<p>I'm from New Orleans and have lived here all my life and Tulane is 10 minutes away from home and I wouldn't be the "getting away" college experience that I feel I should have. But I also got a full ride to Tulane. It's very tempting when up against UVa's full OOS cost, but my parents would pay for UVa and I want to go where I am happiest. I'm an undeclared major (I'm a very indecisive person haha) but I like neuroscience/international relations/business. Obviously UVA has McIntire and so many other pros, including being a "better" school than Tulane. Any help please??</p>
<p>Tulane for free? Discussion ends there. Pretend you live farther away.</p>
<p>If your parents absolutely have no reservations about paying full cost of UVa, then go there. It really is considered a better school than Tulane (which I am a big fan of). Personally, I am a big believer in “getting away” for college – but only if it is affordable. Make sure your parents have no problem with UVa.</p>
<p>Funny, my D had exactly the same choice, but from the opposite side of the fence - she grew up in Charlottesville, and while she liked UVA a lot, she ultimately chose Tulane because she wanted to get out of town. She had a fabulous 4 years at Tulane (graduating in two weeks as a business major) and has been extremely happy with her choice. She has done very well and gotten a lot of opportunities she wouldn’t have at UVA simply because New Orleans is a much larger city than Charlottesville. UVA is an excellent school though. You should be aware that getting into the Comm school after sophomore year is extremely competitive. I know many of my D’s friends who were excellent students who were directed to other majors. Not to say you won’t get in; just be aware that not all qualified people do. Best of luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Agree that the size of the city is an issue, but Charlottesville has certainly less of a Southern vibe than NO would have.</p>
<p>Could you get your parents to pay you some of the difference, or maybe agree to pay for grad school it you are interested, if you go to Tulane? </p>
<p>Also take advantage of any on-campus tours available ASAP.</p>
<p>If it is all the same to you, perhaps go to Tulane and live on campus.</p>
<p>If I were in your position, I’d go with UVA. It is on a totally different level in terms of prestige…but if you think you’ll feel really guilty or something doing that, maybe consider Tulane for two years and then transfer to UVA for junior and senior year? That’d save you half the tuition cost </p>
<p>Sorry I never updated this… I went with Tulane. It was really hard to decide, I chose on May 1st. Couldn’t see a clear favorite. Anyway, thanks for the help everyone!</p>
<p>I can imagine how hard it was. It is funny how the accident of geography dictates this decision. I had the same issue. I grew up in St. Louis and WUSTL would have been an easy choice (this was 40 years ago, wasn’t quite so selective then), but I also wanted to get away. So I took a map of the USA, drew a circle around St. Louis the equivalent of about 300 miles, and only looked at schools outside of that area, lol. Of course, I didn’t have a full ride to WUSTL competing with my desire to get away. Having grown up with very little, if they had given me a scholarship even close to that I would have decided on Wash U. for sure. Fortunately I ended up at Tulane, which I loved.</p>
<p>I do have to say, now that I can look back on all that, having had two that just finished their educations (well, D is going to grad school but Stanford paying for it all), I can appreciate how nice it will be that your folks will have saved all that money and can presumably help you out later, whatever direction you end up going. But hopefully you will choose to live in the dorm at Tulane and have an agreement with your folks to more or less “pretend” that you are at a school hundreds of miles away. At least that way you can have the experience be more similar to what you were wanting had you gone to UVA.</p>
<p>I agree with most on here. TULANE all the way.
Tulane is a private University that has hold its own EXCELLENCE in academic reputation for years, despite being in the farthest southern state and sometimes underrated by rankings.
Move on campus, and live in the residence halls, some students with close proximity to their dream schools actually do that to experience the full college life that they want.
Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>I would honestly go with Tulane if I were in your shoes, let us know what you decide! (A full ride to Tulane is quite impressive!!)</p>
<p>@trying2leave - He did update us, 3 posts above yours. He is going to Tulane.</p>
<p>Thanks @fallenchemist I totally missed it!!!</p>
<p>Oh cool. </p>
<p>Another update – I am now going to Vanderbilt! Got off the waitlist in late June. I had been a Tulane student for two months, gone to orientation and everything. Would have liked Tulane, but Vandy was always my #1 over TU and UVa… never give up on a waitlist!</p>
<p>Congratulations! Either way you were going to come out a winner all 3 are excellent universities. </p>
<p>UVA is far better academically and a more “classical” college experience IMO. That would be my pick. </p>