<p>Here’s my situation… I’ve been accepted to A LOT of schools. I’m only waiting to hear from Cornell and UPenn on Tuesday. I need help convincing my parents to let me go to one of my dream schools over schools where I have scholarships. I am not receiving any financial aid, only loans so money is a huge factor. </p>
<p>My major at each is either BME or ChemE w/ Pre-med track. </p>
<p>I think I will end up going to one of the schools in the first group. The thing is my parents are just telling me “we can’t afford school xxxxx.” Our EFC is 70K. I just don’t understand why they waited so long to tell me this when we visited all these schools and they never mentioned $$$ as a huge factor, granted we are in a recession. But I think they see Pitt and see how much they can save if I go there. They’re main argument is that we could save so much by going to Pitt, come out debt free, and go to grad school. I agree, but I know I could get so much more out of UVa, JHU, Penn (i hope), and Lehigh. </p>
<p>Boy that’s a tough decision. I probably wouldn’t pay that much money for Lehigh since it is not that much better than Pitt. Pitt’s engineering is quite good. I am assuming you live in Pennsylvania. PSU has great engineering and I would say it is a little better than Pitts. You didn’t get a scholarship there though.</p>
<p>For Penn I might consider it seeing how great a school it is. It’s tough to turn down Virginia too seeing how great that school is.</p>
<p>It’s definitely up to you and your parents, but I know for sure that you are NOT being selfish for turning down the money. If I were you though, I’d probably go to Pitt with UVA as the second choice.</p>
<p>This is a no brainer, PITT. Also, you are sounding a bit spoiled. </p>
<p>“I need help convincing my parents to let me go to one of my dream schools over schools where I have scholarships. I am not receiving any financial aid, only loans so money is a huge factor.”</p>
<p>You need help making a mature decision, not convincing your parents of anything. </p>
<p>“granted we are in a recession.”</p>
<p>Yes we are and there are many students out there who would kill to be in your position so be grateful what you have. A FULL RIDE TO A FINE UNIVERSITY WITH (and this is bigger than you realize) A CONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE TO GRAD SCHOOL. </p>
<p>Think about it, Pitt is accepting you not only to undergrad BUT to grad school (conditionally) who else is offering you that? FOR FREE!</p>
<p>Now if Penn and Cornell offer you a full ride than go to either. I will even say if the estimated cost per year is 10K vs Pitt’s 6K for Cornell or Penn, then I would say you have an argument for your Parents, but right now (if they support you) you need to take Pitt’s offer.</p>
<p>if i was spoiled my parents would let me go where ever i wanted, which is not the case. </p>
<p>the only reason i’m not set on Pitt is because I visited all these schools thinking my parents would want me to go there and that I could go there if I wanted to. That’s not the case now. In reality, I think I’ll end up at Pitt, but I just like the other so much more and I never really expected to get in so I feel like I’ll miss a huge opportunity.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think the biggest opportunity you could miss would be if you didn’t take up the offer at Pitt. They’re still a GREAT school. And if you go there your parents will even be able to afford the occasional vacation while you’re gone and won’t have to spend the rest of their lives paying off $100,000+ of loans.</p>
<p>Congratulations on all your acceptances, though.</p>
<p>Any way you could visit Pitt with your family? Maybe your parents will see that you’re miserable there, or, more likely, maybe you’ll sit in on a couple of honors classes and realize that it’s really not that bad after all.</p>
<p>People need to stop making judgements, especially when there is a significant financial delta. I do not know your family’s financial situation, you will need to talk to them. Clearly, from what you say, finance is the only issue and we are not the judge of that.</p>
<p>Well I got my official letter from JHU today, which wasn’t as exciting as I imagined it would be a few months ago. I understand my parents’ financial reasons for Pitt, but I was given this false hope that I could choose where I wanted to go. I talked to one of my counselors and he said something like well at least it’s an ego boost. Like i don’t even care about that. I applied to schools like JHU and UVa because they were great schools that fit me perfectly. After all the visits, applying, and waiting my parents decide to tell me after I’m accepted that I can’t go. Why did they have to wait so long to be honest with me?.. just sucks.</p>
<p>Maybe things have changed since you applied…perhaps finances are tighter. Plus you really never know the cost of a school until the final offers are in…and it seems some of your dream schools didn’t come through with any cash.
Pitt is a good school and you got a GREAT deal. If that is your only choice due to finances, make the best of it. There are lots of smart kids there. BTW, my son actually chose PSU over Lehigh and he got the same scholarship money you got at Lehigh. PSU and Pitt are both solid schools. Don’t worry, be happy. You are a very fortunate soul…
Good luck to you…</p>
<p>If the Penn admit was Wharton and you wanted a career in business I’d be on your side. But you want med school and college just doesn’t matter as long as it’s a solid one. You’ll come out debt free going into med school and if your parent’s help then you’ll be in great shape when you’re finished. </p>
<p>Wish one of my kids wanted to be an MD! No matter what you make, saving $200K is a big deal!</p>
<p>Congratulations on doing well enough in high school to have so many choices. I have to agree with the above response. Almsost 30 years ago I was applying to college. My parents told me the one college I could apply to and that is where I went, sight unseen. It wasn’t what I would have chosen, but I still managed to learn, to grow and to get into medical school. I didn’t argue because they were paying.
I found this website because I’d like my kids to have more choices, but they have been told, repeatedly, that college is both an experience and a means to an end. If you’re pre med go with the best financial package. Pitt isn’t ivy, but it will certainly provide with an opportunity for an excellent education.</p>
<p>“I was given this false hope that I could choose where I wanted to go”</p>
<p>Well YOU can choose, if YOU pay for the others. It has been done, other students get jobs are pay their way through. In any case, a full ride to Pitt does not “suck” do you know how many kids out their would love that? Your glass is MORE than half full my friend. Be grateful for what you have and immerse yourself in your good fortune.</p>