I’m so torn because I got a full scholarship to Northeastern but I also got into UVA. As an OOS Student, I would have to pay around 35,000 a year to attend UVA. Therefore, I would end up with a lot of student debt. However, the architecture program there is much better than Northeastern’s and the campus is so pretty.
On the other hand, if I go to Northeastern I won’t have any debt and my parents could help pay for graduate school. But I went to visit the architecture school there and it is honestly not very attractive looking and since architecture students basically live in the studio, environment is super important. Furthermore, UVA has so much more resources than Northeastern.
So in short, I really want to go to UVA but it’s not the financially smart decision. So any advice? Thoughts?
It takes time to break into any high paying arc type job. Usually you will be a jr person working under a successful group. Or basically drafting for them. That means fairly low pay at the beginning.
I am not discounting your feelings or that UVA has a much more collegiate feel to campus. That’s very attractive.
But work experience in your field is important and NE will give you that. And for free it’s like they gave you a 250000 check to come to school
My niece is very happy at Northeastern. I think the co-ops will give you great opportunities and connections in the field of architecture. If you go to UVA maybe you won’t even be able to afford grad school. You can’t borrow $35,000 a year, not that you should anyway.
Does UVA offer a suitable graduate program? If so, set your eyes on that and you’ll get the best of both worlds.
At this point, you are going interested in banking on Wall St with lots of your contemporaries and enjoying the pretty campus in Virginia. Northeastern is free and much closer to NYC. Boston is beautiful and has lots of wonderful buildings and grounds. Sorry, but attending Northeastern is a no brainer and excellent opportunity. Use money you saved by not attending UVA to travel.
Use the money saved to travel.
See what has been built successfully or not, and their consequences or the city or people’s lives.
The UK: London, Bath, Salisbury, Poundbury, Edinburgh’s center and Parliament, Glasgow’s Gorbals.
Continental Europe, following Pritzker prize winners Jean Nouvel, Rem Koolhaas… and famous architects such as Gaudi, Mirrales, Bofill, Castro, Vauban, Mansart, Eiffel, etc. But looking also at sustainable architecture and ecovillages as well as experiments in low cost/public housing.
You would save enough to go several times. In fact northeastern even has international internships so you could work there.
Full ride means tuition room and board paid for. Is that what you got from Northeastern? I didn’t think they had full ride merit there. If it’s just tuition, then the difference is 30k per year vs 15K.
Would the cost of UVA be paid for with your parents money or with loans?
NE believes you are worth 50k a year extra. That’s the amount yo have to be earn to be left with 35k after state and federal taxes. So basically what an entry level architect makes per year for four years after you get out of college. Just a way to look at how awesome an offer.
I know it’s the school down the road. It’s altering your judgment. Go on the NE threads to see how many high stats kids got rejected and others who can’t afford it and are heart broken.
So your parents have said that they will co-sign $60k in loans for you? Have they said that?
Either way, by the time you graduate, that $60k will be larger and the monthly loan payments will be equivalent to making TWO car payments each month for TEN LONG YEARS…in addition to any real car loan you may have plus all of your living expenses.
Again, arch jobs are getting harder and harder to get. And the pay for newish grads isn’t great. It’s very likely you’d find this loan payments unaffordable.
And will arch require a 5th year? Or anything extra?
How would you pay for he extra $60k
for UVA? You can only take $27k in loans. Will your parents co-sign for you? This might be a non-discussion for financial reasons.
Go to NEU and use your co-ops for a change of scenery.
I’m with Ma2012 - a free ride is huge! My son’s best friend is finishing up his freshman year at NOrtheastern and has had a great time. Use your co-ops to explore and post graduation enjoy the freedom no debt brings!
Take the full ride and do an international coop or a coop in the South to get out of the area! You can do up to 3 coops, all outside of Boston. Take the money, and don’t look back.