Help Narrowing Down College List?

Parents Forum
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<p>I know the ultimate decision is up to me, but I'd like some input.
I posted this is the Parent's Forum because I would like MATURE input :)</p>

<p>I would also like to thank all of the parents who have helped me and will help me in the future. Whatever decision I choose, I will thank all of you!</p>

<p>I have 10 colleges on my list that i would like to apply to, but seeing as though apps are roughly $75 each PLUS sending scores, etc., it wouldn't be financially wise seeing as though I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on applications.</p>

<p>If I give my list, and pros and cons for each, can someone give me ideas? Thank you.</p>

<p>RPI visited
Pros:
-Potential RPI medal recipient
-Have 7yr PhD program that I like (I believe that is what the man said when I visited)
-I like the look (especially the music building with the auditorium)
-Have cognitive science (I want to double major)
Cons:
-Do not have computer science, only computer systems engineering and they do not participate in the New England Regional Scholarship (I am pretty sure they do not)
-VERY cold. I have to stay in New England where it's cold anyway, but I have Raynaud's which would make life more difficult (most important con to me, dealbreaker)
-Deserted. The students said there's nothing to do around town, they usually go to downtown troy, but sometime even farther to have fun. When I visited it was very quiet, I did not like it.
-Not known for having good FA (from what I hear)
-No EA</p>

<p>Yale visited
Pros:
-Have computer science and psychology as a program
-Close to home, yet far enough (mainly because of the horrible traffic) that I would not have to commute
-Everyone was all smiles
-Very nice look
-Very diverse. I do not know of a college that can boast of having the type of multcultural programs/atmosphere (Have an African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American cultural house, all separate houses, yet all of them work together)
Cons:
-In my home state, and I am familiar with the area. I'd like to branch out more and go to cities like Boston, NYC, etc
-I've heard they aren't too good with FA, this could be speculation but is very important
-Cold (but this will be a con for all of the schools :))
-have SCEA, I want to apply to all schools EA that have it (about 1/2 on my list)</p>

<p>Boston University visiting in april
Pros:
-Have highest median salary for engineers (if i should become one, leaning towards computer science/artificial intelligence etc)
-Where I want to live/start a family
-Access to many businesses (internships, jobs after college)
-I love cities, I've never lived in one
Cons:
-Have computer science but as BA (yes I prefer a BS, I see a difference; but not a dealbreaker, if I really like it I will go)
-no EA</p>

<p>Northeastern visiting in april
Pros:
-In Boston
-I like the dorms
-have BS in computer science (also offer BA, and more interestingly a BS/MS program)
-good with FA/merit aid?
-have EA
Cons:
-none that I can think of :) i'm sure there will be some when I visit</p>

<p>Barnard visiting in the summer
-In NYC, the ultimate city experience, now maybe I can see the ball drop for new year's :)
-Women's college. No matter what people say, I LOVE women's colleges and the empowering feeling I get when I walk through campus (visited MHC) and how the teachers can relate to me/teach me in a way i can personally understand
-activism, I liked how they did and exposition to help women in the Arab world, I could see myself doing that!
-associated with Columbia so I can experience both campuses/meeting new people
-I believe they have a BS in computer science because when I click the link it brings me to columbia's CS department which I assume has a BS
Cons:
-no EA
I'll have more when I visit (hopefully not)</p>

<p>Umass visiting in april
Pros:
- I qualify for the NERSP, reduced tuition starting sophomore year for computer systems engineering (not what i would prefer to major in, but is a close second)
-have EA
Cons:
-does anyone know of the surrounding area? I've heard it was a "college town" but kind of rural. i visited MHC and i did not like it, people said it was similar</p>

<p>Smith
Pros:
-women's college (see barnard)
-have own engineering department (i'm interested in it since it's fairly new)
-STRIDE. although unlikely, it's still nice
-nice area? buses to boston every hour (i've heard)
Cons:
-might not like surrounding area/having to travel far to go to city
-no EA</p>

<p>Rutgers going to rutgers day in april
Pros:
-have desired major
-"the UCONN of NJ"
-well known/liked but not necessarily "prestigious"
-new brunswick campus, most city/most students
-honor housing
-have EA
Cons:
-cannot think of any</p>

<p>MIT visited
Pros:
-Very good engineering/science department (well yeah it's MIT :))
-My first "dream school"
-in city, close enough to boston
-BEST FA OPTION!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Have EA :)
-when i first visited i felt stupid... i know it sounds like it shouldnt be a pro, but it made me realize that i CAN achieve there and may not have had the access to IB/MANY APs that other students have, and that even though i'm not ALL about schoolwork, i care about it more than anything and can have fun/get work done
-would feel like a major accomplishment, and that is my goal and motivates me to get through HS (i learn to ignore the "you'll only get in because your black and a girl" comments. i know i work hard :))
Cons:
-don't have computer science (only Elec. Eng AND computer science)</p>

<p>Wellesley attending wellesley junior open campus in april
Pros:
-women's college
-first got me interested in women's colleges and i am very much in love
-good FA (they have sample packages, yes not guaranteed but one fits me perfectly so i get a ballpark estimate)
-have EE (early evaluation). notification is with RD but you get notified in february if your admission is "likely", "possible", or "unlikely"
Cons:
-BA degrees only (but i love the school so it will not make much of a difference)
-will know more after i visit</p>

<p>The one OVERALL pro i like about women's colleges is the diversity, they seem to me to be the best schools for that.</p>

<p>The schools I would likely take off are RPI because of the health issue, and maybe UMASS.... and Smith (just recently added back to list, I prefer Wellesley and Barnard)</p>

<p>Ideas? THANKS!</p>

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<p>I think the things that you like about Barnard, Smith, and Wellesley are pretty much interchangable with all of those schools (except for the engineering program). I would say both Smith and Wellesley have comparable need-based financial aid. Are you not visiting Smith (I only ask because you say you’re visiting UMASS in April, but didn’t say anything about Smith). </p>

<p>I almost went to Barnard instead of Smith. I really, really liked it. But in the end, I think I made a good choice. NYC is intoxicating, especially when you visit for the first time or when you’re visiting in general. But I think I would have found it overwhelming to be there all the time. Also, I loved that everyone at Barnard was really enthusiastic about going there, but it is a college in New York City so I’m sure there are tons of off campus temptations on weekends (second hand speculation, to be fair). I wanted a campus where people spent a lot of time on the campus and it had a very community feel, I didn’t want a place where everyone left every weekend to do other things (I wanted that option, just didn’t want that to be the main). That’s just my personal perception though, i did think Barnard was great, I just think it was better for me personally to go with Smith. Also, I’ll just put in a plug that Smith College has a lot of activism as well as the other women’s colleges. We are the place that shaped Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan after all, just to name a few, so we can’t really help it :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Smith is in a really beautiful area, lots of trees, mountains, parks, it’s especially exquisite in the fall. There are four other colleges in the same vicinity and a free (though somewhat time consuming) bus to the other campuses (UMASS, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire). You can also cross-register and take classes at those other campuses for free. (but again, you have to make it work with the time factor). Still, Smith I always felt is a really tight knit community and there are lots of things going on on campus. While you have the option to go to other campuses or cities for a change of pace, I think most people tended to do their playing at Smith and in Northampton, whcih is something that appealed to me as it fostered a sense of “sisterhood” I guess (for lack of a less cheesy word).</p>

<p>Northampton, where Smith is located, is very different from South Hadley, where MHC is. Northampton is a very cool, hip town with lots of art, music, and culture. Robert Altman film festivals and indie bands are the norm. Great bookstores, excellent restaurants, funky shopping, hip coffee shops, record stores, etc. I’m from a big city, so I didn’t want to get bored when I went to college, and I definitely never got bored in Northampton. It’s like living in a hipster neighborhood of a big city, always new great stuff to do. I always found South Hadley by contrast to be a lot quieter. </p>

<p>And yes, you can take buses to Boston or New York, but I only did that once or twice a year (both because of the time and the money involved, though the bus is fairly cheap.)</p>

<p>Obviously I’m a bit of a Smith booster. I think all of the schools on your list are great and what I say about Smith is not necessarily mutually exclusive. And Smith may not in the end be for you, you may prefer the more urban atmosphere of Barnard. These are just my rather long two cents.</p>

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<p>LOL CPUscientist! You have started A LOT of threads! :)</p>

<p>I guess you didn’t care for my suggestion of Univ. of Rochester? That have a GREAT Computer Science/Engineering Dept…too far for you? They have underground tunnels at the school supposedly to walk to classes without going outside…</p>

<p>Well, wherever you decide, good luck!</p>

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<p>Ten schools isn’t that many; don’t let the cost deter you. Check to see which schools waive the fee if you apply on-line. I’m pretty sure Smith waives the fee, as do many private schools - - but state schools, like UMass/Rutgers usually don’t. Also, some schools waive the fee if you visit the campus or if you are an athlete and complete the on-line athletic app/questionnaire. In rhe end, you may have to pay only a couple of the fees.</p>

<p>Amherst (UMass) is an ok college town - - definitely better than So Hadley (Mt. Holyoke), but the real perk is it’s proximity to Northampton (Smith), which was recently voted #1 college town. UMass students can take a short and free bus ride to N’hampton; Smith student, however, can just stroll into town. (Smith is also regularly #1 on Princeton Review’s “Dorms are Like Palaces” list.)</p>

<p>As for EA/EE - - remember that EE is not at all like EA. With EA, you can still get held over until the RD pool, and with EE you get an general sense of where you stand in the pool, but no actual decision until March. Also, this year Smith instituted Early Notification (probably in response to Wellesley/BrynMawr EE) - - the strong RD Smith students already have their acceptances (check out the Smith board).</p>

<p>As for MIT - - for all intents and purposes, Cambridge (especially Central Sq) is in Boston, some would say more so than BU (the border of Brookline).</p>

<p>I second URoch.</p>

<p>Finally, re: Barnard. The one draw-back of attending school in NYC is that campus life cannot compete with city life. Barnard is not NYU, but still a lot of the socializing is off campus - - and that can be quire expensive.</p>

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<p>Rutgers is NOT the Uconn of NJ…</p>

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<p>FYI, the Wellesley application is free, if you fill it out online. Also, they have cross-registration with MIT. It’s a bit of a hike (actually, a bus ride) so you have to schedule very carefully, but it would widen your selection of classes.</p>

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<p>SmithieandProud- as much as a say i would like living in NYC-i think you’re right. i think it would be a terriffying shift to go from rural alabama/suburban CT to BAM NYC! I like your two cents, they sound more realistic. thank you! i will be visiting smith because i am really excited to see the area/the engineering program! I am visiting smith, I just forgot to put it :open_mouth: thanks for the input (again)</p>

<p>chocchipcookie-- creating new threads is somehwat addicting, i’ll stop :slight_smile:
i did talk to my mother about Roch, but she wasn’t too fond of the idea (she doesn’t want me being in the city at all… i think i forgot to mention the fact that barnard is in NYC :)) I do like the tunnel thing! but that could also be scary o.O i am a little, or a lot frightened about going to school/living in NYC because like SmithieandProud said, it could be toxic. thank you for helping me (again :))</p>

<p>foolishpleasure-- I realized the difference of EE, but i do like the early indication! i’m not too good with anticipation :slight_smile: i’ll check the school’s websites about the fee waiving, i didn’t see anything about it upfront on the admissions pages so i assumed they did not have it. i hope they do, because i don’t have the means to pay for all of those apps (but i have “too many means” to get the fee financially waved because of need…funny how the system works). i’ll have my mom reconsider Roch since it got two votes!!! the fee waiving was a weight off of my shoulders :slight_smile: thank you!</p>

<p>qdogpa— i put it in quotes because i did not come up with that nor can i validate it…</p>

<p>college_query- really? that’s great! and when i visited MIT they mentioned the wellesley cross-registration, but the student guide made it seem like we had to apply and be accepted to take classes both ways??? I will look into this, thank you so much!</p>

<p>and another thanks to everybody that helped! i love having caring parents on CC! there needs to be more adults like you surrounding me :)</p>

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<p>I grew up in Rochester. U of R is on the very edge of Rochester, in a safe area. Close to shopping centers, parks and an auditorium. One of my fondest childhood memories from the 60’s is driving past a park near the campus and a bunch of students were playing naked frisbee in the rain…</p>

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<p>Is the Boston area warmer than Troy? Definitely more fun though. Do you have to stay in New England? I see Comp Sci and AI and I think Carnegie Mellon. I was dying to go to school in NYC, but in the end I’m glad I waited till I was in grad school. One thing to keep in mind is that going to school in NYC can be expensive if your friends want to go clubbing or just eat out occasionally. </p>

<p>The people I know at RPI have been happy with the aid, especially for young women, but the young woman I know best, graduated as fast as she could. Did you consider Tufts for Comp Sci? You can do it through Arts and Science or the Engineering School - I think it’s got good psych. It’s reasonably diverse. Not so male heavy as the straight engineering schools.</p>

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<p>KKmama- wow! Since you said it’s in a safe area, I’m sure my mom will be okay with it! We’ll visitthis summer</p>

<p>Mathmom- my dentist went to tufts, he told me about is while he was drilling my teeth lol.
I do have to stay in new England per mothers orders, which is fine by me(I did consider Carnegie though, and lehigh) I think Boston is “warmer” because it’s farther spun and not close to the freezing north/Canadian border like RPI is. I’m going to Boston soon so I’ll have to swing by tufts!</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

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<p>One more thing, CPU, for what it’s worth, Roch is on a beautiful stretch of green grass near a lake on the edge of town…the city is much smaller than Boston and obviously smaller than NYC…depending on where you live in New England it’ll be a 4-5 hour drive…that could be a positive or negative depending on how close to home you want to be :)</p>

<p>But it’ll be freezing cold there, a big negative it sounds like for you :frowning: It’s worth a visit if you are visiting other schools anywhere in that area…</p>

<p>RPI is in Troy, NY not far from Albany. It is not as North as other colleges, including Roch. It would probably tend to be much colder in Roch. than it would be at RPI because of the “lake effect” in Rochester.</p>

<p>Have you thought of schools a bit further south of New England for a bit milder weather?</p>

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<p>Couple of comments:</p>

<p>MIT, the computer science is part of their electrical engineering department but look at the course catalog and the class requirements. I believe that the classes will be just what you are looking for. MIT is tough to get into. I went there and it a lot of work but worth it.</p>

<p>Wellesley, Sounds like you prefer a women’s school, so I would just go with your heart. As a previous poster mentioned, you can cross-register with MIT. Wellesley to MIT is a moderately long bus ride but can you lump a bunch of classes together and stay at MIT for a term? Sounds like Wellesley might offer you the “best of both worlds” type option.</p>

<p>Northeastern wasn’t the greatest section of Boston long ago when I was in school. Could be different today. But safety is something to consider.</p>

<p>No matter where you go, as long as you find the classes interesting and challenging, keep up with your studies and have a positive attitude, you are going to do well. Good luck with your decision.</p>

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<p>There’s quite a difference between the schools you’ve mentioned from uber-big (UMass) to cold and techie (MIT) to just about perfect (Wellesley) (my alma mater) :)</p>

<p>I think you may want to spend some time really thinking about the type of school you are interested in. For example, I would have been terribly unhappy at a school that doesn’t even name many of its buildings, and instead used numbers, as MIT does. I needed to be in a nurturing environment that still expected excellence. I wanted small, but some want large and very busy. You need to find out what kind of environment you want to call home for the next 4 years. </p>

<p>(BTW, it was very easy to take classes at MIT when going to Wellesley. I used the time on the bus to do school work.)</p>

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<p>Your geography needs some work. Boston, Troy (RPI), and Rochester are all practically on the same latitude – maybe Rochester is 40 miles north of Boston, but nothing significant. Boston IS probably a little warmer, but that’s because it’s right by a body of water that doesn’t freeze. That’s also true of New Haven, by the way, which is less cold than almost any other place on your list.</p>

<p>EDIT: Rochester is 43.12, Albany is 42.75, Boston 42.37. So about 50 miles north to south between Rochester and Boston, and 30 miles between Troy and Boston. </p>

<p>Some of your judgments about the value-add of places are a little skewed. As others have said Northampton is very hip – not at all like being in the boonies. Amherst, too, to some extent, although I think it’s a little more staid and upscale. But they are almost literally walking distance apart, certainly biking distance. And UMass has about 20,000 students, which means that there are a LOT of 18-22 year-olds in Amherst MA while school is in session. That’s true of New Brunswick/Rutgers, too, I guess, but New Brunswick has a lot less going on than Amherst/Northamption. Or New Haven for that matter.</p>

<p>Yale’s need-based financial aid is superb, the equal or better of MIT’s. Neither, I believe, has merit aid, which some of the other colleges have, but if your family income is less than, say, $80,000 or so chances are that Yale or MIT will be better than, and certainly no worse than, all of the other places, and even at higher levels it may well be better, even much better.</p>

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<p>Just FYI, unless I’m missing something, RPI DOES have computer science as a major: [Computer</a> Science at RPI](<a href=“http://www.cs.rpi.edu/]Computer”>http://www.cs.rpi.edu/)</p>

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<p>If you are interested in Rutgers and women’s colleges, make sure you investigate Douglass at Rutgers.</p>

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<p>I’m mobile so I can’t do personalized responses :(</p>

<p>But as for my terrible geography, I blame my school system, we were never taught it :wink: Computer science at MIT/RPI- thanks for the clarification, their websites are a little sketchy. I did look at Douglass!! Is there a separate admission application for that? I’ll check if youre not sure!
As for the environment of the school I want to be at-- I don’t really have a type. Each of the schools are on opposite ends ofthe spectrum, but I could see myself adapting and loving wherever I went. I would prefer a women’s college atmosphere. </p>

<p>And sadly no, I cannot leave new England. Before I was dead set on leaving, I even wanted to apply to UCLA, but now that I’ve really been able to think about it, I’d like to stay close but not so close where my mom could just pop up on campus <em>cough</em> Yale :)</p>

<p>The schools websites are confusing to me, so I’ll write whatever questions I have and then ask when I visit! When I went to MHC since I was the only junior I got to sit down with two MHC women. I had questions but I didn’t plan on being the only one there, now I know better! I always come equipped with a pad and pencil wherever I visit. </p>

<p>This is all so much that my brain is frying o.O but thank you for being patient with me!</p>

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<p>For Douglass, you must be accepted at Rutgers-NB first; then you apply to Douglass. I believe they have their own scholarships which probably would interest you as an OOS student.</p>

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<p>As soon as you mentioned Douglass I looked it up and I did see that stipulation about being accepted to NB (where I wanted to be anyway) and the scholarship thanks!</p>

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<p>

Google searches solve messy websites :)</p>