<p>So, I was accepted into UChicago, WashU, Illinois, and Arkansas as a safety (that my parents were and still are really pushing for.) When I was applying I had really no idea about what I wanted to major in. I'm still not entirely sure, but I think I'm going to start out with geology and just go from there. I'll probably go further than just undergraduate if I stick with geology. My question, then, is whether it would be better to go to the cheaper undergraduate in Arkansas rather than any of the more prestigious alternatives. I'll be taking out roughly twice as much in loans if I went to Chicago or WashU over Arkansas, putting me in a lot of debt simply for undergraduate school. My parents keep telling me that going to Arkansas would be a much better idea, but is it really? There is a vast difference in rankings between Arkansas and the other schools, and I feel as if that would have a big negative effect when it comes to graduate school admissions, opportunities, and everything else. What do you think I should do, CC? </p>
<p>Try contacting the top graduate geology departments to ask them what they think of undergraduates from your prospective schools with respect to PhD admissions.</p>
<p>In your case, the total difference in the CoA between Chicago and Arkansas will be $25k over four years? That does not seem unreasonable. Personally, I think Chicago would be worth it if it is indeed only $25k more expensive, but that’s just one person’s opinion.</p>
<p>I strongly agree with Alexandre. The $25k difference is not enough to choose Arkansas over University of Chicago or Washington U. The issue is not simply one of which is more prestigious. It’s about the environment in which you’ll be studying, your fellow classmates, and the available academic rigor.</p>
<p>I would choose Arkansas over Illinois but I would be hard pressed to turn down either of the other two. They are among the most prestigious universities in the country! You must be very smart to have gotten in. IF your parents can swing it I would go in a heartbeat. Plus you don’t know that you will stick with geology and either U of Chicago or Wash U would be great places to explore other interests.</p>
<p>Can your parents afford UChicago at all? Or is Arkansas your only financially viable option? You need to sit down with your parents and seriously ask if UChicago is doable. I agree that there is a significant difference in prestige/rankings and atmosphere between UChicago/WashU and Arkansas (although the atmosphere difference may be less since you are in the honors college.) I know very little about how this will affect potential grad school admissions, though, I can’t really help you there. Congratulations on a successful admissions season, you have some really wonderful choices!</p>
<p>To get a corporate geology job, you pretty much need a masters unless you’re content working as a low paid geotech for 10 years. Of the companies I know (mostly oil and natural gas) they can be somewhat prestige blind as far as origin of masters degrees although they’ll only recruit at a narrow range of schools. For instance, one of the best hydrogeologists at the OKC branch of a major oil company did his masters at Idaho State but he had a much more difficult time finding out about opportunities than those from UT Austin, LSU, A&M, and OU. </p>
<p>University of Arkansas has a fine geology program, actually better than average. However the raw intellectual stimulation that comes from being in an environment like U of C is worth at least a little extra money IMO. Plus UChicago is a top ranked geology school and the professors are likely all on the cutting edge, important for a field whose foundation theory was only widely accepted 46 years ago. </p>
<p>My parents are actually not going to be able to pay the remaining cost for any of the colleges, I forgot to mention that. The lion’s share of that would be covered by loans. There’s still the possibility of some outside scholarships and some extended family may chip in a little, but I would expect to go into quite a bit of debt if I went to Chicago or WashU. Would that shift things in favor of Arkansas?</p>
<p>Thank you, everyone, for your help, by the way!</p>
<p>How much debt for each?</p>
<p>The 14k and 7-8k is what it will be not counting outside scholarships and stuff. I’m not really sure how much in scholarships I will get, but the remainder will pretty much be debt. </p>
<p>I am confused. What is the net price of each school with scholarship included but before the debt? </p>
<p>To clarify the financial situations, can you list the following for each school:</p>
<p>List price (including living expenses, books, etc.)
Grants and scholarships (not loans)
Net price = list price minus grants and scholarships</p>
<p>And then list how much, if any, your parents will contribute.</p>
<p>The list price for Chicago is 67,863 a year, and Arkansas is 23,336 a year. Chicago minus grants and scholarships is 13,930 a year and Arkansas is 10,836 a year. (A bit more than I thought, but they put in a lot of personal expenses and transportation costs. More than Chicago, a higher-cost area, in fact.) I’ve eliminated WashU and Illinois. My parents will most likely not contribute anything other than just the financial support for personal expenses while I’m there, “starvation prevention money.” The EFC is just more than they can pay. Most of the net price will be pure debt. </p>
<p>You can get a $5,500 federal direct loan without a co-signer… that leaves you to make up $5,386 (Arkansas) or $8,430 (Chicago) from work earnings or frugal living. That is usually considered to be on the high side of what college students can come up with from work earnings, although frugal living may be able to save some of that (depending on how generous the school’s cost estimates are).</p>
<p>A lot of people would choose Chicago at a $3,000 price difference, but in your situation, it could be that it is about $3,000-4,000 out-of-reach financially. :(</p>
<p>The net price may be more than they can pay but why are they paying nothing? The expected family amount indicated they are not poor or Chicago would have given more, I have seen their generous packages. I’d say to do everything to try to go to Chicago because it will be a truly expanding experience for you, an entirely different tier of school. Another world away from what you know. You could work in the summers for the extra 3k but if you stick to geology you’d want to have at least some time for fieldwork. It’s crazy to lose out on Chicago for such a small difference. That said, if you have to, you should be able to do fine in that dept at ARK. </p>
<p>i would do anything to go to Chicago, not only superior in academics, but more importantly, The people you meet over there are in entirely different class. One of the thing you can do to go cheap in Chicago is to stay in the dorm for only the first year and then pack as many students in an apartment and eat frugally. That alone will squeeze some $4000. In addition, that $67K estimate, does it include USHIP? USHIP by itself is around $3K per school year, if your parents insurance can cover IL, then you can opt out of that.</p>
<p>Basically, UoC charge 12K for three quarters of R&B($4000/qtr), and if you can get 4 person to pack in an apartment/condo you probably can get by for $4~500/mo on the rent and since you are going to cook for yourselves, the cost may be only$100~150, that is a one year lease, so in the summer, you either stay in Chicago for intern or sublet for a loss. Either way, it can save you some money.</p>
<p>@BrownParent I’m not sure, they just said that they aren’t going to be able to pay really anything. And @artloversplus I didn’t see anything about USHIP in the estimate! Just tuition, student life fee, 1st year orientation fee, room and board, books and supplies, personal expenses, and travel allowance. </p>
<p>Well, then the cost estimate is for real. Nevertheless for 4K/year, I will try my best to attend UChi, its not even a question to ask. Its like some one ask if Harvard costs 4k more than community college, what would be your pick?</p>
<p>If your parents is not willing to pay, then they have to co-sign the loan, it does not matter if you go to either school.</p>