<p>Is it bad I want URI over (better) colleges?
Hello everyone, I'm a rising senior who goes to the 2nd worst school in the state of RI and I'm in a bit of a dilemma.</p>
<p>I've gotten decent grades through high school (3.4UW 3.7W) and I did ok on my SAT-2010 but I feel a bit pressured to go to a better school when I want to go to URI. URI is almost frowned upon in my school because it's something "anyone" can get into. But all the kids in my school who do get in get in through TD. The average sat here is 1200 (with all three subjects) and there have been people with 2.5's who've gotten in.</p>
<p>I want to enjoy college and if I go to a higher tier college I won't be as comfortable, plus I imagine the workload will be higher. I'm planning on going to grad school afterward and I've heard the undergrad doesn't even matter. I'm sure my counselor realllly wants me to put all my effort into Brown University(unrealistic imo) or a higher tier place like Brandeis but I like the comfort that I have in Rhode Island and URI really appeals to me. Any help on what I should do? I'm also not just looking to be lazy, I'm planning on applying to their honors programs as well.</p>
<p>I also have a little addon to the question and with my stats how much can I get with the centennial scholarship? I'm asking the parents because you guys have the most experience and wisdom out of anyone else on collegeboard.</p>
<p>IF you found a school with a good “Fit” for you and comfortable financially, go for it. As I told both my sons, you can go anywhere and be anything!!! You sound like a smart kid and will do very well at URI. Don’t be fooled. There are many bright kids at State U’s!</p>
<p>Who really cares what your counselor or school want? The decision is yours, and if you have found a school where you feel you will flourish and if you sense a great fit, choose URI. You are the one who will be spending the next few years in college, and so this is your decision.</p>
<p>Agree, go where you want to go. If your counselor wants you to aim high then chances are you will do very well at the school you seem to like. Doing well in your college will get you further than the name on your diploma. By October of the fall after you graduate high school no one from your high school will care which school you are at and by December there will be kids that are jealous of you because they are home and not going back to their college for spring semester. It’s a time old story played out every single year all over the country. There seems to be more “pressure” in the NE about the “name” of the college than in other parts of the country so try not to let it weight on you. My third is going to a school that is lower ranked than some he was accepted at but he liked the school, he thought it felt the best to him and he thought he’d “do better” at this school. And yes there are kids going there who weren’t in his AP classes who didn’t graduate with honors, but fortunately he had already seen what happened to his two older brothers, their high school friends and what really happens “after high school” so what his high school friends “thought” senior year didn’t really bother him much. Best of luck and for heavens sake if at all possible GRADUATE. That is the true reward and something only 50% of the kids who head off to college actually do.</p>
<p>Well, I will say that it’s not true that your undergrad doesn’t matter. The name of your undergrad isn’t so important, but the quality of your undergrad education and the kind of resources and opportunities you have access to do matter. Graduate admissions committees are familiar with the reputations of certain places’ undergraduate education, and so it does matter somewhat where you come from. But you can definitely go to a place like URI and then go to a top graduate school if you wanted; you just need to work hard and make yourself stand out.</p>
<p>With that said, though, you should go where you are comfortable both socially and academically. If you aren’t comfortable at other places, then you shouldn’t go.</p>
<p>I’m glad to hear that there is an honors program, hopefully you will get admitted. At least you have a safety you are happy with! But I suggest you make some of those ‘better school’ applications to keep a variety of options open for you to consider. After acceptances, you’d have more time to think on it and compare aid packages.</p>
<p>I will try not to be too much a pushy Brown mom here, but you should consider:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If your GC thinks you have a shot, then I’d hate to see someone disregard the possibly life changing experience that can be had at Brown. They certainly seek low income RI kids who they think would make it academically.</p></li>
<li><p>Listen to what juillet said, the undergrad reputation of your department and college can help in competitive grad programs. Also at Brown you will have a very significant amount of access to resources and research that can boost your chances. My daughter did very well with grad school admissions. I think something crazy like 80% of grads are in grad or professional school within 5 years of graduation.</p></li>
<li><p>You will get a free ride at Brown, based on income I saw you post elsewhere. No loans either. For URI, run the net price calculator. You will see that you have a significant amount of money to come up with even after the Pell grant and the standard URI merit money (assuming you live on campus). You will have to wait to see what they merit they might award additionally, that might reduce your loans. No one knows what merit money you might get, just that you pass the threshold for consideration. You will have to take out loans and there is only so much you can borrow on your own.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Brown will likely be much more challenging and maybe you aren’t willing or able, that’s something to think about. There is a lot of built in cushioning if you are having trouble adjusting but I won’t go into that now. But at URI, you are going to have to perform extremely well in order to get into a good grad school and should be pushing yourself hard for that goal. What area are you thinking of?</p>
<p>I wish it were not so much pressure you are getting, but info on other opportunities out there so that you can make a more fully informed decision as to where to apply, your options and the benefits and drawbacks of both. I have one who went to our state school, one to a private LAC, one to a top 25 school, and one to an OOS public school, so I’ve run the gambit with our kids. They all had reasons for their choices. Also it’s not as though they had equal access to all they chose to apply to. You do have to get accepted and it has to be affordable. So, in many cases, it’s a matter of seeing what the options are for you. </p>
<p>I hardly consider RI a school that is sub par any way. I know two kids from here who ended up there, and both are duing grad studies at ivies. So my perspective on the school is quite different from yours. They had some other choices and picked URI over them, and it was not their in state school.</p>
<p>@BrownParent- Do you think it’s even possible for OP to get into Brown? With a 3.4/2010? OP’s competitive, but not that competitive.</p>
<p>Based on my stats it’s a slim chance (I think). There are other students from my school who have done less than me and have gotten into Brown. The highest sat in the history of the school before mine was 1240(M and CR), and they had similar gpa’s to mine.</p>
<p>Brown I would most certainly consider, but somewhere like Northeastern, Boston College, Tufts, etc. just make me uncomfortable thinking about them because of location and rigor. While Brown probably does have a higher standard than those schools and the work is probably harder I’d be much more comfortable being in my hometown. I also know several Brown students who love helping out students so I could contact them if I’m struggling my freshman year.</p>
<p>But hearing all of this is pretty reassuring. If I do go to URI then I’ll just make sure I apply myself in their honors courses and if I do get into Brown then I’ll see how things turn out. Overall though momofthreeboys did touch upon why I’m frightened, I want to be in the most comfortable position possible because I do want to graduate.</p>
<p>Collegealum314, the only other college I see that’s in between and close to this is Providence college, and there are several reasons I don’t want to go there.</p>
<p>I just wanted a bit of assurance that it’s ok to want to go somewhere that might perform less than the other colleges but would be somewhere I’d want to go.</p>
<p>URI is a fine school. A friend of mine graduated from there and is doing well as an industrial engineer. I see no reason why you can’t also have a “life changing experience” at URI.</p>
<p>I know URI very well, very very well. Kids of all kinds went there from my high school, from the really bright kids with great scores to the kids who floundered (and probably didn’t graduate). You will find all kinds there, so you won’t be alone. I’ve known many professors there and your education will be fine. If this is where you really want to go, go there, save money. Don’t worry about it. Go somewhere else for grad school. URI has some well respected programs, too, such as Marine Science. Kingston is a nice town and the beach is close by, as I am sure you know. Be happy and don’t sweat it.</p>
<p>Collegealum asks if there is something between Brown and URI that is more appropriate, but there is nothing not appropriate about URI. It is a state school with many programs that can be as challenging as the OP wants to make it. </p>
<p>That being said, I thought I would rather die than go to URI, but that’s because I grew up there. It’s actually pretty nice.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t normally encourage someone with OP’s stats, but I was relying on the GC’s advice and experience. He is from the Providence school system and Brown seeks underprivileged RI kids.</p>
<p>redpoint - URI would not be cheaper for this OP than Brown</p>
<p>Take a look at the exact courses you will taking at URI to fulfill your major and the distribution requirements. Then look at Brown and see they have no distribution requirements. If you want to double major or do a unique program, the flexibility of Brown may allow you to pursue it easier than at URI. </p>
<p>I was accepted to URI for pharmacy many years ago but decided I did not want to go into that field and chose a different school when decision time came in the spring. My point is that you will probably have a different perspective next spring than you do now so I would definitely keep your options open. Depending on your major, URI really could be the best fit for you. But definitely apply to a few more schools (even Brown) so you could have more choices. You don’t have to make a decision until the spring so just let it all ride and don’t stress too much. You will know what is best for you when the time comes to make a decision.</p>
<p>There’s nothing wrong with wanting to go to URI; however, if you apply and get accepted to Brown, I would encourage you to at least consider it and visit if you can. The assumptions that you won’t enjoy your college experience there and that it will be a heavier workload may not be correct. (I think this will mostly depend on your major.) It is an opportunity that so many people would love to have; if you get that opportunity, I don’t think you will regret at least checking it out to satisfy yourself that you’ve considered both options and are making an informed choice.
Best of luck to you!</p>