<p>I'm really confused about which college to attend. I have a few options I'm considering but I'm just really unsure which to choose. I want my college experience to be the best it can be while still helping pave my future. I applied mostly to LAC's because I definitely prefer a small community where I could really fit in. My top choices are Swarthmore, Vassar and the Fordham Lincoln Center Honors program so if you could give me any advice/tips I would really appreciate it.
I'm a somewhat socially awkward nerd. I'm not really geeky but I tend to spend most of my time studying (even if I procrastinate by watching Game of Thrones or playing video games every now and then.) I like science most and I'm considering pre-med but I'm not completely sure yet. I might choose a different field of science or even a different subject entirely after I explore different options. I think it probably seems like I fit in best at Swarthmore and I definitely got that feeling when I visited the school but I'm more than a little intimidated by the intense workload. I went to a pretty rigorous high school and I'm really burnt out right now. (Getting a bunch of college rejections really didn't help.) I also tend to work kind of slowly, partially because I lose focus kind of easily and partially because I tend to overthink everything I do. So here I am still deciding.</p>
<p>My Pros and Cons</p>
<p>Fordham (Lincoln Center)
Pros
-Honors Program
-Honors classes/professors
-Small community (in the program)
-Internships New York
-Full scholarship (w/o room and board)
-Close connections with faculty
Cons
-Commuting, not doming
-Mixed group of students (less quirky/socially awkward people like myself)
-Fewer Science Majors/classes
-Not much research
-Larger core curriculum
-Grade deflation for Honors classes (not everyone else)
-Jesuit/Catholic tradition (I’m Jewish)
-Somewhat less prestigious than the other two
-Lack of a campus.</p>
<p>Fordham isn’t a bad option and it’s great to have a free ride but I would probably fit in here least of the three schools. I’m a bit awkward so making friends was never my strongest skill (though I’m friendly when I talk about something I know well) Commuting there would probably only amplify this problem. I’m also not Christian so I feel a little out of place hearing about their spiritual weekends or having reverends/priests as my deans. This also pretty much rules out any dating over the next four years, something I’ve never experienced but would probably like to sometime soon. However, I really like the Honors program and I feel like I would fit in with them really well. It would also help me form close relationships with faculty members and its location should make up for the lack of research on campus. I know there’s fewer science majors at the Lincoln Center Campus but I have the opportunity to take classes at Rose Hill and possibly transfer there should the need arise.</p>
<p>Swarthmore
Pros
-Nerdy, socially awkward students (just like me)
-Easy time fitting in
-Academic atmosphere
-Prestige
-On campus research
-Beautiful, small campus
-Decent Jewish population
-Science focus (among students)</p>
<p>Cons
-Great grade deflation
-Heavy workload (again I tend to work slower)
-Not too much financial aid
-Further from NY
-Stress level (which I’m not always great at handling)
I did the overnight at Swarthmore and I really liked the atmosphere. I made a bunch of friends in one day and I definitely felt like I could fit in. The only real issue was the insane workload. I work slowly and I’m afraid I’ll have trouble there. Even if I just barely manage it, I could easily get burnt out from all of the stress. According to faculty, it’s also harder to do research throughout the year when there’s so much classwork. Nonetheless the atmosphere felt the most comfortable based on my experience.</p>
<p>Vassar
Pros
-Quirky but more artsy kids (definitely nice but not quite as perfect a match)
-Pretty Academic also but still fun
-A moderate amount of research opportunities
-Nice Campus
-Manageable workload
-Largest Jewish Population (of the three)
-Happy Students</p>
<p>Cons
-Less science focus
-Not too much financial aid
-Less prestigious than Swarthmore</p>
<p>Vassar seems like a good choice because students are still nice and kind of quirky but they seem to be a bit outgoing and artsy. I would probably fit in but it wouldn’t be the perfect match Swarthmore was. Still I like the atmosphere and I would probably find my niche. The workload seems high enough to make it still academic but definitely the most manageable of the three. There’s definitely less of a science emphasis among students which means I might have a bit more trouble fitting in but it also means more availability for research so that isn’t too big a problem. I feel like it’s a warm and accepting community without some of the stress of Swarthmore.</p>
<p>Brooklyn BA-MD</p>
<p>Pros
-Automatic enrollment in a Downstate Medical School.
-Easiest workload and no med school apps
-Small but less connected honors community
-Proximity to home.
-Full scholarship
-Small program and connections with a few faculty members</p>
<p>Cons
-I don’t actually know if I want med school yet (though being a doctor definitely sounds promising)
-Large size (student population that is)
-Not prestigious
-Not very intellectual
-No community/atmosphere
-Barely any science majors
-Mediocre academics
-No relationships with professors.
-Core curriculum</p>
<p>This isn’t really my top choice but I can’t help wonder what it would be like to skip med school apps. I’m not 100% sure about med school yet but skipping apps definitely makes the process easier. Still, it’s missing the intellectual vitality and warm community that the other schools have. It’s bigger, colder, and less interesting overall but of course it definitely isn’t a bad option.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for the help. Hopefully this will also help someone else in a similar position. I also got into Haverford but I didn’t mention it here because it felt kind of cold when I visited there. It didn’t quite have the community feel of Swarthmore or Vassar and it’s a bit more limited in options. Nonetheless it’s still a consideration. At this point I’m just trying to figure out what will be best. I know I fit in best at Swarthmore but I just don’t know if I can handle the work and stress there. Fordham is less of a match for me personality wise but the workload is somewhat better and the full scholarship definitely helps. Though the lack of science majors and less intellectual feel make it somewhat less desirable. Vassar is the best balance of intellectual and happy overall but it’s not free and not quite as nerdy as Swarthmore. Still people make friends fairly easily I’m just really confused about my decision. If anyone knows where a nerdy, shy kid like me would fit in, please help. Thanks again.</p>
<p>Reputations are hard to shake and Swarthmore has been carrying that “nerdy, socially awkward kids” one for a long time. Are there nerdy, socially awkward kids there? Sure, but don’t kid yourself, there are plenty of really, really bright “normal” kids, too, as well as a bunch of athletes about whom you wonder “how the h*ll were they accepted?” I think that the Admissions office has worked hard within the past decade to blunt that original image. </p>
<p>It’s no joke about the workload, though, so you must enter with your eyes wide open. Remember that Swarthmore is pass-fail the first semester for good reason. Most incoming students have not experienced a workload anything akin to this. My current Swarthmore student, a senior, (I also have one who graduated a while back) is an Honors major in a science field with a course major in a humanities field. This is not particularly unusual there as students combine all sorts of majors. He has done significant science research over the summer (expenses paid for by Swat) and is doing a whole research project this semester that directly relates to one of his science courses. But, I must tell you that he is really stressed out by how much he has going on. It’s not just the classwork. He is heavily involved in a couple of major extra-curricular activities. He had to drop a couple of the extracurriculars he started with freshman year because there just weren’t enough hours in the day. One he dropped after freshman year, and one after junior year.</p>
<p>As for the Jewish population on campus, it is fairly decent, but not that many kids are active participants. There is a nice, core group, though. (If you have more specific questions about that, I can probably answer them or get the answers.)</p>
<p>Vassar is actually quite strong in the sciences. But, the workload may be a bit less intense. Like Swat, it has a beautiful campus and a bunch of less mainstream kids. I wouldn’t worry about the prestige factor between these two schools. They are both terrific liberal arts colleges. One just happens to be somewhat more selective. Remember that if you do head for med school, you will be looking to achieve the highest GPA that you can.</p>
<p>Will this decision come down to finances? Are your parents willing to foot the bill for Swarthmore or Vassar?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I agree completely (but I would add that many athletes do extremely well academically). From my recent experience, “bright ‘normal’ kids” are the rule, not the exception. </p>
<p>OP, you cannot go wrong with Swarthmore or Vassar. Regarding “grade deflation,” the first point is that, strictly speaking, there is not grade deflation at Swarthmore. There may be less than at many other privates, but there has been grade inflation for some time. The average GPA of the graduating class at Vassar in 2008 was 3.48. (See <a href=“http://www.gradeinflation.com/”>http://www.gradeinflation.com/</a>; the Swarthmore link is broken.) The median GPA of the graduating class at Swarthmore in 2010 was 3.53, according to interesteddad. (See <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/swarthmore/1133726-anywhere-else-it-would-have-been-an-a-comments-please-p1.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/swarthmore/1133726-anywhere-else-it-would-have-been-an-a-comments-please-p1.html</a>.) Now average and median are not identical concepts, and you might expect the average to be below the median, but these numbers seem comparable. Of course, the workloads differ so a 3.50 from Swarthmore may be seen as different from a 3.50 from Vassar, all else equal. </p>
<p>Thanks for the great help. Finances are a fairly big consideration but I tried to just deemphasize them in the post to get a good side-by-side comparison of the schools. I really liked the atmosphere and students of Swarthmore but the workload and stress level seems a little too high. Thanks again for the info.</p>
<p>Thanks Coase. That’s definitely a good point. I guess the mention of grade deflation came mostly from students. I did read those statistics also but part of me wondered if that is really a testament to how ward students work. If getting an A is so hard in Swarthmore, maintaining a 3.53, the average at Swarthmore, must really be tough.</p>
<p>I am a Swat fan, but just between Swat and Vassar it sounds like Vassar may be a better fit. That said, if you are maybe interested in med school, you will have to deal with your problem with working slowly/ getting overwhelmed by schoolwork soon. </p>
<p>coase, I agree with your comment about the athletes and I spoke too generally. There are a couple of sports in particular that I was thinking about. These are the same sports which are mentioned in the same manner at many schools. <slinks away="" realizing="" that="" her="" kid="" was="" involved="" in="" a="" “minor”="" sport="" freshman="" through="" junior="" years.=""></slinks></p>