<p>I have my heart set on a small, private liberal arts college in New York. I think that it is beautiful and I think it would be the perfect fit for me, but since it is a private school it is crazy expensive. One year, not including food and rooming, is somewhere around $43,000. I plan on going to medical school afterwards (I haven't decided where yet). I was just wondering if all that money is worth it for a beautiful campus and a great fit if I can go in-state for around 7,500 (without food and rooming). I know it's a personal decision but I was just looking for opinnions, maybe from people who went to an expensive private school or someone who is debating it as well. Thank you!</p>
<p>You know what they say…yolo. But seriously yolo.</p>
<p>Go to the state school, save your money for medical school, the debt isn’t worth it. (I’m assuming you are talking over 30k).</p>
<p>(Have you checked if you qualify for financial aid from the private?)</p>
<p>It depends on how much debt.</p>
<p>Manageable debt, I think, is often worth it. Sometimes these elite private LACs can provide a really unparalleled experience for some students. If you only have to borrow $30K or less then that could be qualitatively “worth it” compared to attending a school that you are less enthusiastic about.</p>
<p>But unmanageable debt is not worth it, especially if you are planning medical school afterwards. Medical school can cost upwards of $200,000 total, and all of that will be loan debt since there are few nonrepayable aid sources for med school. So your goal is to keep undergraduate costs down. Now I don’t think that you should necessarily keep them to zero, especially since pre-med students probably change their minds more often than students in other fields, but you should keep it as low as possible while still getting the experience and education you desire.</p>
<p>Does the expensive private LAC in NY offer generous financial aid to all accepted students who demonstrate need? If so, the school may be worth it. </p>
<p>If you have to borrow more than the Stafford maximums to afford this school, it is not worth it. And, considering that you want to go to medical school, you should probably avoid all undergraduate debt if possible.</p>
<p>I agree with NJSue, no more debt than the Stafford loans. Some people think that the reputation of the school will open up more opportunities and is worth the cost. But the debt is just as likely to eliminate possibilities later in life.</p>