<p>UNC Robertson is a merit-based scholarship in which I am qualified for full tuition, free summers abroad, free study abroad, and ALL resources at both Duke and UNC. </p>
<p>Sounds pretty wonderful, but I am reluctant to jump into a 'southern' atmosphere and honestly into a school where a majority of students may not be as intellectual as those at Brown.</p>
<p>I love Brown but I recieved no financial aid. My parents are reluctant but willing to pay full tuition. They are agreeing however, to help me with graduate tuition if I took the full scholarship.</p>
<p>I am interested in pursuing a degree in
Public Health or an
MD/MPH program in
the distant future.</p>
<p>So my question is: Is an ivy league education and the ideal atmosphere worth 55k?</p>
<p>How much will UNC cost you after the scholarship? How much will Brown cost you, including the cost of studying abroad for however many summers you might go?</p>
<p>I’m assuming that room and board and incidentals at UNC would be about $10K per year. That means that you would pay a total of $40K over 4 years. At Brown I assume you would pay at least $52K per year, plus several thousand more for study abroad. So call it $55K, or $220K over 4 years. The difference is $180K. SO if these figures are roughly correct, the question is, “Is Brown worth $180K more than UNC with honors perqs.” That’s a hell of a lot of money.</p>
<p>No, Brown is not worth 180K more. Will you have free room/board at UNCR as well? Then the difference would be even greater. Also, with the field you want to go into, you have the full resources of Duke and UNC - those are great resources for a career in public health and will likely, if you take advantage of them, parlay into a great graduate school. Take the generous merit, especially given things could change and what if your parents couldn’t cover the Brown tuition down the road?</p>
<p>No question in my mind UNC Robertson. Robertson will give you the boost like Moorehead cain. You have the Robertson foundation backing, you have the ability to use Duke resources and best of all, you pay nothing. It is one of the best scholarships around. Take it.</p>
<p>If you are worried about jumping into the “southern atmosphere” go to the UNC forum and look for the thread that asks “What’s UNC like for out of staters?”. The comments there may calm your fears. UNC is a great place and a debt free education is a wonderful thing.</p>
<p>Well, first of all, nobody can answer this for you, because nobody knows the exact income of your parents, the exact expenses of your parents, etc. What something is “worth” depends on what you have to give up to get it. If your parents are giving up nothing to send you to a very expensive school, for example, then it’s “worth” it to go wherever the heck you want, even if it’s frickin’ University of Arkansas.</p>
<p>For the middle and even upper middle class family, I would say no-way-no-how could it possibly be worth it.</p>
<p>If we’re talking Ivy League versus some Nobody School, yeah, there could be a huge difference in the intellectual atmosphere.</p>
<p>However, UNC is not only the flagship institution of the state - where many kids who got into Brown and even more selective schools HAD to attend because their parents were not as generous as yours - but it is one of the best flagships in the nation. Duke is one of the best private schools in the nation.</p>
<p>There is no question that the value:money here is HIGHLY in favor of North Carolina.</p>
<p>Especially if you are considering going to grad school, can you imagine the opportunities it would free up if you didn’t have to take huge amounts of debt on? You are more free to relocate to the city you want to go to, take the job you want, go to the GRAD SCHOOL YOU WANT (I can’t tell you how many of my friends graduating from 50K a year private schools now have to go to no-name grad schools on scholarships because they cannot afford the more selective institutions…that’s fine…but ask yourself what matters more to employers…probably your grad degree.)</p>
<p>From your post it sounds like your parents can afford to pay for a Brown education. I don’t think the issue is one of a southern versus a northeastern environment. But UNC is not Duke, and Brown is a special university.</p>
<p>So if you manage not to feel “guilty” that your parents had to pay more than may have been necessary then go for Brown.</p>
<p>Im a little confused by your original post, does this mean you have full tuition at either UNC or Duke?</p>
<p>I think a full ride anywhere is way more prestigious than paying full tuition at Brown. It will look great on your resume, and may lead to other honors for graduate school.</p>
<p>The med research opportunities abound at Duke and UNC. Middle son did summer research at both and his opportunities seemed limitless. And this son is graduating from an ivy(not Brown) in 2 months. He is coming back this summer to do more at both. At their request.</p>
<p>The Robertson is an exceptional scholarship and opens doors that is hard to put a price on, easily surpassing that $180,000.00 difference. Fantastic offer!!! Big, big CONGRATS!!!
Especially if you are considering an MD/MPH. Duke Cancer Center has many labs as does UNC’s med school!! </p>
<p>Every student at Brown is amazing. That’s a wonderful feature of it. You’d just be one of the crowd there - not a bad thing at all.</p>
<p>But at Carolina you’re a Robertson Scholar. That’s huge. You’ll be a rock star, and you’ll have the perks and special attention that come from stardom. Oh, and you’ll be $180,000 richer.</p>
<p>Brown vs. UNC with moderately better aid is a reasonable choice. But Brown at full-pay vs. UNC Robertson is a no-brainer. Congratulations - you’re gonna love Chapel Hill!</p>
<p>Take your UNC Robertson offer unless you are a millionaire. You are wrong about Chapel Hill and Duke students being “less intellectual” plus the schools are large enough to have several social groups and plenty of diversity…and good weather</p>
<p>it is always hard to say goodbye to good offers but you will have to make a decision …go to accepted days and think hard</p>
<p>Do not forget that you will be traveling and going abroad most likely. My Duke son’s studies abroad twice were amazing and the professors were off the charts great</p>
<p>When I read posts from other families, I think - “take the economical route!”. But alas in our own circumstance we still have expensive options on the table, despite a full tuition scholarship offer from Northeastern (also still on the table). Fit vs Finances… that is the question.</p>
<p>I forgot whose son on CC turned down Harvard or Yale for UNC Morehead and is a medical student at a top school, if that is of any comfort to you.</p>
<p>I agree 100% with gadad. In our family, stepdaughter turned down one of the best private universities for a free undergrad education at a good state university, graduated Phi Beta Kappa and got her law degree from an Ivy. Not going to the top university undergrad made no difference in her professional life.</p>
<p>Frankly – the Raleigh-Durham area is a more vibrant, stimulating environment for students than Providence is (at least it was when I was last there).</p>
<p>As a Robertson Scholar, you’d graduate with no debt going into med school. To me, at least, that would be a HUGE advantage.</p>
<p>I understand why you’re worried about feeling awkward in a Southern environment - have you visited UNC? I’ve only seen it once, but the campus is fantastic. You would also, more than likely, be able to easily get into a great grad school, as you could most likely graduate at the top of your class, with fantastic backing.</p>
<p>It’s your decision to make - in the end, I’m one of those people who would advise you to go with your gut feeling. But I don’t think you can go wrong with the Robertson program.</p>
<p>UNC is a beautiful campus, and I have always thought that Chapel Hill is one of the best college towns in the country. You will have no trouble finding others of your caliber at UNC, and you’ll have great opportunities in grad school if you do well there. I just don’t see how Brown, with no merit, even comes close.</p>
<p>Plus (speaking as a Californian), I’ve always believed it’s a great idea to experience a completely different part of the country when you go off to college; it can be a great part of the cultural experience. Broaden your horizons.</p>
<p>Especially if med school is in your future. And, I doubt the kids at Brown are all that much smarter than the kids who will your classmates in your major. The Brown kids may just be kids who’ve over-practiced SATs and bumped up GPAs by taking every AP imaginable. But smarter, probably not.</p>