<p>Hello, I am beginning to panic as the RD comes along. I just do not know what I want in a college experience. I don't know if I want big, or if I want small. I've gone to very small private schools all my life, and have never really known anything else. I am a generally shy person, but I have had a very close group of friends since kindergarten. For the first time I'll be on my own, and I just can't know where I'd like to go. Never been a big party person, but I wouldn't be turned off by the presence of a big party school. I've lived in California all my life, and as a result I am not particularly interested in staying in California for college.
Above all, I would like a college with an excellent history program. I like European and American history the most if that influences anything.
This is a list of schools I am applying to in no particular order of preference:
1. Brown (reach w/ legacy)
2. Johns Hopkins (reach)
3. Emory (reach?)
4. Vanderbilt (reach?)
5. NYU (match)
6. Wesleyan (reach)
7. Colgate (match)
8. Hamilton (match)
9. Oberlin (match)
10. Carleton (match)
11. UCLA (reach?)
12. UCBerkeley (reach?)</p>
<p>Note: The reach/match stuff is just based off of my college counselor's opinion. I'd love to get your opinions on the big unis and the liberal arts colleges. Thank you!</p>
<p>I can probably pay full tuition to any of these schools, and I do have a couple safety schools. If I do not get into any of these schools I will go to another UC school like Davis or Santa Cruz. Thanks again.</p>
<p>The only opinion that matters is yours. I am assumung that you have visited a small LAC, medium sized research school (Emory/Vandy), and a large research school (UCLA). You should have an idea by now which you prefer. What are you leaning towards? All will have perfectly adequate history programs.</p>
<p>If you don’t have a clue; consider throwing a dart at a board with their names; that will produce a result no worse than relying on the opinions of total strangers.</p>
<p>Once you have your safeties in place, and that is where you should be spending your time and effort in terms of research, because that is where you will probably be going, one of your safeties, so pick them with care, …once you have done that, go right on ahead and apply to all of those schools on your list. If you can afford to buy the lottery tickets, go right on ahead and enjoy. Just remember what they are, lottery tickets and focus you thoughts on what is real and likely.</p>
<p>Wait, are you a senior? if you’ve already applied and are waiting for the acceptances, you are jumping the gun. You have no choices at this point so don’t be counting them chickens before they hatch. When your acceptances arrive, you then can worry about choosing. You should have such worries!</p>
<p>First, with so many reaches I wouldn’t stress just yet. I agree with the poster above, all you can do is wait and see where you get in before you worry about where you are going to go.</p>
<p>Second, IMO the matter of a large university, mid-sized university, or a LAC is one of personal preference. Nobody can answer that for you. My D was set on going to a LAC and cringed when we took her to visit one mid-sized university. She is at a great LAC and having a wonderful experience. She wanted to be in a tight community with close interaction with professors and that is exactly what she is getting. On the other hand we took my older son to one LAC and he thought it was “creepy small and everyone will know everyone’s business”. And he had an equally wonderful experience at a mid-size university. And I went to a large university and had a great experience. Reasonable people can see the same schools and reach a different opinion as to what is right for him or her. To each their own. </p>
<p>In the end, I would look at the top choices among the schools you do get into and try to visit again. You can go to accepted students days or see if some top choices let you do an overnight or shadow a student for a day. Go to the school that feels like the best fit.</p>