<p>The above are my top 5 choices, in no particular order- unfortunately, I like all of these schools, having correspondingly visited all of them. </p>
<p>I am a transfer from a well-regarded community college. I have a 4.0 GPA, 2120 SAT (2nd take), 800CR, 800W, 520M. Volunteer weekly at a wild animal rescue service, and for the past 2 years I have traveled with a youth group to service infrastructure in third world communities. EC's aside, I have also published one article in the well-respected Journal of Philosophy, and have written a number of pieces for several of Ben Knabb's bopsecrets.org-related publications. I'm in the Honors program at the community college as well. </p>
<p>My intention is to obtain a B.A. in philosophy, and to proceed therefrom directly into a PhD. program. All I want to do is make poor salaries to sit around write papers think and teach. </p>
<p>I've received acceptances at Northwestern, Amherst, Oberlin and Swarthmore. I have yet to hear back from The New School, rather curiously. </p>
<p>I love Eugene Lang, and I also love Swarthmore. The others were more so safeties in descending order of preference. There's just something about the environment, especially its' location, that appeals to me on a very personal, satisfying level. While I find the town of Swarthmore comfortable, in my limited experience I would be much happier SOCIALLY in Greenwich Village. </p>
<p>I'm somewhat poor as well. Eugene Lang is economically feasible in that I would be able to commute. </p>
<p>Academically, I've been self-educating in advanced philosophy and classic literature since the mid-7th grade. I know I will continue to learn, and write papers, no matter what I do, really. I just need a job. The rigor and prestige that Swarthmore offers will probably lead some to say there's no question at all, or similar such statements. That's also the main quality appeal of Swarthmore, in my opinion. </p>
<p>So, basically, I want to ask: Is the choice to attend Eugene Lang over Swarthmore a potential negative factor in terms of admission to a prestigious grad program with a well-respected faculty, or in terms of my major is it insignificant? </p>
<p>Are there any otherwise unforeseen reasons for attending Swarthmore over The New School? Such as drastic discrepancies in course difficulty, or is The New School, from anyone with personal experience, not a quality environment? From my visits, I certainly never got that impression, but what I'm trying to ask is its' reputation for quality phil. undergrad somehow potentially compromising in a grad school app to a Leiter top 10? </p>
<p>Thanks a bunch.</p>