<p>Forgive me everyone I am new at this and I am reposting this because I think I may have erred where I posted it before. My second born daughter received a great merit based financial aid package from Villanova guaranteed for four years. She also got in to Georgetown but receive a mediocre "need" based financial aid package good only for year one. Our first born daughter will be a senior in college next year so I know that Georgetown is going to severely lower even this package once our first born graduates. So the question is, "Is Georgetown that much better a school that we should go in to deep debt to send our daughter there?" Thanks so much, I would really appreciate advice.</p>
<p>No. (10 characters)</p>
<p>Intended major?</p>
<p>Depends what your daughter wants to get out of her collegiate experience. The studentbody at Georgetown University will be more diverse in every sense of the word, and, as a consequence, will look at the world through a different lense then that of a typical Villanova student. College is not four years of a young person's life, but, rather, four influential, formative years that will affect the rest of the student's life. What do you want & what is it worth to you? In this case, the choice is somewhat of a worldly versus provincial consideration. If it were my child, the answer would be quite clear. Money isn't everything. P.S. I think that we all know where one other poster's priorities lie. Money is replaceable--the four formative years are not. Depends upon your values & priorities.</p>
<p>Doesn't matter in the least. Your question was a clear "Yes/No" question. You said "deep debt". </p>
<p>It's still "no".</p>
<p>Yeah, "deep debt" means "no".</p>
<p>The educational experience will last a lifetime, the debt won't. I guess that I know too many Villanova graduates that never separated from their parochial high school friends. Villanova University is more of a regional school.(After posts #8,9 & 10, I think that I can feel Obama's pain.)</p>
<p>"It is not that much better a school." And the debt, being the parents' and not the daughter's', may indeed last a lifetime. </p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>(I would have said the same if it was Harvard. (Actually, I think there are probably 20 or 30 places that most students can get a better education than Harvard, but you get the gist.)</p>
<p>No.
Villanova is a fine school. So is Georgetown (but it's a bit overrated IMO).
Deep debt? No....</p>
<p>I'm with mini.... if it was a comparison between Georgetown and Podunk U, maybe....but both schools are respectable, and neither worth your daughter going into deep debt for. Go where the $$ is.</p>
<p>Thanks so much everyone, and by the way the debt would be well over $120,000</p>
<p>Wow. $120,000.</p>
<p>Imo: Villanova.</p>
<p>FinAid</a> | Calculators | Loan Calculator</p>
<p>(To repay $120,000 at 8% with a 1% origination fee over 10 years would require an income of $177,000.)</p>
<p>If you HAD the $120,000, and decided you were going to spend it on your daughter's education, the answer would STILL be Villanova. Plus two years of medical school or four years of graduate school. Or two years learning to paint in Italy. Or many trips around the world. Or five years working as an unpaid public health volunteer in Africa. Or.... The list is endless.</p>
<p>Villanova plus $120,000 in education buys a heck of a lot education than Georgetown plus nothing.</p>
<p>Well, in that case, I just fired my senior advisors & am reevaluating my recommendation options & need to see updated poll results.</p>
<p>Here's another way to think about it. A semester is 14 or 15 weeks long, let's say 15. That's 30 weeks a year, or 120 weeks for a 4 year degree. $120,000 over 4 years is...$1,000 a week! Think of writing G'town an additional $1,000 check every single week your kid is there, over and beyond all other expenses. For all 4 years. That's insane in my book.</p>
<p>Villanova is more regional but they do attract a growing number from the west coast and internationally. It's close enough to Georgetown, in the ways that matter (good education, well-known name, smart classmates, nice location). I'd send that deposit to Villanova and look forward to watching Big East basketball, esp when they play Georgetown.</p>
<p>Thanks again everyone, we will be having the conversation with our daughter this evening. Your words of advice and encouragement have been a big help.</p>