Macaulay Hunter vs. UC San Diego/Davis

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So basically, I have been accepted to Macaulay Hunter, UC San Diego and UC Davis. </p>

<p>The dilemma here is that as far as I can tell, the UCs are much more ahead in biology. But, Macaulay IS free, not to mention that living in Manhattan should be quite the place to get connected. </p>

<p>So, California with the lovely weather or a free education?
FYI, as for the UCs, I am leaning towards San Diego but Davis has the genetics major. Please comment below thoughts about San Diego vs. Davis too! </p>

2

<p>Are you a nonresident of CA? If so, can you afford $55,278/year?</p>

3

<p>I didn’t receive any financial aid packages yet. Even so, I am willing to be in debt if the end result is worth the financial burden. My EFC came out to be pretty low on the FAFSA, so… There may be a good offer? </p>

4

<p>CA public universities do NOT meet need for OOS applicants. Like all public universities, their first duty is to serve the children of the state’s residents, who have been paying their state taxes all these years. The basic costs for OOS applicants, the LOWEST that they would ask for, would be in the mid 30,000’s, and can go up to 55k.</p>

<p>You can run the Net Price calculators on each website right now and see how much you’re likely to have to pay.</p>

<p>In any case, debt over the federal limit is NOT worth it. That’s why it’s the federal limit. That limit is $5,500 your first year, and $27,000 TOTAL for ALL 4 years.</p>

<p>Additionally, Macaulay is a remarkable program. The colleges and NY businesses/institutions all know that Macaulay scholars are the elite of the CUNY system, and treat you as such, with a lot of perks (field trips! free tickets to shows and various places! awesome class on NYC!) And Hunter is one of the top CUNY colleges. Really, there’s nothing to regret. If you worry about genetics, email the professors at Hunter about their classes for freshmen, opportunities to help them in the research lab, whether Macaulay scholars can work on their own research senior year, etc.</p>

5

<p>I have college aged children, and my generation took out student loans right and left to pay for college and in some cases graduate school. What was the result of that? Many students defaulted, and others spent years and years making huge monthly payments to pay back the enormous debt. It is not a good feeling graduating from college and owing tens of thousands of dollars. If you are limited to $27,000 for four years, that is not so bad, and you will be able to get out from under this amount of debt. But I know people who had over $100,000 in student loans and while other friends were buying houses, they did not have the money to do so because so much of their income went to paying off their student loans. If I had the opportunity to have a free college tuition compared to having to take out sizeable loans, it would be a no-brainer for me. Think of all the opportunities you will have when you graduate because you will not be saddled with debt.</p>

6

<p>UPDATE: So, I ended up picking Macaulay Hunter despite the excellent science programs offered by UC Davis and UC San Diego respectively, for the following reasons: </p>

<p>1) Money - Since I am coming from out of state, UCs are actually pretty darn expensive. Posted net price is around 54K - 55K. Macaulay is a fully paid program (dorms depend on the CUNY school), provided that you maintain above a 3.3 GPA. This standard GPA only gets higher after your first three semesters, at 3.5. Macaulay scholars also are eligible for the Opportunities Fund of a total of $7500. Debt sucks. </p>

<p>2) Competitiveness - It is a given that the UCs have a high standard, as evidenced by their top college rankings. Though I was a bit skeptical about Macaulay Hunter, I realized that the mandatory GPA would really push me to concentrate on school and give me cause to manage my schedule properly. There are in fact mandatory classes that must be passed in order to continue being a Macaulay Scholar. Macaulay scholars must also take honors classes related to their major whenever possible. Being a procrastinator, these momentous expectations should be enough to keep me on my feet, instead of the scenario in which I think it’s okay to just pass a class. </p>

<p>3) Practicality - Macaulay Hunter would let me live far enough from home, but near enough that it’s a 45 minute drive away. The UCs were appealing because they were on the other side of the country. However, I have determined that I personally would be in a safer position here in NYC than in California. For example, what if I don’t like it at the particular UC for whatever reason? I would have to be forced to stay there since Macaulay Honors is a one-shot program, no transfers whatsoever. I could grow away from high school and towards adulthood, in a more comforting manner than having no one I already trust nearby. It would also be a loss of around 220K, plus interest. The vice versa situation isn’t so bad in that I would at least get a free education and a grant out of it. </p>

<p>4) One last thing, Macaulay students have the benefit of creating their own major. I am actually unsure on whether or not this benefit is for CUNY students across the board, but it is definitely interesting. New York City itself boasts of world renowned professionals in their field, and having this easy access to your pick of muses, possibly getting to work with them is not something to laugh at either. Especially in Manhattan, where Hunter is located at, there are so many opportunities around the corner. </p>

<p>Of course, there are also personal reasons behind why I picked Macaulay concerning family and close relationships. As for California, it will still be there when I graduate, probably! </p>

<p>If there is any dissent whatsoever, please comment. </p>

7

<p>You made the right choice.And Macaulay is an amazing opportunity!
Congratulations on a smart choice.</p>