<p>I was just accepted as a transfer student to the school of international service and I really want to go but I guess my main question is, is it worth a $ 50,000 price tag? I’ve already enrolled at my state school (UCONN) which I know is also a good school but I would have to create my own major if I wanted to major in international relations there. I’m just very torn between accepting my admission at AU, which I worked very hard for but the tuition would really hurt myself and my family. I guess I’m asking current students and students who have graduated if they felt like they got a $ 50,000 education. If I go I plan on utilizing every single resource I can and will try to make the most of my 3 years there. I really torn and would appreciate any opinions or advice. Thanks a lot.</p>
<p>Rachiee, I couldn’t more be more excited to answer your question. I an from CT and also a transfer. My choice was the same as yours, AU or UCONN. Although UCONN is an exceptional school there are several advantages of coming to not just AU but to DC. I also was fearful of the giant price tag that AU carries but I can tell you without a doubt I have not regretted my decision to come to AU. I am currently in my second year in DC/AU and now living in the city with an internship, job, and taking classes. I am a secondary education and literature major so I can not tell you too much about the advantages of SIS alone but I can tell you what I felt I gained here. First off, my internship alone is something that I could not have had offered to me if I were at UCONN and stayed in CT. Listening to my friends who go to UCONN I feel that I am on a whole different scale. I am very familiar with the importance of networking and resume building where as some of my friends are not as concerned with their academics as they are with having a good time. Not to say that I haven’t had a good time here but it was definitely a different experience than my friends’. I went to inauguration, heard Obama speak at AU, shook hands with Martin Sheen. I also have made great connections with my professors and learned a lot in my classes. These sorts of remarks about classes and professors I’ve never heard from my friends when they talk about their classes at UCONN. The choice is all yours and I by no means am implying that UCONN is not a bad school. I do feel that you will be offered more opportunities both at AU and in DC pertaining to your major and what you would like to do. A friend of mine also interested in international studies began at UCONN and was deciding between staying and creating his own major or transferring to Georgetown (a much larger price tag). He chose to come to DC and is now working in the city for the summer. He couldn’t be happier. As far as the hefty price tag I strongly urge you to apply for financial aid if you have not already. Of the roughly 6,000 undergrad students here %72 have financial aid. We also have several scholarships that can help you out as a transfer. Good luck with your search and I hope I helped a little bit! =)</p>
<p>I like this. 
I plan on majoring in Lit as well :)</p>
<p>thank you so much for your reply! I’m really excited about AU and I really am hoping that financial aid will come through. I know that a degree from AU in international relations would most likely give me more opportunities in DC. I know that I would get a great education at Uconn but my heart is just really set on American. I know what I want to do I just have to convince myself to do it haha. Reading your response was really helpful (I’m so jealous you saw the inaguration!). I know that my parents will really try and make AU work for me because they know how bad I want to go, so now I just have to do everything I can to find the money.</p>
<p>I’m glad I could help! Sometimes you just have to dive right into everything and see how it goes! If your heart is set on AU then everything else will fall into place =)</p>
<p>Is it “worth” $50,000? Well, worth is relative to both the intrinsic value of the education and the total of your resources. I think this is mostly dependant on your own resources. If you must borrow the majority of this money, then no, absolutely not, it is not worth it! If UConn is offering merit money/aid/instate tuition, American is not worth a $100,000 in debt.</p>
<p>OTOH, if your family has 200k set aside for your undergrad degree, then spend it at the school you really want to go to.</p>
<p>Do remember that “$50 000” is the “ESTIMATED” costs. The only fixed costs are tution which is around $34 000! You can cut down on other costs drastically, if you’re willing to go against what AU “suggests”. for instance you can save money from insuarance by getting your own… i.e. AU insuarance comes to like $1000+ a year but I got my own which actually comes to $360+ a year!!! If you really find it hard, there’s always off campus housing instead of $8000+ on that… If you look hard enough you can get your own room somewhere in DC close to AU for half AU’s tag… These are all ways to minimise your costs if you really want to go but finding it challenging, and wan to borrow the least amount…</p>
<p>My family definitely does not have an extra 200k set aside for college. I know that Uconn is the smart choice with in-state tuition but American’s program in international relations is the best and that is where my problem lies. If I had any other major I would be at Uconn in a heartbeat, whereas Uconn doesn’t even have a major in international relations. I know that the burden of the financial responsibility will be on my shoulders and I just have to think about if it’s something I want to take on. </p>
<p>Unfortunately I don’t think that cutting down and just paying just tuition is a viable option. I will have my own insurance but there are other costs that are unavoidable. In regards to housing I don’t think that my parents want to be shelling out 800/900 a month for an apartment/house off campus, at least not yet. Living in DC is just overall more expensive than being in the suburbs and I have to think about that as well.</p>
<p>Then I would repeat, NO, it is not worth $100,000 in debt! Go to UConn, creat our own major and apply to American for grad school (which is usually heavily subsidized by the program). That kind of debt will severely limit you choices later…</p>
<p>I believe James Mason in Alexandria? VA has a pretty well respected IR program. It’s NOT AU, but it’s a state school with cheaper tuition and access to DC.</p>
<p>Grad school in SIS (check me) is only like $17,000 per YEAR. Maybe I was looking at an old number, but that’s UNREAL for any school, much less SIS. Now THAT’S worth it - not $100,000 worth of undergrad debt.</p>
<p>Rachiee try not to get discouraged. Although it is a tough decision and can seem like a daunting one remember it is your choice and where ever you choose I’m sure you’ll enjoy your college years. I do want to point out a few things about AU. First off financial aid. Of the almost 6,000 undergrads at AU 72% are on financial aid. That is a huge percentage! A good portion of that 72% have also been granted work study. Work study has really helped me balance my funds and be able to make a little savings while at school. There are plenty of places you can work on campus both with or without work study. These jobs are very flexible so you don’t have to work your classes around your work schedule. AU does not want to see you sacrificing your grades so that you can make money to come here. I would also look into scholarship programs. We have some offered through AU and if you talk to your HS guidance counselor they can direct you to some local scholarships. Another option is to ask your parents if their places of employment offer any scholarships (that is where I got one of mine!). I know that financial aid, work study, and a scholarship have really helped ease my worries about college debt. Also DC is a great place to network! Being from CT and having had to make the same choice between here and UCONN I feel I can say this without insulting any parties; opportunities are much more abundant here and several people who have interned during their time here have been offered jobs after graduation. That’s just not something you can get at UCONN and living in Storrs. Try not to think so much on the future but rather on the rest of your years as an undergrad. I would definitely look into the several financial aid solutions that are available and like jamesnew pointed out, there are ways to cut the costs while you are here as well!</p>
<p>Helene2010 has some really good points which you should look into.</p>
<p>PS “shelling out 800/900 a month for an apartment/house off campus,” is unethical! You can find a ROOM in a house NOT a “apartment/house” which serves your purpose for less than $450 a month in DC. FYI</p>
<p>Thanks jamesnew! I do have to correct the off campus housing prices just a little bit…you can find a apt/house where you can rent a room out of or with a group of friends for as low as $500/mo however to have a room of your own in an apt/house directly near AU or within walking distance of the shuttle you may be looking at paying anywhere from $500-900+. That does however stay within the limits of what you would pay to live on campus with a meal plan. Other than that minor adjustment…you should be able to manage some financial decreases to help out your situation!</p>
<p>Good to know Helene2010 :)</p>