<p>Alright so if you had the following options which one would you choose. </p>
<p>Say I can probably only spend 30-35K a year, anything else will have to be loans. I don't qualify for need based financial aid. </p>
<p>I love East Asian Studies and most importantly - Chinese Language - A good china study abroad program is also a plus</p>
<p>I would like a strong math and economics department</p>
<p>Good politics department is a plus</p>
<p>Intellectual environment is a plus </p>
<p>Name recognition is a plus</p>
<p>Schools:
- Uchicago at full cost approx. 50K(decision pending)</p>
<p>-University of Michigan LSA OOS. 40K</p>
<p>-University of Virginia 35K </p>
<p>-College of William and Mary 32K </p>
<p>-American University(current school) spending about 24K altogether per year with my merit scholarship</p>
<p>Assuming that 30-35k is including work money (and if not, you should be working to eliminate loans and expand your college choices), I would say choose either UVA, UMich, or William and Mary. Neither will necessitate huge loans (worst case scenario is 40k for UMich, which isn't ideal but also isn't terrible), and all are great schools. If you are looking for man on the street name recognition, UVA and UMich are famous schools, and William and Mary is pretty well known as well. Perhaps needless to say, all three will set you up perfectly well for grad school and employment. UChicago is probably the "best" school, and is certainly the best for math/econ, but it will cost you 60-80k in loans, which is really quite a lot. Not necessarily impossible, but more than I would take on or would feel comfortable telling someone else to take on, ESPECIALLY since you have such great other options. </p>
<p>If you could figure out a way to get UChicago down to 40k total in loans, then I would consider that a great option as well, but right now it is just too expensive, in my opinion. I know that American is financially the easiest, but in my opinion it is not close enough in quality to UMich or UVa to justify the relatively modest price break.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot... any other opinions?</p>
<p>I would say if you are planning to go to grad school, you should cross out UChicago even though its a great school..50k/year is just too much.</p>
<p>I heard that UVA is a great school with an intelligent student pop. I think UVa has a strong econ depart( not really sure) and a beautiful campus. I got a couple of friend that go there plus I got 3 cousions there. If you like sports and great college town, UVa is a fine choice. UVa has a very nice reputation and name recogition. I heard from my cuz that there is a lack of ethnic diversity, which could be a bad thing... Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that is a kinda big Greek scene at UVA.. </p>
<p>Finally, UMich was one of my top choice, but got rejected :(. Anyways, UMich has great student pop, academics, sports, soical scene, and location.. I think UVA has a better location since the weather is much nicer. Umich has the largest student alumi pop in the world and has lot of reputation. UMich ross business program is number 5 in the nation..dont know if business correlates with econ. These is alot of diversity and since you love the chinese language..:P 40k is alot though. Go Blue!!</p>
<p>Dont much about UWM but heard its great.</p>
<p>I say its either UVA or UMich for ME. looking at your stats i would say UMich. I am sorta biased</p>
<p>That is just me and Hope I helped.</p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptance. REally impressed. Hope others come to help</p>
<p>Chicago and W&M would have the best intellectual environment. All the schools would have the departments you desire as well as study abroad. If you could get the price down U of C would fit. You didnt mention size or sports or Greek influence but UVirginia and UMichigan are much different than Chicago or W&M.</p>
<p>Also, southside Chicago is much different than W'burg, Cville, or AA.</p>
<p>I more than likely would not rush at any school that I go to. I don't mind being around the greek scene I just find it stifling to individualism(the libertarian in me again). The size of the school doesn't matter as long as the higher level classes are smaller(ie. at least lower than 40). I think Ann Arbor and Chicago are both areas I am familiar with and wouldn't mind living in; I don't have too much experience with Charlottesville and I guess the only thing stopping me from going to William and Mary is the isolated location. I think this is why the decision is so tough for me.</p>