I’m currently choosing between University of Rochester (where I received a $15k Dean’s Scholarship) and Scripps College (haven’t heard back from their financial aid office yet), which is part of the Claremont Consortium with Pomona, Pitzer, CMC, and HMC. I know they’re very different schools in that one’s a private university and the other is a liberal arts school, but I have no doubt that I’d be able to fit into either… it’s just a matter of picking the school that would suit me academically (and I hate to say this, but prestige is a big deal for me). I don’t think I have a very good idea of how good Scripps is, but UR seems like a good college to me - not AMAZING, but a pretty solid choice.
However, in regard to weather, I am absolutely terrified of the cold there - I live in California and am a sunshine-lover through and through. That would honestly be the biggest factor holding me back from Rochester - and the fact that it’s so far. Does anyone have any insight? Current students’ opinions would be wonderful. Thank you so much!
U of Rochester is a much more prestigious university that is more highly regarded than Scripps. Its a university so it will have plenty more opportunities for research and programs for you to choose from. Of course at Scripps you have the consortium, but the research still isn’t there. If you plan on being a science or business major, I would go to U of R. I personally am from Rochester, and lemme tell you, it gets COLD up there!! We’re talking single digits, and sometimes negative if you factor in windchill. And you’ll be living there during the coldest time of year. Also, there’s not much to do up there to be honest. It’s definitely no New York or Boston by any means. However, it is like an hour away from Toronto, and you could have some crazy weekends over there for sure lol. Idk if youre into the drinking/party scene, but Canada’s legal age for drinking is 19. Just sayin. The culture in Rochester, however, is great. Everyone there is very kind and accepting. There won’t be as much diversity as youre used to coming from CA, but its a nice, quiet area.
Academically: U of R > Scripps (for most programs)
Research: U of R > Scripps
Weather: Scripps >>>>> U of R
Extracurriculars: I’d look into this one on your own. See if either of them has ECs or anything you’d be interested in joining.
Thank you so much for your input! I should also add that I’m a cell bio/public health major (the exact major depends on the school, though) and I’m a pre-med.
U of R has a great med school with awesome facilities. As a pre-med you could probably go to either. It’s among the less “needy” career paths. If you want to do any research though, you gotta go to a university. I think you should visit both colleges before making a decision. And if you stop by U of R, go to henrietta hots and order a garbage plate It’s my favorite meal in the entire world.
I don’t know much about Scripps, but Rochester is very strong in science/ premed. You could look at the four years in cold weather as a brief interlude you get to experience that you can look back upon years from now when you are permanently settled in a warmer climate.
Yeah, I’m definitely leaning toward UR at this point, but I would love to hear some more input from the Scripps end. Haha that’s a good way to think of it! Thank you so much
I am usually a fan of going to a new area for college, and you will live through the winters. That said, Rochester is a bear to get to from CA, so if coming home for Thanksgiving is important to you Rochester is not the place for you.
Scripps is a very good school. And with the Consortium, its offerings should be every bit as good as U Rochester. You stand an equally good chance of med-school from either one. Moreover, f you decide to live in CA, Scripps is much better known here than U Roch.
Wait for the financial aid from Scripps before you decide.
I’ll weigh in on the Scripps side. I disagree that Scripps is less presitgeous. I think it depends on where you live and what you’ve been exposed to. I’m on the West Coast now and Scripps is tremedously well thought of. I am also a big fan of women’s colleges. I went to one and found it to be a huge help when I went to grad school. It’s a unique experience. This really comes down to what kind of experience you want in college. Two great choices. I happen to love the Consortium as a whole. It gives you huge flexibility in how you structure your education - including potentially majoring at another college. It’s the best of both worlds - a small LAC and a mid-sized university.
And studying by the pool at Scripps on a sunny day in February is pretty special. Agree on the financial piece.
And my guess is you’ll be happy with either choice in the end!
giraffeinatree’s assertion is distorted by regional perceptions. Scripps is extremely prestigious, especially on the West Coast (it’s equivalent to Wellesley for the East Coast). As for research, there’s no problem in getting into cutting-edge projects, especially with a science research institute right on campus ;-).
Both are equally strong academically. Scripps is more undergraduate-focused. I’m trying to argue for UR, which is a great college, but I’m having a hard time finding undergraduate-related areas where it’s better than Scripps+Claremonts.
Utlimately, it depends on whether you want to discover another area of the country or not. Can you visit UR?
So it looks like prestige-wise, there isn’t an astronomical difference between the two, so ultimately it will be up to which school matches up academically AND socially. Thank you all for your input; I think the best thing is to make a visit to both, and I will schedule that shortly
Scripps equals Sunshine. You don’t want to be a fish out of water spending four years in one of the coldest snowiest cities in the USA when what you really love is sunshine and warmth. Why suffer needlessly? Go to Scripps.
Update: I didn’t end up getting any money from Scripps, but got an additional $3k on my Rochester scholarship, so I’ll be attending the U of R unless any of my waitlist schools pull through! Thank you for all the help, everyone!!
It’s my favorite meal in the entire world.