So I’m sitting here browsing this website, looking at the little juniors getting ready to write their Common App essays and getting ready for the application process. I remember doing this just a year ago, and thinking everything would be in place by now.
Boy, how wrong I was.
I applied to my top college, Purdue, for engineering. I also applied to other places, just in case, but I never really thought I’d need them. I’ve been called entitled for thinking this, but whatever…
Both expected and unexpected, I was deferred for engineering. Oh well, I’ll send the transcripts and everything will be fine right?
Nah. I was later rejected for engineering and offered an alternate major, for which I was later accepted.
Which brings me to my current dilemma. I got accepted to St. Mary’s College, which is super close and offers access to Notre Dame Engineering without having to pay Notre Dame tuition or being much smarter than I am to get accepted there. The downsides to this are if it turns out I hate engineering, there are very very few other majors there that interest me.
I got accepted to IU for astronomy. That’s pretty cool, but after doing more thorough research on how much schooling I’d need to do anything interesting with it, I think I’m not that interested anymore… Despite this, there are many back ups available, and plenty of activities and classes offered(such as perhaps Russian, just 'cause) that SMC/ND lack.
There’s also Trine U for engineering, which has alright back- up plans and classes, but doesn’t have the appeal of a big sports program, clubs, or interesting electives
I could also go to Purdue still… I could try to take engineering classes in my freshman year and transfer into the school of engineering. Or I could just stick with the alternate major, which I’m not really that interested in.
since my family is quite poor, all of these places are around the same price, due to scholarships and a free in-state-tuition program. Which of these options would be the best option, in your opinion?
TL;DR: should I:
Go to IU–a major I probably won’t be interested in, and most likely switch majors, have plenty of opportunities for switching, and interesting electives?
Go to Saint Mary’s-- close to home, ND engineering, few opportunities for switching to an interesting major, alright electives?
Go to Trine-- engineering, alright back ups, not-that-great activities or electives?
Or even, Go to Purdue (which has everything I want in a school) for the alternate major and stick with that or take engineering classes and transfer into engineering, which I hear is difficult to do, and honestly, I’m a little bitter at them…
So, uh sorry for the long block of text and semi-rant… I’m just looking for little suggestions–I don’t want to make a wrong decision and hate the next 4 years of my life!