<p>I'm debating between three schools really (already accepted to all 3).</p>
<p>1st one: U of I....I got into honors, so that's a plus. Tuition's relatively cheap b/c I'm in state...I just don't think I could learn in the environment of a huge lecture hall. It's really not me. I've been to campus 7 times and I really like it, but I'm extremely uncomfortable with the size.</p>
<p>2nd one: Tulane...Got into honors program + huge scholarship, so the price of attending is the same as public-in-state university. However, I'm kinda reluctant to go to New Orleans because the campus isn't completely re-built yet, etc. </p>
<p>3rd one: Grinnell...Probably my dream school, but got a relatively small scholarship and would be twice the price of previous two. I've visited and I love it. My family isn't particularly "worried" about money, but I'd like to save money if I can. I keep on thinking "is it really worth it?..."</p>
<p>Oh that's a tough one. I'd normally be chearleading for the cheapest school -- but these schools are all so different. Grinnell is likely to be a COMPLETELY different experience from U of I...and possibly a much better educational experience - especially if you already have cold feet on the huge school thing.</p>
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3rd one: Grinnell...Probably my dream school, but got a relatively small scholarship and would be twice the price of previous two. I've visited and I love it. My family isn't particularly "worried" about money, but I'd like to save money if I can. I keep on thinking "is it really worth it?..."
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I am probably going to end up in the same situation. I talked about my concerns about the extra costs with my family. I can afford it, but like you, I'd also like to save money. My mom told me that it's worth the extra money if I think I'd be happy there. I'd saw go to Grinnell. You only go to college once and it sounds like you think Grinnell is the best fit for you.</p>
<p>By the way, Tulane is also an excellent school, but I can understand your concerns about New Orleans.</p>
<p>U of I and Grinnell are both infinitely cooler than Tulane in my super biased opinion. (Grinnell was one of my top choices, both parents went to U of I). Iowa City is so cool, and Grinnell is such an amazing community that I prefer those to Tulane, but it's hard to choose against the honors program at an instate price. I don't think you can go wrong here. (If you are by chance looking to major in English, you have to go to U of I or Grinnell. Just saying.)</p>
<p>To clarify, U of I = Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sorry for the confusion. (I'm from northern IL)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the responses. I'm definitely visiting Tulane (accepted student weekend). Good luck to everyone in class of 2011 for college decisions.</p>
<p>I would pick Tulane, but I am a risk taker. Your concern about UIUC being too big is valid, can't argue with that. Tulane will give you the private education with smaller class size at half the cost of Grinnell. Why not try it? To me, the reconstruction is just a detail. If you hate it, transfer.</p>
<p>Usually honors programs offer the advantage of smaller classes, more intimate contact with professors, honors dorms, opportunities only available to you. Is this the case where you are already admitted? Have you checked it out? Talked to other honors kids? It could really make a huge school feel much more intimate.</p>
<p>btw, I grew up in Central Illinois and Illinois was always referred to there as the U of I. It was only since seeing it here on CC that I saw people referring to it at UIUC!!!!</p>
<p>Yes, I never heard Illinois being referred to as UIUC until here on CC - and I'm an alum!! In Illinois everyone call it U of I -- but I can understand the confusion.</p>
<p>astrophysicsmom - thanks for the thread, but I feel that my situation is more "Is a good-fit college worth 80k more than hugeStateU?" (tulane's somewhere in the middle...). I'm not so worried about prestige.</p>
<p>I am pretty confident that when you visit Tulane you will love it. I haven't heard of anyone who visited and disliked the school/campus and all it has to offer. In reference to the concerns about the rebuilding of the campus, the campus is in fact better than ever before since the light damage that it did recieve from Katrina forced them to renovate several buildings, and that construction is now essentially complete. The new student center also just opened which is amazing. Academically, too, I would say that Tulane is certainly the strongest of the bunch you are considering, and it has an amazing balance of work/play that cannot be rivaled by any other school in the nation.</p>
<p>I find it comical that you are in the same position that I was in last spring! But instead of UI, I was considering U. of Wisconsin. I like yourself had gotten into Grinnell (my dream school too!), but Wisc. was the cheaper choice. However, I choose Grinnell and it was the best desicion i have ever made. The professors care for all of the students and the warm environment that Grinnell offers brings the entire campus together. The academic experience of Grinnell is intense but I LOVE it. Remember that you only get these four years once, don't make a desicion that 10 years from now you'll be saying "What if I would have gone to..." Again good luck with your desicion, and hopefully you'll be walking the corridors of Grinnell next fall!</p>
<p>Hahaha, I just had to say that when you mentioned U of I that I automatically assumed you were talking about UIUC without even thinking you meant Iowa or Indiana or anything. I, too, have never heard it mentioned as UIUC until I came onto the CC. I'm from Northern IL, as well.</p>
<p>Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of U of I. (I'm putting it mildly. Hahaha.) It's really a great public school, I know a ton of people who are going there, and the Honors program is definitely a plus. Really, if you REALLY wanted the big school environment, you'd be crazy not to go to U of I with such a great deal. But for me, I really love the sense of community and being able to at least recognize everyone in my school by what they look like, even if I didn't know their names. I go to a relatively large public school and up until Junior year, I would have to make new friends every year because of new classes. Some people really like that since that gives you an opportunity to reinvent yourself every year/semester but I absolutely hated it. It did a number on my mental and social health. I'm not going to say you can't find this at U of I, because you can, it just seems harder because there are so many people and so many options that it can sometimes be difficult to stick together in some ways. It might not, but that's my opinion and my experience on it.</p>
<p>I don't really know about Grinnell and Tulane. I was considering applying to Tulane but did not, for reasons similar to your own. Visiting should really be the clincher. As for Grinnell, a really good friend of mine was accepted last week and it's her first choice (: I think Grinnell is a pretty awesome school from what I've heard of it. I guess that would make me biased, but still.</p>