<p>Well, what I told my D was that all other things being equal, pick the school with the nicest dorms.</p>
<p>actually i just found an error in my calculations (i added 5 for roch cost when it should have been 1)</p>
<p>so now the score is</p>
<p>ua - 40
emory - 41
roch - 39</p>
<p>I’ll add my final two cents before I call it an evening. If it’s really that close a decision, then free yourself from the paralysis-by-analysis, go to UA, invest the $70-90k you save over 4 years with a shrewd financial adviser, graduate with a GREAT degree (assuming you reverse your poor work ethic), enjoy the best football & bbq in the land, get a hot girlfriend, carve out niches to shrink the big place, and stuff all that dough into a hefty down payment on a way-cool house as a graduation gift to yourself. </p>
<p>And if you absolutely, positively, unequivocally can’t stand 'Bama (or wherever you decide to go) after a year, transfer, as have countless thousands before you. It’s just college we’re talking about here, not life or death. </p>
<p>Good luck and be brave. You’ll be fine. :)</p>
<p>Nihility: If you are worried about the cut throat atmosphere of a college, you may want to rethink considering the U. of Rochester. My husband is an alum, and while he had incredible grades and opportunities there, he is the first to say that the place had plenty of cut throat individuals.</p>
<p>Our son got into the U of R with an amazing offer, but not amazing enough to turn down a National Merit ride to Alabama. </p>
<p>BTW, you need to get approval for that 5th year tuition free option. It’s not an automatic.</p>
<p>Cannot tell you what to do, but Malanai does offer some great advice. If you do go to Bama and decide you do not like it, you can transfer after a year, and at least you will have had a year where you did not pay for tuition. My son had the same thought three years ago. After being there two weeks, he called home and said that he could not amaze himself at any other school.</p>
<p>I sounds like to me that you will be happier at Emory. Although we love the UA and it is an amazing school, I really don’t think you will be happy there. The feel of the campus is opposite of Emory. The atmosphere at the two schools is also not comparable. You’ll find a much more urban feel at Emory. And, if you think you will have an easy time at the UA, you will be sadly disappointed. It sounds like the UA may be too large for you to develop the discipline and maturity you will need to be successful. I’m not meaning to be rude, but the UA will not be a perfect fit for everyone. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>If you’re on the fence and honestly can’t decide, why go into debt for either UR or Emory? (and this is coming from a UR mom and fan!)</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about not having had to work hard for high school. (Worry just the right amount to motivate you to work hard in college ;)) Seriously - you’ve worked as hard as you needed to to get straight A’s. Just recognize that you will have to take it up a notch and be proactive about staying ahead of assignments and reading and studying, and search out TA’s or profs or fellow students for help as soon as you’re stuck on something. Lots of smart kids coast in high school and then kick it up a notch successfully.</p>
<p>To find out more about fit, go to the facebook page for each incoming class and hang out there a little bit. (Once you’re in facebook, search for XX University Class of 2016). Get a feel for the other students there.</p>
<p>Look up Comp Sci profs at each school at rate my professor dot com. </p>
<p>Make a spreadsheet with the requirements for each school - both for the major and for gen ed.</p>
<p>Email professors in the Comp Sci department with specific questions like how many students graduate in the major each year, what area of computer science is the strongest at that particular university, etc.</p>
<p>Recognize the bigger school will have more red tape (a little harder to register for the classes you want or housing) but thousands of students survive the red tape every year.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>One other consideration . . . You said in your original post that you might switch your major. If there really is a reasonable likelihood of that, consider how losing the supplemental engineering scholarship affects the economics as between Emory and UA. That might make it an easier decision.</p>
<p>The honors dorms were very nice, but the school itself seemed kind of old and perhaps a bit run down from incessant use</p>
<p>I find this odd. Yes, the school itself is “old”. But, I don’t think the school itself is “run down” at all. The school is constantly building new buildings and constantly refurbishing the older buildings. I don’t know what buildings you went into on the rainy day you visited, but if you happened to be one that is “soon to be refurbished,” that might leave you with that impression.</p>
<p>What buildings did you go inside? Did you visit the new Science and Engineering Complex?</p>
<p>I agree that visiting on a rainy day is never positive for any school. Nothing looks good in the rain. </p>
<p>As for the campus being too big… I highly doubt that you’d feel that way once on campus and this is why. I’m guessing that you’re coming in with a decent number of AP credits. If so, that means that you’re done or nearly done with Core Req’ts. If so, then your experience at Bama will be mostly with the upper east quadrant of the campus. </p>
<p>Bama’s buildings are grouped by type. The STEM major bldgs are in the upper east area of campus. It’s not like you’d be going to classes all over the school. Even if you have a couple Core classes still to take, those would likely be by the Quad.</p>
<p>As for the Take 5 option at URoch, that is nice. However, I believe that URoch doesn’t give much credit for AP classes. If that is so, then you’d essentially have that same option at Bama if you’re coming in with at least 30 AP credits (which you likely are). You’d likely have plenty of space in your 4 year schedule to fit in several classes just for fun and interest. </p>
<p>and, the good thing is that Bama isn’t going to charge you for Room and Board while taking those fun/interesting classes like URoch would if you stayed a 5th year just to take extra classes for fun. You have to add at least $15k-20k for staying that 5th year at URoch. Your parents may not like that after paying for URoch.</p>
<p>And, if you do have an interest in getting a Masters, then you could take some Masters classes as an undergrad at Bama thru the University Scholars program. If you’re quite efficient with course choices and you have AP credits, you might even be able to finish the masters during your 4 years. </p>
<p>The Bama campus is big when viewed as a whole, but a student generally isn’t traipsing around the whole campus on any regular basis. </p>
<p>Look at this pic below… The honors dorms are above the upper black line. The STEM classes are in the upper right quadrant. Not a large area at all. That’s where you would mostly be. </p>
<p>If you were to go to Bama first, and not like it, you could transfer to Emory later. But, you can’t go the other way around and get the</p>
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<p>They give decent credit for AP classes, but it’s true they aren’t as easy as UA at gaining AP credits. You mostly have to score at least a 4 (UA gives a lot of credit for a 3, I believe). UA gives credit for CLEP tests too, which a lot of college don’t do. They are stingier in some other ways too (courses for clusters have to be earned on campus, etc). They are just pickier about what they consider to be equal to an actual college course. You don’t mention AP courses and say your high school didn’t offer rigorous courses, so maybe you don’t have a lot of AP credits.</p>
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<p>No, not that much. My S’s room & board this year was a total of about $8,000 for room and board total.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I was going by Collegeboard’s R&B data for URoch.</p>
<p>Room and board… $12,120</p>
<p>Once you add books, fees, travel and incidentals, you’re going to be up to $15k+</p>
<p>Sure, if you’re choosing a cheaper meal plan your R&B may seem lower, but then eating off-campus or at your dorm/apt, those costs need to be added as well. </p>
<p>I did look into the AP credits. URoch tends to give HALF the number of AP credits and has few equivalent courses. So, it appears that the credits would be used as electives in many cases… </p>
<p>For instance, if you get a 4 or 5 for AP Chem, you’re given 4 credits…and there isn’t an equivalent course which suggests that you’d still have to take Gen Chem. For a 5, Bama would give you 8 credits for Gen Chem I and II.</p>
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<p>OK. But in reality, his dorm & food is $8,000. I give him another $1200 for groceries, so $9,200 would be comparing apples to apples. And on this allowance, he eats steak about 3 times per week. 
It’s just isn’t accurate or helpful to round it up to $15,000-20,000.</p>
<p>A student at UA has to buy books, fees, and incidentals also. </p>
<p>Travel is a good thing to consider though - you’re right. OP is from Maryland, so he should check into how easy and cheap flights are to all three colleges, and how close the airport is to the destination college. </p>
<p>You’re absolutely right that if a student is using AP credit, he/she can definitely get more hours in at UA. Or CLEP. I think my S’10 would have over 60 credits if he went to UA next year (assuming the website isn’t right when it limits AP credits to 40-something), and at Rochester, he’ll have 36, so saying they don’t give much isn’t accurate. There are several AP tests he didn’t take that they would give credit for as well. It is true to say that Rochester doesn’t think a 3 on an AP test reflects the same amount of knowledge that one of their courses does, while UA does, so that helps get AP credits under your belt at UA as well, if that’s your goal. </p>
<p>Anyway - OP knows UA is cheaper for him. He’s just trying to figure out where he’ll fit in better and have a better experience, and whether or not that fit is worth extra money to him (assuming his best fit isn’t also the cheapest, which would be great for him!). But talking details about costs, I knew you’d want to be as accurate as possible!</p>
<p>*A student at UA has to buy books, fees, and incidentals also. *</p>
<p>Yes, but not for a 5th year. That was my point. The OP was liking the 5th year free tuition option to take extra classes. My point was that with generous AP credits from Bama, he’d be able to do that within FOUR years…so no need for that 5th year of room, board, books, incidentals …so those costs ARE proper to consider. </p>
<p>And, my point about APs at URoch, they give less and it appears from the website, that the AP credits given are often not for required classes, but just for electives. If that’s true, then that is a problem to consider.</p>
<p>I’d rather have AP credits count for Gen Chem and other req’d courses then just having them sitting on my transcript as electives and/or requiring that you still have to take another class and then the AP class counts (and maybe only as an elective at that point).</p>
<p>Your child may have gotten 36 AP credits at URoch, but it looks like a number of them (if not most) are just sitting on his transcript as electives or getting him into the next class.</p>
<p>[Advanced</a> Placement Credit : Center for Academic Support](<a href=“http://www.rochester.edu/College/CCAS/AdviserHandbook/AP.html]Advanced”>Advanced Placement : Advising Handbook : College Center for Advising Services : University of Rochester)</p>
<p>For instance, at URoch, for AP English Comp, even if you get a 5, you get no credits. If you get a 4 on AP English Lit, then you get 4 elective credits after completing a course.</p>
<p>There’s really no comparison for AP credits. URoch makes it difficult to really use AP credits…especially within one’s major or STEM.</p>
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<p>Agreed!</p>
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<p>Not agreed, but that’s OK! 
I’m feeling like we’ve hi jacked the thread, so fading out now…</p>
<p>I will try to address as many points as possible in one comprehensive post before I leave for class in just a bit. </p>
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I don’t know if that is fair. We already factored in the cost option. If we pulled that out, both Rochester and Emory would be significantly ahead of UA. We cannot account for the same variable twice. </p>
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If I were to truly pick based solely on dorms, I would choose UA with Emory in a close second. Rochester would be trailing far behind. </p>
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Fair enough. I’ve been trying to be as transparent as possible in my posts. While I don’t feel I could “coast,” I don’t feel the courses would be nearly as demanding, and, in all honesty, I would not hold the same general respect for the other students, knowing that some may have achieved acceptance with a 3.5 and a 1700. There will be hundreds who had more impressive stats than I, but there will be thousands who didn’t. </p>
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If I were to remove from your list everything that I could have equal opportunity of achieving at my other options, I would be left with football and bbq (which I don’t care about) and a huge sum of cash. The cash would be fantastic, but so would the connections and perhaps higher starting salary that would come with a degree from Emory/Rochester/USC. </p>
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I understand about the approval. Regarding transferring, is that really an option? If I didn’t have near perfect grades, would an elite private like Emory accept me? I honestly don’t know the statistics or if this happens often, so if somebody else does, that would be something to consider. I gained acceptance once. If I turn them down and come back with a profile that hasn’t improved, why would I expect a reasonable chance at acceptance?</p>
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<p>I greatly appreciate your post, and I feel you raise some interesting and resoundingly true points. The campus is very different, but I don’t feel that EITHER is exactly what I want. A hybrid (like maybe USC?) would be my ideal “campus vibe.” Being right with a major city is big, and borderline vital. It may be too large and impersonal for somebody who certainly has a long way to go in developing into a mature individual like myself, I agree with that as well. I visited each school once, I just don’t know if that gives me an accurate representation of what the school will be like on a day-to-day basis during my 4 year stay. </p>
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This is true. But, because it has been so easy, do I lack the strong foundation that others will have? Will this maim me in future years? Those were my main concerns.
It’s interesting that you referenced the facebook pages! This has been a major part of my last two weeks. USC’s page BLEW the others away. It is entertaining and all the people seem interesting, fun, and generally similar in interests to me. Emory’s has been the worst. The only people who post are asking questions, and it is just dead. It has given me a bad taste. I don’t really think this shows too much, but it is certainly something I have considered. </p>
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My dad and I have discussed this. If I don’t want to do engineering, my scholarship will be significantly affected, and I would most definitely be better off elsewhere, if only at my own state flagship (UMD-CP). It’s a big factor. </p>
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<p>I went inside what I believe was the Mechanical Engineering building. The bathrooms were pretty bad, and the walls and stairs were noticeably old (paint chipping, scuff marks, etc.) It just generally wasn’t a nice building. However, some of the other buildings were very modern and clean and we could tell they had been redone recently. I don’t think they took us into the “new” science and eng complex. I remember during the bus tour they mentioned some new buildings, but we didn’t really do anything with them. I think this was when they talked about the building that is only for students. No professors allowed. </p>
<p>Regarding the AP credits: Rochester is notoriously bad for allowing these credits to be utilized in a beneficial way. What can you do though? They have only one required gen ed course, so how can you really expect them to accept outside credits. The absence of a core curriculum is a huge asset. I have one AP credit, and I am self studying another exam right now. My school only offers the one. I do, however, have around 30 college credits from our local community college. Depending on the school, these may be useable. Some of these classes I would like to retake regardless (Econ, Calc I).</p>
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<p>I agree with both you and m2ck. The two can’t be compared in this aspect. UA may accept more, but it is quite a different school than URochester, with different curriculum and requirements. </p>
<p>I know that with the Rochester 5th year program many students travel abroad. I’m sure at UA traveling abroad to Europe or Australia (where I hope to go at some point during my undergraduate years) would cost me extra. Correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
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<p>Are you kidding me? How disappointing and shallow.</p>
<p>i kinda think we have given this student enough of our time.</p>
<p>good luck.</p>
<p>*in all honesty, I would not hold the same general respect for the other students, knowing that some may have achieved acceptance with a 3.5 and a 1700. There will be hundreds who had more impressive stats than I, but there will be thousands who didn’t. *</p>
<p>lol…</p>
<p>You need to understand that students with more modest stats will not be in your CS classes. They may start out, but the weeder classes will soon have them changing majors. A few might survive, but then that may just mean that their stats didn’t really reflect their abilities.</p>
<p>Within the first year, you’ll find that all of your classmates will be “worthy” (ha ha) of your respect. (Now, whether they will be impressed by you? Well, maybe, maybe not.)</p>
<p>You will never have “thousands” of classmates or even “hundreds” that have modest stats. Those kids don’t major in STEM. </p>
<p>You are making a very common mistake, assuming that you can look at a school’s middle quartiles and think, “hmmm, those kids will be my classmates therefore the curriculum will be geared for them.” Wrong, not for STEM majors…not at all.</p>
<p>I recall my SIL asking a ChemE professor if there were any modest stats kids in his classes. He immediately said, “the school may allow them to select ChemE as their major as incoming freshmen, but they’ve long changed their majors by the time they’d be taking my classes.” This prof is a super nice guy. He wasn’t being arrogant. He was simply stating a fact. </p>
<p>BTW…do you really think that there won’t be some “modest stats” kids at Emory or URoch? Oh yes, there will be…those will be special admits, maybe some URMs, athletes, etc).</p>
<p>I know that with the Rochester 5th year program many students travel abroad. I’m sure at UA traveling abroad to Europe or Australia (where I hope to go at some point during my undergraduate years) would cost me extra. Correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>lol…do you think URoch is going to cover all your study abroad costs for your 5th year? all they would cover is the tuition costs…not housing, not food, not air travel, etc.</p>
<p>And, yes, you can use a semester’s worth of tuition towards study abroad. That’s about $11k towards a semester abroad. That is usually more than enough to cover costs.</p>
<p>I was born and raised in Tuscaloosa within walking distance of the UA campus. I love the UA. I am the mom of 3, one of whom is a current student (a top notch one at that) who attends the UA and loves it. She could have attended Emory, Johns Hopkins, Duke, or most any school she liked. She chose the UA not because of the scholarship (which is very generous), but because she fell in love with it and it provided the best fit for her. My hope for you is that you will find the same peace of mind in your choice. My family and I live within a short drive of the Emory campus. It is not my intention or wish to try to convince you to attend the UA. I honestly believe you would be truly unhappy there, and we simply don’t want unhappy students on campus. Although it is a wonderful school, I continue to believe you are better off elsewhere whether it is Emory or another school. I hope you will find my advice to be honest and well intentioned as I am speaking to you from my heart as I would one of my own children. The scholarship provides a tremendous opportunity ONLY if it is the right fit for you which it clearly isn’t. I hope you find where you belong and feel comfortable. While you continue to seek direction from others, I would suggest two things for you to strongly consider in your search. First of all, there will be no perfect school out there as this is real life and perfect just doesn’t exist in the adult world. If you are looking for a school with an urban feel, very liberal beliefs, and a location within a busy metropolitan area, Emory may be for you. While it offers the “elite” appeal some seek, do not be naive enough to think you will receive a better education or be surrounded by students with superior stats. As a resident of an affluent suburb of the metro Atlanta area, I can assure you will not find this to be true. While the UA provides impressive academic opportunities and generous scholarships, the general feel of campus is much more laid back and conservative than Emory. While the campus offers diversity in beliefs, it is much less liberal than Emory. If you were my child, I would also speak firmly to you for the benefit of sparing embarrassment later in life and hope you could understand that being a gracious guest or recipient is very important. Good manners are not exclusive to the South, although they are highly regarded and expected here. While you certainly have the right to your opinions and beliefs, it just isn’t polite or even acceptable to make many of the comments you made here. It is sort of like spitting in the face of your host. I sincerely hope you find a school where you feel comfortable and can mature into a young man who can be proud of himself and his accomplishments. I would suggest that if you haven’t already done so, sit down with your parents and seek their guidance since they probably know you best. Good luck.</p>
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<p>I’m sorry. I verbalized the concern many others have internalized, and, on occasion referenced. If I’m going to make the most informed and appropriate decision, I might as well help everybody to understand how I, and many, many others, feel. I really don’t think it is extremely disappointing. While it is shallow in the way that I phrased it, as though SAT and GPA are perfect ways of assessing my compatibility with other students, there is a lot to learn about a student body from the stats of its entering freshmen. If you’ve read my posts, you will notice that I have taken classes at my local community college. There are times it just becomes frustrating when a class has students of entirely different calibers and personal standards represented. Teachers are forced to waste class time catching some students up, while other students are falling asleep due to the lack of challenging material. I’m sure there will be times when this still happens, perhaps with me being the individual holding the class up, but the occurrences should be increasingly seldom in a sea of “similar” students. </p>
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This is a perfectly valid point, and likely true. But what about my gen ed courses? What about courses outside of my major? How about in the dorms? Being immersed in an intellectually engaging environment will engender intellectual growth. The CS classes may pit me against incredibly stark competition, but I only spend so much time in class. </p>
<p>In response to your second statement, I don’t ask anybody to alter their personality, values, or interests in response to me. It isn’t about my respect, just forming genuinely cohesive relationships with my peers. I try to state my preferences in the most humble way possible, but the way each of you have dwelt upon that single paragraph rather than acknowledging my other statements portrays me as an elitist snob. I don’t feel superior to them, I just want to be in an environment different than I have been thus far, and coincidentally be able to interact with similar and interesting people. </p>
<p>I’m sure my inability to convey the way I feel through the internet will cause some of you to dismiss my equal consideration of each school, and solidify your decision to no longer contribute. I’m sorry for disappointing you and I thank you for presenting some great points and for facilitating my decision.</p>