<p>"Geeking", "albino poo", and "tooters" are terms employed by rather advanced experts in applied chemistry (few of whom likely ever took an AP chemistry course.) ;) They are very good at what they do.</p>
<p>Mini:</p>
<p>Thanks. Do I detect a hint that these "rather advanced experts in applied chemistry" are, shall we say, unconventional ?</p>
<p>There is also the story of my husband who has a master's in Chemistry from a less well-known state school. He is not the best student academically but people consider him a star at work. He works for a large well-known pharmaceutical company as a researcher. It took him longer to get to where he is because of lack of a Phd but he really is a great chemistry researcher....not finding fundamental things in chemicals but in synthesizing and in the creative aspects of mixing chemicals. He works in the formulation department - making stable compounds, tablets, injectables etc. out of drugs. It is a crucial step in how a drug is made. They consider him one of the most creative workers around.</p>
<p>My point is, sometimes stars are born, not made in the university because of how well they did in their courses.</p>
<p>Achat:</p>
<p>I agree completely. Still, the issue was whether a student who is in the 10% could do well in a cc where students find it hard to cope with 25 pages of reading (as a matter of fact, this was a fairly well regarded college, well above a cc). Someone who has a M.A. is definitely not to be put in the same category as someone who needs an explanation for "input" (pace Mini).</p>
<p>Evil Robot ::::sluggy congrats!::::: You found the elusive Good Fit. Feels good, doesn't it? I see that you have become acquainted with the Evil Laundry Basket. :)</p>
<p>My D. is back for a week spring break and I am hearing the same wonderful outbursts as yours , evilrobot . Of course she would have loved to go to NYU or BU with her freinds but she is so incredibly happy with the choice they gave her the most money . It made her feel like they really wanted her there .</p>
<p>I like this post because I am tired of people thinking Ivy Leagues are the way to go. One of my music teachers was accepted to Harvard, Yale, and Columbia and actually sought out by Princeton, and he turned them down for good financial aid.</p>
<p>Evil_Robot, I finally got around to reading this thread. I followed (and posted) on your thread last year, and I always thought, and probably wrote, that you were going to thrive wherever you went, because of who you are. (and of course, I was right :) ).</p>
<p>One of my daughters told me the other day that she had heard at school that people who get admitted to the Ivies but choose to go elsewhere do just as well economically as those who go to the Ivies (fairly well-known study, not sure who was telling her class this though!). I said, "yep, it just goes to show you, it is the person that you are, not where you go, that is the most important thing." A good message for her and all to hear even at the tender age of 15. Thank you for proving the saying (in terms of your thriving, since your livelihood has not yet quite entered into the equation)!</p>
<p>We loved Tennessee when we were there in the summer a few years ago, although we were more up in the northeast section. It is a truly special state. Keep us posted, it is just wonderful to hear your news.</p>
<p>Goony goony goons. Good to hear about your success.</p>
<p>My son was accepted to the school of his dreams but would have had to have HUGE loans to attend. For many reasons he chose a school in our hometown, a very good private school that gave him merit scholarships. He loves it. He lives on campus and is totally happy with his decision.
While he was making his decision, countless people told him he would make the wrong decision if he didn't attend his dream school. They dismissed the massive debt saying it "would be worth it".<br>
I would just like to say to all of you making similar decisions, carefully weigh all the factors. Have someone make the debt as realistic for you as possible (this is what you will be paying back and for how long) Follow your gut instincts.</p>
<p>I turned down a higher ranked school for another very good but not as "prestigious" school because of money issues and am glad I made the decision that I did too! Good luck!</p>
<p>Way to go, ER! Great post. Says what needs to be repeated: Get in, settle in, and have a great four (five) years, no matter where you go.</p>
<p>ER ~ I'm pleased, but totally unsurprised by your great experience. Keep posting: your message is of great consequence.</p>
<p>Some of you have probably heard this before but I'm going to post it on this thread for those who haven't because it pertains to what we are talking about. These are two people from two very different colleges I've heard of/known.</p>
<p>Person 1
MIT graduate, magna cum laude, well paid, decent job, not really in a very high position in the field though.</p>
<p>Person 2
College of Wooster graduate, went on to medical school at Case Western Reserve, head surgeon in the separation of the Egyptian twins here in Dallas.</p>
<p>just curious evil robot
what was the university that u were accepted to (your dream school) that did not give you enough aid
im glad you find vandy to be a great school
im gonna apply to vandy when im a senior (im class of 07) and my high school is in TN so it works out :)</p>
<p>Evil_Robot, great post...I have an honest question for you though...</p>
<p>Although I can imagine it being quite difficult for you to turn down Yale, Vandy is also a great institution, and it's pretty clear that you've found mostly everything there that you would have found at Yale. But say, however, the situation were different in that the school that gave you the full scholarship was a much less known average state school. Would you still have turned down Yale?</p>
<p>Thanks -- S. has gotten in to all schools he applied to so far, but not equal fin. aid. I have this little twinge everytime I think, "Well, we could really scrape and if he took out $50k in loans he could go to Dickinson." How crazy is that? Thank heavens he's much more pragmatic than I am sometimese.</p>
<p>knightmare: Yes. It was impossible for me to attend Yale financially, the way it worked. Studies have shown that graduates from lesser colleges who were admitted to better ones do as well as those who go to the better ones. But I am very grateful to Vandy for my scholarship.</p>
<p>If you add together the scores awarded in the Princeton Review survey - for selectivity, academic quality, quality of life, and financial aid/scholarships, Yale and Vanderbilt are virtually EQUAL (379 vs. 374). (Neither is in the top 20, which should hardly matter for schools of this quality, and is a different matter all together.)</p>
<p>Evil, I'm delighted for you that you are flourishing in college! Our family may be making the same kind of decision soon, as S now has a number of full tuition offers in hand, at least one full ride expected next week, and we will probably not get much of anything for need-based aid - so the Ivies, if he is admitted, would be up to $195K for four years, compared to about $45K for room and board or even $0. IMO, this is a no-brainer.</p>
<p>At this point, waiting on decisions from 5 more colleges, the "sweet spot" is Emory Scholars - the college seems to offer everything that he is interested in academically and in ECs. He is really looking forward to the visit and if he likes it, the decision is easy. </p>
<p>He didn't apply to Vanderbilt because we were told from a number of sources that it is quite "red" politically - S is liberal but apolitical, so the poliltical climate wouldn't be #1 priority, but he also didn't want to encounter Redville every day. You mentioned that you have become more "activist." Is this a reaction to the political climate? I'm curious, because the people who mentioned this were very strong in their opinion.</p>