<p>Well, I've made my decision. Barring any huge change in the next 24 or so hours, I will be attending the University of Montana in the fall. It's been a hard decision (For the past few weeks, my life has been "You got what you wanted, and you're more screwed up then you were." ;) ).I won't lie; money was a big factor in my decision as my parents will only be paying around $5 or $6 k per year (room/board/tuition/fees) as opposed to $17,000+ at my second choice, Case Western. I also won't lie and say that I'm completely statisfied with my decision in all regards. I still wish I had applied to "better" schools (Scripps, WashU, etc.), even though I know that I couldn't, in good conscious, asks my parents to pay that much, and I do feel that I'm kind of losing my chance to break out of the "disability stereotype."</p>
<p>That being said, there are things I do like about UM. Their campus is beautiful, they have a well thought of aikido dojo in the city, the Japanese and pharmacy programs are said to be excellent, and the disability department has been nothing if not wonderful. Less significantly, it's also a resonable distance from home (6 hrs by car, 1.5 by plane). Also, the creative writing program is said to be good, and though that's not a prop. ,major of mine it's something I enjoy (Plus, I just got $12000 in scholarships for my Case portfilo; it's a nice feeling). Current students I've talked to have all been helpful and told me roughly the same thing: Despite it's party school reputation, there ARE things to do other than drink. Finally, petty though it is, it's nice to feel so "wanted" by the school.</p>
<p>I have my misgivings, yes, and it does hurt to see other in my "crowd" go to much better (but much, much more expensive) schools, but I am happy to go here, if just to try it for a year, knowing if I've made a mistake in my choice it will at least be a $6 k one and not a $47 k one. I'd like to thank you CCers for pointing out this school for me, for all your wisdom and reassurance, for essay advice, and for all the other thing I'm probably forgetting.</p>
<p>The really cool thing is that now, with this decision made, you can start concentrating on plans and all of the wonderful things that will make this decision a great one for YOU! Here's wishing you all the best for a bright and happy future at UMontana!!!!!</p>
<p>I guessed the school correctly before I read on. When you wrote that you made your decision, I thought less that 2 seconds and told myself that it would be UM. Well, Congratulation! Best wishes from NEmom!</p>
<p>I also had the feeling you would go to UM. It's where your heart has been for a long time. Who cares where the other students in your circle are going? You will make new friends, you will make UM work for YOU. It has so many things you want. </p>
<p>So enjoy UM and enjoy the feeling of having reached a big decision.</p>
<p>Wolfpiper, your decision makes me think of the phrase "To thine own self be true." I think that's what you have been. Yes, by choosing UM you eliminated other possibilities from your life, but that is always the way. I, too, remember that your heart seemed to have been there for quite a while. Congratulations!</p>
<p>Congrats Wolf!!!!! Because UM is a university it will provide you with many academic, social, athletic and artistic opportunities either as a participant or as a spectator. And if you are able to excel academically, which I suspect you will, many doors will be open to you if you take the initiative and rap on a few.</p>
<p>I vividly remember when I got the BIG Ohio State course catalogue the summer before heading to Columbus for the first time. I was literally floored by the thousands of course offerings that were available to a naive hick from upstate NY. You will find the same at UM.</p>
<p>Best of luck, work hard and have a boatload of fun while your at it! And don't be surprised if you find it to be a perfect choice for you!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Wolfpiper, I have been quietly been following your story this year and am now speaking up to add my congratulations. I think I've found your search and selection saga particularly compelling, because in so many ways, it has mirrored my daughter's. She, too, will be attending a school that doesn't have a "name"; her decision was also strongly influenced by $$; and she also liked feeling so wanted (and no, I don't think that's petty at all). </p>
<p>Right after she made her decision, she, too, had some misgivings, but I've been watching them evaporate over the past week or so. Right after she made her decision, I ordered her a hoodie...and haven't been able to get it off her back since. And when the post-acceptance mailings started arriving, her excitement level started building...choosing meal plans and housing preferences has gone a long way in making it all real and fun for her. </p>
<p>My wish for you is the same sort of progression of excitement, and, of course, a wonderful experience at UM next year.</p>
<p>Wolfpiper,
I have also been quietly following your story. I am so impressed with the thoughtful and mature way you handled the entire process up through your decision. Undoubtedly, you made a terrific choice. Please pop in when you have a spare moment next year and let us know all about your new "home away from home."
Best of luck! :)</p>
<p>From the starving grad student - those extra thousands might end up allowing you to go to the grad school of your choice - or, better yet, pursue your dream job, free of debt. Consider UofM as a great way to spend part of your life - that will open up other doors later on so you can spend your life the way you want to. :)</p>
<p>Wolf
Congrats on your decision.
Having a wonderful,responsive disability department is no small matter.And being wanted is a great feeling,its what made my S choose his school for next fall,over what he thought would be his first choice. You've sounded like Montana was where your heart was for quite a while now.Good luck on the pre pharmacy route!
Cathymee</p>
<p>Wolfpiper, congratulations on your decision!! Good luck with everything!! Please keep in touch from time to time to let us "surrogate parents" know how you are doing!!</p>
<p>Congrats! I bet you will have a great experience at UM. Once you get away from the social pressures of the hs crowd, you will be free to make the most of your time in college. After a month at UM, you will wonder why you even agonized over the decision :).</p>
<p>I visited (for the third time!) this weekend, bought an AWESOME sweatshirt, and turned in all my housing and scholarship paerwork. The dorm I'll be living in, an upperclassman dorm, is lovely: carpeted hallways, single room, and a private or semiprivate bathroom. The other dorm we saw was very much your "typical college dorm" with community bathrooms, etc., but a very nice longue.</p>
<p>I sat in on a Japanese 202 class (second semester second year) with about 15 people (a guesstimate). To be honest, it wasn't as challenging as I thought it would be, but it was definitely doable and teacher was good and less intense than my current one (which is both good and bad). I'll probably wind up placing into 301, judging from what we covered in class. I also sat in a large Bio 101 class, but I don't feel I have a right tro judge as it was an off day, and most of the class was spent doing course evalutions. I found I kind of liked the anonymity of a large lecture class, though, I wouldn't want them all to be like that, of course, but I guess I expected to have a more adverse reaction than I did. Maybe four years of going to a huge HS has me accustomed to the size? I know I can get smaller courses in Honors and upper level classes, similar to what I have now in HS (a ~38 person class and a 9 person class) on a more extreme scale.</p>
<p>Overall, it was nice. There was a huge festival on the campus Oval with kids listening to music, playing with dogs, or otherwise hanging out. It felt very "collegey" but in a good way. The libetal arts building wasn't as accessible as I might have liked, but I would still say its the most accessible campus I've visited.</p>
<p>I still have my misgivings about the low freshmen retention/grad rates, b ut the students I've talked to seem to like it. My parents also say it'll be good to graduate debt free and that the cheap cost ~5 or 6 k) a year will allow them to pay for professional school. They seem very grateful ;). </p>
<p>Thank you for all your well wishes and encouragement.
It's strange to be done!</p>
<p>wolfpiper - thanks for the update. I've heard other people say that the large lecture class is a welcome change, sometimes.</p>
<p>I'm betting that the retention/grad rate won't be something that really affects your college experience. The kids you'll be studying and hanging out with will likely be a different population from those who drop out after a year.</p>
<p>And the dorm you've chosen sounds great.
Enjoy!</p>
<p>I know what you mean. After all that intense process of taking tests, applying, waiting for those thick envelopes, going over financial aid statements, it can seem strange to be done. But it should be a big relief, too! Congrats!</p>