<p>Both my husband and I are immigrant and have only high school education. We know very little and would need your comment and suggestion as to the school selection. Both my daughter and us like UChicago a lot (e.g. school and its programs and faculty. We also like the environment with intelligent students and exposure/experience with international students). She will be biology major but don't know the future path yet. In UM she will be in a Integrated Life Science program. The cost of attending UChicago is $25K per year. I really do want to support her and send her to UChicago. Does it worth paying $25K though? Some told me undergrad school doesn't matter. I think we could tighten the belt for her undergrad education. What is the sensible and best choice for her?</p>
<p>That is a tough one because that’s a lot of money. What is her goal after undergrad?</p>
<p>I don’t see how anyone can turn down a full ride!!! Especially if the student foresees grad school in their future. Finishing undergrad without debt is a luxury few can experience.</p>
<p>Depends on the grad school - PhD programs in biology are generally fully funded. Med school or other professional schools is an entirely different matter. It really depends on how painful that $25,000 a year would be for the OP. I’d pay for Chicago, but U of Md is a strong state university and I am sure the honors program makes it even better. </p>
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<p>This is nonsense, and it irritates the hell out of me every time I see it. Particularly when the school in question is the U of C, which is not your average degree mill. The only four years of your life when you are likely to be able to devote yourself to intellectual exploration don’t matter? Only if you regard college as vocational training.</p>
<p>You have a choice between a strong state U and an extraordinary university. I can see that it is a difficult choice. It really depends on how difficult it is for you to come up with the $25K…does that include your D taking some federal loans, or is that your contribution after her loans?</p>
<p>I agree Chicago is in a whole other category.If you can swing it financially, go for it. </p>
<p>I see three questions:</p>
<p>1) can you manage in financially? Think about it long and hard.</p>
<p>2) can your student handle the lifestyle changes related to being in savings mode? Not coming home often if you live far away? Having a job to make a little spending money? No new clothes? Less eating out? Plenty of college students live on the cheap, so she won’t be alone, but she should go into this with her eyes open. </p>
<p>3) will she be ready to not be the smartest person in the room? Not make all As? Being with such a strong group of fellow students is one reason to choose Chicago, of course, but she should go into it knowing it will be challenging. </p>
<p>Thank you all for your insight and I really benefited a lot! My daughter is a brilliant student with SAT 2390, yeah 10 points off the perfect score and 5s on 5 AP exams, US Presidential scholar candidate, National Ability One Design Challenge 3 rd place, and prestige internship at NIH’s national cancer institute, and on and on… Actually I am really confused and a bit disappointed about the rejections she received from some schools. However, I believe everything happened for a reason. So, my husband and I gladly agreed to support her decision and we should not need to get loans, crossed my fingers. Now, she has committed to UChicago! She knows the classes will be challenging and that is why she loves Chicago, the strong group of fellow student, the faculty, and school resources. I also want to thank CC and the CC members who provides valuable advices and supports to students and parents too. </p>
<p>Mdmama, congrats to your daughter! U. of Chicago is a phenomenal school and if your daughter places any emphasis on rankings, there are only a very small handful of colleges ranked higher. Whatever rejections she received, I am guessing, must be understood in the context of schools which admit only slightly more than 5% of their applicants. She is in very good company in that regard. </p>
<p>Congratulations :)</p>
<p>May she have an wonderful four years. :)</p>