So yesterday I was so excited to find out I was accepted into Hamilton College’s College Scholar Program. Hamilton has been my first choice since I went to their diversity fly-in in September. Hamilton has made it so I’d be paying about $14,600 to attend this fall. However, after I got my acceptance, my mother dropped the bomb on me that I had also been given a full four-year scholarship to Hope College in Michigan. I know I have time to think about it, but I feel so lost.I also should mention that I’m seriously considering Middlebury as well, and they’re giving me all but $14,900.
I want to major in Japanese and probably politics or international relations. I really love Hamilton’s open curriculum, as it will allow me to study things I really love, and I have so many interests. Also, their College Scholars Program seems really beneficial in getting me adjusted to college and giving me the support I might need throughout my four years.
Hope College is a great school, and I really liked the campus. However, I’m not sure how well their academic programs will meet my personal goals. I hope to graduate undergraduate school and teach English overseas for a little bit, before going to graduate school for Asian Languages and Literatures. I’d love to do some sort of advanced interpretation/translation job for the government or a business, something of that nature. But I really want to immerse myself in Asian culture and explore the area I’d like to do work in someday, and I’m afraid Hope doesn’t offer nearly as many courses on culture as they do language. Their Japanese program is basically all language, which is great but I just feel like I want something more.
So, I’m kind of confused and want some opinons on this dilemma. I don’t want to go down the road regretting either decision. Most of my friends and family are just saying to take the full ride, but for me it doesn’t feel like that simple of a choice. Any advice? Thanks.
Have you looked at the Japanese programs at Hamilton and Middlebury as closely as you have the one at Hope? If you can afford it, my gut feeling would be take Hamilton or Middlebury. The Hamilton College Scholar Program sounds wonderful, and the resources at both Hamilton and Middlebury are top notch. I must admit though, I know nothing about Hope College.
@apple23 Definitely! Yeah, both of their programs are AMAZING, which is why I’m stuck in this rut right now. I’m biased toward Hamilton, and I love Middlebury, and I would be happy to go to either of them. Something is just holding me back from Hope. I’m just scared of going into too much debt.
wow Congrats!!! Can you parents afford to pay around $15,000 for 4 years? if they can, you should go with your gut and choose Middlebury or Hamilton. At the same time, you should consider your long term education and future as well. If you are planning on going to grad school, it might be wiser to take the full ride and save up money, since the importance of where you went to undergrad will diminish significantly if you do decide on going to a grad school. Your undergrad will help you land your first job, but after that, your grad school will have a bigger impact on your career. You should sit down with your parents and discuss the next four years and where you see yourself after that.
Thank you @olliegt ! My parents probably won’t be contributing at all (besides immediate fees, like textbooks), which is why I’m stressing out so much. I’ll definitely sit and talk with them. Maybe if I can come up with a plan I can afford one of these schools. I just don’t want to regret not taking the full ride later, or regret not going to a school that would fit my needs much better, y’know? Thank you for the advice!
Contact both Middlebury and Hamilton to tell them you have a full ride at another school to see if they will give you a better deal. My daughter loves the open curriculum at Hamilton but Middlebury is known for their language program.
Congrats OP! Maybe look more closely at Hamilton and Middlebury to see if there are special study abroad grants/guaranteed funding for internships? But I can understand it would be hard to give up such a nice financial opportunity at Hope College.
On another note, if your net cost is $15,000 – yet you say your parents aren’t going to be contributing at all to your education – something sounds off. It sounds like a talk about finances is in order. I am saying this bc I have run net price calcs on both of those colleges for our own kids and they came out very very generous. So I am wondering if there is more to the story.
This matter bc if your parents really are not planning to contribute, yet your fin aid package for 4 years will be based on their income(s), you are wise to question. And it might change the picture in favor of Hope College.
Financial factors should, as an opinion, rise further toward the top when there’s identifiable academic overlap in your choices. In the absence of that in this case, and with absolutely nothing against Hope: Hamilton.
Statistically, when compared to all schools nationally in terms of the academic preparation of their incoming students, your choices are among 37 (Hamilton), 51 (Middlebury) and 225 (Hope). If you are serious about this college thing, give all possible consideration to Hamilton and Middlebury.
Thank you all so much! I’ll definitely take all this in consideration. I’m definitely leaning toward Hamilton, and Middlebury is a close second. I’ll see what happens if I can contact the financial aid office, and perhaps try to talk to some other people about loans. Thanks again!
Hamilton has open curriculum (no gen-ed requirements, take what you want = freedom), whereas Middlebury does not. However, I’ve heard that Middlebury makes it up by being a really great language school. Both schools have pretty great study abroad opportunities, I wouldn’t say one school trumps the other in this particular category. But in the end, if you fall in love with one of them, go with your gut feeling! No regrets I know nothing about Hope College so I can’t give you much comparison there.
I agree, Hamilton or Middlebury are potentially life-changing, for reasons outside of strictly Japanese.
College Scholars is also a great program - but it’s hard to beat Middlebury for language/IR.
I’d choose them over Hope. Hope is good, but not for what you’d study, and its impact for a high-stats, lower-income/first gen/URm (I’m guessing you’re one of the three) student will be FAR less than Hamilton or Middlebury. The level in foreign language at Hope simply isn’t comparable in terms of depth, opportunities, and simply, level - they offer 6 classes in language then independent study. Their Japanese programis quite good compared to many places, but it isn’t sufficient for your interests - there’s only one history class offered alternate years, then one advanced class offered every semester for the advanced students. Compare this to Middlebury and its choice of THIRTY non-language classes, with choices each semester, or Hamilton’s 15. (Keep in mind that you’d be taking one language course per semester for the first two years, and complement with classes in English about cultural artifacts, history, etc; then two classes per semester jr and sr year would be normal.)
It’d be like wanting to be an engineer and attending a school that doesn’t offer engineering or taking the clunker that breaks down in the middle of your trip: just because it’s free, doesn’t make it the best value. The best value is what takes you where you want to go.
Thank you all very much! Definitely gives me a lot to consider. I believe my parents are going to take me to both Hamilton and Middlebury again (I went to their diversity fly-in programs in the fall, so I’ve seen them, but my parents have not) so that they can see what they are like for themselves. They’ve been to Hope, and Hope did a very good job of selling their school to my parents, so my parents would like to compare. As of now, I’m leaning toward Hamilton, but I think I’ll finalize everything after these visits. Thank you all again, this helped me give my parents a lot of points to consider, and helped me reconsider as well.
Just to give you guys update! I contacted both Hamilton and Middlebury in regards to financial aid, and while Middlebury didn’t budge, Hamilton, my first choice, did! Hamilton has now fallen into a comfortable range and there’s a very good chance I’ll be attending. Thanks again to all of you for your advice!
You have put yourself in position to get a lot out of your college education, @bgal101. I’m hoping this is the beginning of really good things for you.
I know nothing about Hope College so I can’t give you much comparison there.