Loyola College (MD), Muhlenberg, Ithaca, or F+M?

<p>I have been accepted to Loyola College in Maryland, Muhlenberg, Ithaca, Franklin & Marshall, Marist(with scholarship), and Drew(with scholarship).</p>

<p>I think I have eliminated Marist and Drew, which were my safeties and am currently trying to decide between Loyola, Muhlenberg, Ithaca, and F+M. I was accepted into the communications program at Ithaca, but am not completely sure as what to what I want to major in. In addition to communications, I might want to major in music or business.</p>

<p>I was also waitlisted at Elon, Dickinson, and Union.
(rejected to BC)</p>

<p>I think I am leaning towards Loyola and would also love to go to Elon if I was taken off the waitlist. Any opinions on the accepted schools? Also, do you have any tips on getting off the waitlists?</p>

<p>Any comments are very much appreciated. Thanks!</p>

<p>have you visited the schools? These schools are actually pretty different - I know F&M is very different, say, from Muhlenberg - you should try to go on campus and see if you feel you "fit"</p>

<p>What's different? Aren't they small, LACs in PA?</p>

<p>No - that's the thing - they seem alike on paper but the feeling on campus is really different. F&M seemed on our visit to be a place for serious students while Muhlenberg was more social. Not better or worse than each other, but with appeal to different sorts of kids. And Loyola is really big compared to F&M. Muhlenberg and Ithaca have strong theater programs. What is important to you?</p>

<p>If communications is a serious interest, Ithaca is the place to go. The programs at the other schools do not compare, although Elon's comm program is getting better. Theyre all prepster type places, big prep or small prep, but socially not a whole lot different.</p>

<p>id go to Loyola</p>

<p>I have only been to Muhlenberg (it is a beautiful, well maintained & run campus!)... but I have looked into Ithaca, F&M & Loyola. The differences that I'd noticed were that Loyola (if we're talking about the one in Maryland), is very "waspy" and known to have a LOT of ALCOHOL (I know, all colleges have their alcohol problems, but Loyola's is BIG)... It seems to be a more Republican leaning environment. Ithaca, on the other hand seems to be far more liberal (maybe less alcohol, more pot?). Muhlenberg seems more balanced, but ebbing on the side of being more liberal - and they have a healthy Jewish population. F&M is very intense for the sciences... seems to be middle of the road - politically. They have a very involved frat/sor scene which seems to often equate with lots of drinking - although not always - Loyola doesn't have (many - if any) frats/sor but has lots of drinking.</p>

<p>So basically, you need to figure out what things are important to you - and who you are and what kinds of people you want to live with for the next 4 years. It shouldn't be that difficult considering that Muhlenberg, Loyola, Ithaca & F&M are really pretty different kinds of environments.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

<p>..................................................</p>

<p>Thanks for all of the help! My problem is I applied to several different types of schools because I wasn't sure what I wanted in the fall, so I'm aware that all of my choices are pretty different. I've visited all of these schools and I like different things about each of them, so I guess I really do need to decide what is more important for me. Not that I will base my decision on this, but just out of curiousity, which of these schools is the most 'prestigious'?</p>

<p>F&M prolly has the "best" rep, and has the USN&WR ranking to support it. I can assure you (my D is a Jr there) that it ain't just for the serious student.</p>

<p>Ithaca allows you to be second banana in town (to Cornell), FWIW.</p>

<p>If you get off the w/l at Dickinson, I would seriously look at it (better physical setting than F&M). </p>

<p>I went to Union and would not allow my two offspring to apply there (the Wooly Mammoths set up camp there...and all over the rest of upstate NY... every Thanksgiving and don't leave until April 15 at the earliest).</p>

<p>If I were interested in communications, I'd go Ithaca or Elon. If you are for warm weather and a really nice campus...I might choose Elon, although Ithaca has the better communications rap
If I were interested in communications and business, I'd go Loyola
(well known business program and popular for comm. majors, ranked no. 2 in region, just like Elon is in the south)
Muhlenberg: good medical, music
F & M: great medical, good business</p>

<p>If Drew is indeed significantly cheaper than the others with scholarships, it merits serious consideration. Where is home?</p>