<p>arkbro – Here in basketball-mad North Carolina (and you could probably add Kentucky and Indiana to that list), sports rivalries are a very acceptable reason for not wanting to go to a certain college! If we just had one great university, that would be one thing, but with four ACC schools (Carolina, Duke, State, and Wake) that are all strong academically, plus Davidson, you can’t go wrong by excluding one based on sports rivalries – unless you want a certain program that is only offered at the school you don’t like (for example, textile engineering).</p>
<p>You’re calling Tenors’ criteria “■■■■■■■■”? If this is how someone who believes one should go for the most “elite” university talks, I’d rather hang out with the less elite. </p>
<p>Personally, I find it refreshing that Tenors isn’t caught up in the “only go to what is considered elite by some” hype and that he/she is thinking about the specific program, environment, and quality of life that he/she would like in a college. That shows a lot of maturity. Understandably, though, Tenors is in a difficult situation with the parents, and it sounds as if that involves cultural expectations.</p>
<p>Tenors, I hope that you can find some place that will be acceptable to both you and your parents, and that you will grow to love it even if it’s not your favorite at first.</p>