<p>Brown gave me $15,000 but that still leaves $35,000, and that doesn't include all the money I'd have to pay to fly around visiting my parents... Maryland (College Park) gave me a full ride and I got into the Honors program and Gemstone. </p>
<p>Is all that money worth it for what is apparently one of the best undergraduate experiences in the country? :/</p>
<p>it largely depends on if your parents are willing to pay for extra money. you might wanna factor in the relative strength of this school (maryland) in your intended major and you may wanna consider if you like U maryland in its social/ academic life. If you like u maryland decent amount and it has good programs you're looking for, then id give this school a serious consideration. but, 140k is a big chunk of change.</p>
<p>I don't know exactly what I want to major in yet, but I think it would be somewhere along the lines of information sciences and communication. Maryland is pretty good at engineering but Brown is definitely better in humanities. However, it's not really the education quality I'm agonizing over. Undergrad is bound to be similar in most places. The question is, will I have a better chance of getting into a good grad school like Harvard if I go to Brown first?</p>
<p>free ride. most undergrad programs dont matter. </p>
<p>Yes, its easier to get into a better grad school from a better undergrad school, but a high GPA at any decent school (like maryland, and plus u got into the honors college) will give you good consideration at a highly competetive grad school. </p>
<p>Imagine graduating at 22 debt free. Or graduating at 22 with 140,000 in debt? You decide,,,to me the answer is clear</p>
<p>Not to mention maryland has the entire package. A great school with a great social and athletic environment. Brown can't say the same</p>
<p>Not that Harvard is a bad grad school, but you'll be surprised what schools come up as the top ranked programs for certain majors. Maybe UMD has a top 10 communications grad program (I don't know this)?</p>
<p>Did you get Banneker Key at UMD?</p>
<p>
[quote]
The question is, will I have a better chance of getting into a good grad school like Harvard if I go to Brown first?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I think this depends on what grad school u are looking for. med school? law? ph.d? More info would be helpful. Business school, as far as i know, is mostly all about your personal qualifications, such as your work experience, leadership, GMAT, and not so much on where u went to school.</p>
<p>Yes, I got the Banneker Key award. My parents want me to go to MD for several reasosn, but one of them is that I'll easily be one of the top students there, whereas at Brown, I probably won't be. Is this reasonable?</p>
<p>"Yes, I got the Banneker Key award. My parents want me to go to MD for several reasosn, but one of them is that I'll easily be one of the top students there, whereas at Brown, I probably won't be. Is this reasonable?"</p>
<p>There is no way of knowing if you will be a top student at Maryland, considering all those other smart, talented kids in the honors college - many of whom are going to choose Maryland over Brown and its peers because of the money issue. That said, IF you choose Maryland, you will be in the honors college with those very same smart, talented kids and you will challenge each other every day just as much as you would have had you elected to spend $140,000 at Brown instead. Your GPA will be up to you.</p>
<p>College is mostly what you make of it. UMD is a great school with fantastic opportunities. You can be very happy there.</p>
<p>Go Terps!</p>
<p>Go to Maryland, graduating debt-free will be worth it.</p>
<p>OP: Have you visited both schools? If you want to go to Brown simply because of the possible opportunities after college, I'd say it probably isn't worth it. I'd say that you should visit UMD, sit in on an honors class, and see if you could see yourself there and happy for 4 years.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice everyone! I toured Maryland when I went for my Banneker interview and I like it. But I don't love it :/ I'll be going to Brown in a week or so and hopefully, that will help me decide! Or maybe I can plead with the financial aid office when I'm there... :)</p>