<p>I am an international student admitted to Lafayette college and Cornell University. I am planning to major in physics, but anyway the biggest question is which institution to choose. Lafayette offered me really very good financial aid, whereas Cornell put me on the financial aid waitlist. I am a kind of realist and think that the chances of getting financial aid from Cornell are negligible whatever sad it is. The question is whether I should go to Cornell and take a loan covering ALL the college costs (it is about $170,000), or forget about Cornell and go to Lafayette.</p>
<p>Well, my mom promised me to find a co-signer should I decide to attend Cornell. Anyway, what I worry about is that this loans will have to be paid back and it might pospone my graduate studies, which I would definately depreciate.</p>
<p>I wonder if quality of education at Lafayette is far worse than that of Cornell? Will I have chances of admission to top US universities (MIT, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, UPenn) after Lafayette in case I do well there?</p>
<p>Lafayette is ranked high as a small non-Ivy LAC in the Northeast. </p>
<p>Also, out of my2 daughters' friends, even those who say they are glad that they picked Cornell, none of the Cornell attending are as happy as those we know attending Lafayette. </p>
<p>Just something to think about if you're going to be attending grad. school anyway (and will need either the money or line of credit then).</p>
<p>And one more thing: Lafayette boasts that its physics and electronics and computer engineering students go to Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Lehigh University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, University of Chicago, University of Delaware, University of Pennsylvania, Washington State University. Those universitys look really impressive but for such places as MIT, aren't they just mere exceptions or damn lucky dudes rather than ordinary good, hard-working Lafayette students?</p>
<p>I'm a Lafayette grad. Lafayette is a great school with a top-notch engineering program. I don't know about the physics department per se, but I imagine it would also be acceptable. You should believe what they say about grad school, because I personally know people who have gone on to some of those schools. At Lafayette they have put an emphasis on undergraduates doing research, so you might have some nice opportunities in that regard too.</p>
<p>My DD's best friend recently graduated from Lafayette. Her experience as an econ/Spanish major was fantastic. She got to do research with a prof from her sophomore year on, and landed a great job in DC immediately upon graduation (had several offers.) She loved the school and I would heartily recommend it. Do well there, then get on the academic gravy-train for grad school!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Well, my mom promised me to find a co-signer should I decide to attend Cornell.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You know that there is a saying that a co-signer is nothing but a fool with a pen. And this is the reason for the saying:</p>
<p>I highly doubt that anyone outside of your parents family is going to be willing to be on the hook for $170,000 because if you or your mom do not pay it they are responsible for repaying the money (and crippling their own credit for many years).</p>