Emory or Alabama on full tuition or Rochester?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

<p>I was fortunate to be accepted to Emory, Rochester, and USC, in addition to receiving a full tuition scholarship to the University of Alabama as an out of state student.</p>

<p>USC is out of the picture as of right now, as it will simply be too expensive to attend. Therefore, unless something changes, it’s one of the other three.</p>

<p>Rochester comes in as the next most expensive, but it is just within affordability. My favorite aspects of Rochester are the open curriculum and the “Take 5” program that enables students to stay a 5th year tuition free if they wish to take additional classes. Additionally, I am not bothered by cold weather, and, in a way am almost attracted to it. I really don’t like the feel of the city of Rochester, but the school itself has a positive vibe that I appreciated.</p>

<p>Emory is my next option. I can graduate from here with an estimated 15k in debt, which many people would swoon over. I think most people would agree that this is my most prestigious option, and it has the fantastic city of Atlanta right next door. I am interested in studying Computer Science, which Emory is not very well known for, and is likely one of the school’s weaker areas. This has proven to be my greatest concern. I am also considering the Business school or there is a slight chance I will major in Econ/Political Science. This was the prettiest campus I visited, and it just feels like a “power house” that will have ample opportunities. I will admit, I am intimidated by the grading, and I am not sure if it will be too difficult for somebody like myself who is still developing his work ethic. I feel that the size of the school is perfect, but I just didn’t get a good vibe when I visited, and the Class of 2016 facebook page has been the worst of the 5 I have been on (call this silly, but I feel that it is a good indicator of the personalities of my future classmates.)</p>

<p>Finally, I have been offered a full tuition scholarship to the University of Alabama’s engineering department, where I would major in Computer Science. I really don’t know much about the strength of the Computer Science department, but I feel that I could achieve a higher gpa at this school than any of the others (fair assumption?). This school is just so big, which I don’t really like. I would obviously be sacrificing some prestige to go here, but I don’t know if that is a valid reason to pass it up. The honors dorms were very nice, but the school itself seemed kind of old and perhaps a bit run down from incessant use. If anybody could tell me more about the CS department in an objective way, I would greatly appreciate it. </p>

<p>Things to know: I want a full college experience. I can be very lazy and have horrible study habits. I plan on getting a Masters, probably no PhD for a very long time, if ever. I prefer cool weather, but my options seem to either be very warm or ridiculously cold. I’m very indecisive, and feel that there is a good chance I will want to change majors at some point. I will enjoy partying on occasion, and I superficially enjoy attractive females. As I said before, I will probably major in one of the following: Computer Science, Business, Econ, or Political Science (in that order). GPA is important to me.</p>

<p>Let me know is there is anything I forgot and please offer any advice you can. I’ve only got two weeks left. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>

</p>

<p>What? And you say, “GPA is important to me?”</p>

<p>Not to be rude (and since you asked for advice), unless you fix this ASAP it really won’t matter where you go. No school is going to do for you what you’re unwilling to do for yourself.</p>

3

<p>No worries about being rude. I definitely need some tough love and advising. I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA at my high school, but my high school is very low achieving, and hasn’t offered me very difficult classes. I have never needed to put in much study time, simply because the course work just hasn’t been rigorous. I’m sure that at any of these four options, there will be a definite jump in difficulty, with some being more extreme than others. My point about study habits is only that they are bad because I have not really been forced to develop them. I feel that my motivation to maintain a solid gpa will triumph over the bad habits I have formed throughout high school. </p>

<p>I just figured I would include that in the original post so everybody understood where I was coming from.</p>

4

<p>Could you give us your stats: SAT, ACT , APs taken, strength of high school classes.</p>

5

<p>Nihility- I thought you had made a decision already? I thought you posted it somewhere? Why the second thoughts? What has changed?</p>

6

<p>I can’t fathom how that would possibly be relevant. If the adcom at Emory decided they would offer me, an ORM, a spot in their freshman class, than clearly my application was strong. </p>

<p>If you insist, feel free to look at my recent threads and find one of the many “chance me” threads I have posted. There will be an in-depth listing of my stats. </p>

<p>I would rather stats not be considered because I feel my stats represent me as a stronger student than I really feel I am (due to grade inflation at my tiny private school). If you read my original post, you would infer that I am not overly confident in my ability to compete with tip-top students at top 25 universities.</p>

<p>@vlines: I haven’t decided anywhere yet, much less posted. I have found myself leaning towards one school, just to return to starting base after a bit of deliberation. I’m quite indecisive.</p>

7

<p>Have you visited Bama?</p>

8

<p>Yes.
While it was unfair to Alabama, it happened to be raining on visit day. Idk how greatly this influenced the visit, but I really didn’t feel like the campus was my kind of fit. As I said in the OP, the dorms were incredible, but the engineering class building was very run down, and the students just didn’t seem friendly to either me or each other (however, our guide who ate with us was VERY nice. Probably the best part of the trip).
To be completely honest, I think I had too high of expectations when I went in. I had read post after post on these boards where people cited how impressed they were after they visited and how the visit changed their outlook on the school.
I was the polar opposite. I really was favoring the school and was thrilled by their merit offer and excellent marketing techniques. When I actually visited the campus, however, it wasn’t what I anticipated. </p>

<p>Perhaps it is because I have spent my other visits at rich privates? Alabama is the only large public I took the time to visit, and it was the school that our 12 hour drive was focused on. I haven’t even visited my in-state public (UMD-CP), so I suppose I am not comparing apples to apples. </p>

<p>Idk.</p>

9

<p>You have some great choices. Sorry, I thought you had made your decision on Emory for some reason…it most be another undecided student! </p>

<p>

I guess that is why they built the new ones- the engineering building just opened, and more to open in the next few years. </p>

<p>So if you are leaning toward one school, what do you like about it, and what is the hesitation?</p>

10

<p>Nihility,</p>

<p>There are many talented students from across the USA taking advantage of Alabama’s generous scholarship offers. They are building new engineering facilities that YOU would benefit from during your stay in Tuscaloosa. My thoughts are that you would get a great education in a program that is gaining in stature AND have the FULL college experience (perhaps minus the snow of some of your other choices) at a price that probably leaves you with considerably less debt. You’ll have MANY opportunities at UA to distinguish yourself and likely leave with a memorable 4 years, a degree of whatever liking your indecision eventually decides, and less debt(if any) to dig out from under. Speaking of indecision and debt, you might want to consider the impact changes in majors may cost you at various schools. Alabama is very generous in accepting AP/IB/CLEP credits that might make your indecision less of a problem there…Good luck with your decision over the next couple of weeks.</p>

11

<p>I want to weigh in on your assumption that you can maintain a higher GPA at UA than at the other schools you’re considering. I would not make that assumption. Although UA is easier to get into overall than your other schools, the students in STEM majors tend to be strong students. I only know one person IRL who is at Bama, and he’s a NMF who attended an intense, competitive math & science academy for high school, so he was used to rigor when he arrived. He’s now a sophomore double majoring in Physics and computer science, studies quite a bit and says his courses are no cakewalk. Take that for what it’s worth, but I think other students (and parents of students) in Engineering/Computer Science can confirm that it’s a challenging program.</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision.</p>

12

<p>@vlines: I guess as of today I am leaning a bit towards Emory. I feel like it is an opportunity that I may regret turning down. One that many others aren’t fortunate enough to get. Additionally, it falls somewhere in the middle of finances. While it isn’t cheap, the ridiculous endowment the school feeds off of has allowed it to offer large grants to a significant proportion of the incoming class. As I stated in the OP, I would graduate with somewhere around 15k in debt (to the best of my estimations). </p>

<p>My major hesitations deal with the other students at Emory. I feel that they are almost too motivated and competitive, and that there won’t be many others like myself. Is this a silly concern? Should it be easy to find a group of about 20 others who are similar in personality to myself and who I will spend the majority of my time with? </p>

<p>Furthermore, as I already cited, I feel somewhat under-prepared by my high school. I don’t know how much of an effect this will have on me in college, but it definitely concerns me at an extremely rigorous school like Emory. I’d like to aim for above a 3.5, but I’d also like to spend a lot of time doing things besides studying. Idk if I will be able to achieve both of these, and when push comes to shove, which will I choose? I understand only I can answer this, but I’m just trying to record my thoughts. I have, however, found solace in the URMs who manage to succeed despite coming into top schools under-prepared in every category. </p>

<p>And perhaps a final concern relates to the “liberal bastion of the South,” as Emory is sometimes known. My parents are conservative, therefore coincidentally I hold many conservative values. I don’t see this as being too much of an issue, but it will definitely be a drastic change from what I have grown up in thus far.</p>

13

<p>@beth’s mom: Thanks for your input. I understand it isn’t some simple program, but I feel that it is safe to assume that it won’t require quite the same amount of effort that some of my other options will.
I know in one of Emory’s recent graduating classes, it was released that not a single student had maintained a 4.0 for the duration of their undergraduate years. I don’t know if this is common, but it is certainly intimidating. I don’t expect a 4.0 no matter where I go, but if some prodigies can’t achieve great grades with ceaseless studying, where will I fall?</p>

14

<p>Let’s see: Emory is prestigious and the right size, but you got a bad vibe there and it may be too cut throat. Bama is too big, you didn’t care for the campus, and it may not be prestigious enough . . . but it’s practically free. Rochester is affordable, felt good, has that 5th year option, has the weather you want . . . but you don’t like the city. Given these dynamics, it’s not likely you’re going to find a solution that feels “just right.” Time to narrow it down to “good enough.”</p>

<p>In brutal rank order, why don’t you list for us and yourself what’s most important to you: cost, prestige, rigor of curriculum, location, weather, strength of program, social compatibility, and any other variable that will go into your decision. Then rank each school against each variable. Perhaps that will help clear the logjam. </p>

<p>Sitting on the fence much longer is just going to give you a bigger pain in the you know what.</p>

15

<p>based on the breakdown provided by malanai, i think you should choose rochester. </p>

<p>what is the total cost for you for each option (if that is a factor).</p>

16

<p>Emory will be about 70k more than Alabama. Rochester will be about 90k more than Alabama. </p>

<p>Importance: Strength of program, cost, prestige, social compatibility, location, rigor, weather. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, rigor and prestige kind of go hand in hand. If only we could have ultimate prestige with simple but interesting classes (lol). The strength of program is illusive, as I haven’t decided for sure what I want to pursue. </p>

<p>I feel like if I were to assign 100 points to each category, it might fall something like this:
UA/Emory/Rochester
Strength: 45/75/80
Cost: 90/25/5
Prestige: 30/85/65
Social: 65/50/60
Location: 30/70/30
Rigor (easier being high rank): 80/40/55
Weather: 50/50/75</p>

<p>That feels pretty accurate. Now to develop an algorithm that weights each facet accordingly…</p>

17

<p>You and I recently shared the same boat in our interminable college decisions. My conflict, however, pivoted mostly around WashU, Vandy, and Alabama (I was accepted to Emory but received very little aid so pretty quickly dropped it). WashU, in fact, offered me a pretty respectable aid package, and Vandy’s wasn’t awful. My decision came down to two things. The first was money and the fact that, financially, Alabama was the most promising. The second was a somewhat more intangible factor. It had to do with the fact that at Alabama I felt like I would be a part of a rapidly evolving system. It seems to me that Alabama is experiencing a Scientific Revolution of sorts, in that it is swiftly becoming an academic powerhouse in the South. I felt as though I would be a part of this new league of intellectual elites, whereas Vandy and WashU emitted this air of stale success. Great schools, don’t get me wrong, but between the full ride and the possibility to, as a “smart kid”, be at the forefront of this newly incredible academic environment, Alabama just seemed to soar.</p>

18

<p>just adding up your numbers (for easy addition i used a scale of 10 and rounded the 75 (for example) to 80.</p>

<p>scores are </p>

<p>UA 40
emory 41
roch 43</p>

<p>ends up being not that big of a difference between the three</p>

19

<p>^Exactly. Which is why this is so excruciatingly difficult. This is about where I feel in my decision, other than Rochester and Emory’s scores being swapped (I’m assuming you didn’t do any adjusting for the hierarchy of importance?) It might end up coming down to a coin flip.</p>

20

<p>no adjusting, just adding up the values you posted. if they come out so similar, then i would probs go with the lowest cost option. are you getting scholarships from the other schools? </p>

<p>is your family abe to pay for the cost of any of the options or do you have to take out loans?</p>

<p>my daughter had a similar struggle with UA and one of our state flagships (which offered her nothing). she ended up at UA, and while she did doubt her decision, she is doing great at UA. great GPA (in ChemE), plenty of friends, she has grown up a lot. and the level of attention you get when you ask a question or have a problem is incomparable between UA and the other school.</p>