it's on.

First off I'd like to say how weird it is that (a) I'm a rising senior, and (b) it's actually time to start working on college apps. For as long as I can remember, my parents have been giving me talks about how important it is to go to a good college like Stanford or Harvard (yes, I *do* have Tiger Parents. Although luckily for me, (a) they didn't force me to learn any instruments and (b) I was/am allowed to to theater/go to sleepovers/parties). It sounds a little pathetic to admit it, but to me it really does feel like the one thing I've looked forward to all of my life is getting into college, and now that the time is so near... I'm definitely a little overwhelmed.

Nevertheless I'm slowly getting over that stage of disbelief and am "getting my head in the game," so to speak. My SAT score was mediocre (had close to perfect on Writing, but CR and M were both far from what I hoped) and SAT-IIs were horrendous (we'll see how I did on APs in July, I suppose), so my faith in my standardized test taking skills is definitely greatly diminished. However, I'm going to do my best on the ACT which'll be in a few days, and will definitely be spending all summer trying to teach myself to do the questions on the Math-II subject test properly. Princeton Review, Kaplan, Barrons, REA - Don't fail me now.

Even if I do do horribly on all of them, my extracurriculars and awards (can list them all but it feels pretentious and I doubt you guys are very interested anyway) sort of make up for it. While there's nothing I'm particularly outstanding in, I am pretty good at everything so.... [shrug]
I feel like I can probably relatively easily get into 99% of colleges in the US... it's just the other 1% of them that I actually want to go to which are the challenge ;)

Anyway, what I'm actually here to talk about is the trip that my family and I had the privilege to take during Spring Break. We visited Columbia, Barnard, Sarah Lawrence, NYU, Princeton, Wesleyan, Yale, Harvard, BU, and Brown; we spent possibly more time in the car than anywhere else; my family spent lots of time sightseeing while I spent lots of time listening to the same information sessions over and over again; and I fell head over heels in love with New York City. I know that someday I'll live there - I would say in Manhattan but it's so damn expensive everywhere there, and I would say Brooklyn but it's so HIPSTER, so I don't know exactly where or how the move will go, but I'm still excited for when it happens.

Take note that many of them were probably influenced by the fact that the school was on Spring Break so I didn't get the chance to see students in action, but nevertheless below are my impressions of the school:

Columbia University: This was, before the trip, the school I expected to be my top choice. The pamphlet was beautiful and my personal hero from US History, Alexander Hamilton, went there. The core curriculum really appeals to me, and I love the location of the campus. However, the campus itself seemed so bleak and the students so tired that I didn't really know what to think except that I couldn't see myself going there.

Barnard College: I actually liked the Barnard campus more than Columbia's, even though Barnard isn't quite as large a name as Columbia is. However I'm not a fan of the idea of going to an all-girl's school (however empowering they supposedly are), and once again I couldn't really see myself going to this school.

Sarah Lawrence College: Before this trip my college counselor really pushed this school on me, and after visiting I understood why: It really is my kind of college: quaint campus, vibrant students, interesting people. I definitely can see a person like myself going there. However, again I'm not comfortable with going to a mostly-girls school (as much as I love sassy gay friends, I want to have *guys* to hang out with). I also hate that it's so close to the city, yet so far; that it's so expensive (and sort of pretentious); that the curriculum is too loose-ended for my taste and that classes work somewhere along the lines of "read the material, then come to the class and show the professor that you read it instead of the professor teaching the material him/herself." So as much as I love that they have a stitch and bitch club held in a multipurpose room with yellow walls, that they have "dons" and such a supportive community, and that the info session guy talked about his his different boyfriends including the gay Jewish one. But to be honest I need a little more structure in my life, and it doesn't look like Sarah Lawrence cannot give me that structure.

New York University: I LOVE NYU. SO MUCH. I AM MEANT TO GO TO THIS SCHOOL. For real. Before my visit, I knew I'd like it, but after my visit I was sure that I want to go to this school. I love that it's in the heart of this conglomerate of world culture; I love that it's so urban; I love that there are so many students that you're bound to introduce yourself to diversity (in fact, I *really* love that the diversity of its student body reflects the diversity of the city itself); I love that it has such a fabulous study abroad program (and am really seriously considering applying for the Global Liberal Studies program); I love that internship options are so limitless; I love my sassy tourguide; I love how it doesn't have a traditional campus and by not having a gated community, students aren't "closing theirselves off from the world," so to say; I love practically everything about this school - except its financial aid program. Luckily my parents are in a relatively stable financial situation, so we can afford to send me here but... if I can get into a more highly ranked college for less, I'll probably end up choosing that one over NYU (granted, if I can get a merit scholarship here I will go. No question about it). I also feel like school spirit is something that I'm looking for in a college, and considering that athletics aren't really a large part of this school and the campus/students are so scattered about, that won't really be something that NYU can give me. However, the feeling of "I seriously belong here" is something I really feel in my bones, and I wonder if I do end up going somewhere else if I'll regret doing so.

Princeton University: Too pretentious. This school was my both of my parents' favorite, but my least favorite. Sorry Princeton, you're not for me.

Wesleyan University: Out in the middle of nowhere. As attractive as my tour guide was (British exchange student with attractive cool edgy haircut? Yes please!), I just.... can't.

Yale University: Feels like Hogwarts. I would love to go to this school, although I can't see myself going here as much as I can see myself going to Brown (see below). Anyway, I love that it doesn't have a gate surrounding the campus (something I realized was a big thing for me, after visiting NYU); I love the idea of "shopping" through classes before finalizing a schedule; I love how high caliber its faculty and students are. Again I have issues with how expensive it is, but my parents would have less issues paying for an Ivy League than they would with paying for NYU - to be honest, prestige is a *huge* factor for my family (although not me personally), and Yale definitely fulfills those requirements - It's just getting in that's the hard part.

Harvard University: WAY too pretentious. The sense of entitlement emanating from the walls just was not something I could handle. Not going to happen. Ever.

Boston University: We didn't actually go on a tour or sit through an information session because they didn't offer any the day we were there, but the campus seemed... okay. Really large, but I can handle large. I don't really know what to think about this college, but I'm not knocking it off my list because I hear they offer full ride scholarships to classics scholars... which is definitely incentive for me to consider going there.

Tufts University: Okay, I didn't take the chance to visit there and I really regret it now. After flipping through their guidebook, it seems like a fantastic place to go. I'll probably have a talk with one of the graduates from my school who's going there (same with pretty much everywhere on this list - there's definitely a York graduate who goes to every single one on this list except Barnard).

Brown University: Maybe it has to do with the fact that it's been ranked the #2 school with the happiest students, maybe it has a very chill almost Montessori like yet collegiate vibe, and maybe it just has to do with the fact that it was the only college that wasn't on Spring Break when we visited - but I can really see myself going here. I like that it has requirements, but the curriculum is essentially really open ended. I love that you can shop around for classes at the beginning of the semester, like at Yale. I love the campus, and I love that it's in an urban setting (even though there's technically nothing really to do in Providence. This is my one main issue with all of the schools on this list except NYU: They're not in NYC). Most of all though, I just love the vibe of this school, how liberal and chill and vibrant it is, and how nice the people are (when we were looking for the visitor center and asked a student, not only did she point it out but she walked with us half of the way there!). In essence, Brown is definitely one of my top choices. Again money is a big issue but if I can get outside scholarships (and can get in in the first place) I'm strongly considering going here.

So yeah, that was my long, long ramble about colleges. I've yet to visit colleges on the West coast (Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCSC, USC, and Reed are ones I think I might like / Also: UChicago and GWU are on my mind) so that will happen eventually and I'll report back here with my thoughts.

For now, I'll leave with some pictures:

Delicious Margherita Pizza from some restaurant in Morningside Heights

Fries! :)

The famous New York hot-dog-from-a-cart

Brooklyn Bridge! My APUSH teacher would be proud.

Grand Central Station

At the New York Public Library! My life is complete.

Times Square! So. Many. Lights.

At the most delicious steakhouse I've ever been to: Texas Roadhouse, West Haven CT.

Apparently the creator of the Yale Library set it on fire + poured acid on it to make it look older? Lol.

UNNECESSARY APOSTROPHE. GRRRR. D:<

I definitely had a blast on this trip (my first to the East Coast!), and can't wait to go again. For now, going to attempt to at least try to enjoy my time stuck on the opposite side of the country ;p

-K