I have been accepted into both and I am looking to study finance at ASU or economics at Carleton. I am in-state for ASU so it is essentially free with the scholarship money I received, whereas Carleton is an extra $28,000 a year. Both schools are highly recognized (Barrett recently ranked #1 honors college and Carleton #4 liberal arts) and I would like to know your opinion on what you think would be the best option for me to get into business. My main concerns with Carleton are obviously the extra money, the prestige of the economics department, and getting a job after college (another important factor is that I would play football at Carleton). My main concerns with ASU are the party stigma that is attached with the school, feeling lost in such a big school, and the overall prestige of the university. Thanks for your time, all feedback is appreciated.
Academic credentials go to Carleton - fairly easily
Fit - way, way different atmospheres - have you visited both? Where do you fit in better?
$ - this is the big one. The other two criteria don’t matter much if you can’t afford $28K/yr more. Certainly don’t do that if it all comes from added debt.
How easily can your family cover the extra $28K? Will most of it be in loans? If not, Carleton is a no brainer. A Carleton education is second to none and will provide exceptional academic opportunities which will also allow you to develop close relationships with a variety of professors. Carleton grads are extremely well positioned when applying to grad school or entering the work force, you can’t go wrong with Carleton. If you can afford Carleton by all means I would recommend making it happen. If, however, the tuition will be a burden then congrats on your free ride to Barrett, clearly an extremely attractive option and one that will serve most of the needs you mentioned.