<p>Hi, so I'm having a very tough time deciding on which school I'm going to attend next year and right now its between Northwestern, Notre Dame, or UVA. I like all these schools for diffrent reasons. A little bit about myself, I am a strongly opinionated Libertarian-Conservative. I really love business and want to go into investment banking. I also really like just hanging out with friends and playing sports. I could definitely see myself getting into intramural/club sports. I also would like to go to a school with a nice party scene too. I like to drink and smoke so a lenient school would be fun, although drinking is a lot more important to me and I don't really care about smoking all that much. Also a school with a lot of gorgeous women would be nice as well. I'm sort of a work hard, play hard guy. I want to get good grades at these schools but I want to have a great time as well. These are my opinions on the 3 schools so far based on visits and what I've read and what not. If you guys could elaborate on any of these characteristics or give me any guidance in my decision making process it would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>UVA
Good school but not all that prestigious compared to the others and also a state school. Seems like it would be a fun party school with pretty girls but it seems very big and a little fratty. UVA has a great business school and recruiting for major investment banking firms but I fear it may lack in other areas especially in New York where I live. I also don't know if I want such a big school. Also I'm not a huge fan of liberal arts and here I will have to take those classes and you dont even get to apply to McIntire until after sophomore year. Overall it seems like it will be very fun but not the best choice for my future.</p></li>
<li><p>Notre Dame
I visited this school and really liked it. Its a very prestigious institution and its a school I can see donating a lot of money to and having my kids and grand kids attend. I definitely like the sports atmosphere and I know for a fact the campus is very lenient with alcohol. The parties seem like they will be smaller but fun and consistent. I think I'll have a great time chilling with friends and I love the intramural sports but I feel that the girls here are not all that attractive and too conservative and catholic. One thing I love about this school is the fact that with all the AP classes I have taken I will be able to take business classes right away and it is more business oriented. On the downside though I feel like Notre Dame is the weakest in terms of investment banking although its Alumni base would be very strong in other areas of business. Overall this is a memorable school that I think I will have a good time at but will also be a great legacy school for my family. My major concern is its investment banking recruitment which is low.</p></li>
<li><p>Northwestern
This is my least favorite school as of now. I visited it and was not very impressed. The only things I like about it are the fact that its ranked the highest and its Kellogg certification program is good for business and investment banking alike. I felt this school was just very weird and had a lot of strange kids. Its also a little to diverse for me. I feel that this school is just super liberal and this is an environment I don't think I will like. Also I feel it doesn't have all that great parties and the girls aren't great. Overall I'm not sure how happy I will be her but it is a great school and I also got a $20,000 scholarship here so my parents like it and its the cheapest.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Please tell me what your take on these schools are and help me with my decision any way you can.</p>
<p>FYI: Notre Dame has 8,500 undergrads and UVa has 14,600.</p>
<p>I think you’ll be happier at Notre Dame.</p>
<p>Your post pretty much sums it up for you. It’s your decision where you’ll spend the next 4 years, so why would you want to go to either school that you are so critical of, when ND seems to fit your personality? As a parent I will tell you that many of your points sound juvenile and uninformed. But it also sounds like what’s important to you you will find more of at ND, and you would not be a good fit for UVa or NW.</p>
<p>BigLou good luck and I look forward to reading about you in an ivestment banking scandal in the future.</p>
<p>Wow…drinking, smoking, and pretty girls. Someone sure fooled the admissions folks.</p>
<p>UVA is widely considered the top public university in the country. I don’t think Notre Dame is in a different tier. Many would argue that UVA is more prestigious.</p>
<p>blueash - let’s say one of the top 5 public universities in the country. Each is better for different programs.</p>
<p>There’s no doubt it’s a prestigious school but my concern is that because its a public university with government employees it will have a different atmosphere… Lazy workers, beauracratic, rudness, etc. Virginia’s sis website is fairly annoying and I still have not gotte. My financial aid package as its sort of a nightmare getting them to know what I’ve sent and what not.</p>
<p>I’m not sure any of these schools are arrogant enough for your liking. Good looking or not these schools all have intelligent females attending - they aren’t going to fall for your act. No one can advise you - you have unique requirements.</p>
<p>straightshooter that was clever, i laughed out loud.</p>
<p>You are more then slightly confused as to how public universities work. The employees are not government employees. You can find plenty of excellence and sub-par at public and private. You seem to equate private education as a litmus test for some level of quality not found at public schools. That’s simply not true. I do know once someone has an image, opinion, or attitude towards something it is rarely worth the effort to try to change that. They simply have to figure it out on their own. It really doesn’t sound like UVa is a good fit for you. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Do us all a favor and don’t go to UVA. You wouldn’t fit in.</p>
<p>I think UvA is a perfect fit for biglou…UvA = University of Amsterdam.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.uva.nl/en/[/url]”>www.uva.nl/en/</a></p>
<p>You think in stereotypes …, have no idea what a public university really is … and have a level of arrogance that takes my breath away. The next four years should be rather interesting for you, if you open your mind and see what really IS, as opposed to what you assume.</p>
<p>I’m sorry, I find it humorous that each and every forum the OP posted this in, UVa, Notre Dame, and Northwestern, responders have more then strongly suggested the OP is not a good match for their school and to please choose another one on the list. I don’t think I remember a post in recent history being so universally offensive and with gross misconceptions of all schools in consideration.</p>
<p>No one asked my opinion, but if they did I think the OP should consider a GAP year working manual labor or volunteering in a high need area to gain some maturity, perspective on life and start school with a better attitude. I see a quick crash and burn.</p>
<p>Big Lou – it does not matter what school you pick. You’ll fit right in Wall Street. </p>
<p>You should go to the same school that the young Gordon Gecko attended for undergrad. Or just pick the school with the hottest girls with the loosest morals.</p>
<p>That’s funny, Blue.</p>
<p>When I was a first year at UVa, admissions sent a high school senior to stay on our hall. After spending an hour with him, everyone disliked him. We all started to think up reasons to tell him why he shouldn’t go to UVa.</p>
<p>And here I was trying to post “cautiously” because I was first to reply! But you have all summed up my feelings. I certainly wouldn’t want my S to attend any school and be stuck with a roommate like biglou… wow. I agree, the best thing he could do is take a year off and get out and understand how the world works. But, as sally said, maybe just a ■■■■■ to see what junk he could stir up.</p>
<p>Sadly I don’t think he’s a ■■■■■. He posted a couple of months ago in fear of being rescinded due to low grades. That’s not to say this post wasn’t written specifically to offend, but isn’t that just as bad? In any event I do think he’s an EA admit.</p>
<p>I know that I posted some of my thoughts about these schools and they’re a little controversial but I’m really just trying to get a feel for what would be a good fit for me. I feel like a lot of people have very judgmental opinions but probably just don’t post them. Honestly I don’t really know all that much about these schools that’s why I wanted to get others opinions on the matter and see if they could offer anything to change my initial opinions. School and my future’s obviously very important to me or I wouldn’t be going to these schools. But I’d be lying if I didn’t want to have fun too and go to somewhere with similar people.</p>