<p>I really really do, because if I don't then I'll have to go to MIT ... all the way 2000 miles away from home and i'm really scared about doing that. now i really am anxious as MIT becomes more and more of a reality i'm getting scared that I won't like it and i'll miss my family and stuff. and also i can't let everyone down and go to UCB or something now that i've gotten into MIT. my dad wants me to go MIT even if I do get into Stanford, but i can probably haggle my way out since Stanford is still really good.</p>
<p>no ... i still want to go... its just i am a bit anxious like i don't know if its right and i'm afraid of being far away from my family, i'd be willing to go, its just that i'd rather go to stanford and be with my family</p>
<p>yeah i was just anxious thinking about moving away and only seeing my family 4x a year while right now i see them everyday i'm not sure how i would handle it, but thinking it over you guys are right i should be happy and just make the transition...</p>
<p>Saliksyed: so does that mean MIT is actually your first choice? I really DO NOT understand when people go to MIT instead of stanford. palm trees, an awesome education, SF and an actual social life?? but tha'ts cool.
yeah, i'm in the same pickle because my mom might disown me if I do'nt go to UCLA for the free ride even though i'll hate it. and I'm actually really really hoping that I get rejected from hahvahd, since that's my mom's dream school.
i do'nt get how it's soooo hard to move out and away. i actually got worried when my mom offered to move up to stanford to live with me. now that's just creepy</p>
<p>SalikSyed, you will be fine. Just think about it: there are students who attend boarding schools when they are only 15 years old. It surely is difficult for them to accept the reality of living away from home at first, but they all become accustomed, while learning to become more independent. You, too, if you decide to attend MIT, will go through a short process of homesickness. However, I assure you that once you get over the little bump, you will cherish the four years of living away from home. It will prepare you for the decades of life that lie ahead of you. Nonetheless, you should choose a school based on what you want to study. Then, the living away from home part will follow. Human beings are talented in accomodating themselves to the changing environment. Again, you will be more than fine.</p>
<p>SalikSyed - the transition to moving away from your family is something that everyone has to deal with, and like many many college students before you, I'm sure that (despite the anxiety) you would adjust to it just fine. I also had to make the decision between staying close to home (Stanford or Berkeley) and going across the country (haha, or out of the country... but that's another story), and the prospect of moving so far away from my family was really scary, but I think it was a good choice in the end - it's definitely helped me "become my own person" so to speak. give it a shot. and if it doesn't work out, there's always the possibility of transfering, right?</p>
<p>Actually, I'm the same, kinda. I also got into MIT, and I'm not sure if I should go to MIT, or if, should I get into stanford, go there.</p>
<p>Part of it has to do with stanford seeming to have a better quality of life, I guess.</p>
<p>Also, it's far away, and I kinda wanna go somewhere different for college. California is pretty much the opposite of New Jersey, I'd have to say.</p>
<p>well stanford would still be about 2.5 hours away from home so its not exactly next to home. but yeah i think i might go MIT because its the best college for engineering and thats what i wanna do!</p>
<p>another thing is I grew up in California so I'm pretty much used to palm trees, SF etc.. its not that big a deal for me i would (sort of) like to experience snow.</p>
<p>Who cares how far away a college is? I'm looking forward to getting thousands of miles away from home. Stanford has the bay and palm trees, New England has the world's best clam chowder. Just be glad you have MIT as a "safety school". Think how many kids go to community college and half to work their asses off just to get into a 4-year school, not to mention MIT.</p>
<p>Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. Okay, so I don't really know how that relates but the truth is, if you got into MIT (way to go by the way) then obviously you are decently intellectual and love to learn. Maybe since you're from CA you tend to be in a more intellectual environment, but what I'm looking forward more than anything in college is people I can chill with and talk casually about Google's business plan and world politics. This isn't something exclusive to Stanford.</p>
<p>Second, don't act off fear, I've hated so many new things this year up until I tried them and found that I actually enjoy them a lot. Your family will always be there for you (well not always, but hopefully until you're a grown adult).</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I'd also choose Stanford over MIT in a heartbeat (first it'd be nice to get accepted though haha). Maybe it may seem in CA like Stanford is the easy way out to a good school, but for all intents and purposes they're academically equal. No one outside of CA would look down upon you for choosing Stanford over MIT (at least not anybody I know).</p>
<p>Anyways, after all that rambling the moral is, look at the two schools regardless of your fears (being away from your family) and choose which one comes out on top. Fears tend to be imaginations of the worst possible situation.</p>
<p>Anyways, good luck, hope to see you next year!</p>
<p>Salik Syed.....you should thank God that you have the option of having MIT as one of your backup schools. I got rejected from MIT right out of high school but got into Stanford. Stanford gave me a crappy financial aid which made me not able to afford a Stanfod education. Now, I am at CAL. </p>
<p>Anyways, enough about me. You should understand that your family is not going to be with you for the rest of your life. Part of going to College is being independent....whether you live 3 miles from College or 3000 miles. Besides that, going to MIT or CAL will give you a real feel of what life is all about......you actually have to work your ass off to get your "A". No grade inflation here as in Stanford. Also, your not surrounded with palm trees which makes you feel like you are taking a vacation. Your also not baby sitted (as in Stanford) if you are in danger of failing......and not to mention that 50% of your graduating class don't graduating with a 3.6 (as in Stanford's case). It kind of makes me wonder how a Stanford degree is more valuable than a Berkeley degree when Stanford is living in a fantasy world while Berkeley is living in the real world. </p>
<p>My suggestion is go to MIT and make it the best for yourself. It'll make you a well rounded person b/c you'll have experienced what the real world is like. </p>
<p>And if I may ask, what did you mean when you mentioned " i can't let everyone down and go to UCB or something now that i've gotten into MIT". Is Berkeley not up to your "high" standards now? If not, then I would suggest that you come to Berkeley and see what it is made up.....Berkeley doesn't graduate it's engineering students with a average GPA of 3.7 (as in Stanford's case). A 3.7 here at Berkeley means you are at the top 5% of your graduating class.....not the middle 50% at Stanford.</p>
<p>I don't know what all this hullabo about the "fantasy at Stanford" is all about. Stanford is a happy place. I've read that apparently people who go to MIT will wine about how much life sucks, Stanford people will think life sucks but tell you it doesn't. I don't know how much of that is true it's just what I've heard.</p>
<p>For all it matters, two of the three people I know who went to MIT are very smart but very weird anti-social guys. The three people I know who went to Stanford are some of the worldliest people I know.</p>
<p>Second of all, grades are relative. I don't see any reason why just because people get betters scores at one school means it is a worse school. Grades aren't everything. You do so much growing up wherever you are and succeeding doesn't solely depend on your book-smarts.</p>
<p>This is gonna turn into a whole MIT vs Stanford thing which we really don't need. Don't let any of us who haven't attended MIT or Stanford tell you what it's like, including me. Just follow your heart, and don't let fear make your decisions for you.</p>
<p>I second that last comment also.....just decide the best for yourself. I gave u my opinions and what differentiates MIT from Stanford...but this is from a CAL student who has seen and been to Stanford but has never seen MIT.</p>