<p>Hey, so I was recently offered admission off the Franklin and Marshall wait list. I am an international freshman currently enrolled at Denison University. I had asked for financial aid and both schools have met my need. However, the package at F&M includes a $3000 college loan per year. At the same time I would be working for 20 hours at Denison compared to 8 at F&M. I am really confused as to whether to stay with Denison or enroll at F&M. </p>
<p>One of the main reasons is that I do not want to take on additional loans as I might anyways take some in either case since I want to fund my education on my own as far as possible. In this regard where might there be higher chances of further scholarships? Please help. Need to reply soon. Thanks in advance :) </p>
<p>I am a big fan of Denison. That’s maybe because I studied Economics in college and Denison is known for having one of the best LAC Economics departments in the nation. </p>
<p>To the contrary, I’m a big fan of F&M. F&M I believe is slightly stronger academically, and obviously as you said you’d be working less to meet your budgetary needs. Personally, I looked at both for lacrosse and ended up choosing F&M as well. Denison is not a bad school by any means, but personally F&M has a higher value of education and has a stronger alumni network for post-grad, whether it be continuing studies or going into the job market.</p>
<p>@curtiss hello! I am also choosing between f&m and another school, offered by f&m wl as well, for post-graduate alumni network, r u specifically referring to pre-med and pre-law?</p>
<p>@sagilinda93 I had pre law in mind for the solid networking, but in all honesty for a school like F&M that doesn’t have a broadened business program, they too have a strong network for business majors as well. It really doesn’t vary too much by major.</p>
<p>@curtiss ok thank u!! But I heard it is quite hard to find a business intern during undergraduate level, is it true and does intern really matter?</p>
<p>Internships definitely help… But they aren’t essential. Since F&M isn’t a huge business school known for it, it makes it a tiny bit tougher however it’s decently close to both Philadelphia and New York, which are two city resources that make it easier.</p>
<p>Go to F&M. The campus is just amazing in terms of the vibrancy and activity and energy. English/creative writing is pretty much strong everywhere. </p>
<p>$12k in loans isn’t a lot. The maximum recommended is $27k. If you fail to pay it back due to economic hardship, you would be eligible for forbearance.</p>
<p>Thanks @International95 and @curtiss !! When I was looking up the career programs at both schools, I could not find much specific info for F&M… so this helps a lot. anyone know about further scholarship opportunities?</p>
<p>Anybody know how easy/difficult it is to get credit for IB courses? The F&M website says for 30+ (I got 38) you get a year off. Does that go towards requirements or how does it work? The Denison website says you have petition individual departments… any info on either would be very helpful. Thanks :)</p>
<p>Your goal shouldn’t be to get a full year off, but you should be able to get at least 4 courses (HL 5+s). SL’s are iffier but you can typically get credit in foreign language. Just request credit for your HLs, foreign language, and any class from the distribution requirement list that you’d like to get out of (or, if there are 2, like 2 sciences, so that you get out of at least 1.) Spread the requirements around for maximum flexibility, ie., ask for 1 science, 1 humanities, 1 social science, 1 foreign language, 1 math. However you probably shouldn’t ask for credit in the subject you intend to major in, unless you’re very sure of yourself - simply to get the basics down cold and master them before you move on to the harder class, and for GPA management purposes as 1st semester is always hard so give yourself a little break. </p>
<p>I disagree MYOS1634… I know its often enjoyable to take another year of college but everyone is different and if the student wants to graduate early there is definitely nothing wrong with that.</p>
<p>thanks @MYOS1634 and @VIkingboy11 … I just basically wanted to know how the system works at both colleges. I get that taking credit in my major is prob not a good idea. The whole idea is that if the college deems it acceptable then its prob okay right? and a year less would mean a great reduction in terms of finance and stuff… which matters to me quite a bit. any idea about the credits at the specific colleges?</p>
<p>@lifeismore How similar are IB’s to AP’s? I got several credits for classes like intro to economics, intro to statistics, and several other classes because i scored 4’s and 5’s on those in high school, however I don’t know if they are the same for IB’s.</p>
<p>Okay, let me explain
1° for GPA management, many students retake one AP class in college. Premeds pretty much retake calculus, bio, chem, etc. which they already took through AP in HS, simply to frontload their GPA with A’s. It would be pretty normal for OP to do the same in some classes.
2° this is especially important if you’re international, therefore don’t have a native knowledge of English and American culture; it’s better to retake a class so that in at least ONE class you’re on-level with the others (they have the cultural assumptions and the language down, you have the content down :p) and aren’t at maximum. discounting culture shock, language troubles, etc, is a bad move. Better take 3 new classes + 1 “retake”, than just 3, or 4 and drop one. (F&M and D both have 4-credit classes).
3° skipping 8 intro classes may not be a good move, depending on what proficiency you have and will need. If you plan on majoring in the subject, don’t go way back to the lowest level offered, but a refresher course that’ll go into more depth can be useful. This varies depending on HL vs. SL (HL is likely safe, SL is iffier). Also depends if you plan on taking more classes in the subject and what mastery you’ve already achieved. IN some cases, you only get credit if you take the higher level class: are you ready for that? Math HL does not require retaking Calc1 but a “refresher” of calc2 can be useful. Spanish SL will let you skip 3 or 4 semesters, look at a test for each level and determine which will work better. If you got credit for an elective and you won’t take any other class in the subject, no sweat, just take it. Essentially, be flexible with what you ask for in terms of credit or placement.
4° skipping a year of college means one less year where you can be competitive, apply for internships, etc. it’s better to build your resume to the max, rather than rushing through college.
Getting the advanced credit and using the free time wisely is better if you have a scholarship: take more advanced classes, get a minor or a double major, do research, do an internship, study away or abroad, or… all of those. </p>
<p>I don’t get it – what is your goal in transferring, besides trying to find a better financial deal or fewer work hours? I don’t get why you would uproot yourself unless there is a problem at your present school.</p>
anyone know about further scholarship opportunities?</p>