<p>Hello, I'm a student from California and I'm trying to decide between UCSD and UW Madison. For both schools, I'm in for biological sciences(For UCSD-specifically Neuroscience). The financial aid package from UCSD is pretty decent plus I received some scholarships so I just have to pay 1/4 of the total cost(plus loans). For UW Madison, I have to pay out-of-state tuition so the total cost is around 37k - the school offered me a bunch of loans to cover the cost. My goal is to make a decision by Friday so please PLEASE give me some opinions on this. It will mean a lot to me. Thank you!</p>
<p>To tell you the truth, I would go to UCSD, it is a great school for what you are looking to go into, and with the price you really can’t argue with it compared to the much higher cost of UW. Im not sure how much tuition inflation is like in Cali but I heard its getting pretty rough, but im sure your still much better off financially at SD.</p>
<p>Your post isn’t clear about how much each school is going to cost you in cash and in loans, so you need to work out these numbers and choose the school that is most favorable financially.</p>
<p>ucsd.</p>
<p>btw, does anyone know how to decline madison online? or do i have to mail in the slip?</p>
<p>Put your decision in writing- ie send it via snail mail. Also be sure to do the same for Res Halls if you signed a housing contract. The two are separate and telling one will NOT tell the other. This is due very soon- especially to get a refund of your deposit.</p>
<p>Honestly, Wis75’s response is so true, and the reality is so pathetic. “two are separate and telling one will NOT tell the other.”</p>
<p>Sad, but true. Tell both housing (if you’ve submitted your contract–you may not have even realized you did because the process is so confusing) and UW admissions that you will not be attending. It’s such a poor representation of our university, the way housing doesn’t communicate with other parts of the school. But yes, wis75 is right, snail mail works best in this occasion so it’s in writing to both. Hopefully you will get your deposit back.</p>
<p>Housing and the university are two separate entities although both are public. I strongly disagree with MNB…'s opinion of the separation.</p>
<p>There are advantages to being separate. Res Halls is self supporting and doesn’t face budget crunches due to taking money paid for housing to pay for nonhousing UW needs. Information given to one is not necessarily availble to the other- privacy issues. Any problems you may have in Res Halls are not in the UW database. Therefore, you have separate agreements with each place and they are not privy to each other’s bills owed et al. The link is that you have to be a UW student to live in Res Halls.</p>
<p>Had to laugh at this. I just KNEW wis75 wouldn’t let ANY criticism of UW go unanswered. It’s the perfect university!</p>