<p>Yeah... debt is not a good idea. Plus, the entire concept of immediately entering investment banking (and thereby abadoning whatever other academic career you had in mind) makes attending MIT lose its point.</p>
<p>Take it from me - I was accepted to MIT, but I think I'll either go to UChicago or Duke. Chicago offered me full tuition, and Duke's AB scholarship is pending. It's best to have your options open when you graduate, and you really don't want to have that kind of awful debt burden.</p>
<p>yea i read sakky's post. it sounds good, but i doubt i could be that successful coming out of undergrad. it's not a good goal to set everything upon, ya know? (tho coincidentally, right after i read sakky, my cousin told me about her fiance who did undergrad at nyu with english/lit major, got an awesome high paying job at wall street, and is only now going to wharton. thats amazing) </p>
<p>vu - considering my HS and town, my counselor wont be of much help. ill talk to them anyway tho.
kc - "You can scrimp and save with some things, but you can't go back in time 10 years from now when you have a lot of money and upgrade your education." well, it's not like im settling for a state university, Emory is still top 20 and will only get better.</p>
<p>sigh, even MIT ppl tell me not to go to MIT =/</p>
<p>from a friend: "You'll be immersed in an atmosphere that will be far more intellectually rewarding. The students are absolutely amazing and the undergraduate experience is somewhat of a legend. MIT is in a category all its own, not just a brand-name school. The people you meet as an undergraduate often remain your friends for the rest of your life, while as a grad student, you're more isolated and drowned in work. You'd definitely want to meet those insanely wonderful kids at MIT and have them in your life."</p>
<p>She took my words. Exactly why I love MIT and want to attend. Emory, not that I hate it, but it just doesnt have that special spark.</p>
<p>TheRestIsSilence - let me clarify what I mean in this case by "upgrade". I realize Emory's reputation and quality, but I was thinking more along the lines of "you can't go back and spend more money to go where you REALLY wanted to go." Either way, undergrad is a very important, transformative four years of your life - you get to learn who you are and who you want to be, make friends and contacts that will be with you for life, and build the foundation for your career. Personally, I'm in love with MIT culture - it is literally impossible to be bored, they work as hard as anyone anywhere yet they play just as hard, and the people themselves range from the brilliantly, flamboyantly mischievous (ahem) to greek scene guys and gals who it blows your mind to know that they're actually rocket scientists, neuroscientists, etc. THAT's what you can't go back and do over again... that's what I can't find it in myself to walk away from just for financial reasons. The decision has to be yours - I wish you the best of luck!</p>
<p>I think MIT is the place for you...you will never be able to go back in time and reverse your decision of denying a wonderful college experience...i think your love for MIT weighs more than the price tag...good luck to you!</p>