I was going to apply to Colgate ED but I feel it's for the wrong reasons? Want a school w/ hiking

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hi. So I visited Colgate earlier in the fall and fell in love, because I like being in a secluded small town, and the strong academic curriculum and outdoor education program got me hooked since I am very much into nature. My grades/ SAT/ curricula's are good but not stellar (92 /100 GPA, really bad 26 ACT first time, 1850 SAT (retaking both), fair extra curriculars, no hooks), and in my naviance graph I am in the denied section (however I am retaking the ACT in October and retook the SAT earlier in October, and am retaking SAT again in November). I wanted to apply ED because I really loved the school and I thought applying this way would up my chances of getting in.</p>

<p>However, upon further review, I found that Colgate is not near the mountains. It's over two hours away from the Catskills and a whopping 3 from the Adirondacks. My friend's sister goes to Middlebury, and that is just a mere hour away from the Adirondacks and it is not supposed to be as sorority heavy or drinking heavy. I feel like I could be more in touch with nature if I went to Midd. Both schools are gorgeous but Midd is much prettier. I feel the schools are very similar but I would be in heaven to go in a school so close to the ADK mountains. Also I did not yet visit Midd but at Colgate all the girls were dressed like models so I'd be worried that I wouldn't fit in. Midd is less preppy from my knowledge.</p>

<p>There has only been one guy from my school to ever get accepted to Midd (a super genius) and there has been a few to go to Colgate. I have a HUGE longing to apply ED to Middlebury, because if I got in, it's my top choice, but the thing is that my guidance counselor says its a long shot even if I do apply ED there. But the Feb admission gives me a little hope. </p>

<p>I am VERY paranoid that I won't be getting in at all. (I'm applying to 22 colleges, 17 reaches, 2 matches, 3 safeties b/c I'm so scared I won't get into any and ONLY am truly infatuated with the reaches). I feel I NEED to apply ED just because I don't have the grades (I have some 70s on my math Regents tests too). This, though I know it's the wrong reason, makes me want to apply ED.</p>

<p>I just don't want to risk applying ED to Midd, then not getting in, and then not getting in RD to Colgate (having wasted my only Early Decision on a place I likely won't get in) . At the same time, I don't want to apply ED to Colgate, get in, and then realize that Midd accepted me RD and I missed out on going there because my ED at Colgate was binding. </p>

<p>Do you know of any other schools that have hiking nearby for me to consider? Preferably a small LAC. Thanks!!!</p>

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<p>Also if you were a nature lover like me, but also love having stimulating intellectual conversations, where would you apply?</p>

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<p>Sorry forgot to mention that I’m really into gothic architecture like at Kenyon College but I live in NY so it’s far away to go there and idk if there’s hiking</p>

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<p>Go to a school that fits you academically and then see if they check off your soft factors. To limit or choose your potential schools because of hiking is silly, IMO. Hiking will not get you an education or earn you a paycheck. Choosing or wanting a school based on that is just as stupid as choosing one based on “I want to go to a good football school” or “I need to go to a school that has good dining options”. </p>

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<p>The hiking isn’t the deciding factor for me but both schools are very good on academic terms and I want to go somewhere where I have an outlet of nature in addition to the academics. I like to work hard but nature is important fir me to have as a release (if I could get in).</p>

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<p>I plan on majoring in political science so do you know which school has a better program?</p>

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<p>If you like both equally, don’t apply ED to either one. Apply to both RD and then compare packages.</p>

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<p>Why throw a free option (ED) away on when you are so out of the money. Middlebury is more than a long shot. If you don’t improve your test scores, so is Colgate. ED will only improve your chance if you are within the ballpark. You never even visited Middlebury, how would you know if there is less drinking cultural or less preppy. IMO, you are making your decision almost out of desperation - you want to get into a school. </p>

<p>If you are not certain, don’t apply ED. By waiting until RD, you may even be able to improve your GPA and test scores, so you would be a stronger applicant.</p>

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<p>Thank you for the advice!</p>

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<p>My cousin goes to Colgate and she loves it. They have a class limit per semester so you never have too much work and she says that everyone is outdoors a lot of the time. Every college has some sort of excursion club so you should worry too much about not being able to hike. Also, she said that most of the time students wear sweats so I don’t know about the whole preppiness factor.</p>

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<p>Utah State is the best college because you live so closes to the mountains!!</p>

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<p>I appreciate the advice!</p>

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<p>I don’t know…looking for easy access to hiking trails is a good place to start. Then, check for your major/stats. Go for it! </p>

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<p>Hi! I am a fellow senior and nature lover :slight_smile: Are you set on being on the East Coast? If not, then the west has some great small schools to consider that are easier to get into, and, if I may say so myself, have much better hiking. </p>

<p>Lewis and Clark is in Portland, Oregon- not in the mountains persay, but they have tons of trails nearby, a beautiful area, and easy access to all the PNW has to offer. They have a definite global feel and approach, and I feel like you could definitely be intellectually stimulated there. My friend had the same ACT score as you and got in last year with substantial merit, so you definitely have a good chance. </p>

<p>That was the first one that came to mind, but here are some other western colleges you might consider: Reed College (also in Portland, VERY intellectual, harder to get into), Westminster in SLC, Utah (access to Wasatch mountains right nearby), Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA (not really in the mountains but right in between the Rockies and the Cascades, and definitely has a more intellectual environment), University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA (don’t really know about hiking or academics but knew a guy who went there who was very involved with their outdoor program), Colorado College (way harder to get into, but super intellectual and outdoorsy), Fort Lewis College (small, not really great academically but the location in Durango, CO cannot be beat), Carroll College or Rocky Mountain College (not sure about academics but they are both small and in Montana, so that’s cool). </p>

<p>You might check out this list of good “outdoor” colleges: <a href=“http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/north-america/united-states/california/Outside-University--The-Top-40.html”>http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/north-america/united-states/california/Outside-University--The-Top-40.html&lt;/a&gt;. What I did to refine my college search was scan through rankings of liberal arts colleges (don’t pay too much attention to the rankings, though), picked out the ones in locations I thought I might liked, and researched those further. It sounds like you already have a lot of colleges on your list, but you definitely need less reaches and more safeties that you would actually be happy going to. I’m sure you know this, but work on your essays a ton and let them show your voice and who you really are.</p>

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<p>OP: check out Sewanee</p>

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<p>

Colorado College, no doubt about it. Great intellectual school, with “one course at a time” block plan. Near the mountains and a four day weekend every month to go hiking. Unfortunately, it is just another reach for you (see below) but not as much of a reach as either Colgate or Middlebury.</p>

<p>Second choice, St. John’s College in Santa Fe. One of the most intellectual colleges in the country. Different kind of hiking than you might be used to, though. But it ain’t a reach, and it is “test optional.”</p>

<p>In New York, look at St. Lawrence University. St. Michael’s in Vermont (this is the only Catholic college of all these “saints” but you don’t have to be Catholic).</p>

<p>

Chill. You will get into college. A 26 is not bad. Won’t get you into Harvard (nor Kenyon), but it will get you into probably at least 75% of colleges in the country. If you would add a few more matches, you won’t have to worry. Too many reaches, and both Colgate and Middlebury are huge reaches for you.</p>

<p>A great strategy to guarantee NOT getting into college is to apply to only reaches. Add some more matches. I have seen several very smart students get rejected at every single Ivy but never applied to any other schools. Panic city! Applying to only elite schools almost proves that a person isn’t smart enough for the elites. </p>

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<p>From the Sewanee website (admission.sewanee.edu/): The University sits atop the Cumberland Plateau between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Sewanee’s 13,000–acre campus—the second largest in the country—features forests, meadows, lakes, caves, more than 50 miles of trails, and 15 miles of rock outcroppings.</p>

<p>Having visited myself, I can say all of this is true. The campus is literally set in a hiker’s paradise yet has a superb core set of buildings. Excellent LAC too.</p>

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<p>… and at Sewanee you can hike even in the winter, unlike in the northeast. Great suggestion @dadof1 :-bd </p>

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<p>^^Yup, and Sewanee has the gothic architecture that the OP is looking for as well. His stats are in line with Sewanee too. Seems like the perfect fit for OP.</p>

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<p>I think the only drawback to Sewanee (and Colorado College, and SJ-Santa Fe) is the distance from home. This is less important than it appears. After the first year, most students rarely go home except for Christmas and summer breaks. In fact, even a lot of freshmen only go home for Christmas. I currently know a freshman who lives only six hours, by car, away from home and does not plan on coming home for Thanksgiving. Lots of California students attend college in New England and the Midwest. It is not a big deal.</p>