| ^^^
Academically- I want to study Central and South Asian history, and Wes just doesn't have many resources, classes, or opportunities to do so, because it has a very Eurocentric emphasis and is pretty limited as a liberal arts school. If I go to a bigger school, I will be able to take classes that are crosslisted within fully dedicated, functional Near East/Asian Studies programs and work with professors that specialize in that field. Basically, bigger school, bigger endowment, larger faculty = more opportunities to pursue my passions.
Socially- I just am not really that happy here. Each college has its own unique personality, and I just don't think mine meshes. It is so much easier for some reason to make friends offcampus rather than on campus. And also, I have always dreamed of playing DIAA football at one of those schools, and I want to the chance to walk on. Also my parents are kind of the stereotypical Asian parents, you know, they really only know of the Ivies (prestigewise). So if going to one will make me happier and my parents happier I think I at least owe it to them to try.
It's a total crapshoot, but I think you have as good a chance as anyone can hope for. Good luck everyone else, I submitted my essays early, but the more I look at it, the worse it looks. So I'm really not very hopeful about my chances. |