Spare some advice?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I am in the throes of facing the quintessential inner battle of a second-semester senior: selecting a college. I really do not know what to pick and would very much appreciate some help outside of my not-so-helpful guidance counselors' obvious bias towards some colleges for reasons I won't go into now. </p>

<p>The colleges I am strongly considering:
Barnard College
Cornell University
UPenn
Macaulay Honors College @ Hunter
Smith College
Johns Hopkins University
St. John's University
Northwestern</p>

<p>Some notes about some of them:
All of them are offering me great financial aid, so the fact that MHC@Hunter is essentially a free-ride is not weighing on my mind as significantly as it might--but it still is a factor to consider, I realize...
Smith College is offering me a place in their STRIDE program (info: Smith</a> College: Financial Aid )
St. John's University is offering me a place in their accelerated program for getting a Masters in Chemistry</p>

<p>Some notes about me..
I have gone to an all-girls high school for the past four years so the all-girls experience at Barnard is something I can handle...I think (I have some doubts but who doesn't?).
I really want to go into Chemistry and have some experience myself in research and aiding scientists with their research. I would like to explore the chemistry field and am not completely discounting going to med school in the future.
Though this post may not indicate it, I enjoy writing and would like to develop it in college (possibly as a minor in English). If I have time, I would also definitely like to develop my foreign language skills.
I plan on studying abroad/interning abroad.</p>

<p>Thank you very much to all who offer their advice and insight!</p>

2

<p>I forgot to mention that I am from the NYC area (meaning I live in Brooklyn)!</p>

3

<p>You have some greT choices. Money being the same I’d eliminate St. john’s and Hunter as schools that just don’t have the resources the others do. Since you went to al all girl’s high school you might really benefit by a coed college. So I’d focus on Cornell, Penn and NU. All would give you greet peer groups and good research opportunities. Of these I’d go with the one you feel suites you best in terms of location, campus life, etc.</p>

4

<p>Thank you for your reply. What do you think of the advantages of attending Johns Hopkins, if any? I think I am strongly leaning toward Cornell, but am finding its rurality as something I will find very difficult. Maybe you are right that Smith College and Barnard College would not offer me the same benefits as a coed one might. I did think, however, that MHC@Hunter had great connections but perhaps I am mistaken. Penn would be cool since it is near a city. Thanks again for your advice!</p>