Costs vs. Public: Is it worth it?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>I would pick UCLA over Berkeley actually for the quality of teaching. I have just heard a lot of awful things about Berkeley (my friends are there). Since you have so many AP credits, I would pick UCLA over UChicago if I were you. You won’t receive credits for English here. You also won’t get any credits for Human Geography, World History, Literature, Psychology, US Gov, and just one credit for biology.</p>

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As a smaller and wealthier university, Chicago will offer things UCLA won’t - more attention to undergrads, better advising, more funding for student research, etc. On the other hand, tuition and room/board at UCLA totals $27K per year; the same at Chicago totals $57K. The UC system admittedly keeps jacking up tuition, but $120K over four years is a LOT of money. I really don’t think Chicago is worth it – there is a lot that could be done with that money (1.5-2 years of law school, 2+ years of med school, etc.).</p>

<p>Since you would be taking out loans even for UCLA, the loan debt from Chicago would be absolutely crippling.</p>

<p>Direct Stafford loans are capped at $27K for four years, of which only $19K can be subsidized. Although Perkins loans (subsidized) would provide an additional $22K, that still doesn’t even come close to covering the $120K difference.</p>

<p>Have you spoken with the financial aid office at Chicago? Their financial aid has a track record of being hit-or-miss, to be sure, but I find it very odd that a student needing financial aid at UCLA would not receive any at Chicago.</p>

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<p>AP Credit: UCLA does not necessarily offer all credit either, but yeah…</p>

<p>Loans: I think that it may be more of an issue of how much my family is willing to pay rather than able. They do not value education as much as your typical tiger parent and would be quite okay with me going to UCSB or such. They will not pay any more than 16k/year, which while a lot, still requires some loan even for UCLA.</p>

<p>Office: I will try contacting Chicago if the information above does not make it needless.</p>

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<p>You can appeal your financial aid, and I agree with warblersrule: your financial aid does not make sense…</p>

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What major did you choose for Berkeley?</p>

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<p>Aide: Why exactly does it not make sense? May have something to do with my parents paying off debt on our house?</p>

<p>Major: College of Arts and Sciences; Physics, I believe.</p>