After hearing back from all 11 of the schools I applied to, I’ve narrowed it down to two.
School A has been my top school since last summer and I love everything about it. The campus, the student life, the academics, and its about 2-3 hours away from home. But, it’s a really big school (20,000 kids) and I don’t know how well I’ll acclimate because I live in such a small town with a small high school and I’m a little shy. It’s also roughly $7,000 too expensive (per year) which I would have to take out in loans (I’ve already tried to appeal for more money - but I’m not getting anymore).
School B has a much better reputation, and it’s in state so I’ll be able to afford it, but the campus is a little small (7,000 kids) and I’m still waitlisted. It’s only 45 minutes from my house too. I like it, but I don’t love it.
I can picture myself at both schools but I can’t decide! Is the money really worth it for School B? Should I settle for School A? Please help, I need a decision by May 1st!
I’ve already talked to admissions at School B, and they said I have more than a good chance to come off the waitlist, within the next few days.
I’ve been accepted to (scholarship awarded):
Seton Hall ($20,000 a year)
Monmouth ($12,000 a year)
URI ($10,000 a year
Ursinus ($20,000 a year)
UDelware ($2500 a year)
Drexel ($15,000 a year)
Ramapo (nothing)
Gettysburg (nothing)
Waitlisted at:
Rutgers
Marist
TCNJ
I want to major in Political science with a minor in history or communications.
Most of the schools listed above are still too expensive regardless of the scholarships except for UD, URI, Ramapo, Rutgers, or TCNJ
Instead of telling us the scholarships you received, tell us what the college will cost you to attend. Also, whether you are in-state of out of state for the public colleges. Based on this list, I am thinking that your home state is NJ.
For example, let’s look at Seton Hall.
Cost of attendance = $53,294 (includes tuition, room/board, and fees)
Scholarship = 20,000
Your cost = 33,294
University of Delaware (out of state)
Cost of attendance = $46,618
Scholarship = 2,500
Your cost = $44,118
Also include loans you were given, work study award, and what you can afford to pay each year.
“More than a good chance” of coming off the wait list is not the same as an acceptance. You still can’t decide to attend that school. Leave it out of the equation now. If you DO get accepted to school B, then you can consider it.
Can you list your net cost at each?
To find net cost
(tuition, fees, room, board) - (scholarships, grants) =
Do not subtract any loan.
If you get into TCNJ and it’s affordable, sure, go, but right now you need to pick a school you’ve been admitted to.
You don’t need to pick a school until May 1. It’s only April 15. Is there some benefit to depositing early?
It sounds like there is no decision to make today. If you get off the waitlist in the next few days, i.e., before May 1, then you have a decision to make.
If you love School A, go for School A. Don’t worry about the size - you’ll eventually adjust to it. Both my dad and myself made the mistake of choosing small schools because we didn’t think we could handle living on a big campus. As a result, we both had a miserable time at our schools because there was no social environment, nothing to do on campus (although his school at least had a high reputation). And now in retrospect, we’ve realized attending bigger colleges wouldn’t have been an issue.
The price, of course, is still a major factor, but if you do well, you can get more money. And I won’t deny that’s frustrating to have to “settle” for a school that’s less well-regarded, but you’re better off attending the school you enjoy more. If you don’t like the school with the higher reputation, you might be less motivated.
^^^You don’t get more money by “doing well”. If School A is $7,000 too expensive the OP would need to determine where that money will be coming from before he/she decides to attend. The OP would not be able to take out that much in loans freshman year.
To the OP, it would be helpful if you would put the net costs to attend each school.
20,000 isn’t that big after a semester or two. There are schools with 50,000. 20k to 2k is a big deal. I don’t think 7k to 20k is as big of a deal. The school gets smaller as you get entrenched in your major.
Except I did get more money by “doing well.” I’m not talking about the money the OP will receive as a freshman, I’m talking about scholarships the OP might receive while continuing to attend the college.
If School A is University of Delaware, as suspected, that school offers honors scholarships and donor scholarships, which could reduce the OP’s tuition during subsequent semesters.
Wait until April 28th and then put down a depsot for School A. (don’t wait until the last day in case there are computer issues). Then if you get into School B then tell School A you won’t be attending. But as of April 28th if you haven’t heard from school B you HAVE to sign up for school. A or you will have nothing