I've narrowed down the schools I've gotten into to two. I want to go for chemical engineering. I'm a girl. The first is a small polytechnic school that is very conservative, has a lot of frats, very few girls, and a pretty much non-existent gsa. However, the program is all I can ask for and there's a dozen other colleges in the area. The other is the large state university. They also have a fantastic program but it's not exactly a fit for me. This school is a little less expensive for me (not as much as I expected but still) and has really really good resources for lgbtq students. Socially a lot better fit. I fell in love with the first school but now am second guessing myself. There are of course other factors I'm worried about, but I'm used to a very accepting school/social life and going to college is supposed to be even better than that. I worry I can't even be out at that school. The whole "gay sub-culture" has become a tremendous part of my life and I don't want to lose that because of the school I pick... I have a month to send in my deposit and now I have no idea what to do...
Honestly, I get wanting to go to a school because the program is fantastic. I get that. But in my experience, being in a place where you don't feel comfortable leads to poorer academic performance. You have to strike a balance. You should feel at home in the place you go to school as you're likely going to be there every day for many years. Being at home and being yourself doesn't seem like it has anything to do with how well you'll succeed at school, but it really really does. So if going to the large state university means that you'll be able to be out and be comfortable, it might be worth it to go there. The other thing is, you can transfer. It's a pain to get all the credits to transfer and transitioning to a new school in the middle is sometimes rough, but worst case scenario, if it's not working out for you, you can move.
I'll just echo what @thedreamwatch said. You should go to a school where they have a good program and it's comfortable to you. Having one without the other isn't exactly the best formula for college success.
Agreed with what's been said. I hate to suggest not going to the school that has the perfect fit for you program wise, but if you can't be happy there (and trust me a conservative community is very dull) then I think you'll be better off at the other school. And if if you're happy and comfortable then you're likely to do alot better in school too. Good luck to you!
Hi! I'm in pretty much the same situation right now, except I have to decide in the next week! > < I'd also say you should pick where you feel more comfortable, not where the program is better. Because, if you think about it, a great program means nothing if you don't feel at home and you can excel wherever you are if you make that college your home, first. Choose the best nook for you and create it into where you want to be, then focus on academic achievement. Good luck!!
As a fellow engineering major, I can tell you that the quality of programs probably isn't tremendously different between the two schools you're considering. I faced a similar situation to you last year, except for me the issue was money. Both choices for me were great engineering schools. One offered me a very good deal, but they were known for their staunch conservative politics, and though the school is humongous, it's in a small town where students go line dancing for fun. It was a terrible fit for me personality wise. The other school offered me much less of a deal, but both the school and the city it's in were great fits for me. I ended up choosing this one, and I've been incredibly happy with it. I can't say that there aren't times that I wonder about how financially convenient and simple it would have been to go to the other school, but when I think about how much there is to life beyond money and how much more fulfilling my education is because I'm happy and accepted where I am, I quickly leave those thoughts behind. I guess I'm saying is the difference in programs really so much that you'd be willing to sacrifice some of your college experience, and possibly some happiness, for it?
I disagree because I think the word "comfortable" is being oversimplified here. I have gone through this process before and am really happy about my decision. You cannot go on what other people say because it's YOUR choice (since you're going). You also can't go by JUST the feeling you get. In my opinion this is an important decision, hence the following recommendation. I was deciding between three schools (it was really two but I didn't want pick one because of the negatives of the other institution so I left one in the bag). I made a list of what was important to me. This isn't my specific list but here are some examples (in no particular order) = - social scene - academic calendar - independent work - research opportunities - focus on undergraduates - size of school - living situation - potential courses I would take - distribution requirements and course flexibility - LGBT center (have one or not) - extra-curricular groups in my interests and their quality - support for the arts (or whatever you're interested) -vibe - specific professors I would be working with in my department ETC. The more specific you get the better. Go through each thing and then decide which college is better for that thing = in my case I ranked each college on a scale of 1-3 (since there were three choices) and then tallied up scores. Then I made another list where I eliminated some categories and kept the most important ones and re-scored. THEN after looking at those I asked myself - were those the results I wanted?! Also my top schools tied the first time I scored, which showed me how hard this decision was and how both were good choices for different reasons! You go by your gut, but at the same time it should be a well thought out decision. AND THEN, what you'll discover is that some things aren't what you thought they would be in college. But that's a gamble you'll have to take in both cases. I also highly suggest VISITING VISITING VISITING. Don't just go to the visiting weekend and what's on the list of events for pre-frosh. What really helped me was talking with a friend in that college over coffee (or asking around to see if you can talk with someone in your department) and also going to the classes! Also about visiting, you really won't know about the social fit until you're there. I thought the other institution I didn't pick was perfect for me socially when it turned out to be the complete opposite. Also you can't judge by whether they have frats or their girl-guy ratio, since that may not be felt on campus. Particularly at a polytechnic, where a "frat" is not a "frat" but more likely a hang-out scene that isn't stereotypically Greek. You'll probably find something more Greek at a state school. Also you can get lost in the shuffle at a large university, despite having LGBTQ resources. At a small school you can get the attention you need academically and otherwise. I don't know which schools you are considering, but you can't think of them in general terms (small big, no lgbt, lgbt, etc.). Do research, be specific! My point is, you'll really feel at "home" or "comfortable" wherever you go, and there will be some challenges in that wherever you go. It's not so black and white. Really writing all of this down and doing research is the best way to go. Sorry that was pretty redundant, but as someone who went through one of the most vicious college processes imaginable and came out on top I want to pass on my advice any time I can.
I agree that visiting both schools (if you haven't yet done so) is important. That said, given that the academics are apparently pretty similar between the two programs, I would be more inclined to go with the one where you'll feel a stronger connection to the social situation. College is as much about the social and interactive experiences as it is about the academics. And finding a place where you "fit" is really crucial to your emotional and psychological growth and well being, and, as others have said, can also influence your academic performance. From what you've said, I think I'd be inclined to opt for the larger program, but I also agree it's a very personal choice.
I echo all the advice 100%, and particularly this one. Also being an engineering major (I think the 3 of us are the only ones here...) I can back up this argument. Where I'm from, there's no school in my city, but there's a good 4-5 within an hour's commute, all offering engineering. They were all slightly different programs school to school, but the feel of each campus was significantly different. Ultimately, I picked the one I felt best in. The only reason I'd say really consider the program over the school is if your program is really specific; at my school, I'm in a materials engineering stream, which is pretty unique to the area, so if I went anywhere else I wouldn't have been readily able to study it (though, I chose that at the end of my first year... I went to uni thinking I'd be a civil eng, so it's a moot point ) I definitely back up the notion that your academics are positively correlated to your happiness and comfort. Simply being 'out' this year, being happy with my program, and not stressing over getting 'the highest grades' have actually made my grades go up. Also, here in Ontario, once we get our B.Eng we have to apply/get tested/be certified as professional engineers through the Professional Engineers of Ontario before we can legally practice. That test is common knowledge and ethics pretty much, and the experience needed is based on your work experience (jobs, co-ops), not your schooling. I'm guessing you probably have something similar where you are, in which case your actual school doesn't matter too much. A B.Eng is a B.Eng wherever you go
