<p>Hey. Some of you may have the same problem as me, and I was looking for some advice. At this point Amherst is my first choice, and although I’m still on the waiting list at 3 other schools, I know it’s dreadfully hard to get in that way. But my mom thinks differently. She’s never heard of Amherst, and she’s determined for me to go to Cornell or Northwestern (2 of the wait-list schools) or Berkeley. Now how do I convince her that Amherst is a great school? Also, if you could tell me some of the advantages/disadvantages of Amherst and the other schools, I’d be very grateful. By the way, I plan on studying something in the sciences though I’m not quite sure yet. Thanks again!</p>
<p>Dunno, just tell her flat out that Amherst is better than Cornell. Mention that most Ivy League schools are overrated due to prestige and they don't do a whole lot for the undergrads. If it makes her feel better, tell her you can go to Amherst, and that it will make you a better candidate for a top grad school.</p>
<p>show her stuff that's written in princeton review best 361 (or whatever number it is) colleges, fiske guide, kaplan's guide, etc. it's clearly stated in no uncertain terms in those books what an amazing school amherst is. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/libartco/tier1/t1libartco_brief.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/libartco/tier1/t1libartco_brief.php</a>
that's a link to the site for the US News rankings that show Amherst as the number 2 liberal arts school.</p>
<p>it's proven in a lot of places what an awesome school amherst is. use them! for your mother must realize the truth! i don't know why i'm using these exclamation points!</p>
<p>You could explain some of the advantages of a small LAC compared to a large university, such as being taught by full professors for all your classes instead of TAs and smaller class sizes in general. The individual attention you'll get from a school the size of Amherst could make a big difference in your academic success, and the community feeling that comes from belonging to a small school is also a plus.
Bring her to the admitted student days, if possible. They will point out all of the advantages of a wonderful liberal arts college, and she will see first hand what it has to offer.</p>
<p>amherst isn't necessarily better than cornell. if you are looking for a huge school (really huge) with literally boundless oppurtunities and activities go to cornell. amherst is better for a smaller environment and a more liberal arts focused education. it also depends on what you are studying. i am going to amherst most likely, but i have a lot of experience with cornell and i can tell you its an amazing school. the area is beautiful and the people are wonderful. i haven't been to amherst but i've heard a lot of good things about it too. if you intend to study something intense like engineering though i wont hesitate to reccomend cornell but for everything else it's really up to you and your preferences. whatever you pick you will have to live with for the next 4 years so do something that makes you happy.</p>
<p>Sounds like mother thinks big name means big connections, etc. Get a list of big names who are alumni. She will think differently of the school.</p>
<p>Maybe you could show her the U.S news' ranking.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies! I'll try all that. I'm sure she'll come around..</p>
<p>I'd definitely agree with looking up famous alums: Calvin Coolidge, Prince Albert of Monaco, several CIA directors, actor Larry Miller (the dad in 10 Things I Hate About You, among other roles), Nobel prize winners including Stiglitz for economics, Dan Brown...so many others. Currently one of the sons of the Kohl's department store guy goes here.</p>