Need some consolation/encouragement...

Applying to College
1

<p>Hey guys...</p>

<p>The situation I am in is extremely ironic. Exactly a week back, I was wishing my college search and applications would be over. My wish came true, but I wasn't close to as happy as I thought I would be. The thing is, it was always my dream to go to a liberal arts college. Swarthmore in specific, but they rejected me. It didn't hurt at first, but last week when I got into my EA school, UChicago, it hit me - I wasnt going to Swarthmore. I was supposed to be jubilant, I got into UChicago for god's sake! I couldnt have even dreamed of getting in! They rarely take a student every year from my HS, and people I knew were ecstatic and people I didn't shocked when they heard I got in. And then it hit me real bad - I wasnt going to go to ANY liberal arts school either. </p>

<p>I was desperately trying to find a liberal arts school which I could go to when put against UChicago.</p>

<p>Pomona? I really really liked Pomona ... I was going to EDII there (before Chicago took me), but my school counselor, my private counselor and my second opinion private counselor all said it was academically a notch below. Nor did it have a name like UChicago, i'll have to keep explaining it to people, and probably my employer... Plus, I won't culturally fit into LA and the environment there. Going there will be too much of a culture shock for someone like me. </p>

<p>Amherst? Its on par with UChicago. They haven't yet taken a single student from my HS. Its amazing, and everyone I know is like "Okay, you can consider Amherst, its as good as UChicago academically ... maybe even better"... but i'm a horrible fit for a place like Amherst. Originally I was not even going to apply in the regular decision round! Its very far from Boston too... I'm pretty sure I won't be happy there, nor will I really 'fit in'.
And forget about Williams, its like opposite of who I am!</p>

<p>... I wasn't going to go to a liberal arts school, my dreams were coming crashing down. </p>

<p>Don't get me wrong, its not that I don't love UChicago, I would any day choose UChicago over any other university - yes, even HYPSM and Ivy+. It was one of the very few Universities I was applying to because it was a little like a liberal arts college, it has an amazing program, its one of the best places for what i'm interested in (Physics and Economics), its in Chicago so its easy to fly to (i'm international) i'll (hopefully) fit into the student body, as it is quite similar to that of Swarthmore, I have some family friends in Chicago and a billion other reasons (in fact, I couldn't even stick to the two paragraph limit of the Why Chicago Essay).</p>

<p>... Its just that I'm still in the stage of reconciling with my lost dreams... and I need some encouraging words... plus I needed to get this out of my system... as the deadlines for most other colleges approach, I'm frightened by the fact that I'm not applying to any other college... again, not that I don't love UChicago... I know i'll have an amazing time there and four amazing years... Its just that I never imagined myself at any other place than a liberal arts college. ;'(. Plus, other person(s) got in from my HS, and I always wanted a new start, a new beginning... I wanted to leave the past behind (I didn't exactly love my two years in my HS) and now itll be in front of me for the next four years.</p>

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<p>I think you’re incorrect on Pomona. It isn’t really a notch below academically, and it’s in Claremont, which only has about 30,000 people. If you don’t want to go into LA, you don’t have to. According to my experiences, it really isn’t a big city feel.</p>

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<p>^ That’s what I thought initially… plus the weather is so much better. But I also got the feel it doesn’t have the same intellectual vibe and rigor or the same quirkyish students as Swat/Chic. Although a part of me feels I should still apply.</p>

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<p>Good, from what I got out of my alumni interview, there is quite an academic vibe. It’s not strict, blazers and tie academia, but it’s more of an informal, laid back academic environment where there’s room for a lot of discussion.</p>

5

<p>I suggest that you do apply to Pomona-no use shutting yourself off from options. </p>

<p>The truth is, even if you don’t wind up at a “liberal arts” school per se, you can still find things you love about the school you do attend. You seem to like Chicago a lot, anyway. I suggest that you focus on the positive and enjoy yourself. You could be on your way to an excellent university!</p>

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<p>goodwoods - I don’t know anything about you other than what you wrote here. I don’t know where you are from, where you applied, what you think you want to study or what type of school you think will be a good fit (and why?), but I will try to help. Did you visit any of the schools you mentioned or you applied to? What attributes does Swarthmore have that make you so interested in it. There must be other schools with similar qualities. IMO, prestige and answering to others is not as important as finding a school that feels right to you. I am going to send you a PM with a list of characteristics that might help you find another school. If you want to answer the questions and return it to me, maybe I can help you in your search.</p>

<p>One more thought, maybe you can appeal Swarthmore’s decision?</p>

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<p>@victoriaheidi: Thanks, and I think you’re right, I should apply to Pomona. </p>

<p>@FlMathMom: Umm, I visited both Swat and Chic. I have always known that Chicago is the most “swarthmore” like school (maybe even Pomona), although I can’t pin point to what made me like Swarthmore/Chicago so much. True, prestige shouldn’t matter as much. No, I can’t appeal to Swarthmore’s decision, and the more I think of it, the more I feel “maybe I got rejected because they thought that I wasnt a very good fit” and that maybe I wouldn’t have liked it too much.</p>

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<p>Pomona is one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the country, and it’s almost as hard to get into as Stanford and Yale. Whoever is telling you that it’s a notch below does not know what they’re talking about. It’s a superb school with a stellar reputation in the United States. And you should not assume you’ll get in. But you should absolutely apply.</p>

<p>“Not fitting into LA” makes no sense. The greater LA area has something like 14 million people, and our diversity is astonishing. There is every type of person and every type of culture. </p>

<p>That said, Pomona is not in LA, it’s in a small suburban city 40 miles east. And the student body is not Angelenos, it is students from all over the country and the world, so even if there was one defining “LA culture” (which there is not), Pomona wouldn’t have it.</p>

<p>We LA natives get very touchy about cliches about life here. It’s not all like you see in the movies.</p>

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<p>@reasearching4emb: Woah, sorry there, didn’t mean to offend. I’m pretty sure i’m wrong about Pomona being a notch lower, but every time I bring it up people tell me the same, and these are counselors who have been to Columbia and Harvard Business School. Still, I definitely believe you as a lot of other people have told me the same. Also, I never assumed I would get in, in fact, thats partly why I was going to EDII there, because I wanted to increase my chances of going to a great, great college (which is as difficult to get into as Swarthmore, which rejected me)… also, I’m sorry, I did not intent to bring up any cliches or stereotypes… you gotta understand its not easy for an international student.</p>

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<p>Goodwood, apologies if I sounded critical. I know it’s hard when you’re getting input from all kinds of people. I just wanted you to understand that Pomona is a very highly regarded college, Los Angeles is not the TV show 90210, and Pomona is not even in LA anyway.</p>

<p>Happy new year!</p>

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<p>I second the above - Pomona does NOT equal LA. I did not attend one of the Claremont Colleges (of which Pomona is one) but I attended a school quite close geographically. I honestly remember going to Los Angeles…once in four years. If we wanted fun, we would go to Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead (mountain communities) trek to the beach (90 minutes each way) or head for Palm Springs (desert). Yes, some people did go more often, but it was a very small percentage. </p>

<p>Your advisors all appear to be from the same geographic area as you are. So are the people you are talking to about your decision. It is good that you are posting here - I would recommend that you consider carefully the geographics of the posters when you evaluate their remarks. If I as a business owner saw a resume from Swarthmore, I would not be that impressed. Why? Because as a West Coaster, it does not have the same panache’ as Pomona or the other Claremont Colleges. If I saw one of their names on a resume, I would HEAVILY consider the applicant, because I am familiar with the academic rigor, the type of students who attend, and the overall work ethic of the school.</p>

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<p>Where do you plan to live, make a career? If in the US, it’s true that U Chicago has a great reputation across the country, while Pomona is not as well known, particularly on the east coast. Similarly, eastern LAC’s may be less known in other parts of the country. I’m not saying this should steer your decision, just that it may be a consideration.</p>