Higher Ranked University+Program vs Better Financial Aid Package from Different University?

Hello everyone,

(background info)

“I’m currently a senior in high school who want to attend a university afterward. I recently received all of my college decisions and got accepted into two universities (in-state) that I have applied. In addition, I also got admitted into a program in a nearby community college with a free ride. Now, it’s almost that time to make an important decision on which college or university I should contribute to starting next fall. As usual for me, I will be the first person in my family to pursue higher education. I’m planning on majoring in computer science. The first university I applied offered me the best financial aid package overall. They also offered me a decent scholarship which will be enough to cover the tuition for at least two years without considering any aid from the FAFSA for instance. The second university which only offered me half of the scholarship money compared to the first one. The tuition for the first-year in both universities is fully covered thanks to FAFSA and scholarships. Nevertheless, I’m worried if the university I decided to attend matters significantly in the future. The second university has a better reputation and computer science program (rank) than the first one. What if FAFSA and scholarships would not be enough to cover the cost of tuition after the first year? I need some advice on this situation as it involves massive financial responsibility and potentially ruining some parts of my life. I’m also doing some brief research on those two universities to make the best decision as possible. I’m very grateful for the online resources available to me such as The Dave Ramsey Show, YouTube videos, and college forums.” Typically, both universities cost around $10,000 per year without room and board. I would appreciate any advice from people who have gone through a similar process/deciding.

Note: I’m not going to be living in a dorm as it’s already too expensive.

Congratulations! Having a choice like this is awesome.

It really depends in cs. If you could give us the name of the one you consider is best it both it would make the advice much more useful for you.