<p>(This thread is on college admissions, so ignore that one. I couldn't figure out a way to move the thread!!)</p>
<p>So as I am getting ready to begin senior year and begin the application process, I am noticing a weekly/monthly trend...</p>
<p>A good portion of my school choices have remained consistent over the last few months, but some of my possible schools keep changing every week/twice a month or so. Is this normal?</p>
<p>For example, my intended major is international relations, and I replaced Boston College with Johns Hopkins. Good choice, right? Well, I thought so till a couple of days ago, when I learned that Johns Hopkins is sandwiched between a beautiful city and a slummy neighborhood. Furthermore, I found out from JHU students that the academics there are extremely cutthroat and many people are always looking for a way to sabotage your grade(s)...So now I am reconsidering whether or not I want to apply to JHU or not...</p>
<p>Again, is this normal and just a part of good research, or am I too fickle for my own good?</p>
<p>And for any of you CCers that have their parents involved in the app process, how do you keep them in the "loop," even though you are involved in a complex process that they cannot be fully aware of?</p>
<p>Much thanks for any assistance...</p>
<p>Of course it's normal, your first choice might even change somewhere in the middle of senior year. Visit the colleges you are thinking about this summer, that's the best way to figure out if you would really like to attend them.</p>
<p>And let your parents know about your applications when they ask, but don't let them run the process. Your college years are partly about becoming an independent individual, the first step to getting to those years should reflect that.</p>
<p>its normal, my first set goal was UVA, but now i am reconsidering to go to better schools that have more to offer city and student wise, I will probably apply to a bunch of school and have fate guide me to my destiny(lol that was super cheesy) but yea dont worry man, ur choices will chance but it wont hurt to apply to all of them and then have a wide variety to choose from.</p>
<p>good luck!</p>
<p>Actually, I disagree about applying to all of them. You're going to have to choose one in the end anyway - if you have 10 choices now, narrow it down to the ones you like best so you aren't paying $500 just for college applications.</p>
<p>It's normal. And on another note: you are smart to apply to BC instead of JHU. I live very close to JH and I would never EVER apply there. It is where fun goes to die and where students go to burn out and become bitter. Just a thought! :)</p>
<p>My list changes almost everyday. I've taken like 5 colleges off of my list just because they require subject tests. I've also added a bunch of random places because they don't. I advise you apply RD everywhere too.</p>
<p>Thanks guys.
The part about parent assistance comes from this context:</p>
<p>My dad is extremely supportive of me, but not in a harmful way either. He is very busy with his self-run business, and it seems to stress/confuse him when every time we chat about college my plans have changed since the last time we talked. (It is hard for him to keep track of my changing plans along with everything he has going on). I don't want to seem fickle and superficial, but obviously, I do a lot more research on college than he does, and my ideas and plans change with research. While we talk quite often, my plans and prospects can sometimes change every couple of days as I am getting ready to fill out applications...Any thoughts or anybody that is in a similar situation?</p>
<p>bms, thanks for the advice...I think I am going to take JHU off my list. </p>
<p>For a long time, I have been wanting to go to an ivy league school. After some research, it has seemed that the ivies are the same way as JHU: fun goes there and dies. Can anybody give me some thoughts on that?</p>
<p>I don't mind studying, but I really don't know if I want to OD on homework either. Four years is a lot of time to do nothing but classwork. It is a weird feeling because I want to go to an ivy, but I kind of have a sour taste in my mouth about them now...Can anybody help!!</p>
<p>Do ivy league students come away from their schools "burnt out and bitter?"</p>
<p>I understand why you feel weird about your feelings about the ivy league schools. It is weird to want to go somewhere you don't know much about.</p>
<p>Ok, the reputation of the school is a reason to put it in your college search, I will accept that. But it's not a reason to put it in your top choices before researching it. It's actions like that that will make you regret the next four years of your life.</p>
<p>Of course, this is true for any college. However, I think more people set their hearts on the ivies without thinking about them than any other schools.</p>
<p>I feel the same way, ivyleaguewannabe. My first choice is not an Ivy; it's Stanford. I'll determine my second choice as time goes on, but it probably won't be an Ivy because I want to go to California.</p>
<p>I didn't even put JHU on my list because 1)it's instate and 2)I'm a premed, which equals death at the school; it's TOO Scary for me!</p>
<p>I wonder how much the OP knows about JHU and BC other than what is on their websites. These are two very different colleges with very different student bodies. Personally, I would choose BC in a heartbeat because I think that the school is strong academically (not to mention very underrated) with good students, has a great social life in a great city, and has wonderful D-I sports that makes for a very fun atmosphere for its students, sports and non-sports fans alike. </p>
<p>Johns Hopkins has its supporters and I'm sure some folks would prefer its atmosphere and maybe even Baltimore (though I doubt it), but I can't say strongly enough that a visit is required to each. You'll know quickly which one is for you.</p>
<p>Good schools are demanding but students manage to have some fun wherever they go. I would ignore the negative comments about JHU. JHU has a great Lacrosse team by the way. I've visited JHU and spent some time in neighborhood restaurants. It is defineitely an urban campus but the important thing is how great its International Relations program is.</p>
<p>For International Relations:
Tufts
Princeton
JHU
Georgetown
Penn
Harvard
Cornell
Wisconsin
MIT
Stanford
UVA
Notre Dame
Claremont McKenna</p>
<p>I probably shouldn't say this, given that the consensus is to keep the parents informed but not in the process itself. I'm doing some ground work. My d is a rising senior, and hasn't really gotten involved with looking at colleges, except that I felt I needed to spark some interest. So on a recent trip this summer to visit relatives, we meandered and stopped at 4 colleges on the way up, saw 1 while there, and 2 on the way home. Whatever was in our path, but even then, she was able to develop some opinions from the tours and viewing the campus. I actively encouraged her thoughts/reactions.</p>
<p>As soon as we returned, she left for a road trip with her dad.</p>
<p>To help her, I'm the one checking the schools. And I have definitely shifted in my opinions, initially jumping from one enthusiastic Eureka! to changing my mind several times as new options surfaced. I dread to see my phone bill. So, poster, what you are experiencing is normal. While this is her show and I'm just feeling out the situation, I think what I gather will be helpful. She picked the major, I'm tracking down the best schools for that, etc. She just won't have the time when she returns before she goes back to school. I will, however, insist that she view the websites I have been on just to feel like she is participating, plus we are checking out a few colleges. She is going to choose the college, there is no question about that.</p>
<p>As I continue to search, I have gotten less excited about each discovery, less sure that this is IT. there's a lot of info to process. If you sound less assured when you talk to your dad each time you find a new college, etc., that will help him realize you're still fact-gathering.</p>
<p>One of the things that I have noticed about Boston College (I live in Cambridge, right across the river from Boston) is that Boston College students are very stuck up. It is the general perception of the people living in aroudn the general vincinity that BC is a very academically strong school with sports landing them on the map such as hockey, basketball, and football. It is forever engrained in my mind as a school that very white, very preppy, exclusive, sports crazed school with pretty strong academics. Stronger in academics than its next door neighbor Boston University, more undergraduate focused on the whole, however nationally, it cannot compare with JHU reputationally both in the US and outside the US.</p>
<p>With regards to your interested in International Relations, I believe JHU is the right choice for you. Internships are quite prevalent due to the close proximity to Washington D.C., the heart of American politics. Johns Hopkins international relations program is highly regarded, especially the graduate school SAIS which as you may already know ranked #1 terminal masters program in IR public policy in 2005. With peers schools such as Columbia's SIPA, Princeton's WWG, and Tuft's Fletcher, it is easily one of the best school out there for International relations. </p>
<p>I would actually advise to to ignore the negative comments about Hopkins premed. Such comments are truly unfounded and I would highly recommend against taking such comments to heart. Do more research at the Johns Hopkins forum, there you will find helpful undergrads who knows whats there and can give you the best advice for you to make an informed decision.</p>
<p>For IR</p>
<p>Hopkins > BC without a question.</p>
<p>EDIT: It is actually quite normal. Given that there are some 4000 schools out there in the US, your bound to find a new school you would love or that you just heard of and your wondering if that is a good fit for you and for your inteded major in college. The way I went about was I went to find schools that were strong in the particular area that I want to major in. Of course, I didn't find all the schools that were great for my major, I hear of a new school, after doing research, I took some schools off my list. Its very normal. What is NOT normal is that your changing schools like three weeks before the deadline. You should have everything SET in stone so your guidance counselor can send in the transcripts, recommendations, and school forms to the correct schools you listed. I'd say 3 weeks to 1 month before hand is the time you really should be sure of which schools your applying to. As in no more changin and flip flopping</p>
<p>Can't say if it's normal or not, but it suggests you're doing your homework and taking your decision very seriously. Good for you.</p>
<p>Look at some Southern schools. Students seem to really like their experiences. Georgetown, William & Mary, Duke, Davidson, Vanderbilt to name a few.</p>