<p>Has anyone here ever had to decide between these two? Which one do you like better? Which one do you think has better academics? Quality of life? etc.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help.</p>
<p>D accepted at both. Had overnight at Sewanee for scholarship competition and attended two classes and a performance at UR. Saw small classes, good profs, & engaged students at both schools. Liked the Leadership program at UR. Biggest differences she saw were size & makeup of student body and campus location.</p>
<p>UR, while suburban, is a short bus ride from a state capitol offering opportunities for internships, performances, restaurants, shopping, etc. With VCU, area has lots of college students. (However, if you read the school newspaper online, there are references to the Richmond bubble, so it seems that most UR students tend to stay on campus most of the time.) Sewanee’s location on top of a mountain is a hair-raising 45-minute drive from Chattanooga, which is smaller and much less cosmopolitan in feel than Richmond. Anyone with even a slight interest in the great outdoors would love the opportunities at Sewanee (and if you didn’t have that interest when you arrived, four years in that beautiful natural setting would no doubt foster one).</p>
<p>If you happen to have a D interested in Greek life, know that all but one of the sororities at Sewanee are local. Probably doesn’t affect experience as an active all that much but limits opportunities as an alumna. </p>
<p>D felt students at Sewanee were “friendlier and more Southern” (this may have been in part due to the nature of her visit there). Would have enrolled there had she not received more $ from W&L. </p>
<p>We would have been happy to see her at either UR or Sewanee. Both are gorgeous campuses (I gave Sewanee the edge here, but then I love Gothic architecture!). UR is not as well-known in our part of the world, but Sewanee alumni network is quite active.</p>
<p>I just spent this past weekend up at Sewanee at a church retreat. I’ve been there a number of times over many years, and know many alum and students. I said this weekend that I wished that I could go back to college for one more year and be at Sewanee. It is a magical place. That said, it is isolated and I don’t know how 4 years would feel. My daughter has been a camp chaplain up there (6 weeks on the mountain) and really felt the need to escape from time to time and at least find a Walmart. It is about 90 minutes from Nashville and many older students (with cars) take advantage of weekend visits for concerts, etc.</p>
<p>Thank you! Both of you have already been so helpful to me in the past. My S went to Richmond this past weekend because the football coaches invited him to visit, and he was offered a preferred walk-on position as a kicker. Unfortunately, he has to give an answer in two weeks (after that they cannot guarantee acceptance). The coaches told him he was on “the bubble” academically (high SAT’s; average grades). He has already gotten in to Sewanee and two others (all EA), all with merit money. No money offered by Richmond. The Richmond coaches told him that if he does well as a kicker, he could get a free ride for his sophomore through senior years. We are still waiting on W&L and a few other reaches. Sewanee also told him that he would get the starting kicker position if he went there. W&L has not paid any attention to his football skills (maybe because his grades are not good enough?)</p>
<p>I am afraid that he is going to say yes to Richmond without waiting on the others. It felt really good to S to be wanted.</p>
<p>I think I’m going to suggest to S that he make a pros and cons list of the two schools.</p>
<p>Thanks again. Any and all advice is appreciated.</p>
<p>curiousmother, I’m sorry – in my insufficiently caffeinated state, I did not realize you were the OP! Congrats to your son on having multiple acceptances with merit awards! </p>
<p>Think you hit the nail on the head when you said it felt good to your S to be wanted. It sounds like both Sewanee and Richmond want him; Sewanee has offered $ and the starting kicker position, and Richmond has offered a preferred walk-on position (although must confess I’m not sure exactly what that means) and the chance of three years of a full ride if he does well. </p>
<p>If merit $ is an important factor in the decision, it is virtually impossible to make a fair comparison between the bigger possibilities UR may offer if your S has a successful season with the firm offer in hand from Sewanee. That’s a tough one! Much may depend on your tolerance for risk and your ability to fully fund four years at UR if no $ materializes. It is unfortunate that your S has the time pressure from UR. Assume he has also visited Sewanee?</p>
<p>Would be interested to hear S’s take on the status of football at each school. Our sense was that UR is a big basketball school and that sports at Sewanee are largely about tailgating. (While we live in serious football territory, our D is not a major sports fan and did not see this as a deciding factor.)</p>
<p>Here’s to clarity in the decision-making process for you & your S!</p>