<p>Daughter got into Lafayette, Franklin & Marshall, Mary Washington, SUNY Geneseo, Penn State and Gettysburg.</p>
<p>Cost is $40,000 for all privates and $20,000 for publics. WHAT WOULD YOU PICK? Cost is still a factor since we will be getting no aid.</p>
<p>Are the privates really worth the extra $100,000? or is one better off saving it for grad school? or will the private colleges open up more doors for grad school?</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Perplexed</p>
<p>gbk:</p>
<p>SUNY-Geneseo is a great school if your D wants a college like experience. If she knows that she is going to grad school, and money is an issue, I'd suggest SUNY for undergrad and then grad school where she wants.</p>
<p>If, however, grad school is up in the air, and she really loves one of the schools, and it won't kill you financially, I'd go with the college. Then she can work for a year or two, then apply to grad school.</p>
<p>Just an opinion.
IB</p>
<p>Penn State is much better than SUNY Geneseo.</p>
<p>Id go Penn State if your D likes the big college feel.</p>
<p>If not, then prob SUNY.</p>
<p>It really depends on what she is interested in. The schools are all very different. If she wants a big school, cross off Lafayette and F&M, but if she wants Liberal Arts, Laf and F&M are back on the list. If she wants schools where sports are important, Penn State and Laf football are big, but F&M and MW and SUNY are not D1. Where was she happiest on tour? Does she want small classes (in 4 yrs at F&M I havent had a class with more than 35 students and I am a science major/pre-med). With regard to grad school/costs. If Fin Aid helps that is a plus, but i really think it goes back to what she wants to get out of her school. College isnt just classes, so ask her where she can see herself for 4 yrs. PM me with more questions. I know F&M and Laf really well. GOOD LUCK</p>
<p>Academically, for the LACs I'd say:</p>
<p>Lafeyette (but the town there is, er, weak)
F&M/G-burg (toss-up academically...well, within a rounding error perhaps)
Mary Wash (I know less about it).</p>
<p>For the Univs:
PSU
SUNY</p>
<p>size and environment is first call, then school, unless she has unique study interests (for example, I suspect BF would do equally well in pre-med prep at the other LACs).</p>
<p>Public or private, Penn State is the best of them all.</p>