I could really use some advice. Bowdoin vs. Vassar vs. UChicago vs. Swarthmore

Colleges and Universities A-Z Bowdoin College
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<p>I’ve been recruited for track at all of these schools, and the coaches have all told me that they will support my app as best they can if I apply early.</p>

<p>I’ll definitely be pre-med–I know that I want to pursue a top med school (Dartmouth, Brown)–but I’ll probably major philosophy or psychology. I’m not religious at all, I’m pretty socially and politically liberal, and I’m into athletics.</p>

<p>UChicago: I wasn’t really thinking about UChicago until the coach called me and talked to me for about 40 minutes, just getting to know me and telling me about the school. It really made a good impression. The campus looks absolutely beautiful and the school’s prestige is really appealing, but I’m afraid I might not fit in socially. I love intellectual stimulation and discussion, but I also love social life, partying, girls, and a feeling of family and community. I’ve heard the academics are extremely difficult, and that the pre-med track is particularly cutthroat; I want to be pushed intellectually, but not to a point that it’ll hold me back.</p>

<p>Swarthmore: Pretty much the same as UChicago. The vibe of intellectual stimulation and family is really appealing, but I’m afraid I might not do well socially; I really am not much of a nerd (as Swatties define themselves), and I want a thriving social life to accompany the academic excellence and rigor. I’m afraid the intense rigor will be more detrimental than beneficial, as far as overall happiness and getting into med school.</p>

<p>Bowdoin: Bowdoin seems like a very athletic and social school. The athletic program is by far the best out of the schools I’ve listed, and it seems like a feeling of team unity and family would be strongest here. However it would also be the most competitive, and I wouldn’t be a ‘star of the team’ from the get-go, like I could at one of the other three. One of my concerns is that the school might be TOO athletic- I want an athletic and social vibe, but I don’t want a “jock” school, or a vibe that might take away from the intellectual climate. Some more shallow concerns are that the school is a little less well-known, and that the girls have a reputation of being…subpar (I’m just speculating here, so try not to chastise me). Med school placement is supposed to be phenomenal, and the pre med program isn’t rumored to be agonizing. Brunswick is also supposed to be awesome.</p>

<p>Vassar: Vassar was my number one choice for a very long time, until I realized that athletics are important to me. The coach has been less cordial than the other three, and the athletic program isn’t phenomenal (they don’t even have an indoor season, so I wouldn’t be involved in athletics for the first half of the year), and it doesn’t seem like a feeling of team family/brotherhood wouldn’t be very strong. An upside of that is that I would pretty easily have several school records after the first season. Vassar seems like it would socially be the best fit–it seems to have the best party atmosphere, and the 40:60 sex split is appealing (shallow, I know). Nonetheless an intellectual climate seems very present. Psych and philosophy are supposed to be awesome, and the pre-med track is supposed to be noncompetitive and manageable. Poughkeepsie sucks, but the campus is absolutely beautiful.</p>

<p>I’ll be visiting Vassar and Bowdoin. I may or may not have a chance to visit Swat and UChicago before the ED/EA deadline. Advice is appreciated.</p>

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<p>Just from what I’ve read here, you seem to be leaning towards Bowdoin…and I agree, it seems to be the best fit for you. Congratulations on being recruited at all four of these schools.</p>

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<p>I think when these types of comparison questions come up it’s pretty much impossible to get a definitive answer. For starters, few people know much about all of the colleges. They’re an expert on one or possibly two and have a superficial (by CC standards) understanding of all the rest. And, naturally, they can’t know you from just a few notes. But what is telling – and important and meaningful – is what you’re saying. I think YellowDaisies is correct. You seem to be leaning towards Bowdoin. It’s just echoing what you’ve shared, I know, but you’re the only expert on you. And you seem to have a decent understanding of the places you’re considering. All that the rest of us can do is give you a sanity check. And I think you’re making a sane choice among these picks. I think you’ll be fine at all four places but you’ve steered us, I think, to your preference. I’m going to respect and honor that and only add that you’re not relying on outdated facts or off-the-wall impressions about these colleges.</p>

<p>The only advice I’d toss in here is to discount the part about possibly setting school records. Your personal best is going to be your personal best. If it sets a school record at one place and doesn’t at another, who really cares in the long run? I would not let that enter into a decision for or against any college. Now, if you’re thinking that the facilities are superior, the surface is state-of-the-art, the training regime and the coaching are excellent…and all of that will lead you to top times in your events, then that’s a different story. But I think all you’re saying is that, at present, your predecessors haven’t been especially stellar and that means you could win a fleeting place in a record book that pretty much nobody cares about. Do you really want to choose a college even in a small part on the basis of how fast (or slow) your predecessors on the track team ran your events? Because holding a school record – for a year or two or maybe longer – means nothing more than that. Eventually, you’ll be someone else’s slow-moving predecessor and forgotten. At cocktail parties you’ll be able to claim that you held the 4x440 relay record at X College for 6 seasons and someone will feign interest but if you were to say that you chose X College over others partly because you knew you could hold that record, they’ll probably start looking around the room for somebody to save them.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>I don’t think you can really go wrong with any of these schools, but they are very different. UChicago and Bowdoin…well, do you want a city or the woods? </p>

<p>I will say that Bowdoin is incredible. My son is there now, and my sister and b-i-l both went there. The people couldn’t be nicer, the dorms are jaw dropping, the food excellent, and the vibe is friendly, laid-back, and welcoming. As a mom, I am happy to see my son having the time of his life, literally, in all areas: socially, athletically, and especially academically. As a super bright kid, he may not always have been challenged in H.S., but his classes (likely physics major) are pushing him to higher levels. </p>

<p>Have fun in your college search.</p>