<p>Hi I'm a senior in high school and am getting recruited to play softball by both Bates and Wellesley. Right now I am having trouble deciding which school I will be applying EDI to, I have gone on recruiting trips (slept in dorms overnight, met the team, had the food, sat in classes) at both schools. Right now, both schools are neck and neck for me! I am worried/nervous though that at Wellesley I will be too stressed out and overwhelmed about school and also, the all girls thing is starting to get to me even though while I was there it did not bother me. Bates on the other hand, I am a little unsure of its location. I want to be near a college town/city. I hope someone can shed some light on my dilemma and really tell me something that will set one school over the other one! Thanks!</p>
<p>I think your observations and reservations about each school are fairly accurate. </p>
<p>My D graduated from Wellesley, and I have a S at a different college in Maine. My D was stressed, my S feels somewhat isolated. </p>
<p>When you visited, did you ask the students at each place specifically about these issues? If not, can you follow up?</p>
<p>My D is very much the type A, self-driven over achiever that is typical at Wellesley. She would have stressed herself out anywhere she went, and in some ways Wellesley allowed to see herself in her classmates and she learned to relax just a little.</p>
<p>My S is more laid back, His school is academically rigorous, but doesn’t have the constantly stressed atmosphere my D experienced at Wellesley.</p>
<p>I tend to be more like my S personality-wise. If it were me, I’d pick isolated over stressed. You will be busy with your sport and you will be traveling, so that should help with some of the isolation. And with the added pressures of your sport, you will already have some academic stress from the time commitment.</p>
<p>Good luck with your decision. They are both great schools!</p>
<p>Hmm. Bates probably would fit you better. Lewiston isn’t a sexy town but it isn’t so far from lots of great things–Boston is maybe 2.5 hours away, and even if you were at Wellesley, it would still take you about an hour to get to Boston. You’ll be traveling to all the other LACs. Mountains and beach are not that far. If you have doubts about the all-girls thing, then, well, Wellesley can’t change that for you. It is what it is.</p>
<p>What a fabulous dilemma. Only focused and accomplished young women face such descions. The demands of academics and athletics are pretty consuming. My D , who participated in both year round Club and seasonal varsity athletics during high school, had a hard time managing the demands of colligate athletics at first. What type of accememic support is offered to varsity athletes? Will you have mandatory study halls? Will you have priority access to trainers? Does the coach help arrange peer tutors if needed? In your opinion which school offered the most support and comfortable environment? </p>