Purdue - I was given $13k in aid. Their CS program is probably the strongest out of the three schools I’m considering, but it’s far away from where I live (California). I don’t know if I would be comfortable so far from home. Not sure how it compares to my other options.
University of the Pacific - The reason why I’m considering UOP is because they gave me an INSANE amount of aid and scholarships. The total cost of attending is $55,252/year, but with all the money they gave me, the total per year comes up to $5,771 (not including Work-Study which would give me $2000/year, not sure how that works though). The location sucks, but it is very close to the Silicon Valley (much closer than Purdue!). And it’s just so cheap for me.
UCSC - I was waitlisted, but I still want to consider going if I get off the waitlist. It’s a UC, so that means I’ll get a solid education. I think overall the school would be the best fit for me, not too far from home, solid education and reputation, close to Silicon Valley. I think I’ll get aid from them too.
I’m not sure if I should choose the best fit for me or if I should choose the money. I mean, the thought of not graduating with any debt (UOP) is pretty amazing. My parents would be happy with that. Please help
Purdue - 13k is still a lot - what’s your parents’ budget? Can you afford Purdue without going above the federal loans ($5,500 freshman year)?
I’d take UoP on their offer. Sure, the actual town it’s in is bad, but you’re not far from really cool places and if you co-op in the Silicon Valley you’ll be golden.
Work study = you have priority for on campus jobs. These jobs have to fit around your class schedule. You can pick a cushy job like sit at the welcome desk in your residence hall, or a resume-buidling one like work for the IT helpdesk. So if you do your hours, you’ll get paid about $1,000 per semester for pocket money/books etc.
The UoP deal is very good, honestly.
You have to accept an offer by May 1st. If you get off the waitlist at UCSC in May-June, you can then email whichever school you chose in April and tell them you decided to go elsewhere.
My parents said that “money is not an issue” and they want the school that will give me the highest chance of success. I just don’t know if it makes sense/if it’s worth it to pay $25k more per year at Purdue for the same degree…tough decisions.
And yes, I know about making the decision by May 1st and then canceling the deposit if I get off the waitlist. UCSC seems like the best fit for me. I think I would be happiest there…we’ll see what happens though.
Computer Science and other engineering fields are BIG at UoP. They have so many advantages and are provided with Co-op during their junior or senior year, giving them a chance to get real life experience within their career while being paid. I know so many people who have graduated from UoP with their engineering degrees who have been hired instantly. Also, there are a ton of opportunities to network at UoP for engineers that sometimes I wish I was an engineering major. As for the town, it’s far from as bad as people make it sound. I have personally never encountered a single dangerous thing here in Stockton. Plus there are a ton of restaurants here!
It’s best to check with the career center and find out where the UOP graduates landed after college. It may confirm or deny whether it’s a good choice.
Keep in mind that last year UCSC, [according to section C1 of its common data set,](http://planning.ucsc.edu/irps/OFFICE/cds_2014-15.pdf) did not need to go to the waitlist even though over 1,320 applicants were on it. Unless UCSC drastically changes this year, expect that you won’t be accepted to the school
@QuadMaster - Yep. They wanted to make it seem like money wasn’t an issue but obviously it is now I guess… @whenhen - Waitlist statistics change every year… so you can’t make any assumptions off of previous years lol @DrGoogle - Just wondering, do you work at Google, haha
This year’s long list of wait listed students is due to the budget issue. If it is resolved, then your odds are better than last year but still uncertain so you have to deposit.
