<p>only in desperate times do I venture into the cc forums, but here I am. Through visiting and such, I've narrowed down my choices to Emory and Harvard. I like the dorms, social life, and the general feel of both colleges. I'm mainly interested in political science and economics, though possibly other social sciences. I'm a Woodruff scholar at Emory (full ride), but qualified for practically no financial aid at Harvard, and only have about $10,000 of my own scholarships. My parents can pay for it, but if I go to Harvard, I'll probably have to handle grad school myself, whereas the money would be left over if I went to Emory. any original insights on this would be much appreciated, as the deadline quickly approaches.</p>
<p>If you were business or pre-med I would say Emory. Because you are not, I'm not so sure. If you are successful at Harvard it is unlikely you will have to pay for Grad, so that might be the better choice. But 170 grand is a lot even if 'you can afford it'. I'm not in your situation, this is certainly a case by case situation.</p>
<p>You should choose Emory. I really do not think that your chances at grad school admission and aid would be any different coming from Harvard than Emory. They are both top schools.</p>
<p>i know many emory scholars who were in you same position and i can't think of any that have regretted their decision to come to emory. the scholars get treated very well at emory as they get preference for housing, classes, etc.
this is ultimatly a peresonal choice but, since there is no guarantee that you will get grad school paid for, there is a good chance you will have substantial debt after. i personally know about five people who ended up at harvard or yale for grad school so i don't think you would be at any disadvantage coming from emory.
good luck with your decision. i'm sure it's tough.</p>
<p>(shameless bump) thanks for the replies- it's hard for me to turn down a free education but also hard to turn down a school with that much excellence in my areas. hopefully more people notice this thread and post, ere it becomes too late.</p>
<p>Not that many people get an opportunity to go to Harvard. It really depends on how easily it would be for your parents to pay for Harvard. If it means giving a few vacations, new car, or having to liquidate some stocks, then I think Harvard is worth it. But if it's going to be a real hardship for you and your family, a full ride is nice. But I could tell you are having a hard time passing up Harvard. What are your parents thinking? Are they willing to pay for you to go Harvard?</p>
<p>I would go to Harvard. Like someone said above, if you succeed at Harvard, you probably won't have to pay for grad school. And it's like, it's Harvard. You're so lucky that you got in. If you can afford it, go. Work your butt off and you won't have to get grad school loans.</p>
<p>Go to Emory and be the top5%. Don't spend too much money on undergraduate education, because, in the end, grad school is the more important. If your decision was between some no-name state university (full scholarship) vs harvard, I'd definitely recommend you to go to Harvard. However, the situation is different here. Emory + full scholarship > Harvard. Hands down.</p>
<p>Interesting statistics on successful people.. People who got into Harvard had almost the same success in their life as the people who 'graduated' from Harvard. If you're accepted, you just proved to yourself + others that you have the potential. It's usually not the university that makes you a hero, but your own skills/abilities that you have developed over many years</p>
<p>Er, I don't know what people are talking about...</p>
<p>Don't worry about grad school now. If you go to Harvard and do well (and you probably will), then you'll probably get into most grad schools with scholarships and stipends. Grad school really shouldn't be a financial concern, as in many cases, the university pays you to come to their university (you could do some great research, etc.). Really, Harvard's definitely worth it in this case -- it may take some stretching for undergrad, but the education that Harvard offers and the name that it carries would make it the best option.</p>
<p>Grad school is not more important. Undergrad school is just as important as grad school. When schools talk about legacies, they are talking about undergrad parents. By going to Harvard now, your kids would be legacies some day.</p>
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Yes, but what if the OP changes his/her mind? It's not uncommon to switch directions completely in college, and that should be taken into account. Personally, I'd like to know that I could afford to go to medical or law school if I decided that was for me.</p>
<p>Personally, I'd choose Emory over Harvard even without the scholarship.</p>
<p>This shouldn't be a question..Harvard all the way.</p>
<p>Getting a full-ride at Emory (top 20-25 school) is a bigger accomplishment than getting into Harvard. There are less than 100 kids annually that get full-rides (merit-based) from all top 25 schools combined. Probably less than 150 more get full-tuitions from these top schools (around 30 at WashU, 20 at Vandy, 10 at UChicago, 30 at Duke may be few more at CalTech and that is it).</p>
<p>Take the money. Your opportunities will be as good in all respects after Emory.</p>
<p>Do you have an idea of what kind of grad school you want? Most PH.D. candidates don't pay a dime. Business and law school grads have a real advantage coming from Harvard and the loans aren't so bad if you're heading to those. Med school would not be worth the debt.</p>
<p>Some good points have been made, unfortunately for my decision-making on both sides. For post-undergrad, law school is something I'm somewhat seriously considering.</p>