^^^ Agree with Zinhead, but make sure you understand the financial impacts. Talk with someone at Northwestern’s financial aid department. The NPC’s are great, but you’ll want something in writing (and get confirmation that the “debt cap scholarship” would apply in your case).
Good Luck!
I’m visiting in a few weeks @Gator88NE and I already scheduled a meeting with the financial aid office.
Also, I was offered an opportunity to fly out to Northwestern for free and they even sent me a medium sized plastic luggage tag in the shape of a wildcat paw to help me identify my luggage in the baggage claim area. Is that common?
No idea, but it sounds awesome. :-bd
My daughter got a few offers to fly out to schools, but it was always privates, never a public (like UF). Then again, the privates charged much more for tuition than the publics. Have a safe flight and enjoy the trip. 
COngratulations on the fly-in - do take it and enjoy!
Got my FA package from Northwestern. It leaves about $27,000 per year for tuition and I can always get the cheapest housing available. So I’m guessing it will be $40,000 per year. Of course I will appeal when I visit, but this is were I’m at so far. I am also willing to take out government loans and hopefully the debt cap scholarship will apply for me as a senior.
Okay, I just had a heart to heart with my mom and we kinda settled on UF. I found out that NU actually wanted $47,000 per year, not $35,000. I know my work ethic, and who I am as a student, and I know that my degree will not define my success in life. UF was my dream from sophomore year, and I won’t just drop that now that I got into a more prestigious school. UF will be $32,000 for all for years. I will have peace of mind with that. At NU, I will always wonder about how my aid will change the following year and that’s really a burden I don’t want. I also don’t feel comfortable having my parents pay what is essentially $100,000 extra for me to go to NU. That’s crazy money. It’s been a long ride, so I’m pretty sure I will be going to UF.
This certainly was not easy. I absolutely love the campus. It’s stunning and the students are so friendly. The program is amazing and I spoke to so many professors who really made me feel welcome. But I know that UF has an amazing journalism school as well and I’ll be just fine.
You know, it’s funny. I’m sitting here on campus and my mom told me that fit matters most and I told her that I want financial security. So the tide turned a little bit lol. You all certainly helped me push my mom and ask those tough questions. Thank you
Glad you decided and good luck at UF.
@mom2and I actually switched lol. I’m going to Northwestern
@CaliCash why’d you switch?
@LBad96 “Lol, don’t kill me, but I’m going to Northwestern now. The office of financial aid called me and apparently, I wouldn’t be a full pay student once my sibling leaves college. Because their tuition roughly $6,000, I would be paying that much more in subsequent years provided everything else stays the same. Not the $70,000 that I had initially thought and was led to believe. At the meeting, the woman had said we would be paying more, and I assumed that would be full tuition, but it wouldn’t be. NU would only be about $18,000 more than UF or maybe even $12,000 depending on when my sibling graduates. In addition, I was choosing UF for the wrong reasons. Aside from money, I was selling myself short because I was scared of NU. I saw the students and how bright they were and I was terrified that I wouldn’t be good enough and that it would be too rigorous. But I am a competitive person and I would thrive in that environment. I wouldn’t be sitting in classes taught by grad students for two years at NU and I would be around students of a higher caliber than that of UF. I know I must be driving you all crazy lol. But my heart just wasn’t in the right place. When I spoke to my parents, they told me they would make it work (especially with more clarity after the call with NU). No more lavish vacations, or at least fewer. So, that’s where I’m going No looking back.”
@CaliCash Wow, must be difficult giving up on a dream you’ve held for so long. I would have stuck with UF if I were you, but I’m sure you’re going to do very well at Northwestern. Best of luck and congrats!!
best of luck, @calicash. Maybe one day you can treat your parents to a really nice vacation.
@LBad96 I’m not giving up on my dreams. I’m following them Hey, are you going to UNC?
@CaliCash all will be revealed on Thursday. 
Just throwing this out there but have you looked at journalism salaries? I’m on the management side of the business and hire journalists all the time. The starting and finishing salaries would make me think long and hard about going into significant debt to get a j school degree.
@gluttonforstress I know what I’m doing I’m also getting a tech background.
So I was asked to give a brief update so here it is! I do like Northwestern, but it is not a cakewalk. It is intense! I’m not taking any 100 level courses, so a lot of my work requires intense reading. I love being able to take classes for my major though. We are truly being prepared for the future. One of the difficult parts of NU is midterms. The quarter started exactly a month ago and midterms have started already. So it is very intense, but I love the experience overall. As a journalism major, I get tremendous access that other students would otherwise not have. I have been able to get press credentials for a lot of events, I get to interview athletes on campus or famous alum. So it’s been great. There is also a tremendous support system. Professors care. Your academic advisor cares. NU is A+. I love this school and theres a little bit of everything for everyone!
Spring Quarter is over for me!! I can’t believe I’m almost done with my first year already. I love NU so much and I know I made the right decision
Thank you for the update CaliCash!
Can you develop a little about…
academics (class you took, if you found them hard or easy or different)
social life
anything that surprised you
anything you though would be hard, but wasn’t
best reason someone should pick NU!
I found the academics to be REALLY tough, but that’s what I wanted in a school. I actually failed a class that a I studied tremendously hard for 
My social life has been pretty tame, but this upcoming quarter, I definitely want to be more social and make more memories. I only have 4 years at NU and I’m 1/6th of the way done. I haven’t really done anything incredibly remarkable and 20 years from now, I wanna look back and share fond memories with my children.
I was surprised at how safe I feel on campus. NU does a great job with security and I never feel unsafe, even late at night.
I think people should choose NU because it has the best of both world in so many areas. We have great STEM, and great humanities. We have cold winters in the snow and summers by the beach. We have a vibrant social scene if you want and you can still enjoy NU without ever going to parties. Lastly, during the football season, we have the atmosphere of a B1G school and at other times, we have the vibe of a Liberal Arts college.
Academically, you can make relationships with professors from your freshman year and you have a tremendous support system around you. When you’re struggling, your professors look out for your academics and your well being.