<p>Breakdown: I received a full merit scholarship to Temple University. With their financial aid policies regarding military dependents, my family would receive $21,000 dollars each year if I go there. But, I also applied to Johns Hopkins, Middlebury and Northwestern (my reach schools). Assuming I am accepted to the a, is it better to take the merit scholarship and run or to go to one of those three using whatever need based aid I end up with? Northwestern has the same policy for military dependents, and would essentially make tuition and housing free for my parents, were I accepted. This is a very difficult decision for me (I'm almost hoping that I'll be rejected by the big three and be able to avoid this issue altogether). I appreciate any feedback.</p>
<p>Unless there is a serious quality difference to you (whatever that means) and the loans would be affordable (generally quoted as “less than your expected first year salary” though I like even less), I would recommend going the no-debt route. If your parents (grandparents, etc.) can afford to send you to the more expensive school without hurting their own retirement plans, then the more expensive school is ok.</p>
<p>Are you saying that at Temple you’d make a $21,000 PROFIT??? Or just that they’d provide $21,000 towards your schooling? If the former, wow. If the latter, that still leaves a lot of money you need to come up with.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>You wouldn’t make any profit. You just wouldn’t pay as much to attend, giving you opportunity to do other things with the left over money.</p>
<p>If you can go to Northwestern and keep your debt under a reasonable amount, you should do it. </p>
<p>Johns Hopkins and Middlebury might allow you to live off campus in cheaper housing to reduce the cost of attendance (There are cheap places to live around Middlebury given its location). These are also better options than Temple. </p>
<p>Temple is a decent school but it isn’t going to open any doors.</p>
<p>I’m a bit puzzled about how you can be interested in both Middlebury (a small LAC in a very small town) and larger schools in an urban setting. Class size, attention from profs, etc. is likely to be very different. What are you looking for in a college?</p>
<p>Just wait a few months to see where you’re accepted. The decision may be made for you, so don’t stress about it yet.</p>
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<p>Middlebury is a residential college, so all students are expected to live on campus for all four years. The comprehensive fee include tuition, room and board.They offer a very small rebate to those who insist on living off campus, but it’s not comparable to paying only tuition.</p>
<p>As far as what I’m interested in a college, I’m interested in a good education. I feel that I’ll find a place to fit in at any school, and that all schools have their ups and downs. As to Temple’s financial aid policy, I was told that if I receive 100% of the G.I. Bill, the Yellow ribbon program would cover all of my tuition and housing; any merit scholarship would actually be given to me as a tuition refund. In this case that equals a $21,000 dollar refund each year.</p>