Macalester or UVM Honors?

<p>My son can't make up his mind between Macalester or UVM honors. He went to the Mac sampler, then went to a UVM day. He liked both, but UVM honors gives him $6.5 K a year off of OOS tuition and Mac gives unsubsidized $5.5 K Stafford loan only. He also got into Bard which is more expensive that Mac and gave less loan! Any suggestions? Is there an overwhelming reason not to go to UVM honors? (My husband or I haven't seen either place yet).</p>

<p>Now that’s an interesting choice! We happen to live about 20 miles from UVM and my daughter wanted nothing to do with attending UVM (or any other VT college) because it’s simply too close to home. It’s in one of the most perfect college towns that I’ve seen and it’s a good school. The Honors College has been a nice addition in the past few years. Quite a few of my daughter’s classmates are going there next year, in part due to financial considerations. We sent in a deposit for Mac after she attended the Mac Sampler in early April and she was sold on the Environmental Studies and International Studies options, the students and campus, and the location and internship opportunities. A significant difference between Mac and UVM is the size of each campus. UVM has an enrollment of about 8,000, and Mac is at 1,800. Good luck - let me know if you have specific questions. We toured Bard in her junior year and she didn’t feel that would be a good fit so never applied.</p>

<p>My opinion (assuming you can afford either school without difficulty) - if he really can’t decide, he might as well go to the school that will cost you less. You might want to have him do the “gut check” - tell him to go to UVM and see how he feels tomorrow morning. Both schools are excellent.</p>

<p>Thanks, lotsofquestions and Chedvya, for your information and suggestions.
He did like the Mac campus, sampler, diversity, and St. Paul. I guess it’s the extra cost that throws UVM honors into the picture.
He’s still thinking and is going to Co. Springs, CO. to check out Colorado College today and tomorrow, to get one last feel for what a small liberal arts college would offer that a mid-sized state u. wouldn’t. I think, like you both say, that it comes down to the gut check.</p>

<p>lotsofquestions, did the “prestige” factor of Mac vs. UVM enter into the picture, or was it just away from HS acquaintances?</p>

<p>No, I don’t think the prestige piece entered into her thought process - UVM (and Middlebury College) are just too simply close to home. UVM in particular draws a sizable number of students from our high school and she really wants to strike out on her own. Also, she didn’t want to go to a school as large as UVM and instead focused on schools under 2,000 students. Her brother goes to Olin College, with only 300 students, and she likes the idea of a small community.</p>

<p>Thanks, lotsofquestions, for all the helpful information. Somehow I don’t think that prestige will matter to my son either - maybe even size doesn’t matter, because his no. 1 choice was UW honors, but he was accepted at UW regular (apparently the honors accept. rate is < 10%! there). He applied to, but will not attend, our state university for the same reason your daughter gave - too many people from high school there.
So in a day or two we’ll know his final decision - to Mac or not to Mac! I certainly would love the opportunity to visit Macalester since it sounds lovely, especially in late spring or early fall.</p>

<p>Well it finally came down to what Chedva had said. My son couldn’t decide between Mac and UVM honors and the fact that UVM gave him some money and Mac only offered a little loan was the big difference. Thanks lotsofquestions and Chedva for your information and advice. Hope your daughter has a great time at Mac!</p>