<p>I know I want to apply to ten colleges (I'm not budging on that), but I'm having problems with my list. I have these nine so far: </p>
<p>Grinnell
Kenyon (this is the one I REALLY want to go to)
Oberlin
Rice
Vassar
Amherst
Williams
Pomona
Haverford</p>
<p>Now, the first problem I have is with Rice. I love the school and I feel a connection to it, but I'm unsure about the climate. It's in Texas - does that mean it's going to be ninety degrees every day? Does anyone know anything about weather in Houston? I'm coming from Chicago, so I'm not really used to extreme heat. </p>
<p>The second problem I have is with my tenth choice. I like both Swarthmore and Reed, and I can't choose between the two. Swarthmore's campus really appeals to me, since it's gorgeous, but Reed is in Oregon, and Oregon's really beautiful and I think I'd like the weather there. Academically, I can't really discern any differences between the two - are there any key differences? Of course, if I eliminate Rice, that would leave a space for both of these, but I'm not sure about that.</p>
<p>Don't factor weather into your decision... it will be winter the majority of the time you are down there, and it certainly won't be 90+ degrees.</p>
<p>That's a list of great schools, but I'm not so sure that it's a great list of schools. One thing I find interesting is that your top choice is, by a substantial margin, the easiest of the group to get into. I don't see any safeties on your list (I guess Kenyon might qualify with its 60-65% acceptance rate, but I don't think I'd bet the farm on that). And among the more selective schools, you have some that many would consider to be direct opposites in terms of feel. Seeing Grinnell, Oberlin, Vassar, and Reed on the same list as Williams, Amherst and Rice seems incongruous. Just my opinion. Maybe you should list what it is that appeals to you about Kenyon, and then try to find similar schools.</p>
<p>Okay, about Houston weather.... I've lived here for 20 years, so I can give you the lowdown. As a college student, you'll be here from the end of August until May. The months of August and September will be swelteringly hot -- humid and highs in the 90's. This past September there were a number of record-breaking days in the 100's. However, come mid-October, the weather cools down to the 70's and 80's. The rest of the months (November through April) will be pretty nice. Yes, there will be the occasional humid day or the occasional cold day (as in highs in the 40s), but then it will moderate. February and March are typically really beautiful -- 60's and 70's with spring flowers blooming. So if you can stand the first 6 to 8 weeks you'll really enjoy the weather compared to Chicago. Keep in mind that EVERYTHING is air conditioned. </p>
<p>Okay, I have some serious re-vamping to do. I'm just really confused. The one thing I know I want is a small LAC. Other than that, I have no idea what I want, except that I really like Kenyon for some reason...but I like the others on my list too. I guess you could say some of them have opposite feels, but I like both of those feels. What would be some good choices for safety LAC's? I don't wanna go to a crappy school, and definitely not a big one.</p>