Thanks to everyone for the thoughts and comments over these past days. The decision we’ve all been waiting for: I’m going to commit to University of Rochester.
It hasn’t been easy. I’ll ramble a bit about some of my reasonings, but keep in mind that this had so many little factors to it that this can’t be a comprehensive overview of my thoughts.
First of all, I got the confirmation just a few hours ago that my physics courses will transfer. So that’s good. With UB, I still had one course that wasn’t transferring well, and though I think I could have argued it successfully, getting a hold of people at UB has been so much more difficult than UR. I can see myself getting more support and help at UR.
Having to (most likely) live off campus at UR was creating some hesitation, since I’ll have to take a shuttle onto campus and watch how late I stay on campus at night. However, I realized that both colleges will have difficulties, since I’d be moving between UB’s North and South campus. I’ll have no idea (possibly very little control over) whether my classes/clubs/professor’s office hours would line up so I don’t have to commute up and down more than once a day.
Class size was another deciding factor. I was prepared to handle the giant classes at UB, until I truly realized that at the 300 and even 400 level, several classes are still 200+ with no recitations. I’m coming from a community college where my largest (in-person) classes have been about 25 max. The idea of succeeding despite a huge class is nice, and still possible to adjust to… but I am an introverted person, and moving out on my own is already going to be a huge adjustment. (For those who are thinking something along the lines of, “You’ll have to be much better to stand out among those smaller classes”, I’ll deal with it.)
Other factors: I’ve played piano for a long time, and while I don’t see myself minoring in music, due to UR’s Eastman, you can audition and get 30min/week private lessons as a 2 credit elective class without additional costs. Taught by TAs, but as I’m not going professional and Eastman is a outstanding music school, that would be enough for me. It’s much easier to access a practice room there. I also like some of the clubs at UR better, and won’t have to wrangle the Pathways curriculum at UB.
Those are the points I can think of to write about right now. Of course, as I said, this is not a comprehensive overview. I’m not 100% confident either, but there will always be some doubt, and I have to make a decision. No matter how things work out now, I’ll find a way to deal with it.
