<p>I have been accepted into Dartmouth as well as OU. I am hesitant which to choose because OU is offering a nearly full ride for 5 years because I am National Merit (plus quite a bit from other forms of aid) while Dartmouth does not look so promising. My family is exactly at $69000 on our income and found out that if my parents were to make more than $75000 next year which is very likely, our financial input would "increase significantly". I would already be paying about 11,000 per year at the current rate and have no idea what it would increase to the next year. There is also the frightening stipulation that if I fail to report any income at all (which given all of the scholarships I have applied for would seem easy to do by mistake) then I will be responsible for the entire cost of my education which would easily reach the hundred thousands. On top of all this, I have just recently begun questioning my political science major in favor of neurology/psychology and this makes me more hesitant to pay for Dartmouth because it is quite possible that I could change my mind in the middle of freshman year and have already spent a sizable amount of money on my education. I plan on attending an Ivy for grad school regardless of my undergrad. Would Dartmouth or OU be my better option?</p>
<p>You have made a number of arguements for OU. But if you are still seriously considering Dartmouth, you can get an estimate of what an anticipated increase in your parent’s income would mean to you by using this calculator …try it out at different levels of income - the effect on financial aid might not be as drastic as you think. </p>
<p>[Parent</a> Contribution Estimator](<a href=“Home | Financial Aid”>http://www.dartmouth.edu/~finaid/fao/need/parent.html)</p>
<p>Based on your parent’s income, I’m guessing the $11000 figure is from the FAFSA application and not from Dartmouth. Depending on your parent’s debts and assets, I would think this number would be a lot less. Have you spoken directly to the financial aid office at Dartmouth? Also, “planning” on attending an Ivy for grad school isn’t a sure thing like having already been accepted to Dartmouth. As for changing your mind, that’s what you’re supposed to do! Even if you decide to transfer from Dartmouth to another school, you’ll still come out ahead for having gone there in the first place!</p>
<p>What’s OU?</p>
<p>University of Oklahoma</p>
<p>I would 100% say Dartmouth in this case. Dartmouth tends to be generous with financial aid, I would appeal to get the best possible aid. I think because you don’t know what you want to do, Dartmouth can help you the most. Whether you go into politics, business, neuroscience or almost anything Dartmouth is going to give you the strongest possible base from which to spring. Its universally excellent. Beyond this Dartmouth is going to show you and give you the opportunities to experiment and see what you want to do by giving yourself the opportunity to surround yourself with a community of high achievers. </p>
<p>My friends who chose the best schools from high school have done much better than those who stayed in state, often with similar profiles before they went to college. Going to OU still might get you to the same place, but I’d bet on Dartmouth helping you much more and giving you the best possible chance to be successful at anything.</p>