So I got back from the east coast a few days ago... but I've been busy packing to get back to school.
But I'm moved back in now, so it's all good.
The schools, in order of visit, and my favorite and least favorite things.
1. Brown
Favorite: They don't tell you what classes to take... you can take ANYTHING you want. You have to fulfill your major requirements (obviously) but other than that you have free reign over the course catalog.
Least Favorite: Their freshman dorms weren't quite Academy standards. I know I'm spoiled, but they seemed to be dirty and crowded. Not so nice.
2. Yale
Favorite: Honestly? Everything. But to pick one thing I really liked the Residential College system. It reminded me a lot of the Gatton Academy in the sense that you have a smaller community within the large campus community. I just felt at home and comfortable. Plus the architecture was amazing!
Least Favorite:New Haven isn't very big and the campus is pretty spread out. Especially since I'm a science kid and Science Hill is a bit of a walk from the Residential Colleges, and especially Old Campus. No rolling out of bed to get to class. (Which I occasionally do )
3. Columbia
Favorite: Obviously, it's in New York City. The campus is absolutely beautiful.
Least Favorite: The Core Curriculum. I don't want to go back to high school and take the same classes as everyone. I already know what I want to study and I want to take classes outside my concentration, but I don't want to be told which ones to take. Plus the dorms don't have wireless internet.
4. Johns Hopkins
Favorite: Like Yale, they have Distribution Requirements. This ensures that you take courses across all disciplines, but you're still the one to choose which ones you want to take. They actually took us inside some of the academic buildings, which was really nice. The gym has a rock wall (!) and I like their dorm systems. Plus they take 12 of my credits.
Least Favorite: Believe it or not, but their food. Obviously I didn't eat in the cafeteria while I was there, but the Academy is catered by the same company. The difference here is that we have other options on meal plan. JHU does not. And I really have no desire to pay for a meal plan that I would never use.
5. Georgetown
Favorite: Beautiful and I again felt comfortable. So many similarities between Georgetown and WKU, or at least I felt like there were. Plus I LOVE Washington D.C. and always have. Lots of history and actual meaning behind their colors and mascot.
Least Favorite: Requirements. But these I could deal with. They also don't have Neuroscience or Cognitive Science majors. They have Neurobiology though.

So today I was looking at colleges. As I am a senior this is something I should really have down, but I still have no idea where I should even apply. My top three right now include...
1) Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
2) Columbia University (New York, NY)
3) Brown University (Providence, RI)
All three of them offer Neuroscience as an Undergraduate Major, but then my credit from WKU won't transfer... and I'll start all over as a freshman. Which there are bonuses to that too... like starting my GPA over again after that B in Chem II. And being able to join a sorority.
Really I don't know what I want to do right now. These schools are so hard to get into and I don't know that I can make it. I'm close and I'm a good student but I'm not really exceptional.
Any ideas?