<p>Out of the 12 colleges I applied to, I was accepted to four. Which is SO strange, but I'm fine with it. So right now I'm attempting to decide between Bard College in upstate NY and NYU. I had always pinned myself down as a liberal arts college kind of girl, but I don't know if I could really stomach being so far away from civilization. </p>
<p>What I'm really looking for in a college is small classes and an amazing place to LEARN, where I'm guaranteed to find people who think like me. Actually, I really don't know what I want.</p>
<p>But I'd REALLY REALLY appreciate anyone's suggestions if they have any thoughts on the merits of the two schools. Thanks!</p>
<p>I can't think of two schools that are more different than NYU and Bard (and yes, my daughter considered both of them, too). We're talking not only location and size, but just about everything else as well. My gut feeling is that if you're looking for a small, intimate learning environment, Bard would have it all over NYU. However, unless you tend to think outside the box, I don't know if you're going to find too many like-minded people at Bard. My impression of it was that it houses a lot of free spirits under one roof, so to speak. NYU is probably more of a "traditional" university, although you should certainly be able to find a fair number of like-minded people at any school the size of NYU, regardless of where your interests lie. What was it about each school that attracted you to it in the first place? Are you a city girl, or do you find yourself looking over your shoulder at night when you walk down a city street? Do you expect the school to provide social and entertainment opportunities for you, or are you happy going out and finding your own activities? What can each school offer you in terms of your major that is different or special? For instance, my daughter loved Bard's educational philosophy, and the fact that, as a senior, she would have had her own photography studio/darkroom. However, she couldn't stand the fact that everyone seemed to smoke, and the location and size (it was smaller than her high school) ultimately led her to reconsider her application. NYU was appealing, but the fact that she'd be in huge freshman classes and wouldn't be able to continue to take voice lessons (spaces go to music and theater students) made it less attractive. Ultimately, she had to make pro and con lists for each school where she was accepted, and figure out which one came closest to her concept of the ideal college. This might be a good approach for you to take as well. Once you sort out what it is you really want and need in a college, you'll have a better chance of deciding whether Bard or NYU is the better choice. And don't forget, you can always transfer if you change your mind later.</p>