unbaised opinion on backup schools..

<p>So here's the deal... I love ND, like pretty much every other person that lurks on this board. But I got waitlisted... I'm going to try my hardest to get off the waitlist of course, and if I do there is no doubt that I will drop everything and go there. But we don't find out for a while, so for now, I have to decide between...</p>

<p>College of the Holy Cross (haven't visited but will be in 2 weeks) and Villanova (which I have visited and loved at the time, except for the fact that they have greek life - seems stupid)</p>

<p>Please help me!!! Thanks</p>

<p>I really love Nova between the two.</p>

<p>Great academics, I think it has a better reputation, better sports, and I think a more spirited student body.</p>

<p>I wouldn't worry too much about the Greek system, it seems pretty controlled at Nova. For example, most of them don't live off-campus</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

<p>I actually was accepted to Holy Cross and Notre Dame and selected Holy Cross. I was from Massachusetts and had no strong desire to live in Indiana. I know little about Villanova. One advantage at HC is that it is a strictly undergraduate school and you will be taught only by PhD level professors (Not grad students). Only 2800 students and a very close knit community and over 25% of the students are division 1 athletes.</p>

<p>Villanova, but I went to an Augustinian high school so I'm biased</p>

<p>That's a tough call. The one problem I see with HC is that it is not really known outside of the NE.
That being said, I have had relatives go to all three, ND, HC, and Villanova and everyone loved their particular experience and ended up exactly where they wanted to be, whether it was medical school, dental school, or business.
(My last relative to graduate from HC got a fantastic job in Boston - just what he had wanted.)
I do hope you get off the waitlist and into ND - good luck!</p>

<p>Don't both schools have high tuition? Personally I am a fan of the Jesuit schools which usually have lower tuition and give good scholarships (Creighton, SLU, Rockhurst, Gonzaga, etc).</p>

<p>Between those two, it is a tough call, just depends on what fits you best.</p>

<p>Holy Cross is Jesuit. It was founded by the Jesuits from Georgetown. The first few years 1843-1865 Holy Cross diplomas were signed by the president of Georgetown.</p>

<p>I'm going to Notre Dame for less than I would have to pay to go to Creighton.</p>

<p>Alright, I appreciate everyone's advice. If only I had gotten into ND I wouldn't have this dilemma. But like another poster mentioned, I'm grateful to be on the waitlist.</p>

<p>i'm going to say 'Nova...</p>

<p>Go with Villanova</p>

<p>See what you think of the campus at HC. I personally got a migraine the day I had to walk up and down all those hills. And the area - Worcester, MA (pronounced wuster) is pretty ugly. I say go to 'Nova.</p>

<p>Worcester is no worse (and better in many ways) than South Bend (Notre Dame) or New Haven (Yale). It is a former manufacturing city and so there are a lot of three deckers and old brick warehouses there to be sure.</p>

<p>I visited holy cross last summer. The campus was beautiful. It almost felt like a mini ND without the quads. However, it is incredibly small. Also, there are a lot of people from the northeast, and really are just not my type of person. If you want premed, HC is awesome if you can get into their program. THere building a brand new state of the art science building that looks as amazing as ND's Jordan Hall. It depends on the type of person. If your from the NE and like a smaller school with a nice "college campus" feel, HC is a good choice, especially for premed.<br>
I was wait listed too! I feel your pain.</p>

<p>I personally wouldn't call Holy Cross at 2800 students "incredibly small". Most of the Patriot League schools are around that size. Now Davidson (with just 1600 students) who recently made it the elite 8 in the NCAA tournament is "incredibly small"!!</p>

<p>I really meant the campus itself was small. But I would say it is still quite a small school student population wise, by my standards atleast. My high school is even bigger than HC. Some people like that... it depends on the person I guess.</p>

<p>seems to be sort of half and half, i'm actually starting to lean toward hc a bit..</p>