Hi. I got accepted into university park and DUS but I wasn’t given any merit scholarship so its looking like it’ll be $50,000 a year. I was wondering if its worth the price? for context, I live in NJ and got into rutgers but I wasn’t given my financial aid info yet, I also got into temple with a 5k merit scholarship but that’s still a little pricy. I recently heard back from WVU and was given $15,500. I toured UP and the only thing I didnt like was the big class sizes but I know the class sizes get smaller. So is the price worth it or should I cut it from my list? thank you!
Those universities are all pretty close in reputation, go to the one that costs the least.
We are a Penn State family. No, it’s not worth going into debt when you have comparable options, one of which will cost you substantially less. Do whatever you can to minimize debt.
Congrats! We live in Maryland and my son was also accepted OOS to Penn State UP and also to WVU. Both big, good academic schools but the diff in aid for him was similar to your situation- very little offered at Penn State vs 14K at WVU. The overall aid pkg from WVU is impressive and ultimately that is why he will be going there in the fall. Why go into debt for undergrad? Unless your able to swing it without debt, 200k for undergrad degree at Penn State vs approx 100k at WVU OOS. Not a hard financial decision at all. A lot of his friends were also accepted into Penn State and none are going because of the minimal aid pkgs they were offered. Stinks because it’s a great school with strong alumni network. Good luck w/your decision.
We’re in the same situation. We live in CT and still waiting to hear from UConn. Daughter accepted into Penn, Clemson and Maryland…none offered Merit and we don’t qualify for financial aid. She really wanted to go OOS but if UConn does accept her it might be hard to turn away in state tuition.
I love Penn State but I just can’t see paying full OOS tuition when you have a similar in state option of Rutgers or a similar, significantly cheaper OOS option in WVU.
WVU if you want to go out of state, Rutgers if you’d rather stay in NJ.
U less your parents set 200k aside for your college in a college fund and they don’t need the money for anything, go with Rutgers or WVU.
Have you visited there?
However, a factor is that Rutgers without merit is about $35k a year.
That being said - we are in similar situation - not going to pay OOS for Penn State. Nor for other OSOS schools D accepted to but cost $50k…
Maryland hasn’t sent out merit decisions yet. Hopefully in the next two weeks, definitely before March 1. Cross your fingers.
@MarylandJOE
Thank you! I figured since nothing was mentioned in the acceptance letter that it was a no. Crossing fingers!
I’m a die hard Penn Stater, but probably no. Not if you have debt that you wouldn’t have going elsewhere. Honestly, I think any student can make any college into a great opportunity for them…and Penn State could not work for a lot of people. College, wherever you go, is all about what you make it. Go where it’s the least expensive and you will have the least amount of debt.
Heck, we are in-state and are asking the same question. Son is considering an OOS school in the SEC that is comparable (if not a little better) for his major and is currently a bit cheaper than PSU (a fair amount of aid offered from OOS, none at PSU). This calculus could change if accepted into Schreyer.
So yeah, I would say look elsewhere if there is a significant difference in cost and the schools are comparable (we dismissed Wisconsin and Purdue for the very same reason).
@MYOS1634 I haven’t officially visted rutgers but I’ve been there when we moved my brother into his dorm but im going to the admitted students day in April. Im trying to find time to vist WVU but its almost five hours away from me.
@“Jolynne Smyth” my friends sister went to rutgers and was in state and she ended up paying around 15k a year
booknerd00 - that’s good. I’m assuming she got some kind of need-based aid? I have friends whose kids are there right now with mid-1400 SAT, national level ECs, and tons of AP - practically nothing in merit aid. And if you are about middle class there is likely little to no need-based aid.
That being said - if someone can go to Rutgers for $15k a year that’s amazing and a great opportunity!
D2 (in-state), was accepted into the architecture program as well as the Schreyer Honors College. Once we did the math, it was a no-brainer. She’s greatly benefitted from the PSU alumni network and is doing well both professionally and personally. However, her ability to graduate with a minor student loan made a significant in her ability to take full advantage of her PSU network and degree which provided her a major competitive advantage in taking full opportunity in the choices she had. For her, the PSU degree paid off.
Minimize school loan debt as much as possible. All the schools you’ve discussed are very comparable - go where it makes the most sense both financially.