I will be attending college this fall and I need advice on which school to pick. I am deciding between the four schools I listed in the discussion title. My main concern is financial aid. I want to study aeronautical engineering, but I am open to other majors. I also am interested in electrical engineering, materials science and nanotechnology, business marketing, neuroscience, and nutrition sciences. I am really all over the place with what I want to do and can’t seem to decide between a lot of courses. 
But as of rn, I am just focusing on engineering and will probably minor in business. We’ll see how it goes once I start classes. Given that information about what I would like to study, I am listing the pros and cons of each school I am considering. If you have any added information or insight about the schools regarding my possible majors, please let me know!!! 
I need all the advice I can get.
U of Miami
- Pros:
- I received scholarship/aid of over half the $52,000 tuition.
- Cons:
- Even with the aid, UM is still expensive, although not as expensive as other schools.
- It is way too close too home. I don’t want to have to deal with overprotective parents anymore. I feel like I missed out on a big part of what a normal childhood was supposed to be. I don’t need that to continue in college if I am so close to home.
- I would have to live at home. I did not apply for housing bc over-protective parents. LOL
- I just really can’t stand UM. I think the campus is gross and humid and just no. I’ve lived in Miami my whole life and I am SICK OF IT.
- A lot of kids from my school are going there. Let’s just say the kids at my school are spoiled, entitled brats and I seem to get the same vibe from UM as a whole.
USC (Viterbi School of Engineering)
- Pros:
- Definitely my favorite school out of the bunch. LA is somewhere I would like to live although I have never visited. However, I really just can’t seem to picture myself living anywhere else. The LA vibe of being “laid-back” and near the beach is something that resonates with me especially since I’m so used to the miami beaches. But I am also not the procrastinator type and am very focused, which I feel i could also get with the city vibe of LA. The city seems like it has a balance of both worlds and that’s very important to me. This is a little dumb, I guess, but I’ve watched so many YouTube vlogs of people who live in LA and I feel like they have provided me enough insight about the location to understand what living there entails and how it fits my personality. I plan to visit there soon.
- ITS FAR AWAY FROM HOME! BYE MOM AND DAD!
- It’s a dream school for me. If it wasn’t for the money, I would enroll in a heartbeat.
- Cons:
- It’s extremely expensive. I did receive a little less than half of the $72,000 tuition not including the loans they would offer me as aid. Its still ridiculous the amount my family would have to pay.
- Heard the area is a little dangerous, but I don’t think I should be concerned.
FIU
- Pros:
- FIU would be almost free for me.
- I could get a dorm here since it is so inexpensive.
- Cons:
- Farther away from home, than UM, but still too close. It’s like a 30 min drive.
- Not the best education. This was one of my safeties. I didn’t even apply here originally. My mother forced the application on me. LOL (but I guess I don’t regret her doing that because it would be free to attend???)
Fordham (Lincoln Center)
- Pros:
- I got a full-ride here and accepted into the Honors College. I would only have to pay for dorms which is doable. Not as inexpensive as FIU tho.
- It’s located in New York! New York has always been a dream. (I know, so cliche) I am a theatre geek also so I feel like that side of me would love NY. I feel like NY also goes hand-in-hand my go-getter attitude. I visited briefly and enjoyed New York. I am concerned, however, that living there will be much different than visiting. Also not sure if it would be the best place to go to college. I think it doesn’t have the same balance that LA bc ofc its the “city that never sleeps.”
- Definitely far away enough from home.
- Cons:
- I would have to study neuroscience as they don’t offer an engineering degree in the first year. BUT, they do have a joint program with Columbia in the last few years of college which would allow me to get a Bachelor’s in engineering from Fordham and Columbia. My acceptance to this program, however, is not guaranteed, although I would imagine I would have a good chance of getting in as an Honors student with a full-ride. Not sure though. The program also takes 5 years of undergrad instead of the usual 4.
- IT GETS COLD. Not prepared yet for cold winter bc of the nice Miami weather I’m used to. Would like to see snow though. I have never seen it in my life! :0
UWash (Seattle)
- Pros:
- Never been to Seattle, but it looks BEAUTIFUL. I could definitely see myself going there.
- I like the hipster vibe haha
- Really good engineering program!
- Far from home.
- Cons:
- Still expensive even with aid. Just as expensive as USC.
Now I’m gonna rank the schools on the basis of my desire to go there.
USC > UWash > Fordham > UMiami > FIU
Least expensive to most:
FIU > Fordham > UMiami (but no housing) > UWash = USC
My problem is that I don’t know if it would be worth it to spend so much money on undergraduate school if I have so much cheaper options closer to me. I need help deciding if the experience of going to an undergraduate school that I really want to go to is worth the significantly greater expenses. Will I be missing out on great opportunities if I choose the cheaper schools. I’ve been told by some to get out of the state asap and others have told me to save my money in undergrad and spend the big bucks on graduate school as I plan on getting at least a master’s in whatever I do. I don’t think I will be happy at UM and FIU and am afraid if I stay home if I go to UM, I will not be able to have the life that I would like to pursue due to my parent’s influence and wishes.
I also want to start a business during college and am working on it now. It will greatly impact my ability to proceed with my business if I go to a more expensive school as I will have less available resources. If I go to a school that is farther away from home, I am also afraid I will get caught up in all the typical college freshmen events that I won’t have time to pursue my business since I will be adjusting to a new atmosphere and lifestyle in a completely different city. At the same time, living in Miami would contain me and hinder my ability to experience new things and make connections with completely different people. Maybe I would be able to balance a business and a new life in a different city? Is it worth making the move?
More about me: I need to be able to live in a location where theres a variety of people and cultures. I am also foodie! Does anyone know anything about any of the dining plans in the schools mentioned??? Or restaurants in the area? What about the atmosphere and people there? I also live a very active lifestyle so I need a city that would allow me to continue that lifestyle.
If you read all of this, I appreciate it so much! I really need help in weighing my options and would like others’ insight! Let me know what you think!!
THANK YOU!!!