So I’m currently torn between University of Nevada Las Vegas and Georgetown University for several reasons.
-Georgetown has and will always be my dream school. It has one of the best business schools in the country, which is the field that I want to go into
-UNLV is the better option financially with almost all expenses covered because I’m in-state. Unfortunately, though, I would not be living on campus because the dorms suck and it’s a commuter school. I would be staying at home.
-At Georgetown I would get the full college experience but it is SOO pricey. I’m currently trying to negotiate a better financial aid package
-I know I would not enjoy myself at UNLV whatsoever, but I also don’t want to be drowning in student loans at GU.
So to sum this up, Georgetown is the better option for academics/experience, but UNLV is better for financial reasons. Any advice on which one I should pick? Time is running it and I need to make a decision.
What do you want to study? How much can you and/or your family afford to spend? Do you know what you wish to do after graduation? What are you looking for in a school?
Let us know the answers to these questions - Georgetown and UNLV are very different schools with very few similarities.
Any other options?
(Target schools between your reach and your safety?)
Between the two schools, it seems as though UNLV is your only realistic option due to cost.
UNLV is a terrible university- poorly funded, academics lacking, poor career network; people who can find another solution for their kids don’t let them attend, even for free. The one exception is for Hospitality.
If you got into Georgetown you’d do yourself a disservice thinking short term of money saved when on the long term the difference between a degree from McDonough and Lee is magnitudes greater - penny savvy, pound foolish.
Georgetown meets 100% need so it should be affordable. What’s your EFC and what’s the net cost at Georgetown?
Why are you talking about “drowning in student loans”? - those shouldn’t exceed 5.5k.
How much do you have to pay for Georgetown and how much can you afford?
I have to pay $40,000 a year but, realistically, I can probably only afford $10,000.
I look to study at their McDonough School of Business and go into a business/politics related career.
If your family can only afford 10k, and Georgetown expects you to pay 40k, then it is unaffordable. Lots of families face that situation.
Do you have any options right now other than these two?
What is your GPA and what are your test scores?
What is your likely major?
How far are you willing to go, and how low doen the scal are you willing to look?
Would you be happy with a gap year?
Did your ACT ever improve? If not, how come? And yes, what other schools did you try for? You are a URM, middle class income? Is that right? Not first gen either? And this is your parents budget, was it ever going to more?
What’s your parents’ income for how many people?
A 40k EFC (if no mistakes were made) would mean an income of about 125-150k. A contribution of 10k would earn an income of under 65k. Is that your case?
Do your parents have significant assets (house with no mortgage w investments)…?
If G’town returns with a family contribution of 20k (+ the Federal loans, summer earnings and work study for you) would that be doable with belt tightening?