<p>I got into UChicago and UCLA and the former costs almost twice as much as the latter (I have no financial aide). While Chicago is considered better than LA on many factors, is it really worth an additional 20k-30k? Assuming subjective variables are ignored.</p>
<p>20-30k/year? I would say that UCLA is prestigious enough that 20-30k/year extra is too much to pay for any other degree, be it Chicago, Harvard, or anywhere else.</p>
<p>It appears Chicago is 62k and LA is 32k, before loans and work. What exactly compels (Californian at least) people in such a situation to go to a private schools at all? Other than having an absurd amount of money of course. Does the relative prestige pay off in future employment (on average)?</p>
<p>@phuriku LOL!</p>
<p>@llama231 You said you got no aid. If you can afford it without issue, then I think UChicago is the easy choice. But if finances will be tough for whatever reason, that’s when you need to weigh things.</p>
<p>I could possibly afford it by going into debt but am not sure if that is worth it. Or even if I could afford it without exceptional trouble, is it really THAT much better of a college/experience?</p>
<p>OP, how did you get no financial aid? UChicago ended up being less expensive than my state safety school because I got piles of aid.</p>
<p>@jawbreaker81
I do not know, maybe my merit is not good enough. I got no aide from FAFSA, yet my family supposedly does not have much money.</p>
<p>you need to have this discussion with your parents.</p>
<p>Here is my take.</p>
<p>If your family can afford it without much hardship, then it’s a question of what you value.</p>
<p>As for me (as a parent), I was willing to send my kid to U Chicago as a full pay when he had a full ride offer from another school that also has an excellent reputation. But we were not taking any loan for this either on our part or on his part. It just meant that we would have that much less money for our retirement. Note:we are not gazillionaires, but we are also OK without that money for retirement: it just means that we won’t do certain things.</p>
<p>If you need to take the loan out for this difference, I would say no. Here are the reasons:</p>
<p>(1) First of all, UCLA is a very good school. It’s not like you are choosing between U Chicago vs. Podunk U. You won’t be terribly disadvantaged career wise.</p>
<p>(2) Granted, there are many advantages of U Chicago over UCLA. However, weigh this with the idea of starting your young adult life with well over $100K in debt. That will be a mill stone around your neck. Granted, if you go to a Wall Street bank and immediately get paid $100K a year, perhaps you could pay off this debt soon enough. But you don’t know that. Even if you think that’s the career path you are interested in right now, you are only 17 or 18. Many kids changes their major and career goals while in college.</p>
<p>What if you embark on a career that is very meaningful to you but does not pay well? You will be paying this debt FOREVER. Imagine not being able to afford any vacation. Imagine not being able to go out with your friends for dinner and a show. Imagine not being able to buy a house when you are ready to settle down.</p>
<p>What if you decide to go to a post graduate professional school (law, medicine, MBA). These programs are more or less full pay, and very expensive. Now, you are starting your adult life with $300K in debt. Whoa- you are a slave to the bank now for decades.</p>
<p>You may have to work seriously while you are going to school. Another stress point.</p>
<p>Under this circumstance, if I were your parent, and I can’t afford to take out the loan, I would seriously discourage you from taking this loan on your own for the reasons described above. Chicago’s life of the mind education is good, but not good enough to become an indentured slave at the age of 22.</p>
<p>I am saying this as a parent who feels investment in my son’s education was the best money I ever spent. But, again, we did not have to run the risk of taking on an unmanageable loan for ourselves or watch out son do it.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>What is your prospective major? If it is lucrative majors (economics for instance), then you can pay that debt off in no time. You should, as others have suggested, discuss with your parents.</p>
<p>I am considering Physics and History, both of which both schools have great and neither of which are likely to pay well. My family would need a major loan for me to even go to LA, so the no aide at all is peculiar.</p>
<p>Totally agree with Divine Comedy. It heavily depends on what major you intend to do.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sorry awful grammar right there.</p>
<p>What are you thinking of doing after graduation with your two majors? Applying for graduate schools? Working in the industry? Going into consulting/business?</p>
<p>@Llama231 Financial issues are tough and if there really isn’t an option, then you will go to UCLA, do very well, and go on to do great things.</p>
<p>But since you asked whether there is a difference in the schools, let me just say this:</p>
<p>1) I went to UChicago undergrad. I live in Los Angeles and I know Westwood very well. I have taken quite a few classes at UCLA for fun (mostly through extension programs) so I’ve spent quite a bit of time on campus, besides the fact that my dentist and doctor are there, etc. 
There is QUITE a bit of difference between UChicago and UCLA. With UCLA you are basically getting more of a big, state school (perhaps even party school) atmosphere. UChicago is much smaller, ‘more intimate’ undergraduate experience with smaller classes and, well, tougher classes.</p>
<p>2) You might change majors. Many people do.</p>
<p>3) As I say, I live in Los Angeles and am aware that people here are only aware of two universities LOL! UCLA and USC. However, I grew up on the other side of the country and, although I certainly knew of UCLA, people would mention their own state school much more frequently than UCLA. When I applied to college I was offered some kind of scholarship to go to UCLA (because I was a National Merit Finalist, etc., etc.) but I never really considered it for two seconds even though it cost more to go to UChicago.</p>
<p>4) Especially if you move outside California or certainly apply to grad school, you would get a bit of a boost going to UChicago. </p>
<p>But in the end most of it is up to you. You can be a success or failure going to any school. I’m sure you will do well whichever you choose. But in general the difference comes down to more of a state school environment vs. a smaller liberal arts college atmosphere (approximately speaking, since UChicago is actually a research university.)</p>
<p>Check out the liklihood of being able to graduate in 4 years at UCLA. This was an issue even in the early 80s when my sister was a student there. </p>
<p>Also, if you will be coming in with some AP credits, you might be able to finish UChicago in less than 4 years. Even if you don’t have any, you can still graduate a quarter early by taking 4 courses each term.</p>
<p>motherbear makes a great point. From what I’ve heard, graduating on-time is now an issue in the University of California system. One of my friends is in his sixth year at Berkeley, and he hasn’t graduated because the required classes are inundated with students and maxed out. I don’t think this problem is that pervasive at UCLA though. Try to talk to current students if possible.</p>
<p>Every day you read or hear stories in the news here in LA about financial issues and cutbacks in the University of California system.</p>
<p><a href=“http://utotherescue.blogspot.com/2011/09/problem-is-privatization-and-it-can-be.html[/url]”>http://utotherescue.blogspot.com/2011/09/problem-is-privatization-and-it-can-be.html</a></p>
<p>UCLA allows credit for AP classes as well.</p>
<p>Chicago isn’t worth the extra cost if you have to take loan. it’s just that simple, not over ucla.</p>
<p>This depends ENTIRELY on your intended major. If you want to go Econ/Premed, go for the best… because at the end of the day, you are going to have tons of money from a high paying job and the better education will be worth it entirely. If you got into an honors program at UCLA, your decision might be more difficult for example, since that brings more prestige. </p>
<p>Look into intended major, cost, reputation of the comparing programs. (Keep in mind that UChicago is the #1 Undergraduate College in the US according to Princeton’s standards)</p>
<p>Majors: I would like to go into research, but I hear that does not pay very well at all. I do not want to go into medical (gore) or economics (corruption), but could consider most other majors because I like most academic things. I will have to look into UCLA honors program. I was accepted to the college of Physics in LA, so my majors there are: Biophysics, Astrophysics, BS Physics, and BA Physics.</p>
<p>Career: I intend to go into academia but may consider other options for money purposes.</p>
<p>Atmosphere: I would very much prefer the smaller college atmosphere, but I do know quite a few people likely going to LA.</p>
<p>Graduation: I have many AP tests, and plan on taking as many classes as I can, so this may not be an issue. 4 in European History; 5 in English Language, Environmental Science, Calculus BC (AB 5 as well), Physics B, US History, and Chemisty; taking this year (parenthesis expectations form practice): Human Geography (4-5), World History (5), Literature (4-5), Statistics (5), Psychology (5), Biology (5), US Gov (5), Physics C Mech (4-5), Physics C EM (3-5)</p>
<p>Cutbacks: Is the economy getting better or is the UC system going to keep getting worse?</p>
<p>Update: I now have Berkeley on the table as well, what does that change?</p>