<p>I hope I am posting in the right place; otherwise, feel free to move the thread.</p>
<p>I am a French undergraduate, currently attending a well-known French Uni (at least, in Europe). I may have the opportunity to apply for a dual-bachelor with Columbia.</p>
<p>However, I'll have to pay the full 60000$ per year during two years, without much financial aid. And I am not very wealthy. Therefore, I'll have to make a huge loan.</p>
<p>As I would plan to read Econ-philosophy or Econ-politics (btw, what's your favourite ?), my question is: is it worthing the cost ? </p>
<p>I have not been able to find if the careers or the wages are good enough. Are 120 000$ easily reimbursed after majoring in Econ-Whatever in Columbia ? Are the grad prospects good ?</p>
<p>I hope I am clear enough.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help and enjoy your week end !
A</p>
<p>It is not worth it. ENS, or Science Po or any of the grande ecoles are as good as Columbia. It is not worth it to go into $120,000 debt for a Columbia Degree (or any degree). Don’t count on getting a job in America as an international student, the immigration system is not that easy. </p>
<p>How about a study abroad for a semester? </p>
<p>You can also do graduate school; PhD after your undergraduate in France.</p>
<p>First, thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate it !</p>
<p>As you imagined, I belong to one of these “Grandes Ecoles” (ScPo). Unfortunately, I think that its reputation is not as good as Columbia, especially in England and in the US.</p>
<p>I have calculated, that, overall (thanks to scolarships etc), I’ll pay “only” 30 000$ a year. Do you think it is still to much ? Even for an Econ-Pol degree ?</p>
<p>Then, in my Uni, a year abroad is mandatory: I’ll apply to Columbia or Oxford (I love PPE). However, that does not provide a proper degree from the University, so employers do not care much (at least in France). So a full bachelor degree from Columbia is better - apart for the tuitions fees.</p>
<p>You are absolutely right to raise the immigration issue: I have never thought about it before. Is it that hard to find a have a visa in the US, even with an Ivy League degree ? That sounds very weird to me, but you are probably right.</p>
<p>Anyway, all the information are useful if I want to take the best solution. So thanks again !</p>
<p>$30,000 a year is $60,000 for two years and that is a lot of loans for undergrad. Does this $30,000 include boarding and lodging? If not, you will be paying an extra $10,000 per year. </p>
<p>Going to Columbia you might get some employers who might be willing to sponsor you, but don’t count on it. The economy here is in a tough shape and not a whole lot of hiring is going on, so you could potentially be $60,000 in debt and no job. </p>
<p>I still think it is a bad idea. If your parents could afford the $60,000 without loans I would probably have given you a different answer, but $60,000 loans is not worth it for any school, especially, given the fact that you are an international student.</p>
<p>well, i think you should still apply. i don’t think that anyone can deny that having a columbia degree has considerable clout. not that it should make you decide to go to columbia, but i think that people are ignoring that. that being said, it is a lot of money to pay, and you may ultimately find that it wasn’t worth it. who knows! it’s up to you to decide.</p>