@MYOS1634 oh ok gotcha. So do you think Penn state is miles ahead of JMU even if I plan to move south after graduation?
No, not miles ahead - it’s a flagship with a strong reputation, finance is hard to get into because it’s for high prospects, that’s all. The reasonable choice is clear, Penn State debt free.
You clearly like JMU a lot more.
Are you in the honors college? Or business honors?
But ultimately the issue is moot if you can’t afford JMU.
How much would you need to borrow your first year and each year thereafter? Where would the difference between student loans (5.5k) and whet you need, come from?
Hello everybody, I know a couple weeks ago I made the same thread however I have updated information and new conflicts. So to start with some backstory. JMU was my first college visit and I absolutely fell in love with the campus. I kept telling myself this was the place I wanted to be. When I visited PSU it was quite the opposite, however. When I stepped foot on PSU’s campus I was extremely rattled by the sheer size of the campus. I found the campus extremely confusing and unorganized. One of my main concerns is price since I live in PA, PSU is around 31k a year while JMU is 43k. I have about 104,000 in a 529, a 8,000 verbal commitment from my dad, and I will have earned around 15-20k working by the time I move in during the fall. If I attended PSU I would come out debt free, while JMU would leave me about 40-50k in debt. My intended major is finance, and I am certain I want to have a career in business. My main worry about Penn State is the size, and the GPA requirements for entering a major. For finance you need a 3.5 GPA, and a 3.2 GPA for all other business related majors. At JMU the GPA requirement for all business related majors is 2.7. I’m not saying I’m a dumb kid, but I personally do not believe I will be able to meet PSU’s GPA requirements. I plan to get my MBA or MSF, so how much would my undergraduate school really matter? Would it be better to get a high GPA at JMU, or get a decent GPA at Penn State? Will the job placement really be all that much better at PSU compared to JMU? Any comparison/ insight will be much appreciated!
@MYOS1634 I’m not in either honors colleges for PSU or JMU, I barely got into PSU as it was my reach school. I would have about 3 years before money runs out a JMU, while I would be almost
Completely covered for PSU.
You can’t look at it as 3 years covered because what that means is there you have to drop out without a degree during the 4th year. Figure out if it’s doable - or not.
Can you list for JMU:
Tuition, fees, room, board = $
Grants, scholarships…= $
Father’s contribution = $8,000
Your own savings =
Summer job =
Federal loans =$5,500
@MYOS1634
tuition: 43,434 per year for oos
scholarships: so far 0
father: 8,000
Savings, 104,000 in 529 plus 10k in personal savings
Summer: will earn around 7-10k
loans: 5.5k
So, you have 26k per year from your 529, 2.5k from your savings, let’s count 3.5k which is the upper level of earnings, 8k from your father, and 5.5k loans= your COA is covered and you CAN attend JMU without 40-50k in loans.
Do you have any more affordable options, besides Penn State, which you feel is too big? Sma!ler instate optioins, schools with merit aid? JMU is not affordable if you need to take out $40-$50,000 in loans to attend.
Based on the calculations above, op has the money to attend JMU with only federal loans. Not sure why other loans are needed.
Beside JMU, is there any instate university you like and got into (Pitt, Temple, WCU?)
If you want an MBA from a good program, you are going to need to finsh college with a 3.5 or better, and you are going to need several years of increasingly responsible work experience. If you want to be considered for the very small number of scholarships to those MBA programs, and not pay for it with a bunch of loans, then you are going to need an even higher GPA. So Penn State might be the better option because you would need to keep your grades up while you would be there.
@MYOS1634 I only applied to three schools; JMU,PSU, and VT. PSU was the only in state school I applied to.
Did you get into VT? It is large but the campus is not overwhelming.
PSU could feel more manageable to you once you actually started school and got used to the campus. It is clearly the best option in terms of cost and avoidance of debt.
Summer start (with LEAP) could also help you make inroads with campus size and help you knock out one course in economics and another requirement.
@sevmom @MYOS1634 I am happy to announce I have officially committed to PSU. Thank you for your help 
Congratulations!
Can you explain your reasoning?
Did you ask for summer start so they youd get to know the amount and have friends through LEAP? (It costs more to do summer start/LEAP BUT much less than JMU would cost and it’s very beneficial…in fact I can’t think of one student who regretted doing it because it helps you make friend, adjust to college and the size of the campus etc. Check out the threads on the Penn State forum: while there are lots of disgruntled students for many things from application to dorms, summer LEAP has unanimous approval.)
Congratulations on making a decision, @seahawks3 ! Hope you have a wonderful time at PSU, such a nice campus and area.
So you’d get to know *the campus
I know it has been a few years since you wrote this, but how did things turn out for you? My daughter is in the same exact situation. She has been accepted to both, but has more positive feelings about JMU. Prefers the JMU campus and happier “vibe” that it gives her.
As the tuition paying parents, we prefer in-state tuition at PSU. We also appreciate the higher academic rating, large alumni network and greater opportunities for post-grad networking.