<p>I'm sliiiightly confused as to where I should go to college. I like the whole "big, public university" feeling (don't ask me why, it just appeals to me) and I'm going to be a Psych major.</p>
<p>I just really would like to see if anyone knows what school is best for the Psychology major and that will help me get into the best grad school (I'm obviously aware my grades are the main factor, but aside from that). I'll list some of my personal pros/cons for each school.</p>
<p>CU Boulder
I was born there, lol. Most of my extended family lives in Denver/Pueblo. (p)
I like the feeling of of the town. (p)
Not many kids go on to grad school? (c)
The school is absolutely GORGEOUS. (p!)</p>
<p>Penn State
Regarded higher than the other two public schools. (p)
Two of my good friends are going there. (p)
I haven't heard much of their psych program. (c)
In the middle of nowhere! (c)</p>
<p>Rutgers
Basically everyone I know is going there, basically going to be like a second high school. (c)
Cheap! (p!)
20-30 minutes away from my house (c)
Not many in-staters really appreciate going there. (c)</p>
<p>They're all large schools and I'd like to send in my deposit for whichever school I decide to go to ASAP so that I get housing close to the main campus :P Any help would be greatly appreciated :)</p>
<p>In terms of smart economics, it would be a great decision to go to Rutgers since you are In-State. Penn State is ranked higher, but Rutgers is not far off, and the discrepancy in ranking is not at all worth the price tag differential.</p>
<p>I totally agree with you. I just have a question about the way tuition works: I decided to go to Penn State or CU Boulder and my parents moved out to where I was going, would I pay one year of OOS tuition and the other 4 years in state tuition? I'm an only child and my parents said I could go to any public school in the event that that little scenario is even possible :P</p>
<p>oh, and another point that I LOVE about CU Boulder is the study abroad problems that are available.</p>
<p>Penn State UP is the best ranked, but what will be the price difference for you between the different universities? As a Penn State UP alumnus, I would obviously recommend PSU over the other two, but I want to know the price difference before I saw that for sure.</p>
<p>Penn State - approx. $33,000 (if they moved it'd be about 21k)
CU Boulder - approx. $37,000 (if they moved it'd be about 16k)
Rutgers - approx $22,000</p>
<p>I know that it SHOULD be about the money, and a part of it is, but another part (and slightly bigger part) would be the Psychology program itself. They all seem good on paper, but I want to know what will prepare me for grad school.</p>
<p>As a coloradan transplanted into the east coast, I say go to CU! I'm not sure about your grad school comment... a lot of my friends are planning on grad/professional school after they graduate, but I don't know if it's the norm there or not. </p>
<p>Whenever I visit I love Boulder, and my friends are all really happy there. But, keep in mind it's not just tuition that's expensive, it also costs some $$$ to fly back and forth if your family is in the east.</p>
<p>I would say Rutgers... Penn State is not really regarded as a better school than Rutgers, regardless of rankings. Rutgers has better grad programs and it would be cheaper for you. But Penn State might be a better social life, as would Boulder.</p>
<p>"I would say Rutgers... Penn State is not really regarded as a better school than Rutgers, regardless of rankings."</p>
<p>Yeah, you should push rankings aside. The Rutgers89 guy probably asked several people at some bar in jersey and they all thought that Rutgers was better. It's definitely better to go by word of mouth than those stupid rankings released by people that are experts on judging the resources and academics of different universities.</p>
<p>Yes, Penn State UP is regarded as a better school than Rutgers. </p>
<p>To the OP, despite that Penn State UP is generally regarded as a better school, I think you can prepare well for grad school at all three of these schools. The key will be to do well in your classes once you get there and to be involved with internships and get to know your professors for good recs.</p>
<p>Yes Penn State is in the middle of nowhere, but trust me, you would never know it. The University is practically a city in itself and State College is a GREAT college town (bars, restaurants, shops etc.). It is regarded as being somewhat better than the other two, but Rutgers can be considered a close second. Colorado could be a fun school to attend, particular if you were born in the area, but I'm not sure your degree there would mean as much as it would from PSU or Rutgers. Not a bad trio of schools to choose form though!</p>
<p>-well if you really dont want to go to a college that would seem like high school all over again i would pick CU Boulder becasue Rutgers and Penn State would both be like HS...
-if money is a big option Rutgers would have to be your choice unless you got money for somewhere else
-if rankings are important Penn State would win</p>
<p>---depends what the biggest pros and cons are, but if i were you i would choose CU Boulder..seems to be in the middle pros and cons wise</p>
<p>DancingInTheRain, I'm just curious, did you go to a high school with 40,000 other students?? Seriously though, Penn State is way too big to be considered anything that would resemble a high school experience. I think you are going to find a very large and eclectic group of students and activities in any one of these three schools.</p>
<p>You know that "college town" feeling (what I think PSU is)? I visited Colorado State when I was looking at Boulder and that is a REAL "college town". I completely hated it. It just wasn't my cup of tea. I'd much rather be part of something bigger. I'd like to be able to travel 10 minutes and have a whole other feeling. And I don't think I could feel that way at PSU. I'm honestly just considering it because it has the highest rank.</p>
<p>I've been to Rutgers parties and I know the area pretty well. I know nothing about Boulder (the area), aside from it's where I was born :P. But being five when you're in the city is a lot different being eighteen in the city.</p>
<p>I just want a school where I can have fun and be able to concentrate on my studies. Maybe I'm asking for the impossible :P.</p>
<p>Yes, i went to a bar in Jersey and asked those guidos which school is better... If you go by USA today rankings, which you shouldn't because yes they get paid... but it's all a bunch of bull(tons of schools considering dropping the USA Today rankings), then Penn state is 15 on public universities and rutgers is 9 spots behind. Let me tell you something, rankings seriously mean nothing. Go to where you want to go.</p>
<p>In terms of Rutgers being like high school.... that is QUITE possibly the dumbest $hit i ever heard on this forum.... If your in-state Rutgers is the best option in my opinion. If you don't like it, you transfer but work you butt off. There is a whole bunch to be said to about receiving a degree at Rutgers because of how tough it can be at times, with professors not reaching out to you but you having to reach out to them. And there is both bad and good things to be said about that.</p>