I’m in a conundrum in deciding which school I attend next fall. As a preface, I’m an Asian male in Maryland and cost isn’t a problem.
Here’s where I’ve been accepted: Vassar, Grinnell, Uwash Seattle, UC Davis, UMD college park, Kenyon college, and Bennington.
My top two choices are Vassar and UMD, which are completely different from each other. Vassar is significantly smaller and has a better education quality, a larger endowment per student, and is more prestigious. However I am a little concerned about the student body being too left leaning to the point that any opposing viewpoint is suppressed. I’m attending “diversity weekend” this weekend so I’ll know for sure soon. I’m looking for both ethnic diversity and diversity of thought. Vassar’s environmental studies and economics programs are also very good. The location is next to the Adirondacks, which I love.
UMD is the large state school and I have been admitted into the Scholars program for environmental science and the Smith business school. There is significantly more diversity at UMD, which I like, however I fear “being a number” and getting lost in the system. I would be in large freshman seminars with 500 people, which I am unsure if I’m okay with. However, UMD is wayyyy cheaper than vassar and I would feel much less guilty going there (even though my parents are pushing for me to go to Vassar).
There’s also UC Davis and Uwash, which I think I would have a blast at, however the out of state cost is ridiculous, I did not get into any special “honors” programs and the education quality is the same as UMD.
I also got into Grinnell, who gave me 16k/year. Grinnell’s education quality is great, they have a great endowment, and it is prestigious. However, I despise Iowa’s bleak farmscape and fear being stuck there or the rest of my life. Iowa is also more “sporty” than Vassar, which is personally a detractor.
You’ve laid out the pros & cons very well.
Unless somebody here comes up with some tiebreaker attribute you are unaware of, the decision is up to you.
Toss a coin & see what your reaction is to the result. Sometimes that can be enlightening.
Thanks! I’m hoping this weekend can be the tiebreaker, but you never know! Tossing a coin right now to see my reaction.
Don’t bother with coin tossing. Make your visit(s) to your top 2 choices, then decide.
I visited UMD over spring break and was happy with what I saw. The business school did a really great job selling themselves and I met some great future students. However the Envi sci scholar’s program was a let down and the residential building I would be in is old and does not have A/C.
LOL I will be at Vassar this weekend also & will be checking out every Asian male with a mid-Atlantic accent 
Vassar definitely has some outspoken, very liberal students- but I haven’t seen ‘suppression’. Most students seem to be live & let live.
That said, imo it is very much a ‘fit’ school- it is likely to either feel right or not. It’s not for every one. Coming from Maryland you may find it feels very understated New England.
Don’t try too hard to weigh up the pros and cons over the weekend- just let it unfold and see how it feels. You can do really well at either place, so there isn’t a ‘wrong’ decision.
@extratang Having lived in Poughkeepsie, it is a haul up to the Adirondacks from there. Much easier to go to the Shawangunks across the river. Lots of good rock climbing and hiking there.
Please update us on your visit to Vassar. I think the class size is important to you. Smaller classes - is the benefit of Vassar over Maryland and that really might be best for you in your undergraduate experience.
I have returned from my visit. The class sizes were indeed small- the rocks/minerals class I sat in on had only 6 students. The class itself was fairly confusing/boring but I believe that the professor is very highly rated. The students I met and talked to were very friendly and helpful, and took time out of their schedule to give me a tour of the campus and answer any questions I had.