<p>Hi! I'm an international student and I've been accepted to both Mount Holyoke College and University of Glasgow.</p>
<p>I know they are two extremely different schools, but there are aspects I like about both...</p>
<p>Mount Holyoke:
Pros:
Quite well-respected LAC
I don't have to settle on a major jet
I like its small classes and supportive environment
I also like that I don't have to worry about cooking etc
I have been dreaming about studying in the US for years...
Cons:
While I can pay for it, I also have to take loans. When I graduate, I'd be $20000 in debt (+$12000 from my local bank I'd take either way)
It's a women's college, I'm not sure if it's for me
Quite small, located in a small town
Not much reputation outside US</p>
<p>University of Glasgow
Pros:
Quite prestigious in Europe
Closer to home
I'd get a single room
More people
Wonderful city
Great academics (I'll major in Political Science)
Don't have to pay tuition
Better job options for the future
Cons:
The living costs are about $1000/per month, I have only about $700 for one month, so I'd have to work (I have to work in MHC also)
I'd graduate with (only) $12000 in debt
Have to choose a major in the beginning</p>
<p>I don't know what to do...Which one would you choose?
I really appreciate your help!!!</p>
<p>^True, but keep in mind that I also have my $12000 local student loan. With the same interest…
I’m worried, because I’m probably unable to get a job in the US after I graduate and I’d have to return to my home country, where the average salary is around $1000 a month, but living costs are comparable to the US. Then, paying back my loans is extremely difficult.
On the other hand, IF I get a job in the US, then it would be manageable (but how realistic is that?)</p>
<p>The realism of your ability to get a job in the US after you graduate depends on what you major in. If you major in a field which has strong demand in the US, you may well be able to get a job, because MHC is an elite level liberal arts college, well respected in the US. But if you were to major in something like history, and not have a very clear career focus on an in-demand career, then your chances are far slimmer. Not impossible, but not great. It’d be a risk. </p>
<p>Glasgow is a respected university. Since you’re concerned about the amount of loans you’d need to take out versus your employability after graduation, I’m thinking that Glasgow could well be the better choice for you. It’s less expensive for you, and it’s better known back in your home country. </p>
<p>Are you an EU Citizen? Where are you from? If not an EU citizen - one of the things I really like about going to uni in Scotland is that Scotland has a scheme whereby you can stay and work in Scotland for two years, without needing a work visa. You can use the time you work there toward a work visa, should you choose to apply for one, and your having gone to uni there will also help toward that. If you’re not an EU citizen, and you think you may want to stay and work in the country in which you go to uni, then Glasgow truly might be the best choice for you, because of this Scottish scheme.</p>
<p>I am an EU citizen. So I don’t have to pay tuition fees it Scotland and I would have no problem working there afterwards.
It’s such a tough decision, especially after all the hours I spent applying and all the money I spent to get accepted to a US uni…
I’m on 6 waitlists though, these schools have better FA policies (no or less loans). So maybe settle on Glasgow and if I get off from a waitlist (yeah, right) then US…</p>
<p>It sounds as if the crux of the matter might be whether you are ready to choose a field of study. Is the University of Glasgow like other UK unis in that you apply and are accepted into a specific program of study? If so, how certain are you that it is what you want to do, and how difficult would it be to shift your emphasis to another likely contender?</p>
<p>In Glasgow I’m accepted to Social Sciences, which gives me quite a lot of opportunities from anthropology to business and management to politics and psychology…I’d probably choose something from Social Sciences anyway, so I guess Glasgow is a better choice…</p>
<p>MHC is a very pretty college in a lovely area of Massachusetts. It looks very much like the “typical US college” you might see in films. The students there seem really happy to be there. </p>
<p>MHC is part of the five college consortium, which means that it shares facilities with Smith, Hampshire, Amherst and UMass Amherst. You can take classes at those other unis, go to events there, join clubs there, etc. There are free buses that connect the campuses, and connect MHC to the city of Northampton (which is where Smith is), which is a funky little artsy city. </p>
<p>Glasgow is, of course, Glasgow, with all that city has to offer - which is a <em>lot</em>. And as you are an EU citizen, you go to uni there tuition free, which is a big deal. </p>
<p>You mentioned that you’re on the wait list for some other US colleges. If that’s true, and you have one particular college from that list that you love, make sure they know that you love them. Contact them and let them know that they are your first choice. If you have any additional support that you can send for your application (additional awards won, an additional teacher recommendation, etc.) then send it to the schools you’re waitlisted for.</p>
<p>I’m not going to tell you which school to attend but i will share my decision processs. I am also an international student and was deciding between MHC and Wellesley. I really liked MHCs community and course offering catered to my career intensions; however choosing Wellesley would mean that I wouldn’t have the $20000 debt and I would be at a school with international recognition - two very important reasons why I applied in the first place. You need to decide where you want to go in life (stay in states or try work overseas) you also need to think of the things you wanted in a college outside of your home town (eg for me, I wanted a school ranked high compared to those in my country and I wanted as little debt as possible.) GOOD LUCK!</p>