
Oh, baby, I know <3
And it takes longer to go away than you might expect- I have had students tell me that it took them into year 2 to really believe they deserved to be at their highly selective college! A friend of one of my collegekids told her ‘just have the confidence of a mediocre white dude and you’ll be fine!’
Also, it’s a jolt to go from being the smartest kid in the room to being ‘average’! You’ll be swimming in a very deep pond. When you start to have doubts (which you will- and so will just about every other student), remember: Columbia likes it’s retention & graduation rates. They don’t make offers to students who they aren’t 100% positive can do it. That includes you.
Follow your heart- which in your post sounds like it is ready to fly to NY.
(and then go give your collegemom (!) an extra hug from this collegemom who understands just how full her heart is)
It comes down to culture. Remember that the kids in ivy leagues are rich, smart and cutthroat competitive and that’s going to be the culture. There is a very high concentration of self-absorbed entitled students. Some people do fine in that type of environment. Myself personally, it would drive me nuts! At SMU, you’ll be able to stand out, because that’s why they gave you a scholarship. You’re going to find students to be more down to earth.
Wow, that is a heck of a generalization. 18% of the Columbia class of 2023 is eligible for Pell grants. Nearly 40% are hispanic, African American or Native American. 18% are 1st generation. 70 countries + 50 states represented across 1,400 students.
And that’s without even getting to the different cultures of different Ivy league schools.
I have a collegekid at one of those schools, and while she is smart and very hard working, she definitely is not rich or cutthroat. Her friend group has no “self-absorbed entitled students”- they are a nice bunch of down to earth, hard-working kids. In fact, of the kids I know at any of that group of schools I don’t know any who fit your description, with the quibble that the few I know at Harvard are very ambitious- but even for those, “cutthroat” “rich” “entitled” “self-absorbed” don’t fit. I have read some CC posters interested in (say) Wharton whose posts fit some of those adjectives though!
OP wrote: “one paid study abroad trip during the semester”
Did you mean “for a semester” instead of “during a semester” ?
Overall, this is a tough call because SMU’s offer is so generous & full of worthwhile benefits such as study abroad, special meetings / conferences, and no debt whatsoever.
Because of the coronavirus outbreak & possible second wave in the Fall, SMU might be the safer choice financially & due to its proximity to your home & family.
If undecided, then let Columbia University decide. Ask Columbia for more financial aid since your alternative is 100% paid plus lots of additional scholarly perks. If Columbia comes through financially in an amount which will assure that you can afford to fly home more then just once or twice, then accept the challenge. If not, then accept the respect that SMU has shown you & your future.
P.S. Important to note what should be obvious: You will be with a different caliber of student & of expectations at Columbia versus SMU.
Also, for one from Texas who may not have experienced NYC & the Northeast US before, New York City might be akin to a study abroad experience.
While not an easy decision, there is no wrong choice.
In your particular situation, I’d pick Columbia. It would widen your circles considerably, and you seem to be up to that challenge. Also your family is supportive.
It carries more risk than SMU , but IMO worth it. Congratulations on both acceptances and packages
SMU is one of only 38 schools that has more students from the top 1% (22.9%) than from the bottom 60% (18.9%). Think about that…nearly 1 in 4 students at SMU come from families making more than $630K per year.
Columbia: 13.4% from the top 1%, 21.1% from the bottom 65%.
That is a stark difference when comparing average family income from these two schools. Columbia also has a larger percentage of POC (40%) as well, as collegemom3717 pointed out. SMU’s minority population is 20% (not counting Asians).
Bottom line, OP will succeed wherever she goes to school, she just has to decide which school is the better fit. I don’t know if Columbia will adjust their FA based on the SMU’s offer, but OP can and should certainly ask.
One of my sons went to SMU, had a great experience and got a phenomenal job on graduation. That said, I think you should go to Columbia. Part of college education can be learning about different parts of the country/cultures. Columbia would broaden your horizons 100% more than SMU.
Also, Columbia is orders of magnitude more prestigious than SMU and, again in my opinion, that does have some value.
I completely agree that you will thrive and succeed wherever you go. Congratulations, and well done!
Wow-congratulations on those acceptances/scholarships!
And you may or may not want to be a lawyer-but practice negotiating now-give Columbia a call, tell them you love the school, but really need for them to match(exceed?) your current best offer.
But again, congratulations. You have two great choices.