Last-minute advice??

Parent Cafe
1

<p>My top school just revised my financial aid, and now there's really no way I'll be able to afford it, so I'm trying to decide between my two second choice schools which have been in a dead heat all along. Any input you have about them would REALLY be appreciated. </p>

<p>Background stuff: I want to major in political science/international relations and eventually go to grad school, though I'll probably join the peace corps first. I absolutely want to study abroad during college-- currently I want to do a semester in DC and a semester in some place I'll probably never have another opportunity to visit (i.e. Tibet or Sri Lanka).</p>

<p>I think I may want to work for the government or an international aid group. Or I might become a lawyer. I'm undecided at the moment.</p>

<p>They're both the same amount of money because I have a generous scholarship from Mills.</p>

<p>Mills</p>

<p>Pros:
-I like the small, LAC vibe
-Small classes
-All the students seem very political and socially aware. They're also quirky and different, which is nice. Everyone's really friendly too. My tour guide felt like someone I could be friends with.
-My intended major (political science with emphasis on international relations) is supposed to be popular.
-The campus is gorgeous and the dorms are lovely. Plus it has a historic vibe to it, which Davis' buildings really don't.<br>
-Students can take some classes at UC Berkeley.
-San Francisco and Berkeley are close by (I love San Francisco)
-I feel like an all-girls school could make me more confident and such.
-The admissions office has been REALLY nice to me, and is trying very hard to get me to go there.</p>

<p>Cons:
-Classes are limited, and I've heard you have to plan carefully to get all of them
-It seems like the quality of classes might vary significantly
-It does have a reputation as a commuter school where everything closes down on the weekends.
-It seems somewhat isolated
-Oakland isn't my favorite place ever, and that part of Oakland is pretty run-down.
-I've heard the food might be pretty bad? (this is just hearsay though)
-I do want to meet guys (this isn't a huge priority, just something I don't want to give up entirely for four years)</p>

<p>UC Davis</p>

<p>Pros:
-Davis is a great town.
-My horse would definitely fit in there, plus I could work at the equestrian center
-The IR program is supposed to be good
-It's supposed to be pretty easy to get internships in Sacramento
-The students seem enthusiastic about everything they do
-The campus is nice, and has loads of excellent facilities
-There seem to be many research opportunities.<br>
-There'd be a lot of things to get involved in at such a large school</p>

<p>Cons:
-It's HUGE
-#9 for Class Discussions Rare on Princeton Review
-Supposedly it's hard to get classes
-Most classes are huge
-Most people can't live on campus after their freshman year
-You're not allowed a car your freshman year.
-The students don't seem as political and quirky as the people at Mills (of course, with so many students there have got to be some like that...)
-I'm not a huge fan of bike riding (petty, I know)</p>

<p>My parents went to Davis (my mom for undergrad, my dad for grad school), and met there... I can't quite decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. </p>

<p>Once again, I'd really appreciate any advice or info you can give me. I'm really stressing out about this. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Really sorry to hear your favorite school “revised” you out. Totally s**ks. But you have two terrific choices left. Go with your gut.</p>

<p>PS, If you’re committed to Political Science, UC Davis is considerably closer to the state capitol. Say hi to Arnold!</p>

3

<p>Thanks. I was sorry too. ;)</p>

<p>Being in the vicinity of Sacramento is definitely a big bonus for Davis (though I can’t say that I particularly like Sacramento). But I am a little scared that I’ll suddenly decide to major in anthropology or English and this will suddenly be a lot less relevant.</p>

4

<p>Certainly in the summer at least, if you’re enrolled at UCD you should be able to take some classes at UCB (or other UCs) if you want and there’s a good chance the credit will transfer (but check first for the particular course). It’s not unusual for students to take classes at other UCs if they want to take a summer course - usually at a UC closer to home.</p>

5

<p>That’s good to know, thanks.</p>

<p>To be honest though, it’s not really so much that I’m desperate to take classes at Berkeley as that I’m concerned that at Mills I may not be able to take all of the classes I want to take. Being able to supplement my schedule with an occasional class from Berkeley seems like a good option. (And it’d be nice to be able to meet people at Berkeley as well as Mills)</p>

<p>I still can’t make up my mind, though I’m leaning towards Davis at the moment (of course, I was leaning towards Mills an hour ago, so…).</p>

6

<p>They’re quite different schools so it’ll be difficult for anyone to help you in the decision. You’ll just need to weigh the importance of each of the attributes you really want and go for it. You’ll probably need to listen to your gut feel. You’ve probably already done it but try making the mental decision that you’ll go to one of them and then over then next couple of hours see how you feel. Then do the same thing with the other school and see how you feel over the next couple of hours or so.</p>

7

<p>Here’s my nonprofessional, nonguaranteed reaction to your pros and cons.</p>

<p>The pros for Mills tend to be specific advantages that you personally actually like. You seem to like Mills as it is, more or less.</p>

<p>The pros for Davis seem to be general opportunities, characteristics that people of many different tastes could take advantage of. (except the horse: how important is your horse in your college planning?). It sounds like Davis is not so much likeable for you as it is a place you can take advantage of.</p>

<p>With the cons, it seems to tend to the opposite: the cons for Davis tend to sound like things that you really dislike, while the cons for Mills sound more general, things that might not be ideal but that you don’t necessarily seem to actively and personally dislike.</p>

<p>Make of that what you will–I hope it helps!</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision! :)</p>

8

<p>I think both schools are good, so you can’t go wrong. </p>

<p>I have a few small things to say about your Mills con list, from my experience as a student there a million years ago. I came from a small rural town, and I grew to really love Oakland. The immediate area in the flat land around campus was economically poor to lower middle class, but I still l liked it. I was comfortable walking in the immediate neighborhood to get to the bank or hardware store. I started exploring the larger area as soon as I got there, which was easy with public tranportation and the Mills van to Berkeley. Back then, there was an AC Transit bus line that stopped just outside the campus and went to the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, so it was quick to get to the city that way. So the campus never felt isolated to me since it was in or close to three different cities, all interesting and appealing.</p>

<p>Also in my day, the food was outstanding. I didn’t know until much later that most dorm food doesn’t include special dinners at the holidays with linen tablecloths and flaming plum pudding :-). Obviously this could have changed a lot over the years.</p>

<p>The biggest disadvantage I see for Mills is the emptying out at the weekend. That was not happening when I was there, but I went on a tour this year with a prospective student and it was very noticeable. I think you would find lots of politically and socially involved students at Mills, and you would probably end up choosing to live off campus with some of them in your junior and senior year, perhaps in Berkeley.</p>

<p>I don’t have direct knowledge of Davis, but everyone I know who went there was very happy. Though it’s a large school, I’ve heard that it has a very mellow and smaller-school feeling.</p>

9

<p>I think my last posting ignored some of Davis’s strengths. Davis is a really wonderful college town. Although Oakland is a fascinating city (to me :-)), the area around Mills doesn’t feel connected to the college, so the closest college town feeling would be in Berkeley.</p>

<p>About those bikes - it’s true that the area is flat and perfect for biking, but it’s also one way the community expresses its social and political values - with people-powered transportation. I think Davis is also the location of one of California’s biggest solar farms.</p>

<p>Davis is a premier place to learn about wine-making, if that’s of any interest to you. I don’t know about your field there, but I know it’s very highly regarded in the sciences and engineering.</p>