<p>I applied ED to Dartmouth because it was my first choice. Im not sure if it is the perfect school for me, but it was my top choice. I am afraid of the isolation and eventual repetitiveness of the social life in my junior and senior years. I also like UPenn and UVA. After I applied to Dartmouth, however, I began to have doubts that I never had before submitting. I want to go to a top tier university, but I feel i squandered my chance by applying ED. If I change now will they tell these other schools not to accept me during the regular round. Can i even change at all? Maybe I'm just overthinking the situation, but I'm scared I made the wrong choice and should have used the boost one gets from going early on another school or maybe I shouldn't have used it at all. </p>
<p>Yes, you can change ED to RD, but once you do, you can’t change it back. There are no consequences to doing so.</p>
<p>The questions you need to ask yourself are, what are your realistic chances at each of the schools in question and why did you choose Dartmouth in the first place. Sure, it’s great to imagine yourself at UPenn, but did you realistically have a chance to get in there? Or UVa? Or was Dartmouth your most realistic chance, and even that was with the ED boost.</p>
<p>Not saying which is the correct path, but you have a few weeks here to make the change. Think it through, talk with your parents and GC, perhaps make another visit if that’s realistic. You chose it for some reason, cold feet are not unusual, but you need to examine why you’re having doubts. Are you the type that often second guesses decisions? Some people hate the thought that they might actually succeed, because they love to keep their options open, because the other choice was always slightly better in hindsight. May not be rational, but they convince themselves of that. Or perhaps you really did make the choice in haste and withdrawing to RD is the better option. </p>
<p>Only you can answer those questions, but you still do have options at this point, and probably safely do until just after Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>My counselors think I am a shoo in at UVA (mom and dad went. Grandpa and uncle went to medical school there. I was born in Virginia. Grandpa has worked there for 30 years. The cancer hospital is named after my step grandmother. They are generally very kind to our school.) UPenn seemed a little too preprofessional and i only really considered it this fall after visiting campus, (whereas i visited Dartmouth and UVA in the spring and fall.) I guess i chose dartmouth because of all the options it was the best, not perfect though.
I definitely am feeling the cold feet thing you are talking about, but i want to be sure it is the cold feet effect, not actual doubts (because they were there before, but i saw them as managable)</p>
<p>There are a lot of possibilities in that statement, but know that most people overwhelming like where they wind up, even if they have doubts. And a lot of city kids have doubts about rural or remote locations when in fact, they quickly discover that the college itself is what is most important, not the surrounding location, not even NYC if you were going to Columbia.</p>
<p>A couple of positives I can see about Dartmouth from what you write. It’s a completely different environment for you - that’s scary. But it’s also your one opportunity in life to experience that. I told my daughter last year, you are going to live the rest of your life in cities or suburbs in all likelihood, go live in a small town or rural area in another part of the country. She’s thriving. UPenn is just another city like the one you’re used to, I’m guessing. Comfortable, but only the zip code changes. And UVa is great and a family tradition, but also a family tradition and you might want to do something new. Med or grad school is still and option there if you want to continue the family legacy, yet at the same time make your own mark.</p>
<p>Your decision, of course, but your choice of Dartmouth was not irrational or completely out of the blue. There are a lot of positives for you there. Might be too many negatives, but it’s possible to transfer if you go and absolutely hate it, and you’d probably have no problem at all transferring back to UVa.</p>
<p>awesome. Im pretty sure my doubts come from cold feet because of the commitment. Its hard forget all the possible college scenarios that run through your head constantly during the decision process. If I had committed to penn, im sure i would be having the same qualms about missing out on dartmouth. Thank you so much for helping me sort out these thoughts! </p>
<p>You can change, just email admissions at Dartmouth and ask to change from ED to RD. If you aren’t sure, I wouldn’t apply ED. </p>
<p>thats good to hear. i was like 95% sure dartmouth was the only place for me and 100% sure it was my favorite out of the colleges i looked at, but after submitting, some doubts crept in. I doubt i will change my mind, but it is nice to know that if the next view days bring more clarity i can email them for the change. thanks for your insight!</p>