<p>Okay so...I applied to Holy Names University already and they said they're going to hold it off for next year (I'm currently a junior). To many, including me, thinks this is a safety for me and theres a good chance that I'll be able to get in. I don't like saying that this is a safety since I love this school and if I don't get into other schools, I have no problem attending Holy Names. Anyways, I was wondering if its worth applying to another safety, in this case, Whittier College in southern california. I'm not really into the school, but I heard it's a good liberal arts college.</p>
<p>I was wondering if I should go ahead and apply to Whittier next year to ensure that I get in somewhere or to be able to compare packages - even though I'll be able to get in Holy Names and get a generous aid. </p>
<p>This is why I picked both:
Holy Names - love everything - diversity and small classes, dry campus, have a liberal arts curriculum and it appears that students really strive for learning. The people are friendly and the surrounding area seems very suburban. San Francisco is less than an hour away and can be reached by public transportation. They have a good biology/psychobiology program. Currently, I did not really like the lack of attractiveness of the place, though the buildings seems new (the surrounding areas like the grasses are not really well kept). But when I visited I'm surely going to love this place as it actually feels like a close knit community. I talked with their admission staff and he seems very knowledgeable about the place and sold the place to me really well. Thing is, their financial package is very generous from what I could see (Pell Grant, Cal Grant, Incentives & especially the merit based scholarships that could give me almost to full tuition covered). Their dorms are absolutely spacey than I expected it would be. I visited a double room, but it really is spacious. There are minor things left to be improved, but I overlooked that and it seems I love the place. Despite its religious affiliation, the religious presence is subtle and do not really force it down your throat. Overall, I like it.</p>
<p>Whittier: First thing that came to mind is Swimming Div III (that I could join maybe) and Athletic Training major. Also I heard that its diverse, but I need clarification for this. I heard they have a good liberal arts education, yet the social scene is not so much. This is a positive for me, but I was really wondering what kind of typical students are at whittier. I mean honestly, are they preppy or snobbish? I've talked to one of their admission officer on the phone, and she seemed very friendly and she answered my question. But I still need convincing of how great this school is. It's near LA, so if night life is really needed, I could always go there. I'm not sure about their financial aid, but I'm expecting it to be as generous or nearly generous as holy names. But the only thing that is keeping Whittier in my college considerations is its athletic training major and swimming, which Holy Names really lack.</p>
<p>Do anyone have any feedback on what I categorize these colleges? Is it worth applying to another safety (whittier) if I know I can get in to a safety that I like? Or is it okay to just apply to 1 safety.</p>
<p>Currently my colleges choics are as follows:</p>
<p>Rice, NEU, BU, Oxy, UofP, Holy Names, Skidmore. (these are sure bet that I'm going to apply)</p>
<p>UCSC - just to make my mom happy that I applied to one of the UCs (besides, I really like Santa Cruz out of the other UCs)</p>
<p>Chapman, Whittier (these two colleges are really in a 'not sure' category) - I'm just worried about their financial packages and also the social atmosphere (rich and preppy or diverse?)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for hearing me out!</p>