<p>What aliceinw posted reminded me of something similar I read on CC. Spend one day as if she COULD NOT go to Choice A. Then spend the next day as if she COULD NOT go to Choice B. Maybe she would be sadder to lose one or the other.</p>
<p>But I think what I’d tell my kid to do is try not to think/talk about it for a few weeks. Let everything settle. Enjoy senior year. But re-visit both schools as close together as she can. DS narrowed it down to two, did back-to-back overnights in early April, came away with a clear preference.</p>
<p>I also like aliceinw and ingerp’s suggestions. Those “as if” questions can be powerful. I also believe in letting information sit without actively thinking about it. Sometimes it lets the decision comes to the surface.</p>
<p>How big is her high school? If her high school is bigger than the college, she should “not” go there as it will very quickly feel too small (no many kids who transferred after freshman year because of this.) Otherwise just tell her to go with her “gut” feeling and I am sure it will be right for her.</p>
<p>Personally, I know many who would find a college of only 600 people very confining after a short while, especially if it’s in a rural area. As was posted, some others might find it a good fit. Much depends on the individual. One thing that has happened in our household & many others is that kids DO change what they want and if you go to a U that is primarily for a particular degree, does the kid have to transfer to pursue another field/degree?</p>
<p>I was in a similar predicament when I had to choose a school. I had two equally good schools with equally good programs that gave me almost identical amounts of fin aid, and I liked both of them. I ended up making an extensive 3-page pro-con list that covered everything from the quality of the academics to the temperature of the water in the bathroom sinks (seriously). In the end, I threw out the list and went with my gut (but only after staying overnight at both schools and sitting in on classes at each). I graduate this spring, and I’ve never once doubted my choice. I think the thing that ultimately tipped the scales for me was that I got to know the faculty better and more quickly at the school I ended up choosing because faculty mentorship was something that was really important to me. Is there something your D really wants from a school that she couldn’t live without? Sometimes asking that question can help.</p>
<p>A very white school in a rural area with only 600 students would not even be on my list, so I am biased, but the fact that this school’s program is only “slightly better”, makes school number 2 the winner. </p>
<p>The 100% figure is nothing to sneeze at no school can guarantee all students will pass on the first try. The fact that your daughter was accepted to such a school (that I assume has high standards) means she is likely to pass the boards on the first try after attending a school that has slightly less impressive figures.</p>
<p>I read on another thread in this forum that flipping a coin can be very useful. When your D flips the coin and has her winner, ask her if she wants to make it best two out of three. The answer is telling.</p>
<p>^^ Well, it should be decided soon. The situation is that, as I am an employee at a sister school, the small school has granted my daughter one of the 3 exchange spots they reserve every year. Exchange covers full tuition. These spots only have to be held until April 1st. If unclaimed at that time, the school no longer has to hold them. I would hate to sit on that benefit and then decide not to attend but make the decision so late that no one else could get that spot.</p>
<p>ordinary- If the decision is this tight, then your d needs to rearrange her schedule so she can spend an overnite at each place. Make it a priority.</p>
<p>Thanks for explaining the need to decide soon. I’m sorry that I missed that in your original post.</p>
<p>Under the circumstances, then, I would consider setting a deadline–March 10? </p>
<p>Will it be possible to arrange another visit? Or, perhaps another visit won’t clarify further–perhaps what D needs to know is already known?</p>
<p>One way to set an enforceable deadline would be this: flip a coin right now. The school indicated by the coin flip is the one that “wins” on March 10 if no other decision is forthcoming on that date.</p>
<p>If the tally comes out even, I would pick the school that has more going for her. More to do, more options, less limiting, if she should change her mind on the program which most kids do.</p>
<p>Review web sites are full of biases and I’m sure are used far more often by students complaining than by students saying how happy they are, but since you are looking for even more input, you might consider Googling “uncensored college reviews” and looking at some of the pet peeve type comments that students have posted for each of the schools on review web sites.</p>
<p>Door number 2 it is, and the decision was made before the mom-imposed deadline. Much as she doesn’t want to stay local, she just can’t do the 600 student main campus of the school in the small town.</p>
<p>I suggested an overnight. She said no. Very telling.</p>
<p>Are you willing to reveal the 600-student main campus she decided against? It is fun to try to guess which schools someone is talking about; this one definitely stumped me. :)</p>