Your source is very interesting MWolf. 5 of my ranked colleges fall on that list and pretty high, too. I’m gonna beat myself over the head for not throwing in Carleton for a few days :lol:
Kelsey I have enjoyed reading through this string and appreciate your thoughtfulness and intelligence. Understandably, I think you are at the point where you are second- and third- and fourth-guessing every decision, based on feedback and opinions shared by those trying to help. Don’t beat yourself up, you are going to do great things wherever you go!! Everyone on this message board has offered wonderful insights and information, but I’d encourage you to step back, take a deep breath, immerse yourself in your fly-in experiences, and just spend some quiet time with yourself and your thoughts.
This quiet time may yield some wonderful aha moments, or just reinforce what you have felt all along about college “fit.” Its a roller coaster for sure, which I went through with my own daughter last year, but she is now at a QB partner school and thriving. You are an awesome person and I do hope you keep everyone updated on how your visits went and where you ultimately end up!
Hope you’re enjoying your Hamilton visit!
Since you mentioned research and LACs, I wanted to mention that my D is on academic science/math research track at Davidson. She did an REU after her first year and is presenting her work at a national conference in January. Lots of mentors and opportunities on campus. Her goal is international research next summer so she’s working on that. Anyway, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
You have a great list and I think you’d thrive anywhere on it!
Appreciate the feedback, everyone. I’ve returned from my Hamilton visit, and I do quite like it. I feel that I could integrate with the campus just fine - I was able to adjust slightly better than Haverford (but that’s largely because we had actual key cards to get into the buildings, where we’d have to wait at Haverford). I can say with a fair bit of confidence that an urban environment is no longer needed, as Hamilton was able to change my mind. However, I am unsure if I should move Hamilton up or down my list as a result. The vibe and appearance of the campus is stunning, and the students are very friendly, but I am unsure about its academics in relation to its LAC peers, as it does not rank with the other LACs on those lists concerning Ph.D. turnover ratios. Merc helped to ease my concerns on this with some statistics on prestigious awards given to many Hamilton students, working salary for graduates from Hamilton, and famous alumni from Hamilton, but I wonder if any of you had input of your own. How do you think the sciences at Hamilton compare with, say, Haverford, Grinnell, and Davidson? In fact, if you could rank these four based on their science rigor and prep for Ph.D.s, how would you do it? Could you, or would it be too tough a call?
Glad you enjoyed your visit. They offered you a fly in. You’re in a good position to be accepted. Has anyone else offered a fly in?
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. No one is going to tell you that one of these colleges is markedly better than the other for science and preparing kids for PhD programs. They are all rigorous and have excellent reputations.
Please don’t obsess over rankings and numbers. You’re needlessly splitting hairs. Hamilton is extremely respected and has top notch science classes. Getting into a PhD program is not going to turn on Hamilton versus Grinnell, or even Princeton. High numbers of PhD students is way more indicative of the type of students at that college in the first place.
Think about it. Using Reed College as an example, it has one of the highest numbers of students going on to PhD programs of all colleges. It’s tiny, and a classic LAC. It is not as selective as Hamilton. It’s not because Reed does the best job of prepping students for that, though of course that is a big part of it. It’s because the type of student who chooses Reed is highly likely to be the type of person who wants a PhD before he even enrolls at the school. It’s intensely academic.
Hamilton has plenty of students doing that too, but Hamilton grads are more likely to go right on to excellent jobs, because they choose to do so. Not as many Hamilton grads WANT to do PhD’s as do Reed grads.
The services at all these colleges are excellent. You need to keep your eye on the prize: getting four years of free tuition. Is your best chance of that at Hamilton? If so, move it higher on your list. But if you don’t see yourself being happy there for four years, don’t move it up the list. Personally, I do think Chicago is a good option for you, but it’s so hard to get in.
How was your interview? Did you feel it went well?
@Lindagaf she doesn’t really have to think in terms of the bird in the hand though. As long as its on the list at all, they’re going to give her a thumbs up or thumbs down- they have no clue where they’re ranked by her. Moving it up the list doesn’t affect that from their end. She should only have it as high as she wants in terms of most-wanted school. She may get multiple yes responses but the highest ranked by her is where she will go and she’ll never know about the rest at all.
I would like to say that I have a good chance at UChicago, but I can’t say that due to how selective it is. I feel like my essays and portfolio especially fit with it, but I don’t really know. I can’t say for sure what they would decide. They do accept a good few QB applicants, but my competitors may have the upper hand in terms of academics/ECs. It all comes down to what Chicago values. Princeton, on the other hand… haha! I love the school and all, but I doubt it. Better to try than not at all, though.
My interview went really well, I think. The person interviewing me was really interested in my home life after I told him what my father does for a living (restoring vintage license plates), and he seemed convinced by the reasons I want to go to Hamilton. I do like the school a lot, but I like the other schools a lot as well. It’s a tough call with ranking each LAC.
So QuestBridge will only tell me who I match with, and not the results of the entire ranking? Not even each app portal to each school will tell me? I can see the good in that. Won’t make me upset about where I didn’t go or too infatuated with the others that chose me.
@KelseyM correct, they don’t share full results. If you’re matched with a school that’s not your number one, you can deduce they didn’t match with you, but anything below where you are matched you would never know.
You’d find out all the decisions on your applications under only two scenarios: 1) if you don’t match at all, and 2) if you match with your last ranked college.
Scenario 3) Happened to me when calling admissions offices withdrawing D’s applications after she matched to her #1. One of her other ranked schools admissions office told me they had asked for her in the match as well, it was nice to know she was wanted by another school as well.
She ended up marrying a guy from that other school.
Regarding your ranking in general, LACs seem most suited to students who are decisive in their preference for a purely undergraduate-focused environment, often in a beautiful physical setting. If I were to make a case for dropping the LACs down a bit, it would relate to your ambivalence as to your preferred style of education.
Gotcha. I think I’m fairly happy with my ranks, actually. I prefer intense and rigorous courses, but moreso an undergraduate focus. I’ll be happy with any choice.
There’s a lot of pressure up here at the end of the supplement stuff, though. Finishing up my last portfolio piece - everything else is done. (There were actually some colleges who said they’d take arts supplements afterwards. Interesting to consider… makes me wonder if I should continue. I’m getting really burnt out though, after pumping out art like a battery hen.)
I’m guessing I should still submit a safety application to UTK? Or can I not do that, since QB states I can’t apply EA to any school? (I would apply EA to UTK)
Contact Questbridge but I think you can apply EA to other schools, just not ED.
I seriously doubt you can’t apply to your state flagship.
I would work on the safety application to UTK by November 1st since it’s the only way you’ll be considered for Honors. And if QB doesn’t work (like for more than half finalists) you really want to be in honors so that you have mentors, access to research, more in-depth classes, etc. I’d focus on that application now rather than on one more drawing.
Your ranking is pretty good. You can play with it but make sure you rank them in the order you’d like to attend. There isn’t a bad choice, they’re all good.
After you finish your UTK application, you can go back to the websites and read what they say about their science facilities, etc.
Right now, which you you like best, Haverford or Hamilton?
Haverford’s strengths are the honor code, the exchange with Bryn Mawr for more courses, and proximity to Philadelphia.
Hamilton’s distinctiveness is the open curriculum and the campus is another strong point.
You can apply EA to your State Flagship.
Good to know! Will do that immediately.
Some of my application portals say Regular Decision, even though I applied through QuestBridge. I put RD on my CSS Profile because I wasn’t sure if putting ED on multiple would get me into trouble. Should I contact the colleges to revise this to ensure that my documents are processed early, or is it no big deal?
Note that QuestBridge states,
https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match/early-application-policy
You’d asked about comparing rigor and depth in the sciences across colleges. This can be done in some cases. More rigorous colleges tend to offer a range of introductory courses in order to avoid redundancy for their students, who often have had different levels of preparation in high school. In chemistry departments, for example, you may see an advanced introductory course suitable for students who took two years of chemistry in high school.
Just finished my UTK application. Should get the recommendation letters by tomorrow!
I looked at some other threads comparing Haverford and Hamilton, and some are saying that Haverford has a LITTLE of an upper leg. It’s really tough for me to put one over the other, as I loved both of the unique assets to the campus (Hamilton’s vibe and student body; Haverford’s academic allure, nice dorms that I didn’t get to see because I was stuck in Gummere, and the city being nearby if I actually get free time to leave and see it). The stuff you said, Merc, really got me attracted to Hamilton, on top of the fly-in. I’m sure I would love Grinnell and Davidson too, just wish I could have visited them, especially Grinnell. Got an email from the overseer of Grinnell’s program though; he told me it was extremely selective due to limited funding. I’m not bummed, I trust that it’s stellar. I’m excited to see the match results. I want to be confident that someone selects me!
One interesting academic aspect when comparing Haverford and Hamilton is that for the class of 2023 they report identical ACT middle ranges (32-34) and identical (inferred) SAT midpoints (1460).
I think that for how you have described what you want and who you are, @KelseyM , I would give the slight edge to Haverford. You will get what you want academically at any of them and you will find friends as well but I suspect that ultimately, you would prefer the “life of the mind” vibe at Haverford just a bit more. I have no particular tie to either – just know kids at both.