<p>So I'm a senior in high school in CA, now starting to apply, yet I still feel unsure with my choices. I feel like I'm missing good options, or that my options now are bad. Please shed some light!</p>
<p>Background: Non-comptetive GPA, just about 3.0, but with major improvement, freshman year I had a 2.5, finished junior year with 3.67. Two SAT, highest score 1790, super score of 1800. Two year vet of debate team, current officer, four trophies. Officer of Public Forum-based club, attorney on Mock Trial, and some volunteer work. Also, I did a summer internship last summer at a law firm. </p>
<p>Plan: Major in Business Economics if it's available, otherwise major in Business Admin, minor in pre-law, plan to get a law degree</p>
<p>Current choices:
University of Oregon
University of Arizona
UC Riverside
Arizona State University
California Lutheran University
University of Michigan Ann Arbor (Reach)
Samona State
San Francisco State
University of Calorado at Boulder
University of Montana- Missoula </p>
<p>Are my choices now good, should I add any, which of these would you reccommend? Thank you!</p>
<p>One of my messages to my kids, as a parent, is why choose an equivalent OOS college when you have a more affordable option in state? If there is something the OOS college can offer you that your in state college won’t, then I’ll consider it. I see you want to major in economics, so the question is, why pay twice the price for the same education?
Michigan is a major reach for anyone, and costly for OOS. Why would you choose it over the UC schools that are also reaches, you have a better chance for as in state, and less cost?
I would propose that some of the OOS schools on your list may not be superior than your in state options and the cost is significantly higher.
If some of your OOS schools have something special to offer, and your parents are willing to pay for it, keep them on your list. Considering the excellent options you have as a California resident, there are many more in state schools you could put on the list.
There’s a tendency to not like what’s in one’s backyard- as you may be so familiar with the pros and cons of local schools. An OOS school may seem more attractive as an unknown, but it’s not necessarily true that OOS is better.</p>
<p>My logic behind picking OOS schools is this: </p>
<p>I have two options for public schools, UC and CSU</p>
<p>UC’s are becoming extremely hard to get into, and I’m not counting in getting in. If I did, I would definitely choose it. But I’m keeping other options</p>
<p>CSU’s are kind of a back up. They have a lower quality of education, and are a career based rather than research based school. Though I like both my choices, Sonoma and SF</p>
<p>If I can get into a school equivalent to a good UC because its less competitive, that sounds better to me</p>
<p>I’ll be taking out student loans for my tuition. I’d like to stay cheap, but that’s lower on my priorities. If I can get a great education, stick any price tag you want. </p>
<p>hate to say it but you may want to reconsider your priorities if you want to avoid risking five to six digit student loans.</p>
<p>edit: just saw your aspirations to go to law. yeah you DEFINITELY need to reprioritize your thoughts on money considering how much $$$$$$$$$$ is law school.</p>
<p>I’m not sure the other OOS schools are worth the price difference between them and the CSU. The UC’s are difficult to get into because they are considered superior to many state schools.
A more affordable option would be to start at a CSU and transfer to a UC if you do well, if this is possible.
I have read on this post that the UC’s don’t look heavily at freshman year grades? If this is true, that would be good for you.
Consider adding the less competitive UC’s to your list: Merced? Irvine? I am not familiar with them, but is it easy to transfer between UC’s. I’d probably apply to as many as I thought I had a chance at.
It just does not make sense to pay OOS for some of the other schools on your list (IMHO). That’s a lot of debt.</p>
<p>Pennylane2011 do not bet on the schools in CA being a better bet as fas as $$. CA is going to have to have massive price increases in the public schools. they have run out of OPM (other peoples money)</p>
<p>to the OP I would look at University of Evansville, Butler Uinversity , Elizabethtown College or Wofford College.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: I was not aware of that, thank you for letting me know. My family is completely on board with helping me as much as necessary, though money is an object</p>
<p>Actually, CA schools just passed a prop to put more money into schools, so that should help my choices. </p>
<p>Input makes sense, I should probably care more about tuition. Debt scares me, but I always figure if I can go to a better school, get a better job, debt won’t matter. But I understand, don’t want to be in debt for the rest of my life</p>
<p>But to get back to my original question, based on my qualifications and intent, anything on my list you would say works best or schools not on the list that I should look into? (zobroward, I will look into those, thank you!)</p>
<p>Thank you all very much, love th discussion</p>
<p>Input makes sense, I should probably care more about tuition. Debt scares me, but I always figure if I can go to a better school, get a better job, debt won’t matter. But I understand, don’t want to be in debt for the rest of my life</p>
<p>No, going to a “better school” does not translate to getting a better job…especially when we’re talking about the list you’ve made. None of those pricier schools would be more likely to get you a better job over the other less expensive instate schools.</p>
<p>Why would you think that paying more for an OOS public would net you a better job??? </p>
<p>And, since you now know that you can’t borrow much, going to a pricey school won’t likely be affordable. </p>
<p>You need to speak to your parents about how much they’ll pay…helping “as much as possible” sounds nice, but is meaningless if there’s a $50k bill to pay, and they can only pay $20k.</p>
<p>Calfornia’s higher education system is very highly regarded even out here in the Northeast. Most states consider it to be a model of public higher education.
Don’t **assume **you would get a better education at some other state’s university!!!
There are some highly prestigious ones such as UNC, UMich. etc. but those are highly selective as well as expensive for OOS students.
Also, the budget crisis that has hit CA public colleges hard is happening in most other states where the bulk of the money comes from the State budget. I know there has been pretty relentless budget cutting for many years in a row where I live. Furthermore, I think people in California seem to be willing to fight to maintain the quality of their public colleges.
The grass is not always greener ;-)</p>
<p>This wasn’t supposed to be a discussion about money -_- I’m not basing my choices on money, I wanted ideas of schools based on my major and ability to get in</p>
<p>Rbrody, you need to base your choices on money. Think about how damaging getting $100,000 in debt would be.</p>
<p>If you want relatively cheap out of state flagships, consider University of Wyoming (very well funded)
You might be able to get into San Diego State which offers an excellent business program. </p>
<p>Btw, you can get into law school with any major, pre law doesn’t actually mean anything. Most of the schools with the best top law school placement don’t offer a “pre law” minor. Food for thought.</p>