Hi everyone! I’m deciding between colleges and my top choices are Wellesley, William & Mary, and the University of Richmond
I’m a prelaw student and planning to major in political science and economics (or its equivalent at any of the schools).
I didn’t get any financial aid so Wellesley is $100K, Richmond is $90K, and W&M is $70K annually. We can afford to pay all of them, but I am also looking at outside scholarships for assistance.
I’d prefer a small to medium campus (Wellesley has my favorite) and definitely not hot weather. I also like the fact that Wellesley is located very close to, but not directly in, a major city.
Personally I’m very much leaning towards Wellesley for a number of reasons:
The prelaw and econ programs are both incredibly strong
The opportunity to enroll at MIT is a major plus
I like the fact that it’s a college, so faculty teach all the classes and undergrads have more attention
It has great job outcomes and results with top law schools
I would love to live in a close-knit community of girls
Like I mentioned before, I really love the Gothic campus, its proximity to Boston, and the weather
It’s the closest campus to my family among my choices (4.5 hrs away compared to Richmond and W&M, which are both 5.5+ hours away)
More of my family’s concern than mine, but it is the most “prestigious”/ivy-adjacent one
My friend is going to Brandeis and it would be fun to hang out (minor consideration)!
For what it’s worth, I feel the strongest “calling” here. I can’t explain it but it just feels right
I’m also the first person from my school to get into Wellesley since 2019, so I feel like it’s such a huge opportunity
Potential concerns:
I am politically center, but liberal-leaning (not SUPER liberal - I have some conservative views). Do you think this might be a problem?
I heard grade deflation is an issue there, which might be bad for law school. But I also heard people say it’s getting better…
I read about recent strikes from untenured faculty and students having to attend classes they don’t want to as a result
So for those reasons I’m really in favor of Wellesley lol, but I’d love to know your thoughts and any suggestions you might have! I know W&M and Richmond also have really strong resources for my areas of interest.
All great options that can get you where you want to go. If your parents can comfortably finance all of the options plus law school then consult with them and choose your favorite. Congrats.
As an aside, take a sec to thank your parents for the amazing gift of a wonderful education.
Agree with @happy1 . If your parents are funding any of these colleges, please give them a HUGE hug and thank you. Many families won’t, even if they can. This is a wonderful gift to you.
Just be sure that the finances really do work…by discussing this with your family. That’s who matters!
You might want to look at possible changes to the grad plus loans being proposed. This could affect your funding for law school.
Thank you - that’s what we’re doing now, and we’ll be visiting all three for Admitted Students Day Yes, I am so grateful to be able to have such a wonderful privilege!!
Thank you so much! I am so grateful for my parents’ support (and the advice of everyone here on CC)!! I will take a look at the link you provided and see whether it changes things
I wouldn’t worry about pre law. You can get to the same law school from each and every school on your initial list…and your overall list was long.
Law school will be impacted by how you do in class and especially your LSAT. Plus today many work in between. Pre law is not needed for law school. No specific college over another is needed.
If the budget is open, choose the one you prefer. It certainly sounds like Wellesley.
You do bring up a concern that most needn’t think about. Here’s some info and I’m sure you can read deeper. Maybe even speak to a student ambassador about it - the strike.
If you were to seek an alternative, I’d think both Richmond and W&M would be fine but I’d lean toward W&M as Richmond has a large business school scene and might skew more conservative. But Richmond is also, like Wellesley, on the fringe of the city whereas W&M is more remote - but in a town with a tourist area adjacent.
In the end, I’d throw out all your preferences today in the sense you are going to all three admitted student days. Make sure to ask kids about the strike but given you are attending all three, your mind can very well change.
I would add - listen to your gut (or heart, or intuition, whatever you want to call it). Admitted students days will either cement that Wellesley is the front-runner, or another will emerge. Where you feel most comfortable, that is where you have the best chance of thriving! Best of luck - great choices and you can’t go wrong. I predict that after visiting, Wellesley will (continue to) win your heart – but I know kids who have changed their minds after visiting colleges too, so go in everywhere with an open mind!
