Which college should I choose?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a senior in high school and it's apparently the time to go college shopping. So I've narrowed it down to UNT and U of A (Fayetteville), but I'm having a really hard time deciding which one to go to.</p>

<p>I really do like the University of Arkansas, I've visited twice (once overnight) and I think the place is absolutely beautiful. I can get it and get the in state scholarship, it can provide a very good education for a reasonable price, and I love that sports are a big part of the college life. I feel like I would have the quintessential college experience. My boyfriend is also considering going there, so I can't help but consider that a large factor. However, I'm a tree hugging liberal and I'm worried I might not fit it. And whenever I've visited I can't quite really see myself as a student there <em>yet</em>, it might just be the entire college life intimidating me.</p>

<p>UNT, on the other hand, appeals to my artsy tree hugging liberal side. The entire school is eco-friendly, and Denton is a fun, quirky arts town. Whenever I visited UNT, I felt so at home (it might just be because Denton is so much like my home town.) I know I would love the atmosphere there. However, there are some large factors that make me lean away: To be honest, UNT just doesn't seem like a very academically prestigious school, the football team is practically nonexistent, and a lot of people go home on the weekends so there isn't much student life. </p>

<p>So I'm puzzled. I want to like Arkansas so much, but I feel like I have a hard time really picturing myself going there. And I'd fit in so well at Arkansas, but I feel like there are a lot of things I don't like.</p>

<p>HELP!</p>

2

<p>renco, as a recent alum (and former employee), I’m majorly biased- but I don’t think you’d have a hard time fitting in at Arkansas at all. Fayetteville is a very liberally minded city with a great arts and culture scene (particularly for a city of under 100,000), and there’s a lot of focus on trees, parks, trails, alternative transportation, the environment, and green tech development. The University of Arkansas itself was named in the top 3% of sustainable universities, has a massive recycling and bio-diesel program, and now offers a sustainable studies program. There are very active political, environmental, and all sorts of special interest student groups on campus, and the art department has some cool guest speakers, visiting artists, and exhibits (and be sure and check out the drama department’s productions- you can go for free as a student on most weekdays) to appeal to the artsy side. And, in the next year or two, when Crystal Bridges opens, there will be an excellent academic partnership between the Crystal Bridges Museum and the art department, which will be difficult to match elsewhere.
UNT is a fine school and certainly has been rising in prominence in the last few years (but so has the UofA, for that matter), and I’m sure you’ll find your fit, but I have to put in my shameless plug for Arkansas.
Let me know if there are any questions/opinions I can help with.
-Matt</p>