<p>I already paid the deposit to AU last month, and up until now I've been really excited to go to DC. I just got off of Macalester's waitlist and was offered a spot there. I will major in political science and possibly double with computer science. DC is definitely where I want to be but it's expensive. I wouldn't have to pay anything right now if I go to Mac, the financial aid award covers everything. I would just have to pay back federal loans later. However with AU, I would have to take out over 20,000 in private loans for just freshman year. Would you be willing to finish with over 80,000 in loans for a degree from AU?</p>
<p>I also live in PA, so I would be going far for Mac. I've always wanted to go further for college, but I'm worried about flight expenses. Could anyone offer any advice on how they handled that situation? And can anyone from Minnesota tell me what St. Paul is like. Thanks for any advice!</p>
<p>@greenturtlez, I would choose Macalaster because it is more affordable for you. IMHO no college is worth 80K in student loans. If your parents cannot pay the difference between American and Macalester, go to Macalester. Some would say it is a better school. Macalester is in the top 25 (USWNR) nationally of liberal arts colleges, while AU is ranked around 75 among national universities. USNWR rankings are not gospel but there is no way that American is worth the extra debt over Macalester from a reputational standpoint.</p>
<p>Flight expenses are trivial compared to 20k p.a. loan debt. A roundtrip plane ticket from PA to MN is $500. Don’t be pennywise and pound foolish.</p>
<p>St. Paul is a nice city. You would enjoy Macalester. I like AU too (my own D applied there and considered it), but it is not worth the extra debt, not by a long shot.</p>
<p>My daughter went to Macalester and loved it. It’s an excellent college in a lively urban area. The neighborhood is safe, with lots of coffee shops and ethnic restaurants. You can get on a bus and go all over the Twin Cities area. Between light rail and bus, you can use public transportation to go to and from the airport.</p>
<p>While you wouldn’t have access to the same internships as you would at American, there are lots of non-profits in the Twin Cities and the St. Paul is the state capitol so there are many legislators and such you could intern for. And there’s less competition than in DC. Also, Mac has a number of courses which have lots of community engagement. The students at Mac tend to be both intellectually curious and very interested in service and politics. </p>
<p>Sounds like a great choice! By the way, Mac has an urban studies program that, depending on your interests in politics, could be just the ticket.</p>
<p>I would definitely say Mac is the better option. Mac is a stronger school academically, their test score ranges are quite a bit higher. And I really like the Mac neighborhood and campus vibe. It is a great choice! :)</p>