<p>Hi, I recently am finishing getting accepted (and denied) from the colleges I applied to. I am from Massachusetts but want to take myself west to California for college, where I have never really been. I was accepted at Saint Mary's College of California, UC Santa Cruz, wait-listed at Santa Clara, and am still waiting to hear from LMU (which is ridiculous, rolling admissions and I applied in early December, do not really want to go there now). I was also accepted to Roger Williams University (RI), URI, and College of Charleston (SC). My top two choices at the moment are Saint Mary's and Santa Cruz, LMU and Santa Clara will have to wait and see about. Seeing at Santa Cruz is a state school, and i am not a resident, the money will be a bit of a problem, money being one of the most important/main factors of my decision. Well, what I am trying to ask is if anyone has any valuable information about UCSC, Saint Mary's, or any of the schools that I have mentioned that are not on the everyday websites. I have not been able to visit either of these schools and want to major in Biology, with a future hope of working with animals for a living. I also play golf and think i am capable of the collegiate level (UCSC does not have a team, and Saint Mary's is D1). If any of you have any information about anything that you think is important for me to know before deciding, please chime in. Thank you so much, Tanner</p>
<p>Can you list the cost situation for each college you are accepted to? What is the total cost of tuition/room & board/fees? Your west coast schools will also have travel expenses… then what were you offered for financial aid in grants, loans, etc? And how much is your family willing to pay? Since finances are a big factor in your decision, this will help.</p>
<p>St. Mary’s is lovely and you get a great California experience. It’s like heaven. The school sounds like a great fit for you. However, I have no clue about the program in your major. Can you ask their alumni office to put you in touch with some alums and then talk to them? While those alumni would likely be boosters of the school, they’ll also give you some good info that you can use to decide – such as to what extent is it a suitcase school, the quality of your major and its connections to the industry, etc.</p>
<p>Let’s get real. You’re in a pickle between your dreams and your reality. We all want to go to Cali some day, and we can. But you’re not going there for college because you cannot afford the state schools and may not be able to afford the privates (pending more information from you). You might be able to have part of your dream however: playing golf a lot. This will mean dumping all the NE schools too and looking more closely at C of Charleston. It’s a fine school, but we need the costs to you of that school and what your parents have said about those costs. You went about this backassward: you made your first priority schools with golf courses instead of schools you could afford.</p>
<p>Costs to you are so important in your case because of your major. You can go to school anywhere in the US and get the same education in biology as anywhere else. There’s no need to spend a lot of money (which is why there ought to be a state school on your list), and there’s no money to be had once you graduate with a Bio degree. You’ll be a dime a dozen. That’s no reason not to do it, but don’t do it AND go into a lot of debt–because you’re not going to have good job opps and you will probably have to go to graduate school in order to qualify for any kind of well-paying job.</p>
<p>So get back to us with that financial information and remind yourself that you can play a lot of golf and live in sung cali at any time in your life but it’s not likely to be in the next four years if you want to go to college, too.</p>
<p>a little harsh huh bro? and most likely the school i will go to will be based on the money i am given (awarded/loaned etc) but it does not necessarily forbid me to go to UCSC, if they give me enough financial aid i will have to seriously consider it</p>
<p>california state schools are notoriously stingy with financial aid to oos students, and I apologize for failing to tell you that. You won’t get help from them. You’ll be learning the FA packages at the private CA schools in the next week or so, but if you want some idea of what they will be run the net price calculator for each school. If none of them work out, I would look south where schools are less expensive and the golf weather is better that at a state school in your home state. A large state school like UAlabama might be nice, but I think their app dates have closed. And you’ll never see me in harsh mode :)>- </p>