<p>My friend wants to major in either biology or environmental science and has to decide between these two schools. </p>
<p>I talked with his parents and cost is definitely a factor for their family. UConn is definitely cheaper but my friend thinks that if he goes to Northeastern and does the co-op program, he might be able to pay up the student loan and go on to graduate school. He likes both schools equally after visiting both of them so he is not leaning either way.</p>
<p>Any opinions? Which school is better and better cost-wise?</p>
<p>IMO Northeastern>UConn, I think too many people stressed too much on the money aspect and forgot that you should go where your heart desires. Otherwise, you might be debt free but later on in life you would regret the decision.</p>
<p>IMO your “likely major” shouldn’t be a major consideration when picking a college. Your friend may want to major in biology and then get there and realize that philosophy is his passion.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, I don’t think you can really go wrong with either of those schools. As far as the money issue goes, I disagree with Raezin to a certain extent. That kind of rhetoric sounds like it really makes sense when you’re 18 with no real sense of how much it costs to live and what it means to have loans that total $30K or less as opposed to loans that total $60K or more. I’m not sure what the difference is to your friend’s family, but the truth is…the memories of the college experience, what your “heart desired,” eventually begin to fade into a couple of important events. They’re not salient throughout most of your adult life, especially after you move away from college and into your first job, a marriage, children, a house, etc., and make memories that become far more important to you. I’m two years out of college and in grad school, and honestly, I’ve met far more people who have regretted going to an expensive college and racking up mountains of debt than I have met people who regretted passing up an expensive school for a less-expensive but still good one. In fact, I’ve never really met anyone who regrets not taking on massive debt to attend a college better than the one that they went to. But I’ve met a lot of people stressed about how they’re going to pay off their student loan debt.</p>
<p>I think affordability should be the number one factor in picking a place. If you can’t afford it, then you shouldn’t go. (By afford I don’t mean out of pocket, but I mean with a combination of the financial package and parental help either out of pocket or with PLUS loans.) After that you can consider all of the other factors. I’m all for paying a little extra to follow your heart - sometimes it’s worth it to turn down a large scholarship in favor of a place that you really love and at which you will thrive. But if we’re talking about the difference between manageable debt (IMO around $40K per year or less, regardless of the intended major of the student because at 18 you just can’t predict what kind of career or job you’ll have your first year out, but most careers can afford a $40K loan given the median income in the U.S.) and the kind of debt that limits life choices (IMO more than ~$70K but especially anything in the six figures), it’s probably better to choose the manageable debt.</p>
<p>UCONN and Northeastern just keep getting stronger and stronger - both have really stepped up their facilities over the years and the quality of the students they attract. </p>
<p>But, I’m a value guy and hearing that financial is a big factor - I’d go UCONN.</p>
<p>I can’t comment on which is better but just wanted to note that your friend should probably not count on co-op earnings to pay off student loans if he goes to NEU - for many NEU students, unless you are living at home, co-op earnings do not cover much beyond room/board and other living expenses (if even that).</p>
<p>That depends on your major. I saved plenty and was making more than most college grads were making directly out of college when I was in co-op. However, some majors just don’t pay much e.g. journalism. So, it depends.</p>