<p>Hey Everyone,</p>
<p>I would really just like some peoples input on this decision because I cannot seem to make a decision, Im really quite torn between these three schools. </p>
<p>I am a freshmen in college and i was accepted to the three aforementioned schools as a transfer student for fall 2012. I live in maryland so UMD is the cheapest school on this list but part of me dreads the idea of going to college with half my high school. Also, maryland is such a huge school i don't want to feel like just a number, i want to get to know my professors. Before anyone says anything about boston university not having a campus, i have been there and i quite like their 2 blocks on comm ave so that is not a factor in this decision. I want to major in english literature or some form of writing and minor in french or german, so i would also like it to be taken into consideration which school has the best study abroad/language department. In regards to money, as i said earlier UMD is the cheapest seeings how its in state, but boston university has offered me about 28k a year and my parents can afford to pay whatever the price of maryland would be, i think about 19k, leaving me with about 6 or 7k a year to pick up in loans, but seeings how ill be there only three years and i have no loans from the school i went to this year that doesn't seem too outrageous. Boston College has yet to offer me money but i have been in contact with their office of financial aid and they said they would be sending me a substantial package. (If only i knew just how "substantial" it was). </p>
<p>So please, any information you guys can give me, any opinions or figures that might sway my opinion one way or another...Im really having a tough time deciding and my decision deadlines are fast approaching.</p>
<p>thank you so much for anything you may have to say.</p>
<p>Oh, forgot to mention at both boston college and boston university i am guaranteed housing for at least sophomore year and junior year. at UMD i do not believe i will receive housing at all.
and....sorry, I have crown's disease so i will most likely be able to appeal for more aid from both boston universities to cover my parents medical expenses.</p>
<p>Have you spent time on each campus? I would strongly suggest that you visit all three if you haven’t already done that. You express concern that UMD is big, but both of the Boston schools are large also. UMD is a great campus, but Boston is a great city.</p>
<p>My son and our family visited all three of these schools, and he came away with a strong preference for only one out of the three. I won’t share which one, because I don’t want to share my bias, and it is not relevant to your decision. But he would not have been able to formulate this opinion if he had not visited the schools.</p>
<p>
Total number of undergrads:
UMD: 26,922
BU: 18,534
BC: 9,099</p>
<p>BU is significantly smaller than UMD, and BC is hardly “big.”</p>
<p>I would say 18k - 21k total in loans is pretty manageable. Wait and see what BC’s offer is.</p>
<p>We need more info to provide any feedback. English is a generic major that any college that call itself a college does well. All private colleges do study abroad well. (Some publics do too, but it can be more competitive and bureaucratic to jump thru the hoops to get in.)</p>
<p>Without the finaid pkg from BC, it is impossible to opine. Does BU’s $ offer have any gpa restrictions, i.e., must maintain a B average?</p>
<p>Do you like suburban (BC, but it really straddles the Boston City line), urban (BU)? Do you like a lot of school spirit? Do you care about D1 athletics? Do you care about social and community service (the Jesuits are big on it). Do you care about a Core curriculum? </p>
<p>btw: Maryland’s COA is $23-26k, unless you commute from home. BU and BC are ~$59k. Thus, the net to you to attend BU is $32k. If your parents can/will only pay ~$20k, you are left with significant debt. Not worth it for an English major, IMO.</p>
<p>ok, sorry it took so long for me to get back to you guys. Ill answer your questions in order and try to clear things up,</p>
<p>yes, i have spent extensive time on all three campuses. seeings how i am from maryland both of my parents went to umd and practically my entire high school goes there, i have been there countless times. and when I’m there it feels very large in comparison to the Boston College campus, which as jeeves stated is only 9,099. In further regards to their campus i have spent a bit of time there to and i can safely say it is my favorite of the three schools in question but they just sent me their financial aid package and it is…far from substantial, to answer blue bayou’s question, BC just tentatively offered me…8k a year. and i am not willing to take out the 50k in loans to complete three more years there. </p>
<p>So it looks like it comes down to BU and UMD. BU’s campus i liked, but i do not love…what i do love is its proximity to the city of Boston…which i do love, I’m just worried about being able to find my place at a city school that seems to lack a lot of school oriented clubs, places where kids can get to know each other, especially transfers, and this may be partly due to the lack of real green space on the campus. BU’s financial aid does have a gpa restriction but it is only to maintain a 2.0, which shouldn’t be hard. I have a 4.0 now and in high school never went below a 3.8.</p>
<p>My own biggest concern is be able to meet people and assimilate into a new community with ease. At maryland that is a given, i know so many people there already it will be hard not to meet anyone, but i have been dying to get out of this state for as long as i can remember and i don’t want to let and opportunity like BU pass me by. </p>
<p>Also, right now I’m not too positive exactly what i want my major to be…perhaps english, but more specifically, creative writing or communications. i plan on double majoring in french and german wherever i go so the school should have a strong language program, But my major is really…up for debate at this point.</p>
<p>Sit down with your parents and run the numbers here: [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Award Letter Comparison Tool](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Award Letter Requirements - Finaid) Be certain that your family will be able to afford the three years remaining for your education. Remember that you can only borrow $6,500 sophomore year, $7,500 junior year, and $7,500 senior year through the Federal/Stafford loan program. Amy more debt than that would require a qualified co-signer.</p>
<p>I would agree with happymomof1. It should come down to the finances. As appealing as Boston is, you have to decide if it’s worth it. UMD is a wonderful school, despite the fact that you have reasons to want to get away from it. And after you graduate, you can move wherever you want.</p>