Yes, yes, yes!
This is one of the schools our counseling office always highlighted when talking about hyped up, more “popular” northeastern schools and the need to think more broadly. The stats of students and outcomes at Wooster were the same or better, it was easier to get into, it offered merit, and every kid we knew who went there was happy!
Please keep us posted along the way - you’d be helping the community a lot!
Excellent choice. Wooster has proven PhD program placement. A good friend of mine went to Wooster for undergrad and then UMichigan for graduate school. She is a huge fan and advocate of both schools.
(Sounds like Kzoo has been a class act, too. Definitely a school worth recommending!)
Will surely do so.
Yes. K has been great!
Ooh, plot twist!!
That’s great news that Wooster came through with enough aid to make it cheaper than Kalamazoo! I’m sure he would have done well at either school, and it’s a little sad to pass up a school that has been so supportive, but he can only attend one college, and this seems like a very sound decision. Congrats!! I hope you report back on his experience at Wooster!
In the beginning of this thread I was pulling hard for Wooster and was sad it fell out of top consideration. In my opinion, it seemed like a perfect fit for your son as you described him.
Wooster was on the list for S20 and I loved a lot about the school, from the academics to the (perceived by me) quirkiness to the capstone project to the diversity and more. They provided great communication throughout the application and decision process, provided great financial aid, and the president wrote my son a handwritten letter referencing several parts of his application and expressing how much she hoped he would choose Wooster. Wooster was in his final four, but ultimately my son chose a different university.
Congrats to your son that everything worked out for him to choose Wooster. Best of luck to him!!!
Yeah. Wooster actually was one of the first one to give admit for us. The admit came on the same day as the Grinnell ED reject :-). However, at that time for a casual “Can you consider for more merit” the answer from them was “not possible”.
Towards the end of cycle they started communicating regularly which we were neglecting. By chance to one of the communications we replied in detail of why we were not considering W.
They got into action now :-). Connected us to the department heads who assured us two majors are quite possible. Also matched our request for increased merit.
It is quite possible that many schools have messed up on yield expectations and are little bit stuck. In fact Oberlin is still sending emails to consider 
Wooster and Kalamazoo both applications were thanks to suggestions from CC. Without CC not sure if we would have applied to these. These are excellent STEM schools and should be in the list for any STEM applicant who hopes COA to be in 20-30 range.
Yes. Talking to Kalamazoo and saying no was very very difficult 
I really think your son is going to be very happy there! It is genuinely a wonderful school!
Thanks much for your note. It is comforting to know that.
I’m sure they understand.
Cost was important, and Wooster really showed the love there at the end.
Our S21 strongly considered both K and Wooster. Of the 2, he only had a chance to visit Wooster (did only virtual visits at K). We loved a lot about both schools, and given what you’ve described your son is looking for, I think he (with your support) made a great choice. Our son chose a New England school in the end, so we only have our research and visit to go on in terms of Wooster knowledge, but their approach to preparing students for research seemed really incredible - nurturing/supportive while also rigorous. I know you didn’t get as much positive interaction via email during the process at Wooster as you did at Kalamazoo, but when we were on campus for an Open House, we definitely felt the caring, engaged, supportive culture from faculty and administration. Plus the campus is beautiful!
One thing to remember is that a student never deals with Admissions again once enrolled in the school.
That is a good point! For international students interaction with international office would be needed quite a bit for CPTs and OPTs and possibly internships etc. But point well taken.
That is good to know. Remote interaction even with video calls etc. can feel very different from in person interaction.
Yes. K counselor hinted that for his kids he would have taken same decision as us since the cost difference eventually turned out to be appreciable for two schools which are otherwise very comparable
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