<p>I'm posting this on behalf of a friend because she is having trouble deciding where to go to college next year due to financial reasons. Currently living with a no-income family, she has requested and received financial aid packages from schools. For primarily academic reasons, she has narrowed her choices down to NYU Gallatin and Smith. </p>
<p>Her heart is with NYU, who has decided to pay for all her costs; meanwhile, Smith has just asked her to pay $20,000 ($5,000 per year). Put side-by-side with NYU, she has little desire to go to Smith. With this information, of course, any one would advise her to spend the next four years at NYU, but NYU has told her that she and her family will be in debt upon graduation. Her parents will be $30,000 in debt for every year, while she will be $5,000 in debt every year, rounding out to $140,000. Sprinkle a little interest and inflation upon that number and who knows what it will become. Smith will not put her in debt.</p>
<p>Her parents, especially her mom, are pushing her to go to NYU; her mom is so adamant about this that they constantly get into fights--her biggest reason for wanting her daughter to go to NYU is because she "think it's a better school." In my opinion, that just means her mom thinks that NYU has a better reputation; what lies under that reputation shell is the least of her concern. Her parents, in the economic climate, are getting turned away from all sorts of jobs so there is no stable source of money right now.</p>
<p>What would you do? And how would you deal with your mom?</p>
<p>honestly? this is a really complex situation. i would post this in Parents Forum, because there’s so many layers and i can’t even begin to figure out what would be best for all parties.</p>
<p>in that situation, i would go to community college or Smith first and then transfer to NYU. saves two years of money. but then again there are no guarantees she can transfer to NYU and there’s the situation of transferring credit (probably not much a issue as long you get Cs and higher) and applying to MAP/major courses at NYU.</p>
<p>I don’t think NYU is that great once I came here. there are definitely some students here at NYU who thought NYU was really great until they find out it isnt and then they transfer out. </p>
<p>her parents definitely want the very best for her daughter but i dont think they should drive themselves in debt, especially if they dont have a job right now. </p>
<p>what happens if they cant afford it no more or they cant get any loans (a good chance considering parents have no job and the financial crisis), then she will have to stop attending NYU.</p>
Go to NYU. Peitition to defer a semester whenever a severe financial situation arises. Will delay graduation though.
Finding a job/doing work study may help.
Have the friend talk to her mother directly about how they will pay for it and note the consequences in the event they cannot pay the tuition. Weigh the benefits and consequences carefully without having an fight. Then make a decision with no regrets.
Go to Smith and hope she will be happy there. Transfer in the event she does not like it and theres money/aid available to pay for NYU tuition.
Go to a community college where tuition is free or low-cost and then transfer after a year or two to wherever she likes. </p>
<p>The best school is really the school that fits her needs and would leave her without stressing about academics and financial aid. Go wherever that makes her complete and happy.</p>