I suddenly despise my college list

<p>You guys will probably get mad at me for *****ing, but for some reason, I am disappointed with my college list. Maybe the fact that I'm currently so unhappy with it has to do with being a first-generation immigrant, but I won't blame everything on that fact. The deal is, my parents didn't take me to visit ANY schools outside my state, so I used silly college guides to make my list:</p>

<ul>
<li>johns hopkins</li>
<li>cornell</li>
<li>tufts</li>
<li>wellesley</li>
<li>carnegie mellon </li>
<li>boston unversity</li>
<li>brandeis </li>
<li>NYU (though I haven't done the app yet and might not...)</li>
</ul>

<p>Anyway, I made this list when I want to be premed, and now I want to do a humanities major instead. Additionally, jhu and cornell have such cut-throat environments... I now regret not having applied to schools like Northwestern, Bucknell, Amhest College, Barnard, and Emory. :/ I guess it's way too late since I sent in all my apps, but I feel... like I won't be happy next year. what do I do?</p>

<p>PS: Is the fact that I haven't visited/interviewed with cornell and jhu going to hurt me in this whole process? should I try to still get an interview/visit in february or what?</p>

<p>I know exactly how you feel. I am starting to hate my college list as well. So, instead of sleeping I am worrying that I won't get any money, won't get in, won't like the school, uhhhhhhhhh
I haven't visited any of my colleges and have only sent in two applications.</p>

<p>Don't apologize. My son has changed his major three times in the past month! No one with a shred of common sense expects your pre-college choices to be binding.</p>

<p>Don't assume that the colleges on your list are "worthless" for the humanities. For intance, JHU certainly has a reputation for being cut throat when it comes to premed, but that is not true for the humanities and softer social sciences. They have a number of strong departments in areas outside of medicine/bio. For example, they are one of the tops in creative writing, and their history department is very good. When I was there, the students in history were generally cooperative. </p>

<p>Moreover, it's much easier to get into Hopkins as a person interested in the humanities. They have a glut of pre-med students and are searching for students with other interests. Has your app already gone in, or can you let them know of your interest in areas outside of the sciences?</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Everyone starts to hate their lists after it's too late to change it. </p></li>
<li><p>There is nothing at all wrong with not being able to visit a college until after decisions are out. If you couldn't make the trip, you couldn't make the trip. There are tons of kids in the same position, and college books and colleges' websites are fine places to get information.</p></li>
<li><p>Since you haven't seen the college, you can't properly judge the environment. I was worried, too, that JHU was too competitive for me. As a non-med applicant, I feel fine with the general level of intensity of the school. It doesn't seem very different from other schools, except for the pre-meds. It also has a fantastic humanities department that is often overlooked. I am sure that Cornell is similar.</p></li>
<li><p>All of your schools are strong overall, including in the humanities. Do not worry about that.</p></li>
<li><p>Visit the schools if you can, but don't stress out about it. Colleges realize that not everyone can visit. To show interest, go to a local presentation on the school, email the admissions office with a thoughtful question, or ask for the contact information of a student interested in . </p></li>
<li><p>You have a good list, and you will probably be happy with where you get in and decide to go. Most people like schools they were initially unsure about. </p></li>
<li><p>If you really hate your school, transferring is not the end of the world.</p></li>
<li><p>We're all in the same boat.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks, guys.</p>

<p>Cami215, I actually didn't specify a major on my application to jhu, but I applied to the humanities college. The funny thing about my grades/ECs/scores is that they're all nearly identical, so supposedly, I "can do whatever I want and be fine." Or maybe I'm just the jack of all trades...</p>

<p>Either way, after my parents signed me up for a fancy pre-med class at tufts, I realized, while sticking my hand into the corpse of an 80-year-old woman and doing everything in my power not to faint, that perhaps I'm just not cut out to be a doctor. Oh, and plus that whole "science and math drive me nuts thing." Plus, premed majors seem to be some of the unhappiest people in the world. Why not do something you're interested in rather than try to get the big paycheck? </p>

<p>Either way, jhu has an amazing writing program and cmu is famous for psychology. who knows? Maybe I'll actually get in somewhere and be happy.</p>