<p>Accepted:
UMass Amherst Honors - will cost about $30k/yr
Juniata College - will cost about $20k/yr
Mount Holyoke - financial aid pending
BU - full tuition, will cost $15k/yr</p>
<p>Rejected:
BC
Wesleyan</p>
<p>Waitlisted:
Smith
Wellesley</p>
<p>I honestly cannot see myself anywhere but Smith. I'm trying hard to get off of the waitlist, but it doesn't start moving until May 15th, so I have to pick another school that I will potentially live at for four years. Being waitlisted is a huge surprise to me, it was by no means a reach school for me.</p>
<p>BU seems like the obvious choice, but I HATE large cities (please don't ask why I applied, it's too late now). I'm not sure if I could make it through. I don't want to drop out and end up at home after a semester.</p>
<p>I am heavily leaning towards taking a gap year working full time at the veterinary hospital where I work now. I think I'd have a better chance at getting into more competitive schools as a first-year applicant instead of a transfer. I need some outside opinions?</p>
<p>Smith is indeed great! I’m a junior there now. UMass honors doesn’t at all seem like a bad gig. If you go to UMass for a year and transfer to Smith, that might make it easier. You’ll be close to Smith and visiting (meeting admissions officers…they’re really sweet) will be easy. During your second semester you can even take classes at Smith.</p>
<p>I’d take Mount Holyoke if you don’t mind all girls. If you don’t like large cities and wont’ go to BU, you should take UMass… imo. But that might just be me.</p>
<p>take Mount Holyoke, the financial aid will be there</p>
<p>I don’t mind being in a single-sex environment. Should my financial aid not go through… I’m thinking gap year.</p>
<p>Actually it looks as if you have four great choices. I’d just pick one and NOT take the gap year unless you have a passionate interest in doing something particular for that year. You can transfer later.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>take the gap year if you’re not comfortable going to college anywhere else.</p></li>
<li><p>remember that sometimes you don’t realize that a school or a major is a bad (or great!) fit until you’ve already spent time in your courses (ie. it’s too late). Keep an open mind about all of your options.</p></li>
<li><p>In that year you might take a course or two as a part time close to home to gauge what classes will be like in college. This will give you a better idea of what you can expect anywhere and you’ll be better prepared to deal. Make sure the credits are widely transferable.</p></li>
<li><p>getting in as a 1st year student will not make you more competitive than a transfer unless you really flunk your courses in the 1st year or 2. Many colleges prefer to see students test the waters, make mistakes early on, and learn from it.</p></li>
</ol>