OP, 3 thoughts.
- Re the team… If yours is an individual sport like swimming, yes, it’d be nice to have faster teammates to practice with, but you will likely have good competition within your conference so are giving up little. If, otoh, yours is a team sport like basketball, having less good teammates may matter more. But is it a game changer for you? Think about the difference of being an impact player vs middle of the pack.
- Also, if you are injured or no longer wish to play your sport, where do you want to be? This is real – for many athletes. Look at the last several years of rosters to see how many play for 4 years. Not all!
- The cost is a real thing, so on this, you need to consider how easy it is for your family to swing the effectively extra 2 years of cost. What else could you do with this money? Are you considering grad school in a field where you would need to pay? (MBA, MD, JD, etc.)
Tough decision. My sense is that while many are saying Bates is the best choice for you, you think not. If you can name what is holding you back, maybe you will have given yourself your answer.