Advice: Rutgers, Cornell or UNC

<p>There are only a few days left and I'm still deciding. Anyone have an opinion?</p>

<p>Rutgers - <em>FREE</em> since I got a full ride scholarship, which is actually the only reason I'm even considering it. Only a half hour from home, my whole family went there and most of the graduates from my HS go there too, so it's really familiar and comfortable. PROS: Money, familiarity. CONS: too close to home, not as good a school, new brunswick sucks</p>

<p>UNC-CH - A much better school, plus I was invited into the Honors program which is actually really prestigious and has some real perks (much better compared to Rutgers' Honors, which takes pretty much everyone with certain objective stats)... they also offered me a free laptop up to 1,500 bucks. I haven't visited (I know, bad idea) but I might this weekend. PROS: Better academics, more prestigious, great college town and classmates, relatively cheap CONS: I haven't gotten my finaid yet, which sucks. Also have ZERO interest in athletics, which makes up a large part of their social life. </p>

<p>Cornell - Probably the one I like the least. The only thing it has going for it is its relative prestige and good academic rep, though I think UNC is the same, if not better in these aspects. PROS: Ivy rep CONS: Sucky, depressing, isolated location, partying social vibe, overwhelming richness and whiteness of student body, expensive (I would exhaust all my savings and go over 60,000 in debt)</p>

<p>AGAIN, I know sooo little about the latter two schools, which is why I'm posting this. If I'm dreadfully wrong about something, flame away. Also, comments like "omgggg UNC is like the best school evar hehehehe" from current UNC students are unhelpful and counterproductive. If I had to name my most important factors, they are money and whether or not I will find my social niche there (students like me and a student body who is interesting, diverse, intelligent, and open). Things like prestige and academic rigor are important as well, though secondary, because I plan to pursue advanced degrees after my undergrad and will probably try to transfer. Weather wise, I'm more fond of warmth and find winter a horrible black vaccum of suckage and despair. </p>

<p>I plan to study History, though I am not closed to pursuing overlapping fields like anthro, classics etc.</p>

<p>Got to Rutgers since it is free. History major is not worth taking on any debt. You will be happy after a year or two to be able to be so close to home. Lots of kids like to get away but after a while they don’t like being so far from home.</p>

<p>If you get significant finaid or can afford the cost within reason, I would pick UNC-CH. Otherwise, Rutgers. In any case, you have some really great options; congrats and good luck!</p>