Early Decision

[xCourxCorex]

I just got back from visiting Curry College today. It has a really great nursing program (my intended major) and I love everything about the campus: it's close by, small-ish, and all the people I've met are really friendly and helpful. I was thinking today that this is pretty much where I want to go. UMass Boston was a consideration, but I really like Curry so much more.

Did you apply to your first choice school early decision? What did you think? Should I apply early decision?

I think I fit the kind of student that does early decision: Curry is basically where I want to go, and if I get in and am notified by mid-December, why should I apply at other schools that I don't like as much.

Feedback is greatly appreciated.


Oh, and when did you ask your teachers for reccommendations? I was thinking of asking my chemistry teacher from last year (got an A) and he is my organic/biochem teacher for second semester this year. Obviously 2dn semester is after early decision, so I can't wait until I am actually in the class, but we have a decent relationship and my homeroom is next to his. What do you think?
Thanks

 

[erikjohnnn]

Is this early decision binding?

If so, you might wanna give it a little more thought before going through with it. Do you really think it's right for you? Try visiting some other schools and think about all of them. Take your time and push up right until the deadline! This is a big decision.

I visited MIT while looking around for schools to apply to. I knew I wanted to go there, so I applied early decision. Luckily, I got rejected. I'm at the Univ of Florida now (go gators!) which is the last place I thought I would end up. But I couldn't be happier.

This decision is a hard one. But I'm sure there are many schools you will be happy at. Just think of things like school prestige, size of the school, cost/financial aid, how close to home, etc... You'll make a good decision if you think it out. And if you absolutely hate it, you can always transfer!

Hope this helped! Good luck!

 

[erikjohnnn]

Oh and for recommendations... think of teachers of the classes which you got A's in, but more importantly, think of teachers or advisers you have good relationships with. If you got an A in someone's class, but he barely knows your name, how good of a recommendation can he really give you?

 

[xCourxCorex]

Yes it is binding. My thought was this though, if I didn't do early decision, I would only apply to 2 other schools, so with E.D. I wouldn't have to waste the time and effort of applying to schools that aren't my first choice/what I truly want.

I've been looking at colleges with reputable nursing programs for about a year and a half. My problem is I'd like to stay close to home, so I suppose I'm somewhat limited to where I can go, but Boston is a really good area with all the hospitals nearby, so you'd think there'd be a lot of options.

Well here's the list of schools that offer nursing that are close by:
UMass Boston (not bad, but no dorms, so I feel like it lacked a bit of unity because everyone's a commuter... but still good.)
Curry (ideal: small, close, friendly)
Mass College of Health Sciences / Pharmacy (3 year program, looking for a "normal" 4 year "traditional" type)
Simmons (didn't want the all-girls scene)
Umass Amherst (too big)

I visited Curry last year and loved it then too. The schools above are all really good schools, but I think Curry is best for my needs. It has pretty much everything I want/need, except the price is a bit high, but I'm willing to work through that.


Teacher rec: My chem teacher and I got along really well last year. The only other teachers I can think of would be math and german, but I'm not staying with german 4 my senior year, would it be weird to get a rec. from a teacher whose class I "dropped" (even though it wasn't like I signed up and dropped out midyear) ?? Does that even make sense?

 

[helloirishkitty]

I got into William and Mary early decision, and I had to withdraw every application I had at other schools. It was binding months before I got any scholarship information, or even my financial aid package. I didn't get a lot of financial aid, which resulted in taking out loans (which I wanted to avoid at all costs). Luckily for me, I only needed two years of undergrad before pharmacy school, so now I go to a state pharmacy school that is about 1/6th the cost of William and Mary

Anyways, a chem teacher is a perfect recommendation for Nursing school. All of my recommendations were written my teachers that I didn't have my senior year. If you had a great relationship with your German teacher, go for it. A lot of my teachers were nice and let me read them before they were sent out. Also, beware of the teachers that a lot of students are going to want recommendations from. My english teacher was very popular among all of my classmates, so he had to write 100+ recommendations and they weren't very personal at all.

oh and Good Luck! I know it can get stressful but it's so worth it

 

[erikjohnnn]

Well I don't wanna make your decision for you but it seems like a good school. Fill it out early but hold off on sending it until the deadline... it'll give you more time to think. And if your chem teacher knows you and all then he sounds good! A recommendation from someone like that can't be beat.