I’m about to be a freshman at Skidmore College in less than a week, and I am utterly terrified that I made the wrong choice. I was admitted to Skidmore off the waiting list in early May, and it had been one of my top choice schools for the entirety of my senior year. As soon as I was admitted off the wait list - which was the culmination of a lot of help from the college counselor at my school, a family friend and former professor at the school, and multiple letters from me - I headed up there to visit, and immediately accepted the spot. However, on my way home from visiting, I received a call from Kenyon College admissions notifying me that I had been admitted off of their wait list as well. Because I had not formally submitted my deposit to Skidmore, I had time to consider this option. Ultimately, however, I decided to stick with Skidmore for a number of reasons - it’s larger than Kenyon and closer to my home in upstate NY, it’s more artsy and less preppy/sports oriented, it has a better fine arts program, it’s in a beautiful and fun town with many restaurants, and I loved my visit there. Also, I felt as though it would be rude to not take the spot after enlisting so much help.
Despite my initial confidence in my decision, I am not scared that I should’ve chosen Kenyon. I am afraid that it was stupid of me to pass up the opportunity to go to a school that is more well-respected, prestigious, and higher ranked. Though I do love Skidmore, I also feel as though Kenyon would’ve been a great fit - the main reason I declined their offer is because I thought with the small student body and very isolated location, I could feel suffocated or bored after four years. However, I’m nervous that I turned down a school that has more of an environment of intellectualism than Skidmore. Is this true? Would Kenyon have better prepared me for a career than Skidmore will?
Overall, I know that it is pointless to debate this in my mind, as I am already committed to Skidmore and am going in less than I week. I can’t tell if I’m feeling this way simply because of nerves, or if this is a valid, legitimate concern. If anybody can assure me that my choice was not stupid, I’d be very appreciative! Thank you!!
It sounds like you made a well reasoned choice to attend Skidmore. It is time to stop looking in teh rear view mirror and start looking ahead. It is a great school so go and make the most of your time there.
@veryanxiousapplicant this is normal. Don’t worry, lots of kids feel this way at some point. You made the decision when you had a choice, so it was a reasoned one. Your reasons are still valid and true.
It’s all going to be fine and you will love it! Now get to school and have fun!
No, Kenyon would not offer a better education than Skidmore. They each have their strengths, but overall they are pretty comparable schools. You seem to have lots of specific reasons why Skidmore fits you well, so my guess is you’re just a little jittery about starting college. Make the most of Skidmore and don’t look back.
You have made a difficult, important, decision and now you are second guessing yourself. Very normal- and the good news is that you have control over it.
As the other posters have noted, you made a serious, considered choice. Your reasoning was sound. At this point, what will make Skidmore be the “right” choice is you deciding that it is. Seriously.
So go with an open heart and commit to the experience. When you begin to see some of the negatives (and there will be negatives, just as there would be at Kenyon), remind yourself that a college is a human institution and there is simply no such thing as perfect humans or perfect human institutions.
Everything in life- every school, every job, every relationship- is a balance between what you get and what you give, the positives and the negatives. Just keep focusing on making the most of what you have, and the balance will stay to the positive.
And well done to you, to have succeeded in having such happy hard choices- keep up the good work!
The “problem” with choosing a school is that there are so many good ones… and you could only attend one! Yes Kenyon is a great school… but so is Skidmore. You expressed your reasons for wanting to go there very clearly… and your current feelings are normal.
My advice is to look ahead and have an amazing year at Skidmore- congrats!!!
Breathe. You’re good. You made the right decision. Now go to Skidmore and don’t look back! The weather is gorgeous in Saratoga these days and will be for a long stretch. You’ll love it!
You had solid reasons to choose Skidmore. Both are great schools. Neither of my kids attended the highest ranked college they got into, but they picked the one that fit best for a variety of reasons. Both had no trouble finding intellectual peers, and it worked out great. You’ve got this – it is going to be fine!
If you picked Kenyon at the last minute, you would be saying the same thing about Skidmore. They are both good and you would do well at either. Given that you have chosen Skidmore, go with it! Get involved!
