Yes! I do love TCNJ but the price is much more than Rowan! I am just scared about the lack of research and other opportunities I will miss out on by not going to Rutgers or Temple (cause they’re large well known universities)
I made a spreadsheet for my colleges and got the final cost to attend (counting grants and fafsa loans):
ROWAN: $4,250 !!!
TCNJ: $18,701
TEMPLE: $15,000
RUTGERS: $19,000
At Rowan or TCNJ, there are many research opportunities, too, and fewer students competing for them. It may sometimes be better to be a big fish in a smaller pond. My 2 older daughters attend the University of Richmond, 3,000 undergrads, with excellent science programs. They are both Biochemistry majors and have been working in research labs since their 2nd semester during their freshman year.
From Rowan’s website:" Rowan biology students enjoy small classes taught by faculty – not graduate students – and, unlike many larger universities, Rowan provides research opportunities for underclassmen. Rowan’s proximity to biotech companies, the health industry, museums, and conservation or environmental facilities creates additional opportunities for internships and collaborative research."
TCNJ also has many research opportunities. When you visit TCNJ and Rowan, be sure to ask about research opportunities, try to visit labs and talk to students and professors. On accepted student days, tours of research facilities may be available for visits, or you can schedule a more in-depth visit with a particular department at another time-most schools are happy to help set up more personalized visits.
Rowan’s medical programs and facilities would be big plus for a medical career, and it is truly a bargain for you! Nice job!
I agree with the above. Be happy and celebrate your acceptances, look forward and not backwards. Congratulations. Go do something nice for yourself because you deserve it.
Just to clarify, your net costs (after grants but before the federal student loan are:
Rowan: ~$9k
TCNJ: ~$24k
Temple: ~$20k
Rutgers: ~$24k
Is that right?
If your dad can contribute $15k/year and you take the ~$5500 federal student loan, you could probably fund any of those if you work summers. College costs generally increase ~5%/year, so make sure to account for that.
I think students interested in medicine should probably avoid loans for undergrad. If you work summers, you can probably attend Temple with minimal loans. TCNJ and Rutgers would require you to take ~$27k in loans and work summers. If you attend Rowan, would your dad save the $6k/year (his budget - the net cost) to put toward your med school costs? That’s $24k you wouldn’t have to borrow later on. I don’t know if your undergrad school matters to med schools, but @mom2collegekids probably will.
@austinmshauri Yep! The values before the loans are close to those values. And if I choose to go to Rowan I wouldn’t have to take loans out at all and just pay the 9k upfront…
And thanks!! Rowan does seem like a good option! @mamag2855 @katliamom
Some objective data - but “vibe”, “gut feeling”, etc, will probably mak the difference. Have you planned (honors) visits at each?
Temple: 30,000 vs. Rowan: 15,000
urban (with metro stop to go to nice parts of Philly) vs. suburban but 20miles from Philly ( transportation =?)
Temple (non honors):
average GPA : 3.47
top 25% SAT cutoff :1230
average ACT : 25
% with 700M: 7%
% with 700CR : 6%
% with ACT 30+ : 19%
% classes up to 20 students: 28%
% classes with 40 students or more: 15%
% freshmen who live on campus: 78%
% students who were top 10% in HS: 21%
Honors: average CR+M 1396
Rowan (non Honors)
average GPA : 3.46
top 25% SAT cutoff :1220
average ACT : ?
% with 700M: 7%
% with 700CR : 3%
% with ACT 30+ : ?
% classes up to 20 students: 44%
% classes with 40 students or more: 1%
% freshmen who live on campus: 81%
% students who were top 10% in HS: ?
Honors: minimum 1770 SAT or 26 ACT
FYI MYSO -
“suburban but 20miles from Philly ( transportation =?)”
my foster son goes to Rowan and regularly takes the bus from in front of the library to Philly. He then takes the train home to us or to NYC or hangs in Philly (he loves cheesesteaks and Reading Terminal Market). It is completely doable to get into Philly easily from Rowan, can personally vouch for it as well as the research opportunities for undergrads as he does this too 
Thanks. I didn’t investigate how easy it’d be to get out of suburbia - depending on the place, it can be “stuck if you don’t have a car” or “a quick metro rail away from the city center”. So your post is very useful to all of this thread’s readers! thanks.
Transportation options from Rowan (in Glassboro) to Philly: http://www.rowan.edu/glassboro/transportation/
I visited Rowan!! It seemed a little too remote for me, being a city kid and all. And felt the day I went to visit wasn’t the right day cause it was really cold so the tour was short and no one was on campus (cause of spring break). I am trying to go again and I am going to visit Rutgers next weekend!
I know that a quiet campus is not very impressive! We visited Rowan during the week and there were lots of students around, had a great tour, too. Be sure to sit in on a class, eat in the dining hall, etc. when you go back to visit. Don’t forget that philly is close by so you can get your big city fix
@mamag2855 YES! Thanks! I am sure Rowan’s a good choice!
I committed to Rutgers University!! School of Arts and Sciences- Honors Program:)
Congratulations!
That’s your most expensive option at $24k/year before loans?
Congratulations, but why Rutgers and not TCNJ?