Deciding between two schools: the better choice?

<p>I have recently been admitted to OSU (Oklahoma State). Today, I got in the mail a scholarship award of up to 2k per year for up to four years, but imo that's not a whole lot. If I include that, room and board, and books and supplies, that's about 16k I have to pay for a year. And I only have about 18k saved up for college. I'm planning on taking the ACT until I get at least a 30 so I can get better scholarship money.</p>

<p>But with OU, another college that I've kept in mind, I won't have to pay for room and board because it is close to home, and so I'd only have to pay about 9k or 10k a year, which includes tuition, fees, books and supplies. This does not include any scholarship money I've received from OU either.</p>

<p>My problem is that OSU is my first-choice university for a variety of reasons. 1) I want to move out to experience more freedom, 2) I plan on majoring in architecture and their architecture program, comparatively, is "better", and 3) I've visited the campus numerous times on field trips and did one actual campus visit and so far I have liked the small-town feel. With OU, I have heard that Greek life is a big thing there which I don't really want to participate in, and their architecture program is average. I do, however, enjoy the campus and community there after visiting it several times on field trips (though they are pretty hostile to OSU fans, no surprise).</p>

<p>I'm just really torn between the two. Cost-wise it would be better for me to attend OU, but I really want to experience dorm life and see what OSU's architecture program is like. Input from current OU and/or OSU students would be extremely helpful also!!</p>

<p>Almost everyone has this sort of cost issue in the college decision and often there are trade off to make between wants and needs. Architecture has a high rate of unemployment for new grads (13.9%) so you might want to reduce debt as much as possible so you can have more freedom when you graduate. Then again a higher ranked program might be beneficial in that area, I don’t know those programs too well, hopefully someone that does will comment.</p>

<p>No one is helping you will college costs except your can live at home? How will you get 16k a year? As a student you can only borrow F/S/Jr/Sr 5,500/6,500/7,500/7,500</p>

<p>Do some reading in the individual forums for those colleges, you can find links here
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/o/”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/o/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>And the Architecture forum
<a href=“Architecture Major - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/architecture-major/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.naab.org/r/schools/results.aspx?f1_4597=OK”>http://www.naab.org/r/schools/results.aspx?f1_4597=OK&lt;/a&gt; indicates that both OU and OSU have NAAB-accredited BArch degree programs. Note that BArch degree programs are five year programs, so take than into account when checking costs, financial aid, and scholarships.</p>

<p>If your parents will let you live at home and commute without charging you for food, utilities, transportation costs, etc., then a year of OU will cost about $9,995, according to <a href=“http://www.ou.edu/admissions/tuition_aid/cost_estimate.html”>http://www.ou.edu/admissions/tuition_aid/cost_estimate.html&lt;/a&gt; . This should be in reach (barely) if you take the federal direct loan ($5,500) and earn some money with part time and summer jobs. If you get any Pell grant money, that may bring it more into reach and require less loans or work earnings.</p>

<p><a href=“404 | Oklahoma State University”>404 | Oklahoma State University; indicates that OSU will cost $18,180 to $22,740 ($16,180 to $20,740 after your $2,000 scholarship), which would be out of reach if your parents do not contribute anything and you get no additional scholarships or financial aid.</p>

<p>I was thinking of another option. I could go to OU for two years, and then transfer over to OSU for the next three years since I think during junior year it’ll be more in depth with my major and my parents are okay with me dorming after I get basics out of the way. I know for sure that I’ll be working several summer jobs once I graduate from high school. And I am currently applying for scholarships right now, so that can rake in some money too. I am still debating whether architecture or architectural engineering is what I want to major in though, which is why I think it would be safer to go to OU and then transfer.</p>