I’m a 29 year old non-trad in my last semester at CC in the Denver Metro Area. I moved here a year and a half ago on a bit of a whim, and it turned out to be a great decision. I’ve made a large group of really great friends (outside of school) and I’m pretty attached to them and the life that I’ve built here.
My major is International Relations and I have a 3.93 GPA. Complicating matters, I won’t hear from several other schools for another month (at least) - but I have chosen to cross that bridge when I come to it.
Here’s the deal: I need to choose between University of Denver and University of Texas at Austin for a deposit next week.
Obviously, they are very different schools. I am committed to doing what’s best for me and my future, and money isn’t really an issue. I am very outgoing and won’t have trouble making new friends in a new place - it’s just a matter of not really wanting to.
Texas is consistently “ranked” higher, but I’m not convinced that makes it “better”, so to speak. Austin is a great town, and in fact I almost moved there instead of Denver initially. I am also very flattered by the large scholarship offered to me by Denver, which happens to be the largest merit scholarship they offer to transfer students.
I’m feeling really overwhelmed and unsure about what I want/what will serve me best in the long run. What do you guys think?
It sounds like you have a great life in Denver and a scholarship from a quality school. This sounds very hard to leave.
Austin is a desirable place to live, and accordingly rent is high anywhere in the central city. Also, unless you have been accepted into your major of choice, be aware that it can be hard to gain acceptance into certain degree programs at UT. OOS tuition is costly. Good luck with your decision.
UDenver is actually quite good for IR. In addition, IR often requires a a graduate degree of some sort to progress in your career; if you’re good, it could be funded, and why not Austin then?.. but if it’s not funded, choosing the cheapest option for undergrad is the least risky alternative.
I would recommend exploring the possibility of getting a secondary major/minor (economics, something tech-y or involving stats) as you need to understand the context but people likely to hire you also need to “get things done” and that requires some sort of technical skill. UDenver has a lot of choices for minors. In addition, make sure you have strong skills in at least one foreign language.
Well, it turns out that I don’t even need to wonder about this anymore, because I got into University of Virginia! It will be hard to leave Denver, but I know I need to seize this new opportunity. Thanks for your input guys!
Will UVA be affordable?
In any case, CONGRATULATIONS!!
It will be a lot. But I’m very fortunate that my family is on board with wherever I want to go to school. So much so that they have been very little help when trying to make decisions during this process! LOL
And thank you!