<p>After the pell mell of the college application process, I (somewhat suprisingly in my opinion) have been accepted to my top three choices. I plan on studying either history, philosophy, political science or possibly anthropology (no specific commitment, but I will certainly major in something in the humanities/social sciences.) I visited overnight at Reed and U Chicago (I enjoyed both, but Reed blew me away) and over the summer at Grinnell (the campus was kind of dead but I liked the facilities and have heard it has a similar atmosphere to Reed.) </p>
<p>In purely subjective personal terms, I would choose Reed in a heartbeat but I did not qualify for financial aid and would have to take out about 50k in debt for the 4 years after my parents' contribution. If I don't get aid from UC either (which I don't really expect) I would most likely have to graduate with over 120k in debt. Grinnell offered me 15k in aid (10k Trustee Scholarship and 5k need based) which, on top of my family's contribution, would allow me to graduate with only a little over 10k in debt. </p>
<p>I'm somewhat torn between head and heart. Reed and Grinnell have very similar academic reputations and school atmospheres by all accounts, but I really loved Reed and could easily see Portland as home. U Chicago has the best academic reputation, and I feel would provide the most upside but with the greatest cost. Is 50k in undergrad debt a manageable amount, even with my grad school dependent major? My dad says he'll help me pay off school debts, but I don't want to saddle my family or myself with unmanageable burden. I also plan on most likely attending law school directly out of undergrad. Which school would provide me the best possibilities of attending a top 50 law school? I would greatly appreciate any opinions on the matter/ answers to any of these questions.</p>
<p>Absolutely not, 50k is ridiculous and 120k is even more! Grinnell is a great school, go there and graduate with minimal (aka manageable) debt. You will get an excellent education and who knows, you may even like Iowa.</p>
<p>There is no difference between Reed and Grinnell in terms of your ability to be accepted to a top 50 law school - both schools are highly regarded by grad schools. U of Chicago has the edge on prestige and name recognition but I don’t know enough about law school admissions to know if that matters. Better academics? That may be more a function of what kind of environment you thrive in.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be concerned about Grinnell being dead in the summer. It’s true that there isn’t a lot going on in the summer because most people are off doing internships and jobs elsewhere. During the school year, there is so much happening on campus that you won’t have time to do it all. However, Grinnell is in a small rural town - in no way is the location similar to Portland or Chicago, so if urban is important, that’s a major drawback. </p>
<p>It sounds like it all comes down money: What can your folks afford? If you are serious about law school, that’s another $150,000 in debt that you will need to figure out how to pay off. You need to talk to your folks about this.</p>
<p>@M’s Mom: My financial situation is a little complex. Long story short my parents are divorced, and my father supports the family from a different country. My father has significant financial assets but not necessarily a world of cash and I have a younger sister going to college next year. I’ve talked to him and, though he says he’s willing to help me pay off the debt and expects to make more money in the coming years, he’d prefer Grinnell.</p>
<p>I really like what I hear about the school, but I’m a little nervous about spending 4 years in a small town in a conservative state (I’m from Georgia and desperately want to escape the South.) What are the internship opportunities like at Grinnell?</p>
<p>I go to Reed and absolutely love it, but I was going to advise you very strongly to avoid accumulating foolish debts–however, if your grandparents are contributing the difference, the point is moot. Congratulations and welcome! You’re making the right choice :)</p>
<p>Grinnell is excellent and given financial situation I would choose that in a heart beat. Save your money for law school, as they typically do not give out much in the way of aid.</p>