the research

as my decision gets down to the wire, my mom and i have talked and talked and argued and talked and got to a place where choosing between Mass Art and MICA feels like a tossup, not because they are the same, but because they both offer aspects that will make me happy, as far as we can see.

so now we are researching and searching, looking at ratemyprofessor.com to get an idea of teachers in the fields i am looking into and rankings of schools to find statistics and reasons behind these lists, not simply going to the "best one" because Mass Art doesn't even rank onto these lists.

What I found encouraging for some reason is the freshman retention rates:
Mass Art 84.2
MICA 85.5
CCA 74.5

Granted they don't mean to much, there are lots of factors to consider there and such. But looking at statistics seems concrete and gives me a little sense of something.

after looking up professors, Mass Art's ceramics department seems like it could be either/or, great or bad. MICA's seems strong and about where my expectations of it would be in line with my experience with their ceramics department.

MICA is looking more appealing, i simply have a fantasy about going to Mass Art in boston near family and maine, etc. plus after i will have some money leftover.

although MICA has given me an additional three thousand a year for going to their pre-college program or something of that sort, Mass Art still appeals to ME financially after school is over. i have tons of support and will make it through school no matter where i go, but that future next egg gives me so many options after school, i am just scared that Mass Art's education might be a bust for me, but i will have no way of knowing until i go there. MICA seems safe and familiar since i have been there and can trust that it will be a good school for that reason.