<p>Do:
List qualities
Be specific
Include size and environment
Include stats
Include location
Use phrases like “Under 6,000 enrollment” and “in a college town or small town”</p>
<p>Don’t:
List a specific college/university
Be vague
Use words like “small” or “rural”.</p>
<p>For me, it’s a school with under 7,000 students with a student to teacher ratio around 13:1. The teachers have to be invested in their students. The school must have good opportunities for student teaching. Preferably, a middle of the road school. I would prefer to be in the Honors College at a normal university than be at some “elite” school because I don’t tend to get along with the students who go to those. I want to be in a medium sized town rich in history and beautiful architecture. I would like a smaller campus that is easy to walk around and wouldn’t require a car as I’m not a fan of driving. Good, spacious dorm rooms with suite style bathrooms. And a good amount of diversity in student backgrounds and experiences. Plus some clubs I can actually join.</p>
<p>No schools that have an enrollment less than 1,500 kids, nor would I consider going to school in Idaho, Utah, California, Arizona, New Mexico, maybe Texas, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Iowa, maybe Missouri, Colorado, Nevada, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, either Dakota state, and Connecticut. Or Oklahoma or Minnesota. I couldn`t live in any of those states either.
Maybe I shouldve just listed the states I would consider going to school in. Dont ask why, I just couldn`t go to schools in those states. </p>
<p>Other than that, if they have Journalism if they<code>re a civvie school, or if they</code>re a service academy in any of the states not listed, I`m good.</p>
<p>No offense to the southern states mentioned, but I can<code>t deal with the heat. Where I go to college has to have a winter, and can</code>t be TOO hot during the summer. My granddad lives in Florida. Nice place to visit, but too hot to do 1 year of schooling, let alone 4.</p>
<p>Hahah I totally get you. It’s hot as balls down here. I’d love to move up north, but I can’t see myself going to college up north. Living that Florida life ;)</p>
<p>Yeah, Virginia<code>s about as south as I</code>d go, and I<code>m just used to the weather here, but I</code>d really love to live in somewhere up north for even just a year.</p>
<p>No school with more than 8000 people. I also don’t like SUPER small schools with around 1,200 students. I like a school that has a great science program, good pre-med advising, and doesn’t focus on any one sport (especially football!). I also want the school to be near a city, but it doesn’t have to be IN a major city. I won’t go to school in California, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, or anywhere in the extreme Northeast (like Maine). I like a group of students that work hard, actually care about learning, and are kind of quirky :).</p>
<p>-very big, diverse, significant city with lots of walkability (symptom of growing up in a white-bread suburban town where my mom needs to drive me down the street and subsequently becoming spoiled by my NYC high school)
-NOT in Midwest (eg Detroit is NOT a very big, diverse city for my purposes)
-excellent honors college of good college or excellent college in the first place
-free ride
-selective (though I’m not smart enough that this and the previous condition are compatible…)
-low staff:student ratio
-respectful of religious/conservative values (I don’t knock your beliefs, please don’t knock mine)
-has a MUN (always wanted to join one) and other cool clubs
-has (accelerated if possible) BA(or BS)/MD program (though I wouldn’t necessarily do it)
-can easily double-major
-independent living (apts. available instead of dorms if requested)
-close to home, but not TOO close
-nice yet urban campus (campus is part of city, like the CUNYs or NYU, but also has green areas)
-major in developmental psychology
-research university (preferably with attached med school and hospital)- I can’t STAND LAC types
I will be forever indebted to you if you find me my college…</p>
<ul>
<li>Smallish undergrad population (6-8k max?), excellent professional and graduate schools</li>
<li>Lots of sciencey people but also people with other interests</li>
<li>Relaxed fashion…people do whatever</li>
<li>Suburban or by a city but with lots of green space and a pretty campus</li>
<li>Really good and high end medical research</li>
<li>A 50:50 or 50+ male to female ratio</li>
<li>Diverse, but students have similar values, i.e. respect for education</li>
<li>Good core curriculum but not so intense that people fail out of it</li>
<li>Somewhat nerdy/non Animal House population</li>
<li>Good places for walking/visiting nearby, especially scenic places</li>
<li>Opportunities to meet the best people</li>
<li>Preferably on the East Coast, though probably not in the South (believe it or not, but the last time I was actually in the South was in 1998 O_O)</li>
<li>West coast, i.e. Cali, some places in the Midwest are also good. </li>
<li>Friendly, intellectually curious people</li>
<li>World known, so somewhat prestigious + good at getting kids into Med school</li>
<li>Good school colors</li>
</ul>
<p>Any recommendations? </p>
<p>I like Caltech but I’m terrified that a) I won’t get in, which is possible seeing that I’m an Intl student (though Caltech has taken Canadians recently) and b) if I am fortunate enough to get in- I’ll fail miserably, walk away with 0 self confidence and never get to be a clinician scientist.</p>
</p>