<p>After touring colleges and thinking things through, I have narrowed my list to 3, Richmond, Alabama, and Miami. If I get into Vanderbilt off the waitlist, I am most likely going there, though.</p>
<p>About each school:
Richmond: I loved the campus, college community, and programs in international business (they say it is #1 in the country). I like the city of Richmond, but it seems a little difficult to get there from the college. The sports are decent, but not like the major conference schools. But, I definitely did feel at home at Richmond. The campus food is also really good.</p>
<p>Alabama: As a NMF, I would receive all of the benefits that they offer to us. When I toured it, I felt that the campus was really nice, and, while big, had most things (even the football stadium!) right on the central quad. The honors college has a great reputation, and they have a ton of money. I really liked Tuscaloosa as well. Strangely, it reminded me of the area of Raleigh where my family is from. Of course, as I die-hard Conservative, I would be right at home in the Deep South. I still wonder if there is an academic trade-off to going to Alabama, though.</p>
<p>Miami: I do believe that weather should be a factor in college decisions, and you can't beat Miami's weather! Also, being in South Florida would provide me with ample opportunities for international business. The campus is also really good, although it looks very different from the other two. I love that sports and school spirit are so big there. One question that I have comes from my college counselor saying that I will be more academically challenged at Richmond and Alabama than at Miami. Is this accurate? Also, I am a finalist for the Singer Scholarship, which would also likely come with a Foote Fellowship, which would exempt me from taking any core requirements. One concern is that it seems a bit liberal (they talked a lot about Clinton and Obama coming to campus and only a little bit about Romney also coming).</p>
<p>Criteria:
Reputation- Richmond>Miami>Alabama
Rigor- Richmond>Alabama>Miami
Sports- Alabama>Miami>Richmond
Weather- Miami>Alabama>Richmond
Politics- Alabama>Richmond>Miami
Size- Miami>the other two
Area Surrounding Campus- Alabama>Miami>Richmond
City- Miami>Richmond>Alabama
Programs- Richmond>the other two
Campuses- Really nice at all three
Food- All three have great food to offer, with Richmond's being more focused to on-campus
Study Abroad- ample opportunities at all three, with Richmond perhaps the best
Dorms- Alabama>the other two
Girls- Very attractive at all three (I would be lying if I said that this did not matter)
School Spirit- Alabama>Miami>Richmond
Money- Alabama $0 (perhaps even a bit better), Miami $15K if I get the scholarship, up to $35K if I don't, Richmond $60K, but we have money
Distance from home-All three are sufficiently removed from home, but Richmond is the only one where I could get home without taking a plane. It is also closest to my family in NC.
Fun for non-drinkers- Richmond>the other two???, but every school is a "party school"</p>
<p>Can you all please help me with considering the pros and cons of all three schools?</p>