I recently committed to attending WashU, and am really excited for next year, but some people are kind of bumming me out. In the end I was choosing between WashU, Brown, UPenn, and scholars programs at Cornell and Tufts, but ultimately chose WashU because of the wonderful merit scholarship I received (which will save my family about $120,000 compared to the financial aid we received). I know I made the right decision for myself and my parents, but at my New-England boarding school some people have not been so enthusiastic. I know of people talking behind my back, questioning how I could possibly turn down Ivies. One girl flat out told me to my face that she was surprised with my decision because of the “vast difference in the quality of education” between WashU and UPenn. And just in general people have not been as excited for me as they have been for people who are going to schools with better names, especially since I think most people expected me to go to a prestigious school in the northeast.
I know I will feel fine after graduation, and that this is really not a big issue. Also, I really do love WashU (and graduating debt free will be amazing)! But in the mean time I could use some reassurance that I made a good decision, perhaps even the “right” decision
The worst thing that you can do is think that these people’s opinions matter. Your education is what you make of it and WashU is a fantastic school. Financials are critical in the college process and 120k is not a small number. By all means, congratulations on your acceptances to the ivy leagues, it only goes to show what a successful student you are. Take the Ivy acceptances as feathers in your cap and save thousands by going to a school with only slightly less prestige.
Oh, @kitkat231 I’m sorry you’re dealing with snobbery and the apparent aghast reactions of the upper crust. Rest assured, you will get an excellent education at WashU, with the added benefit of also having a wonderful, fun college experience.
Washington U is an outstanding school. That, plus the strength of fit, plus the six figures your family is saving = a great decision.
It might not have quite the rep of Penn, but who cares? Penn is like 250 years old and has had a lot more time to develop its rep. Wash U is a top-20 U by my and others’ reckoning, gaining more respect each year, and the differences in academic quality among that group of schools are minuscule if they exist at all.
Most important will be the relationships you develop with your classmates and profs, and you will be in very good stead in both cases – top quality students (check out business insider’s 2016 story on “average SAT scores by school” and show that to your HS chums…) and teachers call Wash U home.
@kitkat231 Congrats. You are smart. Many others are not smart. Sadly there is not much you can do about them. But you just made 120k in one day. Any of them do that?
@kitkat231 As Penn alum, and a very passionate Penn alum at that, i agree that you made the right choice. Of course you will face snobbery in your elite New England boarding school setting, that is to be expected, and you will also encounter many people at WashU lamenting the fact that they did not get into an ivy.
You just need to shut these things out though. Getting into ivies and super prestigious schools is great but not if you need to go into debt strain your family budget. Especially when you have an excellent option like WashU.
You should be proud of yourself and your accomplishments. Tell those Northeast snobs to “shove it.” All they care about is a name because they’re an empty suit. Good luck and you’ll be great! WashU in an amazing place.
You made the right decision, absolutely. You could always have some fun with it…“I just couldn’t resist having $120K when I graduate to play with since I get to keep the savings! Maybe I’ll get a pink car like Elle Woods, OMG!!!”
Actually, the $120k will be more like $160-175k with interest by the time you graduate and multiplied by what it could be invested in instead is a nice pile of money instead of a huge pile of debt.
You are a very bright and thoughtful person and have your priorities straight! Congrats on making an excellent choice and getting such an awesome merit award!
Washington U is a great university. Even without the financial difference if it were my choice it would be very near the top of this list. With the financial difference it is clearly the winner IMHO. With your list of schools that you were deciding between, ALL of them are academically superb. You would get a great education at any of them. However, you need to go where you are comfortable, and four years from now you will be graduating from a great university with NO DEBT. This is going to give you a big leg up down the road. Also, this is going to be easier for your parents to handle.
At any "New-England boarding school ", there will be some people who care more about US News rankings than they do about reality. There will even be some otherwise apparently perfectly nice and reasonable people who are a bit confused into thinking that small differences in US New and WR rankings matter.
You must be a very strong student to have gotten into all of the universities on this list. Some of your friends and acquaintances are probably jealous. Actually, I think that I am a bit jealous.
Obviously once you get to Washington U you will meet new friends who agree, correctly, that it is a great choice.
Other students’ ignorance is not your problem. As we say in the parents forum, just smile and nod. I turned down Penn for a LAC many years ago and never looked back. Congrats on the great choices.
These students are quite ignorant- ignore them. Congrats on your decision to attend Wash U ( and congrats for making it through four years at your boarding school with these people)!
My D attends a public university. When we went to a local accepted students dinner one of the students told us that at her HS, several classmates asked her how she could possibly think of attending a public university.
Hold you head high and be sure to check in with her at your future high school reunions. You can show her then how successful you are and remind her how you made the right choice.
Congratulations on your fantastic admissions results! It is great that you have choices. When you have choices other people will always question your choice. You have to learn to filter out the noise. I think you made the right choice but the most important thing is that you think you made the right choice.
Again, congratulations are in order. Enjoy your college experience.
My son was an excellent student. He got into Wash U, but we couldn’t afford it, even with a good bit of financial aid. He would have loved to be in your shoes! Congrats!
