Running out of time...

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So I find myself with 9 days left until I have to make a decision and I don't really know where I want to go. I only have a few choices, but those choices are so different from each other that I am stuck in a mire of indecisiveness. I'm hoping that some of the folks on this forum could lend a few words of advice to perhaps help me along on my decision. Here's a hopefully brief (if I can contain myself) run-down on my options:</p>

<p>NYU: Indisputably a great school, but incredibly expensive and set in an environment that seems almost unreasonably competitive. I haven't visited, but I have talked to a few people who attended and it seems that the general atmosphere there caters to work-aholics. Being someone who made a conscious decision to not stress about grades in high-school, I don't know if this is the place for me especially given that I would most likely come out of it with a reasonably large loan to pay off.</p>

<p>University of Pittsburgh (Honors College): Being from Philadelphia (In-state), and having a family member work at Penn (which gets me 40% of Penn's tuition to spend on my college), this would be practically free. I know that I would receive a fine education here, but I don't know much else about the school besides academics. This is making it hard for me to take this school into full consideration as I don't know if I will be able to enjoy life as much as at some of the other places.</p>

<p>James Madison University (Honors Program): Decent school, great benefits from the honors program, beautiful campus, and known for nice kids and fun parties, yet this school didn't really cross my mind until I visited. Turns out there is a new program that actually interests me here. Starting next year JMU is starting an engineering program. With about 100 kids in it, I could get a general engineering degree that focuses on sustainability and design, something I think I would find very interesting and useful, despite my intentions of going to grad school in business. Therefore this school is back in the running as I know the program is getting a lot of money put into it and those who are in will receive a huge amount of personal attention since the school has it in it's best interest for those kids to succeed. This school would also be practically free.</p>

<p>University of San Diego (Honors): This school takes the cake in quality of life. The weather is gorgeous all year round, the campus is amazing (best campus out of all my choices), and the kids are wonderful. The atmosphere there seems to suit my individual mind-set perfectly, with the kids all very low stress, fun loving, yet studious when necessary. I was worried for a while that the kids there would not be, intellectually, as interesting as I would like, but after visiting and meeting some of them, I know I would be around kids that I would enjoy talking to as well as being around. One girl in particular I got talking to turned down Yale to go here, which re-assured me that there will be kids who are in fact of a specific academic caliber needed to get into those types of schools. She seemed content with the quality of the courses there so I hope I would too. Again though, the school is not prestigious, is relatively new, and I am still worried that I won't be challenged. But due to the scholarship they gave me and the Penn benefits, this school would be basically free as well.</p>

<p>Boston University: I've pretty much already eliminated this. Already almost as expensive as NYU, why not just go with NYU if I'm going to pay that much?</p>

<p>I feel like I should give you a bit of information about myself, nothing in particular, but just a bit of various facts, feelings, anything that I think could help you see a connection between me, my specific personality, and my choices.</p>

<p>I go to a "top" or "prestigious" (whatever that means in high schools, but that's what it is touted as by school and faculty) private school with about 90 kids in my grade. I've never been an over-achiever. I'm happy with getting a B on a paper I didn't really care about, or even with getting a C on a test that, to me, seemed to be nothing but mindless memorization that would be forgotten in three days anyway. Yet despite this I've gotten a solid 3.5 (school doesn't calculate gpa) in all advanced classes, with my curriculum this year leaning towards the quantitative side of the spectrum, although I don't see why numbers and words are viewed by many as opposites on said spectrum, but that's something for another time and place. </p>

<p>I took the SAT's twice. First time I was sick, second time I got a 1540/2180. I don't know why I'm telling this, seems kind of pointless after the college decisions are already in, but now that I think of it, I guess my logic is that many folks on this site do in fact have, when trying to make a mental image of someone, a box marked SAT's/ACT's, and they expect that box to be filled before that image is complete. I figured I'd make it easy for them. On the other hand, perhaps I'm doing it because I feel like I need to "defend" my grades, and thus my perceived intellect, to those readers kind enough to have made it this far.</p>

<p>As my name suggests, I fence, and am fairly good. I compete nationally at the Div. 1 level, but don't practice as much as I should. Perhaps I should have used this more in my applications, seeking out schools and coaches that might value my fencing more, thus raising my chances at a "top" school, like some of the Ivies, but that didn't quite sit well with me. I don't know why, but maybe it's because I never worked as hard at it as I felt I should and therefore didn't want to use it as a crutch to get an acceptance. I guess I wanted to get in on my own merits rather than succumbing to the admissions "game" that I shy away from.</p>

<p>I've said too much, I get to rambling sometimes and now I might not get any responses because I can't keep things brief and easy-to-read. But that's good, again my subconscious was at work, and now that I think of it this long post guarantees that those who respond genuinely want to help and don't mind taking a little extra time to do so.</p>

<p>Thank you in advance for your advice and if there is anything I can do for you in return I'd love to try, just let me know.</p>

2

<p>Sounds like the best fit for you is USD.</p>

3

<p>I want to agree, I do think that I am leaning towards that school due to the lifestyle I would have, but then I am caught up by the other side of the coin. Are the academics up to par with some of the other schools? Will I be able to get into a good graduate school? My thoughts keep circling around and around, I can't stop them on one in particular. I feel like I'm playing Wheel of Fortune, like I'm rolling the dice on my future, where am I going to land? Far too dramatic for my tastes but I don't know how else to describe it.</p>

4

<p>NYU</p>

<p>If you are not sure, then always go with the best choice out of your options. Basically, it will give you the best chance to transfer in the future if the school doesn't turn out to be exactly what you want. Honestly, if you got into NYU then you should not be considering University of San Diego. For example, it would be like someone getting into Penn, Penn State University Park, and Kutztown. I understand why you would want Penn, but the tear should be between Penn & PSU, not Penn and Kutztown. Honestly, I really think the only other school you should consider besides NYU is Pitt(I am a Penn State student and hate Pitt, but I am even saying this is the best way to go). There are plenty of sunny days and nice people in New York and Pittsburgh. The best thing you can do for your future is to create as many options for yourself as possible. UCD limits many of those, while Pitt and NYU give you so many more. Best of luck with your decision.</p>

5

<p>San Diego is a fine school. You create your own options in this life, and being miserable and getting into huge debt and wishing you were somewhere else while at NYU is a terrible idea in comparison to liking your life and being somewhere that you know you fit and that is gorgeous... Where's the choice, here? UCSD is an excellent school. You'll be in their honors program.</p>

<p>Speaking from experience and several years of utter misery at a school that was the top-ranked in my program but was a lousy fit (and I knew it when I enrolled), I've gotta say... don't go to a place where you're not going to like your life. You're going to have to deal with it for four years. You'll have plenty of opportunities, you'll make some amazing friends, and I've found that happier people are so much more successful in life than people who just went for the "best" choice they had available to them.</p>

6

<p>I want to clarify that USD is the University of San Diego, not UCSD. USD is smaller, catholic (I'm not catholic, so this isn't necesarily a good thing, but I hear it doesn't have an impact on those who do attend and aren't catholic), and less known.</p>

7

<p>San Diego or JMU. A ton of people from my school have gone to JMU and absolutely love it - the social scene is great there. I don't know much about San Diego, but you seem the most enthusiastic about it, and you should go with your gut feeling.</p>

8

<p>Boy---I don't know if you can pick two cities that are more polar opposites than San Diego and New York. I've lived near both. One is the hustle, bustle, in-your-face, get-out-of -my-way energy of the north east--be sure to wear black--and the other is the laid-back, there's always manana, lifestyle of the south west--the only shoes you need are flip flops--I know peoplewho swear by either--you have to decide which you prefer. I know that tuition at NYU is very, very high, esp. for someone who might not like that atmosphere.</p>

9

<p>You sound like my daughter. I would pick USD. Go where you're going to be happiest,you will have a better chance of being successful in college.</p>

10

<p>I just don't want to count out the other schools so quickly as well. I wonder if I am partial to San Diego cause it is the only place I could nab an overnight. At the other schools I only know the academic side of the picture.</p>

11

<p>You said you like USD and it is virtually free. Why all the angst?</p>

12

<p>I don't know if I will be as successful at USD.</p>

13

<p>Please define sucessful? Ibanker?</p>

14

<p>Plenty of successful people go to USD....</p>

15

<p>Successful in that academically I wont be challenged or encouraged to perform at my best, perhaps as I would at NYU/Pitt/JMU.</p>

16

<p>you haven't taken a class at nyu/pitt/jmu, to assume you'll be more challenged than at usd. BTW a higher gpa at USD beats any low mediocre gpa at nyu, in terms of grad school. You dont want to have to be distracted with issues such as money etc when you're in school because it definitely will affect your experience.</p>

<p>i understand if it was usd vs yale princeton harvard. but NYU is not that great aside from film and stern</p>

17

<p>You in the USD honors program so you should be in the top of the pack. You will be challenged.</p>

18

<p>i would say definetly no NYU for you. its VERY competitive in all majors, expecially stern and you seem like the more laid back type.</p>

<p>i would say USD or JMU. my pick personally is JMU because one of my good friends goes there and she absolutely loves it. the social scene is amazing and its exactly like you said (from what ive heard/seen) that kids definetly know how to relax and have a good time but study when they need to. that and the program that youre interested in, along with the cost, puts it at the top for me. ive seen tons of pics from my friend and the campus is beautiful with that "tradition college campus" look to it.</p>

<p>then again its up to you and if your heart truly lies with USD then go there! you also have to think about whether youre really up to moving to california from the east coast.. many kids dont truly realize the distance until theyre there.</p>

19

<p>I would say take USD honors, and try and intrinsically motivate yourself as much as you can. If you're having trouble, just think about getting into a good business school. Going to expensive NYU just to be motivated may not be the best financial decision. </p>

<p>In the end, it's all up to you and where you think you will succeed and be happiest the most.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

20

<p>I wouldn't be too worried about not being "challenged" at USD....it's still a very good school. I would take a free ride at USD over having to pay for nearly every other private school out there (except something like an Ivy League).</p>