<p>^^ dang :/</p>
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<p>I have a few thoughts:</p>
<p>1) This is the most competitive year ever for college admissions, as you have found out. As a result, I think you will find a good peer group further down the food chain than you might otherwise think. Many people are being shut out of the most competitive colleges and they will all try to find their best option. If you search well, I believe you can end up with great peers. </p>
<p>2) Many kids mature at different rates. There are late bloomers who are quite intellectual but hit their stride late. I can see this group also being attracted to some of the “Colleges that Change Lives” (CTCL) group. </p>
<p>3) Some of the schools on that CTCL list do seem pretty impressive. One of the most impressive things about Swarthmore is the percentage of graduates who ultimately get PhDs. To me that’s a sign of a very intellectual school. Everyone at St John’s College spends 4 years studying great books, there are no majors and many of their graduates ultimately get a PhD. It is the ultimate intellectual school. Hendrix and St. Olaf are also pretty impressive and must have an intellectual environment because many of their graduates get PhD’s also. These all seem like schools for thinkers. Rhodes is right up there with WUSTL and Middlebury in this category. </p>
<p>I pulled this from another post and saved it:
PhDs and Doctoral Degrees: ten years (1994 to 2003) from NSF database
Number of Undergraduates: ten years (1989 to 1998) from IPEDS database
Percentage of graduates receiving a doctorate degree.</p>
<p>Note: Does not include colleges with less than 1000 graduates over the ten year period
Note: Includes all NSF doctoral degrees inc. PhD, Divinity, etc., but not M.D. or Law."</p>
<p>3 Swarthmore College 21.1%
22 St John’s College (both campus) 10.6%
36 St Olaf College 8.7%
37 Hendrix College 8.7%
66 Washington University 6.5%
69 Rhodes College 6.4%
80 Middlebury College 6.0%</p>
<p>I threw Swarthmore, WUSTL and Middlebury to give you an idea of the peer group.</p>
<p>Oh, nice.
I didn’t know all this about lesser known colleges. I wish someone was there to tell me this before I made my college selection.
These facts about St. John’s are really great, I will pay more attention to CTCL list. I just hope I’ll be able to make a good selection of schools. Do you have any advice on what particular things I should pay more attention to? (besides the stuff already told)</p>
<p>You know, funny how you mention Swarthmore as a leading example, that’s the school where I got waitlisted!</p>
<p>Thanks for writing this much for me!</p>
<p>Rhodes is an outstanding college that gives good aid. It may be worth looking into. You should also look at Harvard Extension. I don’t think that most 18 year olds are ready for that, but it may work for you especially as a transfer student. The cost is quite low, and admission is much easier than for the normal Ivy League programs. The peer group would probably be good for you- people who will do whatever it takes to get a great education and who cannot go the “normal” route. You could probably work part time in Boston and go there, especially if you have background from the hotel management school.</p>
<p>OneMom, thanks for another advice and keeping this topic alive!</p>
<p>And well, right now I’m trying to prepare for an entrance exam in Physics in my country so I could at least try my shots at majoring in some more academic major than hotel school. (btw, I accepted the scholarship after talking to several people about my options -as my safety net, in case nothing else works out)</p>
<p>And I will also try to apply to a college that gives finaid within Europe - the best of all, I can be undecided and study in English language! It seems to be very selective so I can’t predict if I’ll get accepted or not, but I shall try. And it’s also a 2-year program for now so I’ll have to transfer somewhere afterwards.</p>
<p>Thanks for suggesting Rhodes, I checked it out now, and I’ll look up more about them. Sounds like a really nice school.
Harvard Extension - well, I don’t really want to go to hotel school so I don’t really know if I’d want a certificate degree afterwards. Even if I go (and it’s my last option, if everything else fails), for now, I think I’ll always want to transfer out. If for nothing, for the sake of moving out of my home. I really hate the idea of staying in my town and living with my parents during my college years. My town does not provide enough opportunities for young person in need of exploration, growth and new experiences. </p>
<p>And I really want to pursue academics for now, explore my mind and thoughts, explore who I am or who am I to become, and not being condemned to one career. </p>
<p>But thank you, and if you have more suggestions, I will be happy if you’d keep posting :)</p>
<p>Money comes last </p>
<p>happiness comes first</p>
<p>It’s easy to say “money comes last” when you don’t have to worry about money and debt.</p>
<p>it’s also easy to be unhappy</p>
<p>it seems to me that you’re still trying to find yourself as a person. then i would not recommend attending this Am. college at all, if it is as “professional” and specific as you say it is. money, obviously, always is an issue, but the reason why i said money comes last and happiness comes first is because (i dont know much about your financial situation) the fact that you applied to colleges in the U.S. means that you would be able to pay it off in the long run. Now if you’re dirt poor and can barely support yourself DEFINENTLY go to Am. College. otherwise, the educational value and the experience of traveling and meeting new people is definently too hard, in my opinion, to pass up no matter the final amount. and if you find yourself extremely unhappy at whatever college you would attend in the U.S. you can always transfer. </p>
<p>life, liberty, and the pursuit of HAPPINESS <<<<<that’s all that matters</p>
<p>Haha, thanks!</p>
<p>I decided to accept this scholarship (as my safety) while I’m preparing myself for other applications to places within and outside my country. If nothing works, I can always attend this college, explore my other options and apply somewhere else next year.
And yes, you’re right, I still have to find myself as a person, and I definitely know that what I want right now is not being trained for a profession but study more challenging curriculum because I still need to explore thoughts and certain areas. </p>
<p>Fortunately, I am not in “dirt poor and can barely support myself” situation, but I am also not super wealthy (especially comparing the incomes in the US and the ones in my country). So of course, cost matters, and if by any weird chance or luck, I get off Swarthmore’s waitlist, I’ll have to see how much finaid they’ll give me and with how much loans. Same goes to the colleges where I’ll eventually apply.<br>
I picked some colleges to apply to, so I’ll prepare my app/myself for entrance exams and see what’ll happen. </p>
<p>And thanks, I’ll keep pursuing my happiness!</p>