<p>I chose not to go to U of C or to apply to the IVYs and opted to go to a medium sized Canadian school. Although the highly selective schools indicate that they are looking for diversity, their screening process tends to give them students who are essentially alike. After spending 4 years at a suburban school in honors classes with students like myself, I wanted to go to a university with students who represented greater diversity of ability, socio economic background, and life experiences than I would have found in an IVY.</p>
<p>For me, it was a great decision. My professors all knew me, I was given scholarships and a research fellowship, and graduated with no debt. In fact, I had more of a graduate student experience as an undergraduate than I did later when I went to grad school. And I got to meet and learn from all kinds of people–with backgrounds vastly different from my own.</p>