<p>What if you don't like the choices you have??</p>
<p>I got full schollies to two schools - RIT and a small LAC no one has heard of. My visit to RIT wasn't great ...the campus left me cold architecturally, so to speak. And the surrounding area, too. (I had visited Haverford and Rhodes and loved them and the cities, but didn't get enough money for them.)</p>
<p>How do I come to terms with my choices? Oh, and I am a liberal arts major, so RIT isn't even my niche, but the small LAC isn't ranked as high. But I know RIT is a good school and I would get a good education there. I feel more comfortable with the small LAC but really have to wonder how an unheard of small and not prestigious school will benefit me long term. I am so confused!!!!!</p>
<p>Can you share the name of the LAC? You may be suprised - if you say what it is, it may turn out that there are parents here who have heard of it, or are alums, or have kids who attend. </p>
<p>So far you haven't listed very good reasons to turn down either school. I won't get into the "prestige" issue - that one's been beaten to death. I understand the initial reaction to universities archictecture -- I still think the main reason my daughter appied to U. of Chicago was because she liked its buildings. However, that's a very good reason to decide what college you want to visit, and what college you want to send post cards from -- the importances of architecture fades after about the third day. Especially once you realized that stately old buildings are simply not as comfortable to be in as ugly new ones. The state of the art for insulation and acoustics has come a long way since some of those stately old collegiate buildings went up.</p>
<p>It's easy to say it shouldn't matter whether or not the school is ranked high or not, but we know that for some people it means a lot. I went to an excellent unranked school, and it didn't matter when it came to grad school. I still love my school and remember my days there fondly. I would wish this for you, too. Sounds as though the small LAC is where your heart is, but the prestige factor is souring it for you. Give it a chance. Do well, and you too shouldn't have a problem getting into a grad school is that is what you want. Once you are there and making firends, it won't matter any more - if you are happy, who cares what anyone else thinks?</p>
<p>Also, check the statistics regarding grad school placement/job placement. Does the school have the resources to help you find a job after graduation. That is far more important than the name. A few years after graduation, where you went to school is not important. It is what you learned and how well you are able to apply it to real life that is important. I was a supervisor for many years and sometimes my best workers were the ones who attended the no-name schools.</p>
<p>Yes, try us as to whether the LAC is really unheard of. </p>
<p>Prestige is a sucker's pitch if the school doesn't fit your needs and/or you won't be happy there. Prestige matters a lot less than many graduating high school students think it does, with just a double handful of exceptions.</p>
<p>I'm not being critical, so I'm sorry if it comes off that way. But I'm wondering why you applied to RIT and the low-profile LAC if you didn't like them?</p>
<p>I applied to RIT because it is a good school -- and then visited the campus but did not really like it. I was interested in playing sports for the LAC, and was asked to visit the campus. I liked it. I knew it was not as strong academically. But then I got great academic schollies from both. The LAC is Eastern in PA. My mom posted the name of the school on CC before but did not get much feedback at all.</p>
<p>If finances are a major issue, can I suggest that you are highly privileged to receive two scholarships and ought to take one of the them with that attitude? No one has a "right" to go to university, and no matter where you go, life and success are what you make it.</p>
<p>so the other schools that you were admitted to didn't offer you aid? ( colorado/clark/cornell college/mills)
I admit I haven't heard of Eastern, but I am in Wa in the woods so take that with a scoop of salt</p>
<p>Throw the prestige stuff out the window and go with the college that feels right. Eastern rings a slight bell with me because we lived in Chester County, PA for four years but my kids were small at the time and I was not yet college obsessed. I do know someone that goes to RIT and I think she is a industrial design major. She absolutely loves it and will be doing a study abroad in Denmark this summer. My son, otoh, decided not to apply after a visit for reasons similar to what you stated. He wanted a small LAC with more humanity classes. He'll be going to Roanoke College in Virginia.</p>
<p>Go with whatever you feel most comfortable with. </p>
<p>I turned down quite a few, better known large colleges for a smaller, lesser known college and I LOVELOVE it here. I stuck with my feelings, no matter how everyone else encouraged me to go with something they felt was 'better.'</p>
<p>Because in the end, you're attending the college. </p>
<p>And to touch upon how a small college can foster success- think of it as a big fish in a small pond. As a freshman, I've had so many opportunities that I really feel that I would not have if I were on a bigger campus. Simply for the fact that there are more people there that I would have to compete with. I have close relationships with ALL my professors, many admins, and am on first name basis with the provost. </p>
<p>The uni might not get me 'wows' with its name (<em>shrug</em>), but I get 'wows' for the experiences I've had on campus and the work I am able to do. And that, I believe, is what helped me land a nice summer internship. </p>
<p>It really sounds like you are saying that there are enough negatives at RIT to make you unhappy. It seems like that you are more drawn to the LAC. I would be true to myself. I would make the most of the opportunities offered to me at the LAC. If you need a name, you can still attend one for grad school. I would go with the school that offers me what I want to study, and has what will make me happy.</p>
<p>Although my d is happy at RIT (graphic design major), I'd advise you to go wherever feels right for you. An unhappy student will want to leave (some of her floormates are leaving for more of art school environment while other kids transferred in this yr). My d is happy with her pgm but wishes kids were more social and less immature. But she also realizes she's glad she's attending a school where kids are focused on their work and not a party school like some of her friends (too distracting). She's also happy to be leaving dorm life & moving into an on campus townhouse next yr. RIT has lots of options - maybe not available at smaller school.</p>
<p>Wow jerzgrlmom, I know a guy who is transferring out of RIT and one of the reasons he sites is the general immaturity of the student body! I thought he was just making excuses, but maybe....</p>
<p>I think that aroundthecorner raises an excellent point..</p>
<p>
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The uni might not get me 'wows' with its name (<em>shrug</em>), but I get 'wows' for the experiences I've had on campus and the work I am able to do.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If you can get this type of experience at Eastern, that in and of itself will take you so much further in life than going to a "named school" and not being able to do those same kind of things because of the large number of people looking for the same opportunities.</p>
<p>*aroundthecorner, so glad to know you are having a great time at school.</p>
<p>lkf725,
Well, I think you'll find some immaturity on all campuses but with variations. Many kids are off on their own for the first time and go wild. My roommate was a minister's daughter and believe me, she was crazy. First taste of freedom. My d's best friend goes to a large state school which certainly has it's share of immature kids who are only interested in partying. It's just a different sort of immaturity than geeky immaturity. Some computer science majors tend be to more interested in video games than the average student. Art majors tend to be less main stream also (more individualistic). But that's not to say all are. There are plenty of personality types at RIT to choose from. My d is more mainstream so she tends to hang out with kids that are more like her. They go to sporting events (hockey games are big), movies, and yes, parties. One personality type isn't necessarily better than another, just different. At a bigger school, you have a larger pool of kids to choose your friends from so you can search for your niche (sp?). She had several friends who left small colleges coz they didn't fit in with the cliques there and it seemed like HS all over again. So if you choose a small school, make sure the "fit" is a good one.</p>