What do you recommend? For political science. Bates has offered the best financial aid. WashU is second best in financial aid. There’s also the question of whether to stay on the Georgetown waitlist. Thank you!
Does best FA mean lowest net cost?
With repect to your intended major, this site may be of interest:
Regarding Hamilton, I recommend you strongly consider it for its long-established semester in D.C., with associated internships, as well as for the availability of its practically oriented public policy major.
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Affordability - if you have that much aid, which is most affordable - and that may include travel costs, etc. and does this affordability matter - i.e. can your family comfortably afford
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Emory and Wash U are much bigger than the others - ok, Emory the last two years - which appeals to you? Or Emory gives you a sample of both.
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If a DC semester appears of interest, Bates and Emory run theirs via American U, Hamilton runs their own (as many do), and for WUSTL it’s hard to tell - they have one for Urban Studies but I’m not sure otherwise. Still, it would make a great choice if it’s your desire.
In the end, affordability matters - but also being at the right type of school. Obviously WUSTL and Emory are in bigger cities (St. Louis is awesome) while Bates and Hamilton are not. Bates is in a small city, within reach of Portland while Hamilton is a bit more isolated - but not far from New Hartford/Utica.
All will be fine choices - but will all be fine for you? That’s what you have to decide.
Congrats on these opportunities.
Oh, I missed the WL - if you have interest in Gtown or aren’t willing to give it up - then sure, staying on won’t hurt anything. And it gives you flexibility for later although you shouldn’t factor it in your decision as any WL at a premier school is highly unlikely and some are need aware (not sure about Gtown).
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For a discipline like political science, I think you can get an outstanding education at all of these schools, along with good internships and career connections. So, take a look at the majors and departmental offerings in each and see which one seems more up your alley. But even more importantly (since students tend to change majors once or twice), consider factors beyond the major. What do the core curricula/general studies requirements look like at each school, and which appeals the most? What about vibe? Are there specific resources you can imagine taking advantage of? Are you looking for a small school (Bates, Hamilton), or a larger one (Emory, WashU)? How do you feel about switching campuses midway through your college career (Emory)? Do you prefer an urban, small-town, or rural setting? Does weather or distance from home matter to you? Do you want a school with a strong pre-professional element (WashU) or a more purely liberal-arts emphasis (Bates, Hamilton)? If you ask yourself questions like these, you can probably narrow it down pretty quickly.
You can stay on the Georgetown waitlist, but don’t count on that – the chances of getting off a waitlist at any highly selective school is very small. Move on with the options you have, which are outstanding.
ETA: I should add that my daughter is a first-year at Bates and loves it. Their offerings in politics and politics-adjacent fields are robust, and the college has a strong emphasis on civic engagement and public service (Look at the Harward Center, the Center for Purposeful Work, and the Washington, DC semester). So you certainly can’t go wrong with your best financial aid package! But it’s only right if it’s right for you, so you should consider your priorities.
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Wow - great options! And so different. As mentioned above, different parts of the US, urban vs rural, large vs small. Is a small liberal arts college more of a fit? Definitely check out political science for Bates and Hamilton. Both rated high for teaching and for top 25 liberal arts (multiple sources - US News, Niche, etc.). https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/undergraduate-teaching. Hope you can visit and see what is a fit. I do have a student at Bates and I know Dr. Stephen Engel, political science department head, is highly regarded and also runs a lot of the Q&A sessions. He’s also wonderful with the students - he was very present at parent drop-off, which was nice to see (helped kids figure out where to go). Good luck with the decision!
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If you might want to read brief comments on Hamilton and Bates in the context of comments on other colleges, see this post: NESCAC Spoken Here: - #5 by merc81 .
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Based on your intended major, you should remain on Georgetown’s waitlist.
Washington University in St. Louis is an interesting option based on size of student body, rep for academic rigor, location in a nice part of a major city, and myriad of social, academic, and cultural options.
Emory’s Oxford campus is small and seems more like a high school experience than a major university experience.
Since you would like to study political science, Hamilton’s connections to DC might more than justify its higher comparative cost.
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