<p>Did anyone else not get ANY financial aid? I really want to go to JHU, but is it worth the money? (I have a full scholarship to USC, and UC's, of course, are much less expensive)</p>
<p>What should I do? Any advice is appreciated!</p>
<p>Washableglue:</p>
<p>First, congratulations on being accepted into those schools!</p>
<p>I am in the same situation-- I got no financial aid from Hopkins, and now must decide between JHU and UVA(where I would pay $16,000 as a in-state student.) I have had many discussions about my parents about the money, as we are by no means wealthy and dropping $200,000 on a college over 4 years is a huge undertaking, their philosophy is that you can't put a price on an education. My father attended Cal State - Fullerton because that was all he could afford, and he's told me many times that he feels he has suffered because of the lack of opportunities he had there.</p>
<p>Furthermore, I'll tell you what other CCers have told me: it sounds as though you are from California, so the UCs and USC(though not as much) would not be much of a departure from your high school experience, just as UVA would not be very different from mine. JHU is truly a national university, and will offer you contact with other students from around the country and around the world. I don't think any of the UCs or USC would offer this to the extent that Hopkins would, with the execption of Berkeley. </p>
<p>In the end, it depends on what you want out of college, and also whether or not you think you can maintain the same level of achievement and learn as much as you obviously have in high school. I will probably attend Hopkins, and try to ignore the price tag as much as I can while still doing my best...</p>
<p>If its any consolation, I made a promise to my parents that I would, at some point in my life, pay them back for the investment they have made in my education.</p>
<p>Good luck, I hope this helps</p>
<p>First of all, a 1/3 of UVa students are from out of state, and 5% are international, so it's not like you'll only be studying with in-state students. Plus, UVa is MUCH BETTER than Cal State. Many UVa alums end up in top grads schools, and if you're interested in business, many alums end up here in NYC on Wall Street. Plus, we share a clubhouse with Yale and Dartmouth. Johns Hopkins doesn't have a private alumni club up here. So, don't discount a UVa education. It is quite prestigious. In-state students don't realize how great an education they're getting. It's not worth paying $200,000 to attend Johns Hopkins when you'll get as amazing an education at UVa for a fraction of the price.</p>
<p>I actually did get (massive) fin aid from Hopkins, but I don't know if it's still worth it.</p>
<p>What do you want to do at Hopkins? If it's a field that's just as good at a cheaper uni, it might not be worth it, unless you're going for the name.</p>
<p>To clear any possible misconceptions, I'm currently a senior in high school, not a student at Hopkins. </p>
<p>I say that because otherwise, "...I don't know if its still worth it" might be taken to mean that Hopkins isn't working out for me.</p>
<p>I would say that Hopkins is worth any price. However, if it costs you too much, then don't hurt yourself down the road. You said you got into the UC's-does that include Berkeley and UCLA because those are nearly as good. And if you're into engineering, it's hard to beat Berkeley.</p>
<p>I also recieved absolutely no financial aid from Hopkins and I was completely shocked. My EFC was around $30,000 (by FAFSA) and Hopkins costs $52,000/year so I felt totally shafted. All my other schools gave a decent amount of aid so I don't know what's up with Hopkins. Before I found out about the financial aid Hopkins was one of my top choices but now it is simply an impossibility :(</p>
<p>you might want to try and give the financial aid office to make sure you have sent everything in</p>
<p>I disagree heavily with Bali...Let's say you wanna major in psychology at JHU. It's not known for its Psychology department, but still, a degree from JHU in any way will look very good. It's not just how good the major is in an university (although a lot of it is...), it's the whole package...JHU can offer so many more opportunities than many other institutions...</p>
<p>Straight up, JHU is a very prestigious and esteemed university...you won't ever go wrong from attending such an institution.</p>
<p>If money is a factor, then you must weigh all options. I know many prospective students who have committed to JHU despite not receiving any FA, and I also know many students who have declined admission to JHU in order to receive a "cheaper" education elsewhere...</p>
<p>In my mind, JHU is an amazing institution and worth $50,0000. You pay more for quality..and JHU is loaded with it.</p>
<p>SIDENOTE: Do you want to go into grad school? If your parents are willing to pay $50,000 then I say go to JHU! But if you're going to have to take out student loans, etc...then it might be different. Grad school costs a fortune...</p>
<p>^^ phu08 Grad school does not necessarily cost a fortune. Med school costs a fortune, but often times, TA's receive full-tuition and a paid position as a TA.</p>
<p>washableglue: you didn't give enough information about yourself for us to tell you anything accurately (take this with a grain of salt however; we really can't make these decisions for you)
Also, UCs cover A LOT of schools. Could you be more specific?</p>
<p>AVR9052- I'm in your boat. Exactly. However, I'm choosing to turn down Hopkins because there's no way in hell that I want to graduate in debt to just go into more debt after med school. UVa is an excellent school so I don't think you should dismiss it easily. Considering that you're instate, UVa is one of the best deals in terms of a college education that you could get. And you could go for just one year or so, and if you find that you don't like it, then you can always transfer. Even if you choose to transfer, you're saving enough to buy a brand new car (or even two) for just one year. Even though Hopkins may provide their reputation, you have to wonder if that really is worth 200k. Also, UVa is the second best public university (behind Berkeley); how is it not a national university? </p>
<p>Also keep in mind that no one really cares where you went for your undergraduate degree; graduate school is the one that matters much more. Save your money. Go to Hopkins for grad school.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice guys! It's slightly encouraging (though also a bit depressing) to know that there are others who are stuck in the same quagmire of a situation as me.</p>
<p>.. and more info on me:
I'm planning on majoring in something biology/chemistry-related and going on the pre-med track. I have Regents scholarships to UCLA and UCB which are the only UC's I'm considering.
My parents probably could afford JHU, but it would be a enormous burden on them and their bitterness at my turning down some spectacular merit scholarships would probably last a lifetime.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, don't go to college wondering "what if?" </p>
<p>What if I saved the money?
What if I could have gone to my dream school?</p>
<p>I say visit both and see how they feel.</p>
<p>this holds for most schools but if you come to hopkins get used to being nickeled and dimed</p>
<p>go to UCB or UCLA. Keep your GPA intact, be at the top of your class, and make your name more well known. Everyone at Hopkins is driven, motivated, and doing something amazing. Go to UCB/UCLA and be the most driven, motivated kid that's making strides in [fill in blank] so you bring more recognition to your college and have a more solid med school application. The program shouldn't make a huge difference; you should do well no matter where you go if you're willing to work hard. A kid that has serious research, volunteer hours, demonstrates a passion for medicine, and keeps a stellar GPA from UCB or UCLA has a better chance than someone who goes to Hopkins who does none of those things and with a 3.4 GPA. (with the same MCAT scores) The undergrad program (in general) is more difficult and demanding at Hopkins so you will be poring more time into your classes than you would at UCB/UCLA. (just remember that you'll still be putting time into the program that you pursue at UCB/UCLA also.)</p>
<p>Concerning your parents: I think my English teacher had one of the funniest things to say about parents. </p>
<p>"When you look back at what you said and did to your parents, you cringe. And you cringe so much that when they call you at 4 in the morning to change their bedpan, you'll do it. Even it means you have to drive 2 hours to get there. If they called and asked you for your arm for a stew, you would ask which one? </p>
<p>why? because when we get older, we realize all the crap we put our parents through; we realize how many of those worry lines and wrinkles are caused by us and we realize how much they have given up to provide a comfortable life. We realize that they essentially put their life on hold for four years to give us what we want in college, whether that means tuition money or a spring vacation."</p>
<p>My english teacher went to Harvard and he told us this little tidbit in November before ED/EA decisions started coming out. Your parents may be bitter for a few years but they will still love you and that love will overtake their bitterness. But that's when your bitterness starts to build and you feel guilty about making them pay full private sticker price when you could have gotten an equal education at another institution for a fraction of the price. Keep in mind that we're heading into a recession so "probably afford" can quickly turn into "huge unnecessary burden that will hopefully be paid off by the time I'm 40."</p>
<p>well...if you think JHU is worth any price....you probably also think that a pair of designer shoes are worth 1200 bucks.There's a sucker born every day.</p>
<p>Hey guys, I'm a student from Hopkins and maybe I could shed some light on your concerns about Hopkins' gigantic tuition.</p>
<p>I'm still a junior, but I'm now facing a similar conflict. I want to go into medicine (practicing physician, not a PhD), so I could really go to any medical school. My parents tell me it would be a wiser move to go to Rutgers for free (which I qualify for at present) than to try to get into and attend an expensive private college (JHU is my dream school). In fact, my family's EFC is the entire $52,000. I never realized all these years that price would be such a factor, but sadly, it is. I don't know how I could reconcile choosing Hopkins over zero tuition at my state school (which is apparently not too bad for the sciences in any case). My parents know plenty of doctors who attended Rutgers and who are incredibly successful today; they are also virtually debt-free. Ah, the worst part is my having really dreamt of attending a top college...now I'd be an idiot to do it.</p>
<p>jtm...do you even have any experience as a student at Hopkins? i looked at your posts and you just post in the university of virginia forums. sounds like someone's just bitter...</p>
<p>shoebox10 posted this in response to another one of jtm's posts and I think the message rings true for any student choosing between colleges.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It doesn't matter if you have a full ride or not if you're not going to be happy somewhere. If the school doesn't fit, it'd be a waste of their money and your time.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>and jtm, if you have the cash to buy $1200 shoes, go for it. And guess what? most of the items priced that high are priced that way because of material and design; the shoes that are sold simply on brand name range more in the $400-$750 range. I'm going to have to agree with george yang as well; you seem bitter. If someone is genuinely asking for advice, no one is looking for your crap dripping with disdain. keep it for yourself.</p>