ASU Barrett Honors vs UCSB vs SDSU Honors vs Michigan vs Cal Poly SLO

My daughter has been accepted to all of these schools except UCSB, where she is waitlisted.

Would welcome your thoughts on where she should attend, considering location, cost, major, and other factors. She wants a large university; likes rooting for sports teams, but UCSB could be an exception to this based on its location.

Here is how it shapes up.

We are located in So Cal.

ASU Barrett Honors (OOS):
Intended major: Business (admitted already)
4 years cost: $92,000 (full tuition ride OOS)

UCSB:
Intended major: Undeclared, but leaning Poli Sci or Econ
4 years cost: $130,000

SDSU Webers Honors:
Intended major: undeclared, leaning to Int’l Relations, Business, or Poli Sci
4 years cost: $120,000

Michigan (OOS):
Intended major: Undeclared, leaning Poli Sci
4 years cost: Approx $300,000

Cal Poly:
Intended major: Business (admitted already)
4 years cost: $105,000

Not sure how SLO comes out cheaper since they have additional fees added to the approximately $7500 tuition. Also they quote the cheapest housing costs triple/basic meal plan while SDSU’s COA quotes double/5 day meal plan. There is some flexibility in the personal expenses and transportation. I had one niece attending SLO and currently have 1 niece attending SDSU and their overall costs are very similar.

Weber’s Honors college is a great perk for SDSU and SLO’s Orfelea Business school and Barrett’s Honor college are also great options.

Where would she be he happiest? SDSU and ASU would have the big sports.

@Gumbymom , my daughter is a National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar, hence the full tuition ride at Barrett. I have heard they give $3K/year for this at SLO, and unsure at SDSU.

Personally, I see her happiest at Barrett and UCSB, even without big time sports, with SDSU a close third.

@sbdad12: I was not aware that SLO still gave a scholarship for being a National Hispanic Scholar but that makes it a better option financially. SDSU does not as far as I am aware but there are scholarship through the Webers Honor college she might be eligible.

Since she is on the waitlist at UCSB, ASU seems like the logical choice unless something changes before May 1. Best of luck to her.

SDSU, ASU, or CPSLO. All better than UCSB. Also community college is also an option don’t forget. Graduate in 2 years or 4 years also the cost is MUCH cheaper

Thanks @HonestTeaMom. It’s going to be ASU Honors. We and she are happy with her choice.

@sbdad12 - A full ride is hard to pass up but I would keep your D’s UCSB waitlist spot since she is not under the crunch to rule it out yet, especially if she has a strong desire to attend. Honestteamom has gone out of her way to discourage UCSB waitlists and appeals. Based on past posts, it appears she has alternative motives. I don’t know much abt ASU but my D is also waitlisted at UCSB. Great school, great area, great vibe.

Good luck!

Thanks @gratefulmama . Daughter still kept it, and if she somehow gets accepted, it will be interesting to see what she does. But I asked her and she seems to have her mind made up. Has her suitemates and her room already at ASU. I can’t see her changing.

I LOVED UCSB, everything about it. Academically solid, in a great location. We live in a SoCal beach town so it’s really familiar. Her best friend is going there and another to SBCC.

But everything about ASU Honors feels like a perfect fit, even without the money, although that’s a big factor. She wants the full college experience, with big time football and basketball. And she’s in the business school. The honors college should be a good challenge to her. Plus the school caters to the honors kids. She’d likely be another number at UCSB and many other schools.

I appreciate your input very much.

@sbdad12 - Best of luck to her! She’s in a win win situation and again, a full ride in the program you want to study is hard to beat!

Well, @Gumbymom , she got off both the waitlists for UCSB and UCSD. Still committing to ASU Barrett. It just feels right for her, especially considering the UCSB housing situation. (No triples, no housing guarantee)

What are your thoughts on how the state’s budget deficit will impact the universities?

@sbdad12: Congratulations to your daughter and yes I saw your posts about her still committed to ASU Barrett.

Regarding the state budget and state universities, I am sure there will be a large impact. UCB chancellor’s stated they were millions in debt and with classes on-line most likely for the Fall quarter/semester, it will be tough for these schools and the students. No housing guarantee especially for out of area students is a big issue.

My niece committed to Cal state Long Beach and was counting on living on-campus. If the schools have to refund housing fees since the students will not be living on-campus, this will definitely make budget issues even more prevalent.

I have no inside information and with so many things up in the air, it will be interesting to see what transpires.

Best of luck to your D and hopefully there will be a light at the end of this tunnel so we can call get back to some normalcy.

Hi there! I have a HS Senior who was admitted to Barrett and it’s at the top of her list, but still waiting to hear from most of the California schools and if she got into UCSB and/or Cal Poly SLO I think she’d have difficulty deciding. Curious how it’s going for your daughter at Barrett–did she end up there? I realize it’s been an unusual year…but I hope she was able to move on campus and is enjoying it. We are out-of-state for both AZ and CA, but she got a great scholarship opportunity from ASU. Thanks!

Hi @Momala2 , yes, my daughter is a freshman at Barrett and in WP Carey studying business. She received the New American University scholarship (full tuition) and chose Barrett over UCSB, Cal Poly SLO, Michigan and Wisconsin. Her decision had less to do with money than it did with fit. She likes the school a lot and has had a very good social life even with COVID. She just joined a sorority and it has been easy for her making friends.

Her friends at UCSB are just starting to be on campus (not in dorms but private apartments). They spent the first semester at home.

Which state are you located in?

Let me know if you have any questions either in this thread or by PM.