<p>I'm already going completely crazy, even though I haven't yet heard from all of my schools. Right now, I've been accepted to Cal Poly SLO, UC Irvine, and UC Davis. I am still waiting for UCLA, Notre Dame, and University of Chicago.</p>
<p>I'm an English major, and I know that UCs are really not known for that sort of thing. I have visited all three and like Cal Poly the best as far as campus/feel. But at the same time, Davis is a really wonderful place as well. Irvine is currently at the bottom of the list. </p>
<p>I don't know what the heck I'll do if I get into Chicago. It's my first choice, and I know that I would probably get the best education there, because of its intensity and just general learning environment. But at the same time, there are financial issues to consider, because it so much more than UCs or Cal Poly, and there is the distance issue as well. </p>
<p>I'm pretty sure I'll get rejected to ND...my hopes for that are very very low...</p>
<p>UCLA...well, I don't know if I'll get in. If I do...I have no idea.</p>
<p>So basically, I haven't even heard from them all yet and the decision is already eating my face off. I'm nervous and scared and freaking out and I just want to make the right decision. You know in economics...opportunity cost? The value of the next-best option? I just don't want to make the wrong choice and then be stuck pondering my opportunity cost. </p>
<p>I don't know...any advice at all would be great. Thanks! :-)</p>
<p>First of all? RELAX.</p>
<p>All of those schools are really good, even if they aren't top tier. Plus, you still have a month to make the decision. </p>
<p>Now, types of things are you looking for in a school, besides English? Think of both academic aspects and other aspects, then let us know. Why is the distance for U Chicago an issue? For financial reasons, because you'll miss home, or something else? Expand on you "financial issues." How much of a stretch financially would U Chicago be? How much does prestige matter to you?</p>
<p>Give us a better idea of what you're looking for, and we'll better be able to help you out.</p>
<p>Definitely chill for another week. But, don't write off the literacy of the UCs. Cal's English department, for example, is one of the tops in the country. UCLA is not too shabby, either.</p>
<p>"I'm an English major, and I know that UCs are really not known for that sort of thing."</p>
<p>Berkeley's English department is very well-known.</p>
<p>"It's my first choice, and I know that I would probably get the best education there"</p>
<p>Although Chicago is ranked higher than, say, UC Irvine, I hardly think you'd get a "better" education there. They'll offer the same education -- you just have to take advantage of the opportunities.</p>
<p>You'll have plenty of time to choose. Post when you've heard from all the schools.</p>
<p>BookAddict: Besides English (preferably the best creative writing opportunities), I'm really looking for a smaller school (which is why UCLA concerns me, because there are so many students) that has a pretty tight-knit group of students and small class sizes. I don’t want to get lost in the system or become a number, and I would like to be able to have contact with instructors (the thought of hundreds of people in a lecture hall makes me cringe). I love discussion and interaction with peers—not just note-taking (which I know I’ll probably have to do no matter what). I just want a place that will provide me with a solid foundation for grad school and maybe for going into writing/editing/publishing in the future. </p>
<p>I know that I don't need to go to Chicago to get that, but the place fascinates me...I can't even explain it--I just love the intellectuality that’s in the air and the campus and that they are so unique in the way they do things. The distance concerns me just because it’s so far away from California. I’m close to my family, but I’m totally willing to go if it’s for my education. Also, plane tickets aren’t cheap. As far as finances are concerned, we can just about afford the price of a UC, but Chicago is almost twice that price. I know there’s always loans, and I’m working on scholarships, but I’m not sure if putting myself into debt for undergraduate education is worth it. </p>
<p>As for prestige, honestly, it is definitely not my first concern. Like I said before, I just want a good, solid education, I don’t need a fancy name attached to it (plus, there’s always grad school for that).</p>
<p>I'm kind of all over the map here, as you can see... :-)</p>
<p>bluebayou: Do you know much about UCLA English? Any information would be great, as I don't know too much about it...I admit that I really only applied on a whim and without much info.</p>
<p>kyledavid80: That was a bad choice of words on my part. What I really mean about Chicago is that because it is such an intense and intellectual learning environment/atmosphere, it appeals to me the most, because that has tended to be the sort of situation where I grow the most as a student. The more challenging, the more I learn--and Chicago is one of the most challenging out there.</p>
<p>It was a fair of choice of words. Irvine and Chicago are not comparable.</p>
<p>Chicago definitely has an intellectual culture. Unfortunately, all publics are going to have large intro classes, but they get smaller in upper division. Southwest flies into Midway airport, which is closer to UofC than O'Hare, so tix can be reasonable. In the four hours you could drive to SLO, you could fly to Midway! </p>
<p>I really like Chicago, but not at an additional $20k/yr in loans -- no undergrad private school is worth that amount of loans, IMO, including ND. Perhaps UoC will come thru with some decent need-based aid.</p>
<p>Don't have many specifics on UCLA's department, sorry.</p>
<p>Wait until all your options are out there and then decide.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>If you get into UCLA's honors program, the classes in that progrm are supposed to be smaller. But yes, publics will all have large intro classes. The size of UCLA is probably one of the biggest reasons I didn't go there (My final choice was between there and where I am now), though the other reason was distance. My home is less than an hour away from UCLA, depending on traffic of course, and I wanted to be farther away. Hence the fact that I ended up halfway across the country...</p>
<p>Anyway, back on topic, if you do go to a large university, you can still have contact with your professors, even in large intro classes. You will probably have to make more of an effort, but most professors have office hours, so you can stop by if you have questions or want to talk. That said, I do enjoy having classes where my english professor (who is also the assistant dean for the college my major's in) knows me by name, comments on my haircut or that I've not been talking in class as much lately, and is always willing to help me out. Though remember, even in small classes, you may not get to know your professor well.</p>
<p>Discussion with peers can happen at any college, especially in honors programs, and all of those schools you listed, IMO will prepare you for grad school. Some may help you get into better grad schools than others, but even going to a lesser known school doesn't completely rule you out for a good grad school.</p>
<p>As for whether or not Chicago is worth the extra money, no one can tell you that. Personally, I avoided the schools that would put me a great deal into debt, but some would say those schools are worth it. But wait and see what financial aid you get, at least.</p>
<p>Anyway, you can't make much of a decision till you hear from the rest of the schools, so just remember to chill out. :)</p>
<p>
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I know there’s always loans, and I’m working on scholarships, but I’m not sure if putting myself into debt for undergraduate education is worth it.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I am a big fan of the UC's. And UCLA is a fantastic school. Chicago, though, would be an intense intellectual experience of the sort that I imagine would be mostly matched at Berkeley, I would think, among the UC system.</p>
<p>Frankly, from what I know of these schools only impressionistically, the mix of schools you've selected seems almost strange. Don't get me wrong: they're all good. But UCLA, as good a faculty as it has, is a far cry in terms of intellectual atmosphere from Chicago. ND too is far different, I would think from UChic.</p>
<p>I think your first order of business is to wait until you hear where you did and did not get in. Don't write off the UC schools in terms of their "literacy" or literariness. For example, UCI had a lit. program that was a center of Deconstructionism when it was all the rage -- and Yale was the strongest contender against it. But the "new Historicism" at UC Berkeley was the next wave. Et cetera.</p>
<p>I am inclined to agree that being $50K down in debt at least won't be worth it if you have the options on your table.</p>
<p>If you are motivated, you can make any of these schools serve your purpose.</p>
<p>I don't necessarily think of any of these schools having great creative writing programs.</p>
<p>BookAddict: Thanks for the advice. And you're right...I need to just wait for the rest of the decisions. Just thought I'd get some opinions :-). </p>
<p>It sounds like you made the right choice for you by not attending UCLA. If I may be nosy, where did you decide to attend?</p>
<p>Anyway, thanks again. </p>
<p>:-D</p>
<p>BedHead: Yeah...looking at my choices now, they do seem like an odd mix. That might be why I'm having such a difficult time with all of this--because they all have something unique to offer. </p>
<p>It's good to know that UCs are good for lit programs. The only reason I tend to think otherwise is because they are very heavily research-based and there is a lot of emphasis on science. My sister went to UCSC and though she enjoyed it, so many of her classes were taught by TAs and many professors were interested only in their own research. I know it is entirely unfair to categorize the UC system based on her single experience, but it does turn me off a tiny bit. </p>
<p>You're right--college really is what you as a student make of it. For now I'll just wait for the rest of the decisions. </p>
<p>Thanks for the advice :-)</p>
<p>Psst...look at my "Location:". I'm at Baylor. :)</p>
<p>You sound a lot like me, actually. Not in the major (I'm definitely NOT a creative writer, and I'd never be an english major), but with some of your prefs. And the colleges I applied to were an odd mix, too.</p>
<p>Glad we've helped. College application time was HUGELY stressful for me, until I realized about halfway through the process that I'd really be fine wherever I went.</p>
<p>Anyway, wait for the rest of your decisions, then come back and give us an update.</p>
<p>bobby100:</p>
<p>"It was a fair of choice of words. Irvine and Chicago are not comparable."</p>
<p>So you think that the assertion that one will learn more at Chicago than UCI is valid? I think that, in many ways, Irvine isn't comparable to Chicago, probably in areas like financial aid, caliber of the student body, prestige, etc. But the OP was saying that his or her education would definitely be better at UChic, which I find to be a completely ridiculous assertion. Do you honestly think that, say, an international relations major at UChic is going to know substantially more than one at Irvine? I don't think so, but I do agree that as schools, the two aren't easy to compare. They won't somehow offer different educations -- perhaps different experiences, but not educations.</p>
<p>Actually, if you do your homework, UCI has one of the top English depts, especially in writing and lit I believe. Don't write if off until you really check into it.</p>
<p>^^^ I agree with the last two posts.</p>
<p>Cal Poly shouldn't even be in the mix compared to your other options... it is a great school for certain areas of study (engr, ag, biz), but the humanities departments pretty much exist only as a peripheral consideration to fulfill lib ed requirements.</p>
<p>I can remember back in High School when a classmate of mine who is extremely bright and intelligent chose to attend UCI.</p>
<p>She had gotten into UCB, Yale, Dartmouth, and a few others as well. Since she was an English major and wanted to teach it, a masters was most likely the highest she would have gotten. UCI basically gave her a full ride + some extra money and since public education doesn't have a prestige factor in hiring teachers, paying more for a better school really didn't make sense.</p>
<p>Actually UCI is very well known for its' English/Lit/Creative writing studies. You should look into it.</p>