<p>@dustypig you are exactly right about the things that I want. I don’t know about taking UChicago off, though; I still really like just their general academic atmosphere. I will consider USC. I’ve been to UCLA and really liked it; I think I took it off because of the size of the student body, which seems a little silly now that I compare it to Berkeley. Duke does seem really nice, but I’ve never really considered it, probably because it’s in the south. I might look into it. Are the other departments as good as its biology? I want the freedom to be great in whatever departments I choose. I didn’t mention this before, but I am also interested in a strong Japanese curriculum, since I’ve taken the language since middle school and am interested in pursuing it further. </p>
<p>I have visited boulder. I really like it, and many of my best friends go there. </p>
<p>The reason I want to be near an ocean is because I am tired of my grassy, dry, suburban surroundings. I don like having to travel across miles of flat plains to get to anywhere else. I love just looking at an ocean, and I love the climate that comes with ocean fog and mist, which regulate the temperatures and humidity. That’s why id be ok with UChicago; it has a lake. And I’m honestly ok with cold, if I like everything else. It gets pretty cold where I live, but I was looking for something different. </p>