<p>Our daughter who has worked really hard to get these great options is trying to decide between Dartmouth, University of Notre Dame and SUNY Geneseo.</p>
<p>We got no need based financial aid anywhere.</p>
<p>She got $13,000/ yr merit scholarship in honors program at Geneseo- making the total cost for 4 years less than $40,000!</p>
<p>Dartmouth is $60,000/yr
U of Notre Dame is 57,000/yr+ travel to South Bend (we're in NY)</p>
<p>Her true love is Notre Dame and we can totally see that as her best "fit", but we have 3 other kids hot on her heals to college and they are all excellent students as well with likely similar options when their time comes.</p>
<p>We could make it work financially at any of the schools, but it seems fiscally irresponsible to ignore the bargain option. We are NOT wealthy or extravagant folks, we just want to have a secure financial future.<br>
What would you do? Thoughts?</p>
<p>@scater…wow what amazing choices. Congrats! My daughter will be attending Geneseo in the fall. For me I could not spend 40,000 a year. I have another child in college and possibly attending med school. I would like the financial freedom to be able to help him and my daughter will have to get her masters.
It is such a personal decision. I would think with 3 kids behind her it might get tough.
While I was at Geneseo I spoke to alot of parents with kids accepted at NYU, Notre Dame, BC so they are a smart bunch. You have 3 great schools and I guess only you can decide what you are comfortable with. Congrats though!!</p>
<p>Congrats to your daughter. I would seek to save the money. With three children bringing up the rear you have to organize yourself accordingly. SUNY Geneseo is a fine school. Without knowing the road she wants to head down, I would say Geneseo for four years and continuing the education afterwards will be easier for her to do. Save her and your money for Grad work and hopefully the three children up and coming can also learn a lesson from the older daughter. Again, Congratulations!!! and good luck…</p>
<p>When I look at their honors program description online, it only mentions a $2000 per year scholarship. Am I missing something? That’s a great deal!</p>
<p>I also have four children. I would definitely choose Geneseo. As great as Notre Dame is (my husband is an alum), is is not worth that price! She might need that money for grad school.</p>
<p>Geneseo. No question. I visited, as I’m sure you have, and it’s a lovely place. I’m sure many of the kids who will be there with your daughter were faced with similar choices.</p>
<p>oops, bad math on my part.
She got $7,000 scholar in residence + $2,000 for Edgar Fellows.
$18,400 tuition and fees less the scholarships comes out to $9,400/yr from our pocket.
Sorry for the confusion.</p>
<p>It depends on what your D’s career goals are. Some firms, investment banking firms as an example, only basically recruit from a few select schools. Dartmouth would be the best decision in this case. If she wants to go to medical or law school, then I would say Geneseo to save money. Any other grad school, I would also say Geneseo. </p>
<p>However, if she has no idea what she wants to do, Dartmouth and ND are known around the country and maybe world. Most people outside of NY will never have heard of Geneseo. It may, not saying definitely, open less doors. BTW, I’m a SUNY prof.</p>