<p>Absolutely wrong about the area surrounding Hopkins. It is absolutely bordered by a beautiful, wealthy neighborhood of grand homes and mansions. Also, many large and beautiful prep schools are in the area, as are several other colleges on beautiful campuses.</p>
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<p>Congrats to you both!</p>
<p>After having driven our parents and assorted friends up their collective walls, we’ve finally decided! :D:)</p>
<p>In Kaushik’s view: Berkeley literally made me an offer I couldn’t refuse! 
My Merit Aid estimation came through (after we navigated through the FAFSA); and effectively I shall be going to Berkeley for $18,000 a year, which isn’t half bad. 
In addition I spent the past couple of weeks researching and growing to know Berkeley, and I’m glad to say that I hope that I’ll grrrrr at Berkeley. (or whatever sound Bears make)</p>
<p>*In Shrivats’ view:<a href=“Ah%20how%20I%20love%20referring%20to%20myself%20in%20third%20person%20:”>/I</a>)
BME at Hopkins seems just right for me. (After a lot of self-examination). I’m from a medical household (Father’s a Plastic Surgeon), so that would be in keeping. (Plus I harbor mad, mad hopes (which are minuscule in possibility) of Med School sometime in the future, so JHU should be good for that). Also, as someone who’s inordinately proud of hearing himself speak and who’s madly obsessed with International Politics and Current Affairs, JHU’s IR department’s a great boost. It’ll cost the same for my family. (With aid figured out, if one of us goes to Cal and the other to JHU or if we both go to Cal) Plus I really, really love JHU’s Debate scene, a minor consideration I know, but on such things are decisions made! :D</p>
<p>Other than that, I look forward to the cold after 14 years of a climate where 20 degrees C (68 F) is considered to be a cold winter.</p>
<p>Add to that, we’d be apart at college, which will be weird, but should be an interesting case study in its own right. (Practices vaguely medical sounding phrases)</p>
<p>Once again, from the both of us, a heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who have replied on this board. Thanks for your advice, your helpful words, and for aid in coming to this decision.</p>
<p>P.S: We’re 3832.03 kilometers apart. (Or so says Google Earth)</p>
<p>Ah, yes, but flights are easy to get, and, there will be many, many visiting opportunities - this is actually better because this way both of you will have the opportunity to see and experience different parts of the U.S., as you visit each other. And if you need help beyond campus resources specific to international politics, PM works :)</p>
<p>Congratulations!</p>
<p>Help! My D has narrowed it down to these two schools? She is a musicaltheatre / drama major> SHe was accepted into Elon’s MT/ program and is trying to decide which would be a better decision for her. She ultimately wants to be a performer but is very academic. SHe loves the personal atmosphere at ELon but wonders if a degree from UNC woud be better. She feels at Elon she can get training AND academics and then go on to do her MFA if she wishes at UNC or somewhere else. Perfroming seems to be about life experiences as much as training?natural talent. Any thoughts are welcome. This decision feels like life will go awry if we make the wrong one. It has already been difficult enough to turn down one fabulous BFA program after another. WHy can’t we all live 2or even 3 lifetimes? LOL!! I WILL be GLAD when this is settled! May1 is around the corner. This forum has been a life saver at times. So many are such sages because of having lived through this before…or life.</p>
<p>Um, mhappiness, you’ll probably get more responses if you post this as an individual thread in the Musical Theater forum…</p>
<p>Shrivats and Kaushik—I’m finding this really fun, to see where people that I’ve gotten to “know” via CC are deciding where to attend. Your situation has been a very unique one, and one I’ve been following with great interest! It sounds like you both have really made some thoughtful decisions, and there’s no question that you two will thrive on your respective campuses. They are in such different locales, that it will give you a chance to see 2 different, but great areas of the U.S. (I agree w/ the above poster that you should make every effort to trade visits across the U.S. to visit each other) make sure you are able to spend time in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. The only consideration is that with the time zone changes and flight time, the flight from the west coast to the east coast takes up most of a day, so keep that in mind when planning your travels. Anyway, congrats to you both on your decisions.</p>
<p>S and K - congrats for deciding! Enjoy your college years.</p>
<p>I’d just like to add my congrats as well! I too loved JHU, unfortunately I didn’t get in, but it seems like a wonderful place! Good luck to your bro @ UCB</p>
<p>Oh, my goodness–You twins have actually chosen different schools, and they’re clear across the country from one another!? Ha; that’s great. What stories you will have now to trade with each other! Good luck to you both, and welcome in advance to the United States!</p>
<p>Congrats on the “big” decision- like others, a bit surprised to think of ‘the twins’ on the opposite coasts- but, it makes for even more drama!!!</p>
<p>Looking forward to hearing about Berkeley and JHU through your eyes! Such drama- great update !</p>
<p>Twins in different schools have the best of both worlds. You get to have your own experiences while you “see” the other school from your twin’s eyes. Congratulations and best of luck to both of you! (And do visit one another if and when you have different vacations!)</p>
<p>I think we should have a “Kaushik and Shrivats” thread on the parents cafe forum for us all to be able to keep tabs on you two. It’s been WAY fun to follow you through this process. (Besides, we’re all so good at giving parently advice!!!)</p>
<p>Never fear! We’ll keep updating this thread until we’re ready to start all over again with Grad School admissions. (The both of us have just discovered the joys of Facebook, hence our silence over the past few days)</p>
<p>Aid for children of a plastic surgeon?</p>
<p>Hmmmm…</p>
<p>Um, I’m not sure how that’s relevant really. Plastic Surgery’s a huge field, not restricted to cosmetic surgery. It’s not the same the world over. It doesn’t pay as much as it appears to in America the world over, and it certainly isn’t as lucrative if you aren’t in private practice. In fact the commonest surgeries that my father performs are reconstructive ones, helping re-attach a laborer’s cut off hand, restoring a cleft-lip patient’s life, helping someone who’s been attacked by acid restore their appearance.</p>
<p>Sorry to go on the defensive, at least to us, knowing our own financial circumstances, it’s not that surprising that we’d get aid.</p>
<p>Shrivats:</p>
<p>Thanks for clarifying. Reconstructive surgery is a very large field that is very very important in many parts of the world.</p>
<p>Hi you two - I’m happy to learn of your very interesting final decision, and I hope you do continue this thread, because you’re two of the most enjoyable people I’ve ever read on CC. </p>
<p>Btw, my D chose UC Irvine over UCB after our visit (posted 2 pages back). The visit was great fun and actually made us both like Berkeley more than before, but just not enough to beat Irvine’s offer and its being so close to home (a factor which may seem a little silly on this thread) - but she’ll probably be looking to UCB for grad or law school. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you both! How great that you’ll be getting to know the two coasts - that’s an education in itself.</p>