Luckily, I was accepted into all 3 schools, and need help deciding which to attend.
Financial Aid/COA: All are practically the same with Vanderbilt offering slightly more due to National Merit Finalist status (a couple thousand more). My parents are willing to pay for undergraduate schooling, although I will most likely have to take out a loan for graduate school if I intend to pursue it.
Academics: All are ranked highly. I indicated on the common app that I would pursue a pre-med track, studying biology or physics, but as time wore on, I’ve realized I may also have an interest in finance/economics. Aside from those two career paths, I also would like to study a new language (currently fluent in 3), partake in research/internships, study abroad (mostly as a language immersion program), and enjoy my college experience. I applied to the college of arts and sciences for every school btw, and in case it matters, my favorite subjects throughout high school were math (calculus) and biology/physics.
Cities: I have never visited any of the cities, nor can I actually visit the schools due to lack of funding from my parents. I imagine that sometime in my four years at college I will venture out into the neighboring city, but that’s not really a huge concern for me.
Prestige: All schools are ranked very highly, but my dilemma with Vanderbilt and Hopkins is that Hopkins outranks some ivy league schools while Vandy seems to fall short. This leads me to believe the academic opportunities at Hopkins are generally a lot better than those at Vanderbilt. I would appreciate a comment on this thought.
That’s all I can think of, if you need some clarification please let me know! Also I will be living on campus all four years since I live out of state.
You should first decide if you would prefer the larger school vs the LAC. They are markedly different experiences. If you prefer the LAC then the decision is made for you. If not, it is between Vanderbilt and Hopkins. Personally I prefer Hopkins but in terms of academics they are pretty comparable.
Hopkins is in the city of Baltimore. Vanderbilt is in the city of Nashville, which seems a bit more accessible/laid back than Baltimore to me. The city is right on the doorstep of each. Amherst is in a small town with a slightly larger town (Northampton) nearby and accessible by free bus that runs among the colleges there.
I wouldn’t get hung up on the ranking minutiae between JHU and Vanderbilt. They are both very competitive schools.
Greek life and sports culture is bigger at Vanderbilt. JHU’s most high profile sport is lacrosse.
They’re all top rated schools. Academically, you can’t go wrong with any of them.
p.s. regarding travel logistics - Amherst is a good 2 hours from the Boston International Airport. Vanderbilt and Baltimore have airports that are in closer proximity.
With regards to LAC vs bigger universities, I never seriously considered Amherst, because I think I would prefer a larger university with a better alumni network and more of a professional environment (graduate school and whatnot). Plus, I’m not sure how I would adapt to a LAC because I’m not entirely sure what the experience is like. Although, that being said, the option still exists.
Tbh, I’ve pretty much only strongly considered Vanderbilt and Hopkins, so deciding between these two comes down to academics, social atmosphere, and alumni network. Also, how’s the residential life of each? I ask because I can’t visit haha
…but only 45 minutes from Hartford CT’s airport.
As you can’t afford to visit the schools, will you be able to afford to travel home for breaks?
what support systems does each school have for low income students?
Thanks everyone, I’ve pretty much decided on Vanderbilt Class of 2020… pending the waitlists from Duke and Princeton!
Idk if you put down your deposit yet, but as last minute, I’d like to vouch for Amherst due to the track you’re pursuing from another perspective.
Vanderbilt and Hopkins are well-known for having hard, pre-med weed out courses (meaning, courses designed to have pre-meds switch out of the pre-med track). Additionally, lots of people go into Vanderbilt and Hopkins believing that it will give them better chances for their (amazing) medical schools - which is simply not the case due to the pre-med weed out courses I described earlier, and the level of competitiveness within the school for those spots in their medical schools (because so many people come in wanting to go to the medical school at each school). On the other hand, a top-tier LAC such as Amherst, are known to be graduate school feeders. Amherst does not weed out students as heavily as Vanderbilt or Hopkins does, and it also has an open curriculum (which waives general distribution requirements - you can take whatever you want). Many people end up going to a LAC for undergraduate education, and save the big-name schools for graduate school.
But finally, if you are positive that you want to spend your four years at a larger institution closer/in a city, both Vanderbilt and Hopkins are wonderful schools. Admittedly, I imagine the rural setting at Amherst is a turn-off for many prospective students.
If I’m going to be brutally honest, the reason I fear choosing Amherst is because I’m not sure I would have a good time there. The campus seems isolated (especially compared to Vanderbilt), and I’m concerned with the size of the college. Vanderbilt offers the best overall experience, and while the academics may not be quite as good as Amherst, nor as intellectually stimulating, I’m certain there will be classes that challenge me in the sameway. Even more, the Nashville atmosphere is almost certainly more habitable for someone like myself than Amherst (especially considering I come from an urban environment). Part of me is interested in a LAC experience, but perhaps I’m just too afraid to step out of my comfort zone. Vanderbilt’s social atmosphere is ideal for me, and frankly I’m just concerned that Amherst’s social scene would not suit me in the same manner. @Mehdiocre , you’re absolutely right though that the setting is a bit of a turn-off haha, but I truly appreciate the input!
@Participant101 I hope you enjoy your time at Vanderbilt! 
…and if you’re hoping for those schools you were waitlisted at, I wish you luck.