<p>I already posted this on the parent's foru but decided to cross-post it in order to get a wider range of opinions. I was accepted to all 7 schools applied with merit ,money. Four I'm not really considereing due to cost (Case, Depaul, UIUC, Purdue), so that leaves me with UMontana, URhode Island, and Westminster in UT.</p>
<p>University of Rhode Island: I was accepted to their six-year pharmacy program, which gurantees me entrance into their professional school as long as I maintain a 2.5 GPA (3.0 for scholarship purposes). I visited the campus, liked it well enough; the people were very nice, and it doesn't seem to very sports crazy (a plus in my book). However, it's almost halfway across the country for me, and I liked it, not LOVED it. Pharm. program's great and apparently the students in program are very cohesive and the are treated like gold by the school. They have some I have concerns about the drinking culture and a wee bit about the isolation (though the latter is shaping up not to be as big a factor as I would have thought). Also, the getting tuition paid for undergrad and professional school is great and automatic Pharm. school acceptance is great.</p>
<p>Full OOS Tutition ~$18000 per year
COA (Room, board, fees off school's website totaled):~$11000</p>
<p>University of Montana (UM): This is the school I LOVE. I've been here twice, and everytime I step on campus I think, "This is where I want to be." The campus is beautiful, the city is nice (if overpopulated by hotels), and the people have been great. It even has a supposedly excellent aikido dojo in the area, a big EC of mine. The disability department was also excellent, and they offer a lot of Japanese (not my major but a strong side interest of mine). To sweeten the deal, I was recently given their top scholarship, which gives me, in addition, to money, admission to honor program and additional perks here and there (i.e., a special box to watch basketball games in). The students I met who have received this scholarship before seemed very much like people I'd hang out with. The cons? Basically, their pharm program is hard to get into; you need at least a 3.5 to have a shot, and I'm sure if I can get that. I'm worried I'd spend 3+ years working for pharm. school and not getting in. The internship opprotunities may not be as good as URI, but I'm not 100% on that. Also, it doesn't have an Amtrak station and is psuedo distant from home. My mom said she'd drive up if I really needed something, but... I'm a bit concerned about the drinking culture.</p>
<p>$11,300 (Presidential Leadership Scholarship and $5,00 per year housing scholarship)
COA (Tuition, fees, room, board, books, and living expenses off the school's website): ~$8,000</p>
<p>Westminster College in UT: The unknown in all of this. I haven't visited yet, but I lived in the area most of my life and loved area. Our "extended family" (i.e., really, really good friends) all live nearby if I had proble and need help. No pharmacy program, but I could apply to the University of Utah's Pharm program after doing my bachleor's (probably in three years given my AP credit). I liked the idea of May Term (basically, a "free" mini-term in May when students get to take a variety of fun classes). Not much Japanese offered, but I could make do, I think. I could apply for the honors program and additional scholarships, but I wonder if I should borther as the apps. for both are long and difficult, and I doubt I could get in for honors (though the school did invite me for an "Honors Day" given my admissions app. Maybe that's a good sign). Actually, I like the Honors Program a lot, so I don't understand my own heistance really. I think it's just that I'm wondered I'll turn in a sub-par essay. I like the idea of small class sizes as well, but the thing I'm heistant aboout is the size. At 2,500 undergrad and profession students, the entire school is smaller than three grades of my HS. When I visited University of Puget Sound (total enrollment ~2,900) this summer, it seems really claustrophobic and just not for me. It's also hard for my family to find time to visit. However, I do "feel at home" in Salt Lake. Should I fill oput the Honors app and visit or just focus on URI and UM?</p>
<p>$11,000 per year (merit aid for full tuition is possible but very, very unlikely, so let's just go with this.)</p>
<p>COA (Tution, fees, room, and board of school's website): ~$15,000</p>
<p>I'm happy to have all the choices, I really am, but this is hard in a way I won't have expected.</p>
<p>Also, should I consider Case even though its much more expensive?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>