Advice on picking a school..48 hours to make a decision : Providence College or Connecticutt College

Parents Forum
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<p>I need help from some parents who might know these two schools.</p>

<p>Decision Time: I need some help! I am freaken out and very stressed. I have 48 hours to make a final decision on what college I will attend next year. My number one school was College of Holy Cross. However, Holy Cross only gave me $5,000 Grant and it will cost me $52,000 a year. My parents and I cannot afford $52,000 a year without taking out huge loans ($20,000 a year in loans). I love the school and it's a better school than my other choices. Also, it's better school for Pre-med too. I want to go to Medical school after I graduate college. However, I do not think it's worth $80,000 in debt for undergraduate degree. I am very crushed that I cannot not attend there but it's time to move on.</p>

<p>I live in South Carolina and I could attend Univeristity of South Carolina for only $23,000 a year but the school is over 30,000 students and school is way to big for me. I would get lost in a class of 500 students. Many classes have 100 - 500 kids in a class. That is not for me.</p>

<p>With Holy Cross out of the question. Here is my choices. My two schools I have choose are Connecticutt College and Providence College. The schools and student base are totally different. What I heard is PC students are similar as HC and BC. Connecticutt College student is simliar to Bates or Trinity College. Is this correct?</p>

<p>This is what the schools offered: The cost of the two schools are about the same
1. Providence College, RI: (Accepted to Honors Program): $57.5K - $18,000 (Merit) + $6,600 (Grant)= $32,900
2. Connecticutt College: $60.8K - $26,300 (Grant)= $34,455
**Merit Scholarship are guarantee. Grants are not guarantee every year because our income can change.</p>

<p>Providence College: I know a lot students who do not go (for different reasons) to Boston College or Holy Cross usually go to PC. My reason I am not attending HC is because of money. I do not like to say the word but it's true PC is a safety school for BC and HC. I am ok with that because I did like PC too. I visit HC and PC about four times. I spent a day with student at each school attending their classes. I got good feel about the schools and student base of HC and PC. I loved both schools with HC being my number one school and PC being my number two school. I felt great connection with students at HC and PC. I also met with Chairman of the Biology Departement at Providence College and he spent over two hours with me showing me the school labs and science department. He impressed me and my family the time he spent with us one on one. PC is located in Providence which will give me options to do things on the weekends. Also, I got in the Honors Program at PC and received $18,000 a year in a Merit Scholarship and also receive $6,600 Grant (Total $24,600) a year too.</p>

<p>Connecticutt College: My family and I visit over 20 schools in New England and SC & NC. We visited Connecticutt College last summer and their was no students on campus. I would have to say the campus is beautiful. It look like a small BC with the stone buildings. We did campus tour and I did a interview with a Senior who was going to Med School next year. I had great conversion with him and had good connection with him. CC has a great science department too. I did like the school a lot. However, I did not meet many other students and I did not get feel of the school and student base because it was summer time. Please, could you tell me what the student base is like? I live in South Carolina and I will not be able to visit again. We only had one day to visit CC last summer and I wish I could visted again to get better feel of the student base.</p>

<p>I having being do some research and a lot people are telling me Connecticutt College is better college than Providence College. Is this true? I will hate to turn down Connecticutt College if it's a better school then PC.</p>

<p>I need some major help here.This process is very stressfull. I appreciate everybody opinions. </p>

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<p>University of South Carolina. Go to the most affordable school so that you have money for medical school.
Focus on getting a good g.p.a and meeting other medical school requirements so that you are a good candidate for medical school. Have a plan b in case you change your mind about premed/ medical school. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life paying off your loans. </p>

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<p>Is English your second language? Are you an international student?</p>

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<p>Connecticut has only one “t” at the end. Now that I gotten that off my chest, I’ll move on.</p>

<p>If going to a Catholic school is important to you, that’s one reason I can see for choosing PC. Have you looked into how supportive/successful the two schools are at getting grads into med school? I would think that would be an important factor for you. </p>

<p>As for the “student base” question, I’m not sure what you’re asking, but Connecticut College does have a reputation for being somewhat preppy.</p>

<p>I can understand your reluctance to attend a big school, but I’m a firm believer that you can bloom wherever you’re planted, and the money you’ll save by attending USC is substantial. If you don’t attend USC, will you be able to afford medical school?</p>

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<p>All things being equal, I would pick Connecticut College over Providence. It is a highly ranked LAC similar to your number one pick where Providence, as others have noted, is a highly regional college and not as well known outside the area.</p>

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<p>Save your money for Med. sch. Go to USC.</p>

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<p>Colleges don’t get you into medical school, YOU do. It is your GPA, your MCAT scores, your ECs that will get you in. Most med students attend their in-state schools (except CA where there are too many students for seats so they fill up ALL the other schools-check the AMCAS chart) and it is very competitive to get in.</p>

<p>Now go take a look at the cost of medical schools and add to it since tuition WILL go up. And most get into 1 school so if your COA is $75,000+ per year then that is what you pay.</p>

<p>You don’t need to be a bio major to attend med school. Any major will do as long as you complete your pre-med prereqs. </p>

<p>I am with the other posters in recommending University of South Carolina especially for pre-med in the context of your other schools and the cost to you and your family. That cost differential could make a difference in opening up other opportunities to help your med school app.</p>

<p>Kat
ps wanted to add son is a med school student</p>

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<p><a href=“A note before you post School X vs School Y threads - Pre-Med Topics - College Confidential Forums”>A note before you post School X vs School Y threads - Pre-Med Topics - College Confidential Forums;

<p>Please read this, it is from one of our most valuable student posters who is currently a med school student.</p>

<p>And this, a sticky in the pre-med forum:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1122176-bluedevilmike-s-ten-step-guide-to-picking-a-premed-school-p1.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1122176-bluedevilmike-s-ten-step-guide-to-picking-a-premed-school-p1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Kat</p>

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<p>University of South Carolina. We heard the mantra again and again-“you can make a large university feel smaller, but you can’t make a small school bigger.” Look at the list of student organizations at USC and think about which ones fit your interests, whether religious, political, social, or pre-preprofessional.</p>

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<p>Both schools are good schools. I think you will be happy whichever one you choose. Certainly, U of SC is your best financial option and the money would come in handy for Med School. However, I can understand not wanting such a big school and you may well decide you don’t want Med School (many kids change their minds). In that case, you may want to pick Providence, assuming they are similar to Conn College on med school admissions. You are in the honors college and have a merit award. As others have said, however, the private school tuition will probably rise faster than public and NE is an expensive place to live (for off-campus housing etc). Either way, you have to decide and move forward. Don’t second guess yourself. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Between Providence and Connecticut, I’d pick Providence just based on what I’m seeing you say. I don’t know enough to differentiate between the two. But if you liked Providence and feel you fit in there and are in the Honors program AND IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT – then go for it. Don’t worry about ratings and rankings and prestige. If you do well, you’ll get into med school. And you have a guaranteed merit award - something you can depend on every year.</p>

<p>I love big schools, but I understand not everyone does. If you can afford the higher cost of Providence and still are able to pay for med school - or handle the loans - then go to the school you felt best about. </p>

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<p>If you value an academically stronger student body, then you should probably pick Connecticut College over Providence. This might be somewhat mitigated by being in the honors program at Providence.</p>

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<p>Every year since our daughter was young, we’ve enjoyed taking family walks once or twice per year in the Connecticut College Arboretum, which is open to the public. It’s certainly not a compelling reason to choose a college, but I do think it’s nice it’s a great place for students to stretch their legs and de-stress. (Our daughter did not choose to apply there, however.)</p>

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<p>LOL, my first post and I see there’s no way to edit my post.
OP, remember that you can succeed wherever you choose to attend.</p>

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<p>I do not want to attend USC because it’s to big of a school for me (30,000 kids). I did not like it and I would not be happy there.</p>

<p>PC and CC</p>

<p>I am holding back because of prestige and ranking of CC is better school than PC. Also, my Dad is pushing me to attend CC because he thinks CC is ten times better school than Providence. My Dad got that information by researching online and talking to people. My Dad thinks that I would be giving up a huge opportunity to attend a great LAC school. He told me it’s one of the “little” Ivy schools.</p>

<p>It’s kind of funny but nobody in the southeast I talk to ever heard of CC. Some heard of PC (not many)…maybe because of D1 sports like basketball.</p>

<p>However, I love PC student base, culture, and the atmosphere of the school. I visited the school four times last year. I attend some classes, went to lunch, and hang with PC current students. I got a good feel about the school and the student base.</p>

<p>The problem is that I only visited CC in the summer and never seen the student base, culture, and the atmosphere of the school. I would say the school campus is gorgeous. I would love to see the school live in action. The school could be awesome but I am little nervous picking a school that I never seen the students or talk to them. I think it’s a big risk. Do you agree?</p>

<p>However, at the same time if I do not pick CC then I might be giving up opportunity to attend a better and more prestige college what my Dad and almost everyone on College Confidential tells me. I know CC is rank higher and acceptance rate is better at CC vs. PC. I am still little nervous picking CC when I only visit the school once. My gut tells me to pick PC because I love everything about it but my brain is telling me to pick the more prestige and better school which is CC.</p>

<p>I have to make a decision by tomorrow. I wish that I lived closer to the school and visited CC one more time during their school session. I would love to attend some classes for one day to get a good feel for the school and students. I would love to see the school live in action. However, my time has run out and I have to pick a school by tomorrow.</p>

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<p>I’d go with Providence - VERY similar to Holy Cross - lots of kids apply to both. Providence is a great college town too! With the job market being as it is and this fragile economy, the less debt the better. But as someone pointed out - CC is more well known outside of new england and a highly regard LAC. PC is more regional, very sports focused.
…
My son made a choice last month to NOT go to one of his top schools because he didn’t want to be saddled with debt. OMG - same boat!!! We sat down ready to put a deposit on a school last night and son said 'no! He had to sit down today and give the pros and cons of the two remaining. Made his decision this morning… Have her decide where she thinks she’d be happiest. Maybe she’s not ready to leave her comfort zone. But she is NOT alone. I know alot of kids in the same boat today - best of luck!! </p>

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<p>@streetcred‌
Money is important us too. What were your sons two schools he was deciding on? What school did your son decide to go too? </p>

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<p>@Southerngirl1, what did you decide?</p>

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<p>My vote is for PC. CC is a bit more type A and for best chances for med school, nurture, support and less stress would be better. Plus you’ve spent a day there, and you like it. PC is not for everyone; there are those who don’t like it , but if you do, it’s a great choice. I think it will give a good chance of getting into med schools without as much stress.</p>

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<p>An engineering school in New England - he had been more concerned with the prestige of the school he ultimately walked away from - not really concerned with whether it was the best fit for him. The school in New England was the right fit for him and he realized it at the end. We also know the other school he walked away from would incur another 30K over the 4 years. He got the best package from the school he decided on as well. The money aspect should be a part of it. As parents we can help out but can only do so much… Good Luck</p>