Hello!
With a few days to go until May 1st, I’m seeking any more first-hand information about these schools. I was accepted at:
Northland
UCDavis
UCSC
Lewis & Clark
At every school but Lewis & Clark I would graduate with little to no debt. I’m currently interested in environmental engineering or law, and looking for a supportive, idealistic student body with strong music and LGBTQIA+ communities.
I’m also considering taking a gap year (workaway, travel) and re-applying next year? Would this be a faulty plan because college acceptance rates just continue to go down?
Also 2.0 considering community college for 2 years and a possible transfer to Berkeley (local college has a great track record with this).
Any thoughts/experiences greatly appreciated!
UCSC is quite eco-friendly and quite gay!
Lewis & Clark is a very good school, and from what I’ve read (sadly, this is one of the few colleges where I have not met someone who has attended), it is a very liberal place. It’s also the only LAC on your list (BTW, what is Northland? when I Google, it lists a very tiny school in WI, which is not at all like any of the other schools you’ve listed). L&C definitely fits most of the characteristics you’ve listed, but so does UCSC.
Have you visited these schools? Common wisdom says go to the school where you will graduate without debt, but something about your post tells me you’re not crazy about your options, including L&C (why else consider going to a CC for two years with the hope of transferring to Berkeley?). If I am wrong, well, you have some very different schools to choose among. Two UC schools and an LAC. Usually, one has a strong preference for either the smaller, personalized environment of an LAC vs. the larger public university. What is the cost for UCSC?
How much debt would you have from LC? My D attended and LOVED it (as did we when we visited annually). It’s a great school, but may not be worth the price difference.
What’s your net cost * at each and what’s your budget?
*= (Tuition, fees, room, board)-(grants, scholarships)
Thanks for the replies!
I forgot to add- also accepted at Wooster with good financial aid. Any experiences there?
I’ve largely ruled out UCSC (I’m actually from SC, staying in town another 4 years isn’t very appealing & although I do recognize that UCSC is a wonderful school I just don’t think it’s right for me location-wise) and Northland (it was a safety & after investigating further It’s not what I’m looking for).
Costs for the remaining that I’m looking at:
Wooster- 28,600 (28,000 merit aid)
Lewis & Clark- 43,000 (23,000 merit aid)
UCDavis- 30,297 (no scholarship but in state)
I’ve visited L&C, and am visiting UCD in a day. I was planning on going to L&C, but originally thought the tuition was the “sticker price” and because of that thought it would be ~26k a year instead of 43k, which has caused me to reconsider and scramble a bit now.
Appreciate all the comments!
Makes community college & Berkeley look good due to cost & due to your ambivalence toward your current options.
Also, the gap year & reapplying makes sense to try for better financial aid & to refocus & determine where you really want to go to school & what you want to study.
Wooster is an excellent college. If you want a college with a close knit community, interactive classes, and personal attention when then it’s a good choice.
UCDavis if you want a large university with all that entails (lectures you at skip, Greek life, spectator sports…)