<p>Hey everyone! I was lucky enough to be accepted to these 3 great schools and have a month to decide where I want to go.
I plan on studying international relations specifically east asian studies and will also probably want to study advanced Chinese. But I am not positive about these choices and am also interested in economics, psychology and am considering law school after graduation.
I do plan on going to graduate school</p>
<p>Middlebury
Pros: I will get a lot of personal attention from professors and the class sizes are really small
They are particularly strong in IR and languages especially Chinese
Middlebury students tend to be pretty successful afterwards with grad school and I've heard it has an extremely strong alumni network
I do like to be active and hang out outdoors and am psyched about skiing
I like the idea of a community feel
DELICIOUS FOOD :)</p>
<p>Cons: it's very isolated and the closest city is 45 min away and might be a little TOO small
I'm worried about the preppy/ wealthy stereotype because even though I'm not a hippie, but I definitely don't rock the JCrew/polo look
I know it sounds bad but a lot of people don't know where Middlebury is, and I'm a little nervous about that especially if I have to get a job out of the states where school name can be important
Vermont is soooooo cold</p>
<p>Berkeley
Pros: Top notch research institution so there will be many opportunities for internships/jobs
My professors will be some of the best in their field
Berkeley's IR program is very good
I love Cali weather and think the campus is beautiful
Cali and the laidback scene is more of my vibe</p>
<p>Cons: the school is SOO big and I've heard classes can be extremely crowded
Not much interaction with the professors and having many classes taught by TAs
I don't know how good I am at actively searching out opportunities and am afraid of being just another student
I've heard the administration is not very helpful with problems and you have to figure a lot of stuff out for yourself
Super far away from where I live (boston)</p>
<p>Wash U
Pros: perfect size
Beautiful campus and the surrounding area is exciting but not overwhelming</p>
<p>Cons: It's strength is in its science programs and less in IR
Really far away</p>
<p>Clearly I'm not as familiar with Wash U as the other two schools but plan on doing some research. I also want to visit these schools within the next month to get a feel for them but I don't know how likely that is with Berkeley and Wash U</p>
<p>Thoughts and opinions?? Any insight will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!</p>
<p>Does net cost after non-loan financial aid matter to you? Or are they all about the same on this basis?</p>
<p>If you want to practice Chinese language skills, Berkeley probably has the largest supply of fellow students who are native or heritage speakers of Mandarin or Cantonese.</p>
<p>They are relatively similar in cost because I’m not from California and did not get any financial aid or merit scholarship from any of them
Well I am a native Chinese speaker haha. I’m looking more for advanced classes and chances to study overseas</p>
<p>I live near UC Berkeley and I often hear that it is spectacular for grad school, ugrads often get lost. I know 2 who dropped out. It is huge. I think you would want to visit and get the feel for yourself. It certainly is a wonderful school in many regards. Congratulations and good luck in your decision.</p>
<p>WUSTL is actually fairly renowned for East Asian Studies, so I would recommend at least visiting, talking with faculty/students, and getting a feel for the campus. WUSTL and Middlebury will afford you smaller classes, more personal attention, and a very high quality of life (great food and dorms, etc). In terms of size, location, and campus vibe, I think these schools cover a very broad spectrum; it would be to your advantage to visit and gauge personal fit.</p>
<p>Berkeley. Of the three, it’s the one with the greatest renown internationally - and as you know, “name” is important in Asia. It has an excellent, advanced program in Asian languages. Since you already speak Chinese you will be able to take advanced upper divsion and even grad level courses.</p>
<p>I bet you have never seen such a foodie place as Berkeley. Frankly, if you love and want great food, this is the place to be. </p>
<p>Youre right. Berkeley is big. But that;s what makes it exciting. It’s the kind of school you grow into, as opposed to tiny schools like Middlebury, which students often grow out of. But I may be prejudiced: at Cal, where I studied, one of my closest friends was a transfer from Middlebury. It was just too small.</p>
<p>Hi, you’ve said that you’re interested in grad school. I think this makes the decision quite easy for you. Do what so many other Midd students do - get the best possible undergrad education you can get at one of the top Liberal Arts Colleges in America, with small classes, tons of individual attention, at a school that runs like butter. Then go on to your choice of top graduate schools. My best friends and I all did this and each one of us attended an Ivy League (or other top 10 school) for grad. Also, if you’re planning to work in China, but for a US company the Middlebury name will be easily recognized by recruiters. Don’t forget that Middlebury has it’s own schools abroad so it’s not unheard of.</p>
<p>In order, for undergrad:</p>
<p>Middlebury
WashU
UC Berkeley</p>
<p>for graduate school: reverse that order</p>
<p>
Anybody who will matter to you – grad schools and the recruiting offices of prestigious international firms, will know all about Middlebury.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice everyone!
I ended up choosing middlebury and am really excited to attend next year</p>
<p>Congratulations on a fine choice!</p>