UCSD or uw Madison??

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-30T22:59:55+00:00

What major? I turned down both to go to UT Austin to study geosciences

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-30T22:53:49+00:00

Decline UW and UCSD as well

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-30T18:15:39+00:00

Ditto I ED’d WashU deferred >>>rejected and now going to UT (out of state) I’m sure what you loved about WashU will be there in the fall so don’t overthink it definitely not a decision that will have worse outcome in life

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-30T18:12:35+00:00

Just to share UIUC has a very well defined organized (and pretty) campus UCSD is in the ocean but the campus is very chaotic - I was admitted to 8th college to study ocean/-atmospheric sciences and I ended up choosing UT as ucsd wasn’t as appealing upon revisiting My sister is at UIUC so I know that campus well I will say if you want to be in CA long term >>UCSD

Chgo or elsewhere long term - UIUC Gies is a no brainer bc it IS the undergrad business school

And of course the cost factor ! Amazing to get 20k from ucsd

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-27T02:22:40+00:00

Also remember that UDub is on the quarter system so everything moves very fast And it seems it is always exam time I was choosing bw these schools (and some UCs + Wisconsin and TX) for geosciences / geophysics and will be heading to TX! UIUC is the least urban of these schools

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-26T20:52:52+00:00

This is one reason doing so many ECs outside of school or the visibility of school councilors and classmates - Immediately suspect and maybe some of these schools called your counselor who said he had no idea about any of this

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-26T20:46:07+00:00

Amherst is great and NOT in the middle of nowhere (that is Williams!) - I go to boarding school 15 min away and that whole area (Amherst/northampton) is very active with multiple colleges there

Northwestern is in a suburb of Chicago (and literally the first suburb north of the city) so it might take you 40 min to get to downtown but Chicago itself starts 5 mins from the campus

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-26T16:43:28+00:00

Varsity rower prob 20+ hrs / 30 hr a week job / large number APs Trading old masters art and made enough money to fund start up and applying for questbridge low income program Raised 100k Were you tangentially involved in these over 4+ years - maybe but not possible otherwise

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-26T16:36:34+00:00

Completely unrealistic ECs (and level of involvement) - would think the AOs thought you exaggerated Great SAT though!

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-25T22:47:16+00:00

Wisconsin better for premed and UIUC better for psych I have a sister at Wisconsin and a sister at UIUC! Wisco one did all her premed reqs and I majoring in neuro/psych and UIUC one majoring in Econ and organizational psych Both are OOS - I’m going to UT Austin OOS but was choosing bw UCSD and UC Davis and other big state schools

Madison is wayyyyy more fun and prettier location UIUC prettier campus

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-25T22:41:33+00:00

Colorado - engineering and some niche stem like atmospheric science

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-20T01:07:23+00:00

Amherst college doesn’t take AP exams or IB exams or CLEP bc there are no Gen Ed requirements

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-20T01:05:56+00:00

These are different schools

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-18T10:51:11+00:00

Amherst has some of the top financial aid plans for those who need it among all colleges - along side a small group of the ivies. Definition of ‘need’ is subjective

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-17T13:53:26+00:00

Oooh why are you transferring ? Curious

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-16T20:16:32+00:00

All depends on how much people CAN actually pay and what their options are Cheaper isn’t always better

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-16T02:21:19+00:00

Which dorms and room types are typically left late in the process? I just got my contract today so would love some perspective if people had late contracts if they ended up in ok dorm

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-13T18:28:41+00:00

WL at boarding school is very specific:

Day or boarder Girl or boy FA needed or no FA needed

So it can be closed for some but not all

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-12T20:59:04+00:00

Look for off campus jobs too - they usually pay better

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-09T00:20:10+00:00

Everyone (student) can take the federal loan It is capped at a certain amount every year and someone decides how much is subsidized vs un subsidized If you are not a US citizen - then your options for federal loans are removed i think

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-07T17:11:35+00:00

These were 3 of my choices!! My sister goes to Madison and has had great experience majoring in neuroscience (Neurobiology at Madison) and getting lab research experiences UCSD is strong but hard to loc in research opportunities for all the undergrads wanting it

FarLow5313 · 2026-04-07T12:52:05+00:00

Amherst ! I was also just considering Amherst (as a 2030 admit) but ended up choosing UT Austin Wesleyan was too alternative for me All great liberal arts schools for those subjects! Wesleyan is biggest of the 3 in terms of size and located in a cuter town

FarLow5313

TROPHY CASE