My daughter has narrowed her search down to these two schools and after her merit scholarships and grants, there is only a $345 difference in price. She is majoring in Biology and plans to pursue a job in the Forensic field(Forensic Science or Anthropology). We would love to hear everyone’s opinions on both.
Loyola, a Jesuit school with a small, attractive campus in an upscale area of a significant city, is pretty different from the rather remote, expansive Christian country club feel of High Point.
I don’t know much about High Point, but its academic reputation isn’t great. Loyola, like most Jesuit schools, will provide a broad liberal arts background with the opportunities that come from an urban location. Which school did your D prefer?
She’s on the fence, leaning a little towards Loyola but High Point is offering a tution free masters for her graduating class as she would be in their centennial class.
People tend to love or hate HPU- there isn’t much of a middle ground (there is a CC thread running on the topic). If she hasn’t visited she absolutely should.
We’ve been there twice. The campus is gorgeous. Loyola’s campus is nice also but obviously can’t compare. She’s more interested in which school will open more opportunities for research, internships, etc. that will lead to more opportunities for future employment
Loyola, with proximity to both Baltimore and D.C.
See for example what comes up searching internship on each college’s website
https://www.loyola.edu/academics/forensic-studies/student-opportunities/internships
Forensic science /law enforcement opportunities in Baltimore - Washington DC region I suspect are much greater with FBI, Homeland Security, Secret Service nearby, then state and local opportunities.
Compare when you search internship on High Point’s website
http://www.highpoint.edu/search-results/?q=Internship&searchWhere=website
Ask Loyola about scholarships for grad school, too.
The tuition free masters program at High Point sounds nice, but will that particular master degree be a good choice for her four years from now? What fields of study are included? Is the tuition offer for one year, or two years? Are research or teaching assistantships available so she can make enough money to pay her living expenses while finishing the master degree?
If she changes her career goals and major(s), which of these two places has more flexibility for doing that?
I believe the free masters tuition would be part of a 5 year program where you would earn both degrees. It’s either a masters in business administration or communications. Neither of these help her in her field but she plans on pursuing a master’s degree specific to her field. I would have to assume that an extra master’s degree can only benefit someone and make them a more rounded applicant when the time comes.
As far as living expenses, that is definitely something we would have to figure out as well.
I wouldn’t assume that. A 1 year MBA w/ no work experience will have limited value. Even if it is all the way “free” (is it free tuition, R&B?) there’s the year foregone for a degree that won’t carry much weight. MBAs, like Law degrees, are increasingly only really good value at the upper end of the name brands. It won’t hurt, but I wouldn’t assume that it will help.
The free Masters Degree that is being offered is a Master of Arts in Communication and Business Leadership. It is not an MBA. Students are required to live on campus and pay tuition room and board for the duration of the program. They have offered this free Master’s Degree to all of their current students in lieu of Room & Board reimbursements for the Spring Semester.
Do I understand this correctly? Did HPU not refund any Spring Semester money, and instead offer an unaccredited (by AACSB) business-related master’s degree as “free” but actually charge those students for tuition and R&B during the time the student pursues this Masters degree?
Loyola. Much more rigorous school. The Masters from HPU isn’t worth it.
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Students were given the option of the free Master’s Degree instead of the room/board refund. Initially they were required to live on campus, but it appears they have run out of housing, so they are allowing students to live off-campus, but the program is no longer free.
These are both small regional schools and neither school is particularly notable for biology or the sciences. Are these the only two options?
Actually, Loyola has a very good Forensic Studies program with a lot of connections and opportunities for internships and experiential learning.
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