<p>Because a visit only tells you so much about a place. Because while I enjoyed the Swarthmore “atmosphere,” it doesn’t offer certain classes I’d like to take. Because my love-feeling towards Swarthmore was based so heavily upon talking to maybe 6 people and the beautiful campus, whereas I know a lot more concrete things that would influence my education at UChicago. I was only trying to explain why I’m having trouble writing off Swarthmore completely, not trying to confuse anyone anymore than I myself am confused. I’ve heard the whole “go, visit, and see where you love” advice, but I’m skeptical. My mother worked hard to go to a state school, and would have been happy if I’d gone to a state school and saved the family some money. I’m not about to feel good about myself if I tell my family and mentors “I don’t know as much about how far I’ll be able to pursue my specific educational interests at this school, but it seemed like more of a ‘happy’ and ‘fun’ place.” Actually, I have said some of those things to my parents, and they pointed out that I will find friends wherever I go, and those friends will only be a max of like a hundred people anyway. Also, I did enjoy the feeling of a collective social conscience for the two days I was there, but I know I can find this other places, it just wouldn’t be as easy to notice it immediately on a campus visit to a larger college.</p>