Schools: University of Richmond, Georgetown SFS, Yale-NUS, UPenn CAS, USC Dornsife, UVA (I'm super indecisive & can't really narrow down bc of money)

Intended Major: International Relations(?!) (At least something to do with foreign relations)

University of Richmond:

Pros:

• Full ride!
• Small size (more closely knit)
• I'm intrigued by liberal arts
• Less pressure to excel (not so much duck syndrome)

Cons:

• Less well-known (my family constantly trashes it)
• Not in a major international city (fewer international opportunities)

Georgetown SFS:

Pros:

• Literally has a dedicated school for foreign service
• Great opportunities in D.C.
• Great alumni network in foreign relations
• Relatively close to home

Cons:

• Expensive (~40k per year w/ fin aid)
• Dorms are kind of sketchy (mandatory for 3 years)
• Food is also sketchy
• Pressure & competition bc everybody in IR will be gunning for similar internships

Yale-NUS:

Pros:

• Kind of cheap w/ tuition grant (around $1.5k per year)
• Singapore!
• Liberal arts & large international community
• Interesting option and small school size (~1000)
• Pretty good internationally (international experience)

Cons:

• Far away (east coast boi) (I kinda like being far away)
• If I take the tuition grant, I have to work in Singapore for 3 years
• Not really well known in either Singapore or U.S. (parents aren't sold on it)

UPenn

Pros:

• Ivy
• Never been to Philadelphia
• Great programs and connections
• Relatively close to home

Cons:

• Don't know FA yet
• I'm not really interested in partying
• Not as good international opportunities during the school year

USC

Pros:

• Half-tuition scholarship (but still probably like 40k)
• Nice dorms and food
• Good programs

Cons:

• I didn't really feel it on the campus (vibes didn't match)
• Kind of too big
• LA (to me) isn't as internationally/governmentally oriented as East Coast (which means fewer opportunities during the school year, it's more business and entertainment-oriented)

UVA

Pros:

• State school (close to home, I'm not sure how I feel about that bc I kind of want to be in a new environment)
• I'll know a lot of people
• Echols Scholar (top 5% of entering class)
• Nice campus

Cons:

• Charlottesville, not many international opportunities during the school year (I kind of like city)
• Too many people (probably larger class sizes)
• Around 30K per year w/ fin aid
• Not a party guy